Have It All

From finding the glimmers in every day to naming her inner voice, Hannah proves that a life lived intentionally is a life lived well. And she carries this intention into the way she and her husband parent their three boys. Hannah now works full-time for ASB while her tradie husband prioritises time at home with their youngest, but this hasn't always been the set-up. Across three maternity leav...

In her early 20s, Maxene was asked if she was planning on having kids soon, and actually passed over for roles because of the assumption that she would be. (Let's remember this is a completely illegal and highly inappropriate question to ask anyone!) When she became a mum, she was let go during her trial period because her child kept getting sick. Then, pregnant with her second, she asked for...

After a beautiful year off with her first baby, Tamara was expecting more of the same second time around. But at 37 weeks pregnant with Zach, she found a lump in her breast and within days had a breast cancer diagnosis. Chemo started when Zach was two weeks old. Tamara Milne is a radiographer, a mum of three boys and the co-founder of Check Your Bits , a brand born from one of the most confronting...

Can you be a present mum, a career woman and a founder all at once? Not perfectly. But Sasha McLeod is figuring it out in real time, and she's honest about every (messy) part of it. In this episode, I chat with Sasha, Dose Buddy founder and mum of two, about: Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship The journey of launching DoseBuddy Work flexibility and support for mums How Sasha's own u...

Most conversations about “having it all” skip over the reality of what it actually takes. In this episode, I’m joined by Charlotte, founder of Rose Studio – a boutique design studio based in Auckland, New Zealand helping bold, passionate business owners to bring their vision to life with strategic and intentional design. Charlotte built her business while raising three young kids, including a high...

What happens when motherhood, identity, and a creative spark collide? In this episode, I sit down with Zazi Henderson — speech and language therapist, mum of two, and the creator behind Zazi Plays , the parenting community loved by thousands across Aotearoa. Zazi shares the beautiful chaos of raising young children while running a business, but also the deeply human moments behind it all — like th...

What happens when the return-to-work plan changes? In this episode, I sit down with Charlotte — paediatric ICU nurse and founder of And Breathe First Aid. When we first recorded together, she was preparing to return to Starship after maternity leave. Six months later, everything looks different. Charlotte made the decision to extend her leave and pour her energy into growing her first aid educatio...

In this episode of Have It All , I sit down with Arti – mum of two, Nutritionist, and Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant – to talk about the juggle of working two jobs during school hours, raising a young family, and navigating big life transitions along the way. Before motherhood, Arti was in a high-pressure recruitment role, working across nine retirement villages and managing a busy team. But...

Mum guilt. We all feel it — but what if it’s not actually guilt at all? This week I’m joined by Francie, a mindset coach for mums and mum of two, to dig into the invisible load of motherhood, the “perfect mother” myth, and the subconscious patterns that sit underneath what we call guilt. Spoiler: many of us are really carrying shame or grief. We talk about: ✨ Why the invisible load of motherhood...

My guest this week is Julia – a freelance creative director, copywriter, and mum of four. Julia and I dive into what happens when women try to build a career in an industry that was never designed with mothers in mind. From being a burnt-out agency copywriter, to navigating the confusion of returning from maternity leave, Julia shares honestly about what it feels like to step off the “ladder” and...

Sargam's story is unlike any I’ve heard on Have It All so far. What was meant to be a six-week trip to India in early 2020 turned into an eight-month stay when COVID-19 changed the world overnight. Suddenly, she found herself navigating early motherhood, distance from home, and the uncertainty of a global pandemic all at once. In this conversation, Sargam shares what that time looked like: the...

In this episode of Have It All , I sit down with Jaz – a hairdresser, makeup artist, actress, content creator, marketing coordinator, AND mum of two – for a conversation about what it really means to juggle a creative career, parenting, ambition, and identity in today’s world. From early morning drop-offs to late-night auditions, Jaz shares the realities of building a multifaceted life while raisi...

This episode is for the ambitious mums – the ones who love their kids and their careers, and who feel a little lost when they step away from either. We talk about the quiet doubts many mothers have but rarely say out loud: What if I don’t want to stay home full-time? Why does no one question dads the way they question mums? Can I be ambitious and a present parent? This episode is an honest look at...

Today’s episode is a special one , and slightly different from usual! I’m joined by my best friend, actress Courtenay Louise, who is pregnant with her first baby. While she’s not YET a working mum, she’ll likely to return to work at some point after baby – you might know her as Monique from Shortland Street , one of Aotearoa’s most recognisable TV roles. We recorded this episode just after Courten...

How do you make it all work — raising little kids, staying connected to yourself, contributing financially, maintaining a relationship…and maybe even renovating a house? This week on Have It All , I’m joined by Skye Ross — a full-time, stay-at-home, part-time working mum (her words, and I love them). Skye and I talk about what it really looks like to balance motherhood, freelance work, and the emo...

For anyone struggling with feeling present, battling mum guilt, trying to figure out the balance, or feeling stuck in the cycle of mental load, burnout, and more guilt – this episode is for you. This week I’m joined by Becs Bradley – mum of two, Head of Learning in postgraduate education, and coach for women navigating the chaos of work and motherhood. We recorded this late at night (for Becs – sh...

Let me know what you think in the comments! In this episode, I sit down with Shrenika, a mum of two boys, a paediatric nurse at Starship, and the founder of Little Beat First Aid. We talk about the messy middle of motherhood and work, and how those worlds constantly shift and realign as our kids grow. Shrenika shares what returning to work looked like for her after each baby and how, after her sec...

What does it look like to build a thriving pakihi Māori from the ground up while raising a young family and staying true to your kaupapa? In this episode, I’m joined by Hannah from The Pēpi Pozy, a young mum and entrepreneur who’s weaving Te Ao Māori into every part of her business and life. From launching a viral brand with just $400, to travelling to China to meet her manufacturers, Hannah share...

Naomi spent nearly a decade living and working on superyachts: a career that took her around the world, introduced her to her husband, and pushed her to grow in ways no desk job ever could. In this episode, we catch up after years apart to talk about life after yachting, the transition from working long hours at sea to settling into family life in Papamoa with her husband and baby Max. We talk abo...

What if your family life had its own digital PA? This week on Have It All , I’m joined by Nicole, founder of the PAM App aka your Personal Admin Manager. After hitting her breaking point during the juggle of parenting and working through New Zealand’s lockdowns, Nicole set out to create a solution that could help families manage the mental load, together. We talk about: The chaos of modern family...

Please take care when listening to today's episode. Caylin shares how the wheels essentially "fell off" when eight days after giving birth to her daughter, her husband was called away for work — and spent eight of her daughter’s first sixteen weeks overseas. With no family nearby and very little support, Caylin quickly found herself spiralling. She opens up about the guilt of asking her husband to...

What happens when your identity is wrapped in your career – and then you become a mum? In this episode, my former colleague, Megan, shares the emotional reality of returning to work, shifting to part-time, and redefining her self-worth. From identity loss to finding the right job fit as a mum of three boys, this is an honest look at the juggle of motherhood and career. If you liked this episode, I...

Parenting isn’t about perfection - it’s about connection. In this episode, I sit down with Sophie, founder of Imperfect Parents , to talk about the reality of modern parenthood, and the ever-changing balance between work, life, and raising tiny humans. After parenting through COVID-19 lockdowns, Sophie saw firsthand how isolating and overwhelming it could be, especially without a village. So, she...

What if your next big business idea was hiding in plain sight... like in the middle of a playground with your toddler? In this episode, I’m joined by Renata, founder of Roam with Kids, an app her husband describes as “the new Google Maps for parents.” Designed to help caregivers discover kid-friendly spots like fully fenced playgrounds or cafes with high chairs, Roam is redefining how we plan our...

This episode is a special one! I’m sitting down with my friend Kate, who I met 10 years ago at uni, to talk about the reality of navigating career transitions, motherhood, and the ever-elusive work-life balance. Kate opens up about how her perspective on work shifted after having her second child, and how she went from wanting to be the “career mum” to realising that some parts of her job just wer...