The 43 Percent

Being in lockdown can make our oldest friendships shine even brighter. Erin Sparler, an artist, entrepreneur and podcast, is one of Claudia’s oldest friends. They met when they were 18, in college. And they’ve stayed friends, even as they grew up and took off on their own paths. So that’s what Claudia and Erin talk about this week -- about growing up, about learning to advocate for themselves, and how to enjoy the ride, no matter how steep the path.

For Chris Laughlin and Sarah Boyd, each day is a figurative -- and sometimes, a literal -- obstacle course. Sarah is a women’s rights policy expert, currently serving as Director of Global Advocacy for data2x, a gender data initiative. Chris is the midst of an MBA program at MIT, where he focuses on innovation, entrepreneurship and venture capital. They spend their days in and out of Zoom meetings, conference calls, study sessions, all while raising a two-year-old under lockdown. This week, Chris and Sarah both join Claudia to talk about their greatest parenting success -- teamwork

What do you think of, when you hear the word “hero”? Recently, that word has become an everyday phrase. Not just because people have exhibited extraordinary strength and bravery in the face of something so monumental, but because our understanding of the word has shifted. The 43 Percent has always been a show about possibility - in business, in motherhood, and in life. This week, Claudia talks to two women who have been heroes of possibility; who always looked forward, no matter the hurdle. Her mother, Maureen Vezza, and her mother-in-law, Annie Reuter.

Jenny Lawton knows a lot about getting back up. Jenny climbed the tech world ladder not once, but twice -- first as the CEO of her own tech company, and now as the Chief Innovation Officer for Techstars. In between, she opened a bookstore, went through a divorce, and Jenny re-entered the start-up world as a newly single mother of two. She got back up. And this week, Jenny and Claudia talk about how each of us can practice resilience, too, both professionally and personally.

Sadie Lincoln is the co-founder and CEO of barre3, a fitness company that blends mindfulness, cardio and strength training. By most definitions, she's the boss. But here's the thing: Sadie doesn't really like the term "CEO." So she made it work for her. For Sadie, E no longer stands for Executive. E is now for Energy. And energy is what Claudia and Sadie talk about this week. How to find it, even in our darkest moments, how to inspire it in others, and how to honor our own.

Sometimes, all your big adventures are just leading you home. Claudia speaks with Elizabeth Presta, a doula and host of the podcast "Miraculous Mamas." Elizabeth discusses weathering her first pregnancy while under the coronavirus lockdown, her career as a birth worker, and her past as a reality TV contestant.

Welcome to Season 3 of The 43 Percent! The world looks really different than it did two seasons ago. The identities we’ve built for work and parenthood are suddenly blurring. This season, Claudia speaks with mothers about how they're juggling work and family like never before.

When career infuses with identity, leaving and reentering the workforce can shake a mother’s confidence. Claudia talks to Pamela Stone, professor and author of "Opting Back In: What Really Happens When Mothers Go Back to Work." Pamela discusses her research and the need for workforce policy change that ends discrimination against mothers.

This episode was recorded live at the Helmsley Building in New York City as part of RXR Presents: Week Of Women.

What happens when your child’s needs clash with a demanding career? And how can celebrity status intersect with parenting? Today’s guests, Lisa Oz and Jill Herzig, co-hosts of the podcast Road to Somewhere, talk about the importance of slowing down and taking life’s unexpected twists one step at a time.

Today’s guest brings a new perspective on women in leadership. Claudia talks with Marissa Orr, a former executive at Google and Facebook, and the best-selling author of "Lean Out: The Truth About Women, Power, and the Workplace."