What happens when corporate ambition, the chaotic realities of postpartum recovery, and the search for modern community collide?

Mallory Lee and Shannon Curran get into it with the raw, unfiltered moments of building tech careers while raising toddlers. From the surreal experience of traveling for business while orchestrating a complex village of family childcare, to navigating the unspoken boundaries of modern parenting, they discuss what it actually takes to make it all work in public.

In this conversation, they share candid insights on surviving a grueling 73-hour labor, the bizarre juxtaposition of corporate tech culture at President's Clubs and wellness social spas, and the generational gaps that show up in everyday office life. They also reflect on why hyper-independence might be breaking our parenting boundaries, and how letting go of total control is often the only way to gain a true community.

If you’re a working parent balancing professional travel, navigating the postpartum aftershock, or just trying to survive the constant pull between career and home, this episode will hit close to home.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Welcome to Full Stack Moms

(00:57) Baby microphones and toddler karaoke concerts

(02:41) Unexpected déjà vu at a Boston hotel

(04:58) Rethinking networking with a wellness spa event

(06:57) The awkward reality of Presidents Club trips

(10:05) How to coordinate childcare for work travel

(12:19) The reality of repeat C-sections and difficult pregnancies

(14:39) Weeks of false labor before delivery

(17:15) The reality of recovering from a C-section

(18:35) What it's really like inside the operating room

(20:00) When boundaries conflict with having a village

(23:56) Kindle recommendations and reading fiction again

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

Suzanne Slaughter is rethinking how careers work for a generation of parents, caregivers, and high-performing professionals who want flexibility without stepping away from their skills.

She is the CEO and founder of Groundwork, a marketplace connecting experienced talent seeking part-time or fractional roles with early-stage startups that need high-quality operators without committing to full-time hires. What started as a simple idea shared on LinkedIn quickly turned into a rapidly growing network of thousands of candidates and companies looking for a better way to work.

In this episode, Suzanne shares how becoming a mother led her to question traditional career paths, why “career breaks” are often misread by employers, and how AI is accelerating both the need for and acceptance of flexible work. She also breaks down how Groundwork is building a new hiring model by surfacing off-market talent and helping startups confidently hire part-time professionals who are just as capable as full-time operators.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Suzanne Slaughter

(01:16) Why Suzanne built Groundwork

(04:25) Why startups embrace fractional talent

(06:27) Fixing fractional work's branding problem

(09:08) How Groundwork matches talent and startups

(15:56) Building a two-sided marketplace

(17:59) Word-of-mouth drives Groundwork's growth

(21:11) Career seasons in the AI era

(25:11) Save of the week: Summer bucket lists and parenting saves

(29:43) Groundwork's mission for working parents

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Suzanne Slaughter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-slaughter-3aa15557/ 

Check out Groundwork Careers: https://www.groundwork.careers/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

What happens when twin motherhood, career ambition, and entrepreneurship collide?

Melissa Chandler, communications leader and founder of her own consultancy, shares her journey raising twin boys while launching a business after nearly two decades in tech. She opens up about becoming a mother later in life, balancing work and family, and creating a parenting partnership without a default parent.

In this conversation, Melissa shares insights on mom guilt, childcare decisions, raising twins, advocating for a child with additional needs, and navigating the special education system. She also reflects on the lessons motherhood has taught her about resilience, leadership, and embracing uncertainty.

If you're a working parent navigating career changes, entrepreneurship, or the constant pull between ambition and family, this episode will hit close to home.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Melissa Chandler

(04:42) Finding out she was having twins

(09:28) On having twins naturally

(13:19) Why Melissa waited until 36 to become a mom

(18:39) When grandma moved in to help

(20:38) The day an au pair was called mom

(21:50) What it’s like parenting a child on the spectrum

(22:54) How early intervention changed her son's future

(24:27) Why special education radicalized Melissa

(26:53) Becoming a resource for other parents

(28:27) From survival mode to thriving at five

(31:58) Save of the week: Melissa's dance recital parenting lesson

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Melissa Chandler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mnazar/ 

Check out MNC Consulting: https://mncconsulting.co/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

Rebecca Grimes has spent her career taking on hard things.

As Chief Revenue Officer at SheerID, she leads sales, customer success, marketing, and revenue operations. At home, she and her husband are raising two kids, caring for aging parents, managing a multigenerational household, and somehow still finding time for fifth-grade field day.

In this episode, Rebecca shares the behind-the-scenes story of becoming a CRO, navigating IVF after cancer treatment, raising children later in life, and learning that having it all requires asking for help.

The conversation also takes an important turn into the motherhood penalty, pay equity, and what leaders can do to make workplaces better for the women coming behind them.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Rebecca Grimes
(03:15) What a modern Chief Revenue Officer actually owns

(08:29) Moving from marketing into revenue leadership

(10:29) The mistake marketers make about sales

(11:27) Cancer, IVF, and becoming a mom later in life

(15:41) The guilt of returning to work after six weeks

(18:02) You can't do it all without a village

(26:14) The shocking truth about the motherhood penalty

(30:03) How Rebecca eliminated pay gaps on her team

(33:08) Why women need to ask for the raise

(36:25) The hidden compensation gap beyond salary

(40:12) How fair compensation builds long-term loyalty

(42:57) Why great leaders don't hire only their friends

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Rebecca Grimes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccalgrimes/ 

Check out SheerID: https://www.sheerid.com/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

What happens when a high-growth startup marketer decides to step away from a dream job and build a life that's more aligned with her values as a mother and entrepreneur?

In this episode of Full Stack Moms, Shannon Curran and Mallory Lee sit down with Cat Canada, former Director of Marketing at Bobbie and founder of Re:Brand, a thriving networking community for women. Cat shares her journey from helping scale one of the fastest-growing brands in the mom-and-baby space to launching her own consulting business and community-driven platform.

The conversation explores the realities of balancing ambitious careers with motherhood, navigating burnout, building meaningful professional relationships, and embracing the evolving seasons of work and family life. Cat also offers a fascinating look at emerging trends in the parenting market, including the rise of Gen Z parents and the growing number of first-time moms in their forties.

Whether you're building a business, raising a family, or redefining success on your own terms, this episode is packed with insights, humor, and encouragement.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Cat Canada

(02:24) Leaving startup life to build a consulting business

(04:34) What it was like helping scale Bobbie as a mom-first brand

(07:08) Burnout, motherhood, and deciding it was time for a change

(09:27) Careers have seasons, and why that's okay

(11:45) Launching Re:Brand eight days after leaving Bobbie

(13:18) Why modern motherhood doesn't have to be binary

(15:16) Holding onto both career and parent identities

(17:18) COVID parenting, daycare, and finding your village

(19:17) How parenting changes as kids get older

(21:36) The connection between motherhood seasons and career seasons

(23:48) Daycare teachers and the people who help raise our kids

(25:25) The story behind Re:Brand and building meaningful networks

(30:36) Consulting in the mom, baby, and women's health space

(32:52) Brand advocacy, social impact, and purpose-driven marketing

(34:53) The business of motherhood and the brands serving parents

(35:33) Gen Z parents, older moms, and the future of the mom market

(38:38) Why TikTok drives culture and modern marketing

(42:37) Save of the Week: IT heroes, friendship, and much-needed parent breaks

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Cat Canada: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catcanada/

Check out Re:Brand: https://www.rebrandcollective.com/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

What happens when a newborn baby joins an executive board meeting?

Shannon shares the story behind one of the defining moments that inspired Full Stack Moms: bringing her exclusively breastfed infant to a startup board meeting in New York.  

In this conversation, Shannon opens up about returning to work just weeks after giving birth, leading strategic discussions while caring for her baby, challenging traditional expectations of working mothers, and embracing the mindset that sometimes you have to ask, "What if you just did it?" Together, we explore vulnerability in leadership, work-life integration, parenting in public, and the reality that everyone is figuring things out for the first time.

If you're a working parent navigating career growth, leadership responsibilities, postpartum challenges, or the constant balancing act between ambition and family life, this episode will resonate with you.

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) We’re all figuring it out together
(02:04) Building a business while pregnant

(03:15) When your client asks you to return five weeks postpartum

(06:42) The baby at the board meeting

(09:41) Nursing through executive board discussions

(13:14) How to lead without the CRO in place

(14:55) Changing a diaper on the 29th floor

(17:37) Everyone’s doing this for the first time

(19:14) SVB crisis and emergency board meetings

(22:22) Rethinking work-life integration 

(24:57) Baby socks as a service

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

What happens when career growth, motherhood, and entrepreneurship collide?

Amber Williams, head of RevOps and Chief Revenue Officer at Passetto, talks about her journey through tech leadership, maternity leave, and building a startup while raising a young child. Amber opens up about navigating layoffs while pregnant, doubling her income with the help of career coaching, and balancing high-pressure work with parenthood.

In this conversation, Amber shares insights on mental load, work-life integration, spousal support, career pivots, starting a business, and the bravery that comes with making bold choices for family and self.

If you’re a working parent navigating ambition, burnout, identity, or the constant juggle between career and home life, this episode will hit close to home.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Amber Williams

(03:08) Fractional RevOps to startup cofounder

(04:27) Business coaching and productized services

(06:40) Coaching skepticism and asking for help

(08:05) Biology major to RevOps leader

(10:26) Pregnant, laid off, income doubled

(13:17) Postpartum confidence and returning to work

(15:36) Vision board becomes business launch

(19:56) Refine Labs to Passetto full circle

(20:55) Can moms have it all?

(22:01) Journaling, reflection, and defining freedom

(22:54) Always on and modern motherhood

(25:09) Revenge bedtime procrastination and TV

(26:18) Learning to ask for help

(27:57) Ikea bed project resets mindset

(29:41) Comfort shows, chores, and decompression

(32:05) Maysember chaos and summer relief

(32:58) Remote work and kid boundaries

(37:07) Saves of the week

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Amber Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-victoria/

Check out Passetto: https://www.passetto.com/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

What happens when the “corporate husband” is actually the wife?

Chantel Hirschel, Director of Revenue Operations at Sana, talks about her career growth, motherhood, and building a nontraditional family dynamic. Chantel opens up about her husband’s life-changing accident, becoming the sole provider, balancing leadership in tech with raising two young children, and the emotional realities of postpartum recovery while working in high-pressure environments.

In this conversation, Chantel opens up about parental leave, stay-at-home dads, mental load, gender expectations, childcare, flexible work, and the sacrifices that come with designing a life that actually works for your family. 

If you’re a working parent navigating ambition, burnout, identity, or the constant juggle between career and home life, this episode will hit close to home.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Chantel Hirschel

(03:22) Chantel’s early career and breadwinner decisions

(03:55) Coping with tragedy and change

(05:35) Quitting UPS to take new risks

(07:38) Fast returns and postpartum realities

(11:58) Long tenure and leave experiences

(14:08) Managing work flexibility during pregnancy

(17:01) Dad bias at medical appointments

(19:34) Learning to share parenting responsibilities

(20:47) Solo parenting strengths emerge over time

(24:26) Finding flow with three children

(29:34) Advice on stay-at-home spouse setup

(32:39) Managing mental load and letting go

(34:22) Save of the week parenting stories

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Chantel Hirschel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantel-hirschel/

Check out Sana: http://www.sanabenefits.com 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

Balancing a career and navigating motherhood requires more than ambition, it requires resilience and bold decision-making.
Barbara Nicholas, CEO of Polly, shares her journey of growing up with limited resources, becoming a young mom at 18, working double shifts to make ends meet, and still managing to carve a path all the way to the C-suite. 

Barbara opens up about one of the most defining moments of her career: returning to work after having her second daughter, only to find her employer hadn't prepared a proper space for her to pump. What followed was a decision that changed everything, and a lesson she's carried into every leadership role since.

We also dig into the state of parental leave in the US today, including the disheartening rollbacks at companies like Deloitte and Zoom. Barbara shares how Polly approaches leave and why she believes supporting working parents isn't just the right thing to do, it's simply good business. 

This one is honest, fiery, and full of hard-won wisdom from a woman who's been figuring it out since day one.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction and family setup

(01:19) Barbara’s journey to becoming CEO

(03:09) Becoming a young mom and early career challenges

(05:09) Maternity leave and pumping struggles at work

(07:53) Leaving her job and reclaiming career agency

(09:37) Setting boundaries and having bold employer conversations

(15:30) Paid leave policies and equity at Polly

(19:23) Corporate parental leave rollbacks and workplace trends

(21:54) Childcare costs, economics, and career impact

(30:32) Generational reflections, leadership, and motherhood

(35:21) Save of the week segment

Connect with Barbara Nicholas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-nicholas-polly/ 

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/ 

Check out Polly: https://www.polly.ai/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

Building a business and navigating motherhood requires more than ambition,  it requires embracing uncertainty and constant reinvention.

Jillian Whitlow, founder and CEO of Ink & Honey, shares her journey of transitioning from a corporate career to entrepreneurship while raising three kids under four. From navigating the challenges of starting a business after a layoff to balancing a thriving career and a stay-at-home husband, Jillian reveals the real-life decisions behind making it all work.

In this conversation, Jillian opens up about the tough decisions she’s made, how she built her company on the fly, and the constant juggling act of being both a CEO and a mom. She dives into the complexities of creating a family-first business and the pressures working moms face in today’s world, all while refusing to pretend it’s easy.

If you’ve ever wondered how to have a successful business while being fully present as a parent, this episode offers an honest, refreshing look at what it really takes to build a career and a life you love on your own terms.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Jillian Whitlow

(01:00) Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship

(03:15) Starting a business after a layoff

(06:20) Navigating the first year of business with a newborn

(08:30) The decision for her husband to become a stay-at-home dad

(10:45) Balancing a growing business with motherhood

(13:00) Challenges of working from home with young kids

(15:30) Building a LinkedIn branding business

(17:50) The ups and downs of being a mompreneur

(21:10) Letting go of perfection and embracing the chaos

(24:30) What it really takes to build a business while raising a family

(27:00) The importance of flexibility in business and life

(29:50) Redefining success on your own terms

(32:40) Save of the week: Leveraging a tiny babysitter for big results

Connect with Jillian Whitlow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-whitlow/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Check out Ink & Honey: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inkandhoney/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com