Bathtime 2 Boardroom

After graduating college with an engineering degree, Andy Wong took a job working in the big tech industry. After gaining several years of experience and a patent in nuclear reactors, Andy never imagined doing anything else. It wasn’t until the horror of 911 unfolded before his eyes that Andy realized his trajectory wasn’t aligning with the legacy he hoped to leave. This epiphany ultimately inspired Andy to leave big tech and pursue a career in something completely different. Andy has since found fulfillment in his role as a father of 3 and the go-to real estate agent in Sunnyvale Communities, his neighborhood in Los Altos, California. 

As the son of a realtor, Andy grew up watching his dad help families achieve their dreams through home ownership. And while Andy loved his job as an engineer, he was longing for a career that allowed him to fully immerse himself in the community he loves. Even though real estate can often be time consuming, Andy explains that he had to intentionally create a balance that allows him to prioritize both his clients and family. As he gets older, Andy realizes that the greatest gift his parents gave him is his self-confidence. Without it, Andy knows that he wouldn’t be the father or realtor he is today.

Tune into this week’s episode of Bathtime 2 Boardroom for a conversation with Andy about his transition from engineer to rockstar realtor. Learn more about how Andy uses his career to build his community and create memories for his kids that will last a lifetime. 

#nospiceforandy #raisingadults #neurodiversity #neurotypical #carnegiemelon #UniversityofMichigan #charliebrownhouse #twintowers #9/11 #timeismoney #realtors #dreamhouse #familytime #prioritiesplusvalues

Quotes

• “After a lot of soul searching, prayer, and wise counsel, I decided to pursue something that was more relational and community-focused, and for me real estate was perfect for that.” (24:54-25:06)

• “It takes a lot of intention to say, ‘This is going to be my schedule and these are the normal hours I work,’ and people respect that once you do that.” (31:57-32:04)

• “The potential client could be a great person, but for one reason or another is just not a good fit. And and I'm okay with saying ‘maybe we're not the best fit, but let me introduce you to somebody who might be a better fit for what you're trying to accomplish.’” (33:59-34:16)

• “If you want to live in a nice neighborhood then you have to be a really good neighbor to your neighbors.” (36:57-37:02) 

Links

Connect with Andy Wong: https://www.andyrealestate.com/

Keep up with Bathtime 2 Boardroom:

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bathtime-2-boardroom/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

When it comes to modern-day leadership, Brian Cornell tells listeners that they should stick to the two A’s: authenticity and approachability. As the Chairman and CEO of Target, Brian has acquired his fair share of experience in a leadership role. He explains that he made it through the pandemic by staying true to himself and remaining accessible to all members of his team when they needed support. A career-long advocate of diversity and inclusion in corporate leadership, Brian also explains the importance of creating an inclusive culture in any workplace environment, which has been one of his primary goals throughout his time at Target.

Brian’s wealth of experience also extends into the realm of parenthood. Brian is a father of two and a grandfather of three with another on the way when this episode was recorded! Brian tells listeners that the one thing he wishes he had known about parenting before having his kids was how quickly time will fly. He advises parents to slow down and be sure to appreciate each and every moment with their kids while they can.

Tune into this week’s episode of Bathtime 2 Boardroom for a conversation with Brian about authentic and inclusive leadership. Learn how Brian established a successful balance between parenting and his career, why leaders must model the self-care they preach to their teams, and what really happens behind the scenes in a boardroom of a major corporation.  

#Target #Leadership #families #performance #diversity #grandparent #reflection #partnership #UCLABasketball #Coaching

Quotes

• “I realized that those were the areas where the playing field was level, where nobody cared who my dad was or how much money we had or what car we drove. In a classroom or on a playing field or when I was working, those things didn’t matter. It was all about great performance.” (04:09-04:25)

• “Hopefully I’ve been a good role model [for my kids] over the years, and they recognize the importance of staying humble and grounded, making sure that they’re caring parents and caring friends, and really engaging in society in the right way.” (06:45-07:00)

• “To have a great career and a great family environment, you need processes in place. Good planning and good communication and understanding how you’re going to allocate time and those special date night moments and make sure you’re planning ahead – just like we do in business, I think it’s really important to take that same approach to how you manage your family time.” (12:30-12:56)

• “During the pandemic, I’ve certainly learned the importance of culture in an environment where there is so much uncertainty, and how important it is to be really empathetic and be a great listener and understand some of the challenges our teams are facing and how we can be there to support them during these challenging times.” (24:48-25:05)

• “I have a personal belief that the bottom line is always driven by the talent and the team and the people that you surround an organization with.” (31:22-31:34)

Links

https://www.target.com/ 

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As a first grade teacher in the thick of the COVID-19, Scotty Burkhardt’s approach has been to underwhelm rather than overwhelm. Since the start of the pandemic, Scotty has witnessed firsthand how difficult online learning has been for his own kids, especially when teachers decide to pile on extra work. Scotty explains that you never know what resources kids have access to at home, so he has made a concerted effort to avoid overwhelming his students and their parents during an already stressful time.

While Scotty originally pursued a corporate career after graduating from Chico State, he soon found that this trajectory just didn’t align with his goals. He ultimately went back to school for a teaching degree, following in the footsteps of his mom, a Kindergarten teacher of 28 years. Scotty is also a father to three kids: Madison, Jack and Ethan. Scotty explains that becoming a parent has allowed him to empathize much more with his students’ parents and has resulted in his a laidback and understanding teaching approach.

Tune into this week’s episode of Bathtime 2 Boardroom for a conversation with Scotty about teaching and parenting during the age of COVID. Learn why Scotty’s house has always been the neighborhood hub, the unexpected educational benefits that have arisen from the pandemic, and why Scotty swears by his #OlukaiSandals, both in and out of the classroom.

Quotes

• “Being a middle school kid, being a high school kid, being a college kid, you just want to hang out, and if you don’t have a safe place to hang out, then you’re going to find an unsafe place to hang out. And I feel like you’re going to get into more risqué things because you just have a place.” (05:57-06:13)

• “[During COVID] I think everyone learned how important school is. I think a lot of people just valued school as, ‘My kid learns some history and learns how to add,’ and it’s like that’s kind of the cherry on top….They learn community, they learn how to build, they learn how to make decisions, they learn how to problem solve, they learn how to deal with adversity….and then maybe they might learn something about the Civil War that they may or may not remember.” (12:37-13:06)

• “As a teacher, you’ve got one side that tells you you’re doing too much, and then you have the other side telling you you’re doing too little.” (16:54-17:00)

• “My mantra was I was like, ‘I’m going to underwhelm this year because I certainly don’t want to overwhelm.’” (29:50-29:57)

• “Go slow, so that you can go fast….We sometimes get in this zone, we get these spreadsheets, we get these pacing guides, and we just start running with these kids. And we ask these kids that have never run a mile, in a sense, to run five miles. And it’s like what are we doing here? We’re doing them a disservice.”  (41:30-41:58)

Links

Learn more about Braniac Foods:

• Website: https://brainiacfoods.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrainiacKidsFoods/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brainiackids/

Keep up with Bathtime 2 Boardroom:

• Website: www.bathtime2boardroom.com

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bathtime-2-Boardroom-Podcast-104607138442668

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bathtime-2-boardroom/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

“You can’t be an expert in kids, but you can be an expert in your kid,” says Matt Manos, dad of twins and founder of verynice. Matt explains that while he received seemingly endless suggestions from others about what to feed his kids, what books to read them, and what must-have items to buy, ultimately every kid is different. It’s impossible to know what will work for every kid, but you can become an expert in your own children by learning and growing right alongside them.

Matt tells us that one of his favorite parts of being a dad is getting to see things with a renewed sense of wonder through the eyes of his two kids. Matt explains that this is especially useful in generating inspiration for his design strategy practice, verynice. Matt launched verynice in 2008 as one of the first examples of social enterprise in the design industry. The company gives away half of its work for free to nonprofit organizations, which is made possible by its massive network of over 1000 collaborators around the globe.

Tune into this week’s episode of Bathtime 2 Boardroom to learn more about Matt’s journey through fatherhood and the world of design. Learn about the origin story behind Matt’s business, the milestones he’s most looking forward to with his kids, and how Matt’s role as a father and a teacher at Iovine and Young Academy have intersected in surprising ways. 

Quotes

• “Something I really hope that I can do for our kids is just let them know that it’s ok to be a little weird and explore and be creative.” (3:36-3:42)

• “I’m both excited and terrified for when they’re walking because speaking of what it’s like to have twins, I imagine that they both run in different directions and then I’m basically going to have to be like, ‘Ok, which kid is on the brink of death?’ and that’s where I will run first.” (10:58-11:19)

• “I think that one of the things that’s really fascinating to me about having kids is it’s kind of like you’re born again in a way in terms of being able to see things for the first time again.” (11:55-12:11)

• “You can’t be an expert in kids, but you can be an expert in your kid.” (15:54-15:58)

• “I thought, ‘Why doesn’t the design industry have a model like that?’ So, it kind of started there actually beyond just being interested in working with nonprofits, it was seeing this gap that there was not an application of social enterprise in the industry that I was going to work in.” (23:57-24:14)

• “If you can work with kids when they’re younger, you can start to actually cultivate this innovation mindset much easier. We have way less to unlearn about the way that we’ve seen the world when we’re younger.” (32:14-32:30)

• "We spend so much of our life trying to be like everyone else, and really eventually you learn that it’s all about doing something different.” (38:57-39:06)

Links

Connect with Matt Manos:

• Personal website: https://www.mattmanos.com/

• Verynice website: https://www.verynice.co/

• Instagram: @veryniceinstagram

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmanos/

• Instagram: @wemaketoolkits

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-verynice-design-studio/

Keep up with Bathtime 2 Boardroom:

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bathtime-2-boardroom/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

“Stay safe, have fun, learn lots and don’t pee in your pants.” This is the motto that Mark Brooks and his three kids repeat each day as they walk out of the door. It may seem silly, but Mark explains to us that if his family can consistently abide by this simple, yet powerful mantra, the day is sure to be a good one.

A dad of three kids, ages 4, 7 and 9, Mark is also the President and Co-Founder of Brainiac Foods, a company that produces nutritious and delicious snacks to support brain health. Mark tells us that his childhood played a large role in informing his current entrepreneurial ventures. By helping out around his dad’s interior lighting store while growing up, Mark learned the incredible value of quality, service, integrity and authenticity when it comes to gaining and maintaining a loyal customer base. 

Join Eric Quick and guest host Josh Selo as they talk parenting and brain health with Mark Brooks on the newest season of Bathtime 2 Boardroom – Dads Takeover! Learn about Mark’s journey from the world of finance to nutrition, how Mark’s son Aston has made a name for himself in the poultry industry, and how Mark has turned his three children into unwitting product testers for his nutritious snacks.

Quotes

• “We get on Skype a lot with the gramps back home, and Aston gets onto the screen and says, ‘Hey! Hey Pops, you’re still alive!’” (8:24-8:36)

• “There are so many pressures [that come with parenting] and so many ways of doing it that are all good and all correct and everyone’s trying their best. If having a career and working for you is awesome and means you’re your best parent self, fantastic! If it’s not, fantastic!” (16:30-16:48)

• “We’re making products for kids, for families, for adults. Let’s make sure that we actually make quality products, right, that are made from good stuff….I’m doing a functional food that has a promise for a health benefit, which I want parents to trust, and so I better do my research to make sure that it does what I say it does.” (27:18-28:42)

• “There is a direct line of sight from being fourteen, fifteen, sixteen on a Saturday running a shop, climbing a ladder and doing what it takes, which is that entrepreneurial scrappiness, that same sort of ‘every-penny-counts’ [attitude]. But also, people are only going to come back if there’s authenticity.” (28:19-28:43)

• “Every day...before we leave, this thing has caught hold in my family. I will say ‘stay,’ and they fill in the blank. So ‘stay,’ and they say ‘safe,’ and then I say ‘have’ and they say ‘fun,’ ‘learn’ ‘lots,’ and then I always offer an ‘and don’t.’ So it’s stay safe, have fun, learn lots and don’t...and the thing that stuck is ‘pee in your pants.’ And I think as life advice, if you leave the house every day and you all align on that point, figuratively or literally, it’s all good.” (38:15-38:47)

Links

Connect with Mark Brooks:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brainiackids/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-brooks-083a6458/

Keep up with Bathtime 2 Boardroom:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bathtime-2-Boardroom-Podcast-104607138442668

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bathtime_2_boardroom/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bathtime-2-boardroom/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

“I have memories of my brother teaching me to read before I went to Kindergarten because he didn’t want me to be stupid,” says Brian Kamenetzky, Cohost of Locked on Lakers. Brian explains that while he and his older brother, Andy, did have the occasional sibling tiff growing up, they were for the most part extremely close. This brotherly bond has remained strong throughout the years, as Brian and Andy are now co hosts of Locked on Lakers, a daily podcast that brings listeners a fresh look into the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA. 

Brian is also a father of three kids: two boys (ages nine and eleven) and one girl (age two-and-a-half). Brian tells us that his two sons are also surprisingly close considering their narrow age gap and have only gotten closer over the course of the pandemic. He does admit, though, that while he and his wife have always wanted three kids, raising their middle son made them briefly reconsider this dream, hence the wider difference in age between the two boys and their younger sister.

Tune into this week’s episode of Bathtime 2 Boardroom for a conversation with Brian Kamenetzky about podcasting and parenthood. Learn about the importance of couple awareness when it comes to managing your kids, how the broadcasting world has shifted during and post-pandemic, and why Brian’s household motto (“Don’t be an asshole”) helps maintain peace and structure within their family unit.

Quotes

• “I have memories of my brother teaching me to read before I went to Kindergarten because he didn’t want me to be stupid.” (4:27-4:30)

• “Certain qualities that [my wife and I] have at certain moments are better suited to different aspects of an individual kid’s personality.”  (10:43-10:52)

• “I’m interested in seeing how [my kids] develop independent of us.” (17:15-17:18)

• “Our motto when [our son] was really little was ‘Don’t make it angry.’” (22:42-22:48)

• “The Lakers are great because there is really no off-season for them. There’s no time where the interest goes down, so we sit down Monday through Friday and we broadcast and bring in interviews, and we’re going to start doing live shows and all that stuff.” (30:52-31:09)

• “Working from home – it’s remarkable to me how technology has allowed radio to do that. A lot of studio shows that you hear, whether at ESPN or other places, are still people working from home….I think what we’re seeing is similar in a lot of ways to what we’re seeing in other industries where there’s a recalibration of what is required.” (35:30-36:07)

• “Don’t be an asshole. That’s really our only house rule. It’s the easiest one to kind of flex and enforce, and we find that it’s a good one.” (39:58-40:06)

Links

Check out Brian’s podcast Locked on Lakers: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-lakers-daily-podcast-on-the-los-angeles-lakers/id1034379593

Keep up with Bathtime 2 Boardroom:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bathtime-2-Boardroom-Podcast-104607138442668

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bathtime_2_boardroom/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bathtime-2-boardroom/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

“Boundaries are the way in which you teach others how to treat you,” says Audia Reggie. “Without boundaries, you don’t have self-respect.” Not only does Audia teach others about the importance of boundaries in her role as a psychotherapist, but she also regularly shares her words of wisdom on her TikTok account @truthheals. 

Although Audia started her TikTok account primarily as a COVID pastime, she quickly noticed a need for more content surrounding the intersection between parenting and intergenerational trauma. After posting her first video and receiving a surprising amount of encouraging feedback, Audia went on to produce more regular content and now has over 60k followers!

As for her role as a psychotherapist, Audia explains that the two most crucial things she tells her clients are to (1) critically reflect on how their childhood has shaped them and (2) create meaningful and resilient boundaries. Audia actively incorporates both of these tips into her own parenting style by encouraging her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Nyma to always ask questions, use her voice, and feel comfortable telling others no.

Join Eric and Nina Quick on this week’s episode of Bathtime 2 Boardroom for a conversation with Audia about helping your child find their voice. Learn why breaking away from the mistakes of our parents requires us to confront our intergenerational trauma, how Audia has managed to avoid unsolicited advice about her daughter, and why trusting your intuition is key when it comes to parenting.

Quotes

• “We as parents have good intentions...and we all are left with a sense that we want to do better than our parents, we want to provide our children with more. But for a lot of people, it stops right there. And the reason is that it requires a deep amount of introspection: the ability to look at self and also learn new skills and then implement these skills every single day with our kiddos! But if we have not been healed from trauma, we get triggered by our kids and we go back to square one.” (10:19-11:07)

• “Maybe you have the best intentions, but you might need a little support. Lean into your support network. (11:43-11:51)

• “Our DNA changes with our trauma experiences, so healing yourself is giving a gift to the next generation.” (15:11-15:20)

• “I have clients – couples – who I tell to do exactly that. Maybe once per month, you schedule a time to air out your grievances. Schedule it, so it’s not going to come in your face at a time when you’re maybe not ready for it. You know, and you can prepare, and you recognize that this is not a threat, it’s an opportunity to help come together.” (18:28-18:57)

• “Boundaries are at the heart of healthy relationships with self and with others. Boundaries are the way in which you teach others how to treat you. Without boundaries, you don’t have self-respect.”  (21:37-21:51)

• “Respect your elders….well, let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about this blanket respect that you’re just handing out to people over the age of 40. No, my child is going to ask questions. My child is not just going to blindly obey. My child is going to have the voice and feel confident enough to ask questions and tell you no.” (26:02-26:26)

• “One of the most important features of therapy is your relationship with the therapist. And if you lean into that relationship, a lot of the family of origin issues can be healed in the therapeutic relationship.” (32:40-32:59)

• “QTIP: quit taking it personal.” (34:18-34:21)

• “I’m big on trusting your intuition as a parent and making sure that you lean in on your support network. And if you don’t have one, build one. (35:03-35:16)

• “Remind yourself that you’re doing the very best you can in very challenging times. Even outside of a pandemic, it’s challenging on a daily basis to be a parent. Give yourself grace.” (36:12-36:26)

• “Hug your kids. Tell your children that you love them. Tell your children that you’re proud of them for simply being your child and give them these things every single day.” (36:36-36:48)

• “Begin from within. Start with self. A lot of times we are trying to fix others….Start with self, and everything else will come into place.” (38:58-40:16)

Links

Audia’s TikTok: @truthheals

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

“When we surrender to the unknown a path is shown.” This mantra perfectly sums up Emily Szajda’s life journey. Currently a General Manager at The NOW Massage, Emily is also an author, speaker, chef, nutritionist, yoga meditation instructor, and activist. Not to mention, she is a mom to Henry William, age 3, and is expecting a baby girl this July!

Emily may have grown up in a small town of only 900 residents, but the rest of her life has been a story of exploration and drawing outside of the lines. In her late 20s, Emily moved abroad to Brussels, looking for more work-life balance after a hectic start to her career in the hospitality industry. It was there that she let her inhibitions go to the wind and began incorporating a greater focus on wellness into her day-to-day routine. Now, Emily has not only applied this new perspective to her career in the massage therapy world, but she has also exposed her son to the importance of mindfulness and self-care.

Tune into this week’s episode of Bathtime 2 Boardroom for a conversation with Emily Szajda about establishing consistent mind and body wellness while parenting. Learn how Emily has found a healthy balance between her Midwest work ethic and a more care-free approach, why Emily’s son Henry has decided (independently!) to be a vegetarian, and why treasuring experiences has been a fundamental component of Emily’s motherhood journey.

Quotes

• “It’s interesting because once you move away from your small town or move away from what you once knew and you change as an individual, your parents or family at large expect you to stay the same in your mentality.” (16:25-16:42)

• “In regards to being present with Henry, whenever I’m not working and committed to my clients and to my day job, I’m just very mindful that I’m always listening. I’m not being distracted by my cell phone, which is so easy to do these days….When it’s Henry’s time, it’s Henry’s time.” (23:57-24:29)

• “As an organization, we’re really focused on the power of a touch, and that touch can transcend whether that is empowering you as a person or giving you just that sense of wellness, wellbeing, grounding.” (29:27-29:39)

• “My advice to parents returning to the workplace is, even if it’s five minute’s time, find those little tidbits in the day in regards to filling your cup full. Because we give so much of our energy to our jobs, to our partners, to our children, that we’re often running on low fumes, low fuel gauge I like to say.” (33:07-33:25)

• “I think so often as Americans, sleep gets pushed to the bottom of the totem pole, and it’s so vital for us to be able to show up in a good mood, a good place for ourselves, so that we’re not disgusted by how we react, and for our children, so that they’re getting the best of us.” (34:25-34:42)

Links

https://thenowmassage.com

www.emilyszajda.com

https://www.helenbamber.org/

https://www.notforsalecampaign.org/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

“Working with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a dream,” says Amanda Tyler, mom of two and Professor of Law at UC Berkeley. Not only did Amanda serve as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the start of her career, but more recently, she also co-authored a book with RBG titled Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life’s Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union. Amanda explains that RBG taught her countless lessons, which continue to powerfully inform her own teaching strategies to this day. Most importantly, RBG was heavily invested in the success of each of her clerks, and Amanda aims to provide the same level of feedback and support to her students in her current teaching role.

RBG has also shaped Amanda’s outlook on parenting, most notably with the advice: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” This seemingly simple one-liner has helped Amanda get through even the most stressful of times when it comes to balancing between her work life and motherhood. Amanda has also taken inspiration from her own parents when it comes to her parenting approach, specifically their unwavering positivity and their refusal to micromanage their children.

Join hosts Eric and Nina Quick on this week’s episode of Bathtime 2 Boardroom to hear more about Amanda’s journey through law and motherhood. Learn about Amanda’s passion for marathons (she has run 18!), how To Kill a Mockingbird sparked her interest in law, and why failure is not really failure, but rather an opportunity to learn. And, of course, you won’t want to miss Amanda’s stories about RBG, her wisdom and her steadfast approach to law and to life.

Quotes

• “I had parents that didn’t micromanage, which I think was really important…. I don’t remember my mother ever saying anything after a soccer game except, ‘Great job, kiddo.’ That literally was all she ever said, even if I had a terrible game…. She never tried to coach me, she let my coaches do that. And she just always was very positive and very cheerful and made me feel like if nobody else was there, I at least could always count on her being in my corner, and that’s a really special thing to have as a kid growing up.”  (3:20-4:20)

• “At the end of the day, what I want for my kids is for them to figure out what they’re passionate about…. In my experience and my life, if you’re passionate about something, you’re going to do your best work, you’re going to put more of yourself into it, and you’re going to be more successful.” (5:20-5:56)

• “We need to teach our kids to take risks, to be ok with taking a risk and knowing that it might not work out because, at least in my life experience, if you aren’t willing to put yourself out there, then you’re never going to achieve your greatest success…. If you’re not willing to take risks and not take the safe route, then you’re never going to achieve your full potential.” (10:42-11:15)

• “I wrote [Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg] an email, and I said, ‘Dear Justice, I’m really nervous about this. Suddenly the work-life balance thing everybody’s been talking about seems far more consequential because I’m going to have this little kid at home. And I don’t quite know how I’m going to balance all of it.’ And she wrote back a one-line email, which was quintessential RBG. She said, ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’” (17:11-17:44)

• “[Working with Ruth Bader Ginsburg] was a dream. She was just awesome, there’s no other way to describe it. She was inspiring; she was demanding in totally fair ways; she had incredibly exacting standards, but she never asked more of us than she asked of herself; she pushed you in really healthy ways to rise to the occasion and be your very best…. And because she held herself out to the same standards…you really wanted to do that, you wanted to make her proud of you.” (40:02-40:51)

Links

https://www.mrsdalloways.com/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

“The need for stories is such a human instinct. Human beings crave stories, they crave narrative to understand our world,” says Sumi Aggarwal, award-winning journalist and mother of two adopted daughters. Now the Interim Editor in Chief and Managing Editor at Reveal, Sumi explains that human instinct plays a crucial role in her life. Whether it’s in parenting or at work, Sumi always trusts her instincts to lead her in the right direction.

The daughter of two Indian immigrants, Sumi originally faced backlash from her parents when she decided to pursue journalism. However, after they witnessed her ambition and passion for the field, Sumi’s parents quickly became her biggest cheerleaders. Now a mother herself, Sumi explains that she has more empathy for her parents than she initially thought she would. While she has taken a decidedly different approach in some respects, she has mimicked their parenting strategies in others.

Tune into this week’s episode of Bathtime 2 Boardroom to hear more about Sumi’s journey through investigative reporting and adoptive motherhood. Learn more about the emotional challenges of the adoption process, Sumi’s take on work-life balance, and why Sumi and her family will never outgrow their love of America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Quotes

• “I think what has been really really exciting is just watching [my daughters] change and grow, but they still have that innate part of themselves that they were even when they were little. You kind of see the core of them, but then they take on these different facets….All of the kids that are part of our little tribe….imagining who they’re going to be and what they’re going to do out in the world is just such an exciting prospect.”  (6:29-7:19)

• “I think what I was not prepared for – and this is true whether you do a domestic adoption or an international adoption – is just the emotional toll that waiting takes on you. Both of our girls are adopted from India, and it would be like get to this step of the process, and then you’re waiting for one guy somewhere to file a paper, and nobody knows why he hasn’t filed the paper. And it will drive you insane.” (15:47-16:15)

• “Women particularly get sold a bill of goods about having work-life balance. And the older I get, the more I believe that you cannot have work-life balance every day, but hopefully over the course of your life and your career you find that balance.” (22:45-23:01)

• “While change has been slow and difficult, I think it’s here to stay. And I think those things that people like me took for granted, like oh this is just part of the deal, are no longer true. So now that I lead my own newsroom, it’s been an evolution in my own thinking of how to empower the people on our team to really set the culture and set what’s acceptable and what’s not and lead from that perspective.” (33:15-33:44)

• “Something that does guide my intentions is to feel scared on a regular basis. If you’re not scared, you’re not doing something new, you’re not pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.” (40:56-41:07)

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumiaggarwal/

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