In this episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Dr Nara Daubeney, CEO & Co-Founder of Phaim Pharma and NHS Surgeon.

Nara is also a mum of four. She shares her deeply honest and inspiring reflections on what it takes to build a big career and raise a thriving family without sacrificing either.

From designing Easter hats at 5am to leading a clinical-stage biotech company, Nara brings warmth, clarity, and wit to a conversation about redefining ambition, letting go of guilt, and building systems that work for your life, not against it.

Together, they explore:

✔️ Why guilt is baked into motherhood and how to release it

✔️ How to balance ambition with presence during different parenting phases

✔️ Why support systems are essential (and how to build your own, even without nearby family)

✔️ What makes someone ready to be a CEO

✔️ How leadership and parenting challenges mirror each other

✔️ What teens really need from you, and how that shapes career decisions

✔️ Why perfection isn’t the goal, and how embracing imperfection is freeing

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How to redefine success on your own terms
• Why motherhood and leadership are not in conflict
• The mindset shift that helps you build a sustainable career
• How to set boundaries and run your life like a system
• The role of authenticity, values, and reflection in leadership

Show Notes:

• Connect with Nara Daubeney on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Phain Pharma: www.phaim.co.uk
• Learn more about the Leaders Plus: Big Careers, Small Children podcast and explore additional resources at leadersplus.org.
• Follow Leaders Plus on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Bluesky.
• Connect with our CEO, Verena Hefti MBE on LinkedIn.
• Find out more about the work of Leaders Plus by signing up to our Newsletter.

Our multi-award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowships support parents committed to career growth while enjoying family life. Expertly designed to keep parents on the leadership path, our programme tackles gender pay gap issues and empowers parents to thrive. Learn more here: Leaders Plus Fellowship.

More BCSC episodes you might love:

Episode 186: Nathalie Holdstock - How to Thrive as a Shift Worker When You're a Parent of Young Children

Episode 179: Dr Sonia Damle – How to Navigate Shift Work as a Parent & the Benefits of Self-Rostering in the NHS & Beyond

Episode 146 - Dr Jasmin Islam: How to Set Boundaries & Ask for What You Need When Balancing Career & Family