Summary

In this conversation, Kate interviews Danielle Melton, an executive leader and founder of Motherboard, a burnout and wellness program for working mothers and companies. They discuss the prevalence of burnout among working mothers, the need for support and resources, and the importance of companies prioritizing the well-being of their employees. Danielle shares her personal experience with burnout and how it led her to create Motherboard. They also touch on the challenges of people-pleasing and the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care. Danielle A. Melton discusses the importance of reflection and goal-setting in personal and professional life. She shares her experience as a foster parent and advocate for foster parents and adoption. She emphasizes the need for support and collaboration among mothers and the importance of involving men in the conversation. Danielle also mentions her involvement in organizations like Mom First and Mom Congress, and the need for societal and legislative changes to support working mothers.

Keywords

burnout, working mothers, motherhood, wellness program, support, resources, companies, workplace, boundaries, self-care, reflection, goal-setting, foster parenting, adoption, support, collaboration, involvement, societal changes, legislative changes, working mothers

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Burnout and Motherboard

03:04 Supporting Working Mothers to Thrive

09:43 Working Mothers as a Woman's Rights Issue

13:31 The Importance of Company Support

16:02 Navigating People-Pleasing and Setting Boundaries

21:25 The Journey of Foster Parenting and Adoption

26:48 Advocacy for Working Moms: Creating Societal and Cultural Changes

32:50 Unity and Collaboration: The Power of the Sisterhood

www.joinmotherboard.com

This episode we’re joined by CEO and co-founder of Winnie (winnie.com), a child care marketplace, Sarah Mauskopf, to share her journey in building the platform and highlight the challenges faced by working mothers. It’s no secret childcare is a crisis in the US, in mid-2023 it was projected that close to 70,000 daycare centers were at risk of closure. The number of stay-at-mothers rose in the US from 15% to 25%, primarily due to lack of affordable childcare options. And it’s not just the female workforce that’s been at risk; but women’s mental health and relationship health due to the inability to step away from their children for alone time, date nights, or socializing with friends. The importance of affordable childcare and the impact on women's careers and financial independence is critical to our success as a country. The discussion also explores the need for government and employer support in addressing the childcare crisis. We also cover the future offerings and challenges for Winnie, along with the value of flexibility and self-care for working parents.

Takeaways

Childcare is a critical issue in the US, with many daycare centers at risk of closure and working mothers considering leaving the workforce due to the high cost of childcare.

Winnie is a childcare marketplace that connects parents with licensed daycare and preschool providers, offering a comprehensive platform for finding and comparing childcare options.

Affordable childcare is essential for women's career advancement and financial independence, and government and employer support is crucial in addressing the childcare crisis.

Flexibility in work hours and providing resources for self-care are important for working parents to balance their professional and personal lives.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

01:18 The Journey to Building Winnie

04:03 Challenges in Finding Childcare

05:12 The Value of Winnie's Platform

06:13 Benefits for Childcare Providers

07:39 Upgrade Model for Parents and Providers

09:31 The Cost of Childcare

12:36 Affordability and Government Support

13:06 Employer Support for Childcare

33:39 Conclusion

Where to find Winnie:

Website: www.winnie.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/winnie

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@winniechildcare

Thank you to Bear Beat Productions for editing.

Find Boss Mama Jama @BossMamaJama

Closing out Women's History Month by asking men what the significance of the month is to them and giving the opportunity to show their appreciation to women in their lives. Hear what a few had to say...

#HypeWomen

Kate is excited to welcome her former colleague and friend, Melissa Carnegie, founder of Kicks and Fros, as she shares her journey in the fashion industry and the rise of sneaker culture for women and the importance of representation and community. In the episode, Melissa outlines her journey to successfully building her businesses as an influencer and fashion changemaker, as well as her new sneaker cleaner kit launch. Most importantly, Melissa shares her journey as a bonus mom and how she has navigated the challenges of building a relationship with her step-daughter. She emphasizes the importance of being a role model and instilling values of hard work and perseverance. Melissa also discusses the unique perspective she has as a bonus mom and the impact she can have on the next generation. In this conversation, Melissa Carnegie discusses her journey of finding her purpose and building a successful career in the fashion industry. She emphasizes the importance of being passionate about your work and not settling for anything less than what you love. Melissa shares how her love for fashion and personal style has come full circle in her career. She also talks about exciting opportunities, such as customizing sneakers for the TV show Love is Blind, and her efforts to build a community of like-minded women in the sneaker industry. Melissa highlights the power of sharing success and empowering women in business.

Takeaways

Chapters00:00Introduction and Background01:09Starting Melissa Chanel and Kicks and Fros

07:38 Representation of Women in Sneaker Culture

10:09 Growing Up as a Tomboy and Sneaker Influence

14:26 The Growth of Kicks and Fros

16:10 Events and Community Building

20:08 Launch of Sneaker Cleaner Kit

23:07 Juggling Multiple Roles

24:19 Getting Married and Personal Growth

25:09 Building a Relationship with a Bonus Daughter

26:36 Navigating the Role of a Bonus Mom

27:39 Parenting and Business

35:27 Influencing the Next Generation

40:22 Finding Your Purpose

43:11 Advice for the Future

45:27 Creating a Purposeful Career

48:14 Customizing Sneakers for Love is Blind

49:26 Building a Community

51:16 Empowering Women in Business

53:07 The Power of Sharing Success

54:47 The Soundtrack of Success

58:06 Where to Find Melissa

In this episode, Kate interviews Shannon Talbot, a life coach, public speaker, and author, about her book Breaking Free. Shannon shares her personal wake-up call and the importance of work-life balance. They discuss redefining success and pursuing happiness and fulfillment. Shannon provides insights on overcoming fear, excuses, and bad habits imprinted upon us starting in childhood and emphasizes the impact of personal growth. They also explore the power of visioning and manifesting, and the journey of change and continued development. In this conversation, Shannon Talbot discusses the pursuit of career happiness and the importance of bringing joy and energy into our work lives. Shannon also teases her coaching program and her switch from burnout to a more controversial topic of chasing happiness for working parents and professionals. The conversation highlights the changing outlook on career and work, especially among younger generations. Shannon's book, Breaking Free, is recommended for those seeking guidance in creating the career and life of their dreams.

Takeaways

The pursuit of work-life balance is essential for true happiness and fulfillment.

Self-awareness and courage are key to making positive changes in life and career.

Dreams and goals can be small and personal, but still significant in creating a fulfilling life.

Overcoming fear, excuses, and bad habits is crucial for personal growth and success.

Prioritizing happiness and well-being is not selfish, but necessary for a fulfilling life.

Modeling happiness and pursuing personal growth positively impacts children and those around us.

Shifting into change requires a clear vision, breaking down steps, commitment, and accountability.

Visioning and manifesting can help change thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

Personal growth is a lifelong journey that requires continuous effort and self-reflection. The pursuit of career happiness involves making changes to feel happier, more energetic, and more joyful at work.

Happiness is a controversial topic, but it is something we want for ourselves and our children.

Career happiness is becoming increasingly important for younger generations entering the workforce.

Shannon Talbot's book, Breaking Free, provides guidance on creating the career and life of your dreams.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:23 Shannon's Wake-Up Call

03:21 Redefining Success

05:04 The Importance of Work-Life Balance

06:12 Creating Change Without a Wake-Up Call

08:03 The Power of Small Dreams

10:13 Overcoming Fear, Excuses, and Bad Habits

13:35 The Impact on Children

19:44 Prioritizing Happiness and Well-being

25:05 Motivation for Change

29:23 Shifting into Change

35:26 Visioning and Manifesting

40:41 The Journey of Personal Growth

41:43 Shannon's Personal Journey

42:12 Pursuit of Career Happiness

43:07 Controversial Topic of Happiness

44:15 Importance of Career Happiness for Younger Generations

45:09 Shannon's Book and Coaching Work

45:39 Coming Out Song as a Working Mom

46:29 Final Words

Summary

This conversation with explores the topic of equitable pay, specifically focusing on the gender pay gap and its impact on parents. The discussion highlights the need for fair pay and the factors that contribute to the gender pay gap, such as parental leave and bias in perceptions. The importance of paid parental leave and support from managers and companies is emphasized as key to closing the gender pay gap. The conversation also touches on the role of transparency, female leadership, and bias awareness in addressing the issue. Overall, the conversation provides insights and actionable steps for individuals and organizations to work towards equitable pay.

Takeaways

Paid parental leave is crucial in reducing the gender pay gap, as unpaid leave can widen the gap and discourage women from returning to work.

Managers play a significant role in supporting employees during and after parental leave, ensuring their career progression is not hindered.

Companies should offer equal parental leave to all employees and encourage men to take leave, promoting a more balanced and fair work environment.

Transparency in reporting the gender pay gap can help identify and address disparities within organizations.

Bias awareness and training can help combat stereotypes and perceptions that contribute to the gender pay gap.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Need for Equitable Pay

01:06 Personal Experiences and the Gender Pay Gap

02:25 Contributors to the Gender Pay Gap for Parents

03:48 The Impact of Parental Leave on the Gender Pay Gap

07:12 The Importance of Paid Parental Leave

08:30 The Role of Managers in Closing the Gender Pay Gap

10:27 The Impact of Unpaid Leave on the Gender Pay Gap

11:44 The Role of Companies in Closing the Gender Pay Gap

13:25 The Importance of Re-Onboarding After Parental Leave

16:37 Transparency and Gender Pay Gap Reporting

18:23 The Impact of Female Leadership on the Gender Pay Gap

19:04 Manager Training and Bias Awareness

20:09 The Importance of Overall Awareness

23:17 The Impact of Culture on the Gender Pay Gap

25:03 The Bias in Perceptions of Parental Duties

29:33 Individual Actions to Impact the Gender Pay Gap

32:14 Closing Remarks and Walkout Song

Resources

Jenna Vassallo on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennavassallo/

https://www.parentaly.com/

When critical support is promised to women and gets taken away over and over again, we get fed up. The U.S. has relied on mothers' ability to 'build back bleeding' for far too long and one grassroots movements is say enough. Listen to this episode to learn more about the Chamber of Mothers, their mission and how you can get involved.

In the US, there's no paid maternity leave, and many moms must go back to work just two weeks after giving birth. This hurts their finances and health. Maternal mortality rates are high, especially for women of color. There's also a lack of childcare workers and affordable childcare, which makes it hard for women to work and impacts society.

In this episode, Kimberly Didrikson, the founder of Learning Motherhood, talks about her organization's mission to help working moms return to work after having a baby. Learning Motherhood offers resources, coaching, and consulting to help employers support parents. She also discusses her involvement with the Chamber of Mothers, an organization fighting for paid leave and supporting working moms. They focus on three key areas: paid leave, maternal health, and childcare, working to make changes at state and federal levels. Kimberly emphasizes the importance of factors like housing and nutrition on maternal health and highlights grassroots movements, local chapters, strategic communication, and community-building, to drive change. The goal is to have moms' voices heard by lawmakers to improve paid leave, healthcare, and childcare.

Listen now and be inspired by Kimberly and the mission and initiatives undertaken by the Chamber of Mothers while highlighting its potential impact on improving conditions for mothers across different communities.

Topics Discussed:

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Find Kimberly here:

Resources:

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kate-griffin-gleysteen/support

About the Podcast

There is no playbook for being a working mom! Even now, when women were raised to believe they can have it all, navigating parenthood and the workforce feels insurmountable. The COVID pandemic lock down shined a light on how much mom's bear the brunt of raising children and how little room the workforce has to help parents. The systemic issues relate to how desolate our government spending is for childcare and parental support. So with the odds against us, how do parents and professionals navigate the intersection of their identities to thrive instead of compromise? Let's talk about it.

This episode was inspired by my own, and many other mothers I spoke with, response to The Retrievals, a five part podcast series covering a horrific story of a lawsuit between several women and the Yale Fertility Center in Connecticut, where a nurse was stealing fentanyl that was used for pain management during egg retrievals and replacing it with saline. The women went through excruciating pain, and in each case and story you heard their pain minimized, not believed, or even scolded for their physical reactions, flinching and writhing, during the procedure. 

The podcast has been the topic of conversation for many of mom networks, something women everywhere can’t help but talk about. Not because the case outlined tragic neglect on Yale’s part to regulate narcotics, or because the nurse was so cruel, but because every woman I talked to related to the treatment of the victims in the story. Every woman, especially mothers, could relate to the feeling of gas-lighting, medical professionals minimizing their pain or symptoms, the feelings of being a number and dismissed when their outcomes were not positive. I related to this in my own birthing experience and one thing stood out to me, if the mothers or women are not to be believed in these moments, how can they be heard? Then I remembered my mother when my brother went through near-death health issues in his 20’s, furiously fighting doctors, health insurance, and researching endlessly to diagnose him and find him a cure. Who will fight like a mother for mothers when they need it most? This led me to the role of doulas.

This episode of Boss Mama Jama hosts Katie Braverman, a high school friend of Kate's who recently became a Doula after her own traumatic birthing experience. Katie says, "I like babies, but I LOVE moms". Hear Katie describe the role of a doula and why they're a critical advocate for women in their most important and vulnerable moments. Culture and medicine has changed how we give birth and care for mothers postpartum, but Doulas help maintain the lost forms of caring mothers.

In the face of rising maternal mortality, having a Doula support pre, during, and postpartum has meaningful health benefits; shorter labor, less likelihood of caesarean births, reduce racial disparities due to dismissive behavior in perinatal healthcare providers, lower perinatal costs.

Find Katie, Mama Bravely, Braverman @ https://mamabravely.com/

Source for Doula Care coverage and benefits @ https://healthlaw.org/

The term “momtrepreneur” came about within the past decade, along with She-EO, Boss Bitch, and all the other pink and sparkly tropes that degrade the female business workforce. We are an army of highly productive and effective business leaders and contributors, why do we fall for this marketing? What’s different about “momtrepreneur” that has so many women branding t-shirts and mugs and chasing this title? The promise of not just autonomy and full decision-making power, but the idea of flexibility when women need it most; as a mom.

On this episode I connect with Taylor Spellman, design entrepreneur and HGTV personality from One Week to Sell. Taylor started her design business in New York city in her early 20s, chasing her passion and desire to always, “write her own ticket”. Never has that desire been more important than when she recently became a mom and is now faced with the truth about being a “momtrepreneur”.

Kate gets real and raw about her own recent experiences with miscarriage thanks to the courage of a friend and advocate, Amanda Allen. Amanda is Senior Counsel & Director at the Lawyering Project, focused on advocating for reproductive rights and services. Amanda wrote about her own experiences in 3 articles published by Elle magazine(links below). On the episode Amanda and Kate dive into the isolation in their experiences, the moments of medical intervention, and how their friends, coworkers, and employers supported them in a time of such intense grief. Amanda provides her professional combined with personal perspective on how critical it is that medical intervention be accessible and available for miscarriages and not limited to women going through such a vulnerable process because of abortion bans. This is life saving, life altering, medical care that should not be privilege based on location, reason for treatment, or cost. While you continue to challenge the politicians making these medical care decisions on women's behalf, don't forget to challenge your employers and providers on how they are helping alleviate the cost and burden to employers. Does your company have a pregnancy loss plan?

https://www.elle.com/life-love/a35283175/miscarriage-pregnancy-loss-essay/

https://www.elle.com/life-love/opinion/a39005690/my-miscarriage-was-over-my-terror-had-just-begun/

https://www.elle.com/culture/a39970367/abortion-bans-postpartum-care/