How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty

In this powerful conversation, I talk to Dr Ellen Joan Ford, who is terrifyingly ambitious about improving the working world for people and for organisations. As a leader, researcher, military veteran, international speaker, TEDx speaker, facilitator, consultant and parent, Ellen draws on her research and practical experiences to drive organisational outcomes by enhancing inclusive leadership capa...

In this powerful conversation, I am joined by Kimberlee Sweeney , certified divorce and co-parenting coach and founder of Degrees of Separation , to unpack how separation and divorce can amplify the motherhood penalty — and what you can do to protect yourself emotionally, legally and financially. Kimberlee shares her expert insight from a decade in the field, explaining how divorce coaching works,...

In this insightful conversation, I am joined by the brilliant Nicole Retter, founder of PAM, Personal Admin Manager, an app built to ease the mental load for overwhelmed parents. We unpack the invisible labour of parenthood and why the default parent trap isn’t just unfair, but completely unsustainable We talk about the emotional toll, the cognitive overload, and the system-wide shift we could mak...

In this powerful conversation, I am joined by the brilliant Rachel Carrell, CEO and Founder of Koru Kids, an innovative childcare provider operating in 10 cities in the UK. Rachel shares the story of how Koru Kids came to be (spoiler: it wasn’t built in 18 months), the brutal reality of childcare systems around the world, and why the motherhood penalty is not a personal budgeting problem, but a st...

We love talking to people who are trying to smash the system and Haylee Killip is one of these people. A business that was born out of the struggle of a corporate career and the juggle of being a parent. And specifically finding childcare that was flexible. She tried everything when she was a new mum and could not find what she needed.  Whether it was an extra pair of hands so she could work...

In this special episode we talk to Katherine Cornish and Vanessa Simons (both from Fisher Funds) about their experiences as single parents. To share their reflections on the motherhood penalty and how they would change the system. To understand the challenges that might be different and what some of the solutions are that help.  Both Katherine and Vanessa become solo parents under different c...

It is not often that you get to talk to an international author and accomplished practitioner in tackling harmful gender norms and promoting positive social change. But in this episode we do as we are talking to Kate Mangino, PhD. Kate is the author of Equal Partners : Improving Gender Equality at Home, which addresses the social norms that underpin household gender inequality - and offers practic...

This is a unique episode where we take a little pulse check on where we are with The Motherhood Penalty with Prue Tyler and Tania Domett. I started this podcast in September 2023 to start conversations about smashing the system that creates the motherhood penalty. In this episode we talk about how far we have come, we talk about who is carrying the light and of course - what they would use their m...

I dedicated my entire second season to Dads as they are a key part of the puzzle when it comes to gender equity. So when I came across some research on Dads that was entitled: “Passenger parenting, role conflict and guilt: the transition to parenthood from new and experienced fathers” - I got very excited.  And that is where Norma Barrett enters - Norma is one of the co-authors of this resear...

This conversation is so good on so many levels. I knew that I had to invite Rachel Paris onto the podcast for several reasons. Firstly because she has recently published her debut novel “See How They Fall” and at its heart, it is a story on what it is to be a mother. On what you would do for your children. It is also a story of the strength of women and how so much of our experience can be unspoke...

In this last episode of season two, we interview Maddock Price. Maddock is a proud dad to two energetic boys with a third child on the way next year. He lives in Avondale, Auckland, with his beautiful wife, Sophie, and works as the Head of Recruitment at Kiwibank. Raised in Te Awamutu, Maddock is proud to whakapapa to Ngāti Rangi, Te Atahaunui a Pāpārangi, and Ngāi Tahu on his mother’s side, and W...

In this episode, we interview Shea Bentley, a father of three children under five. Along with his wife they have leaned into conversations with their employers to ensure they can manage their caregiving responsibilities. Shea was very generous in sharing what works for his family and what his family’s priorities are, including: The power of asking for the hours you need from your employer. Even if...

In this episode, we interview Joe Consedine. Joe is a former Director of Champions for Change with Global Women where he worked with New Zealand’s leading 80 Chief Executives and Board Chairs on scaled Diversity Equity and Inclusion strategies for Aotearoa, New Zealand. Prior to Champions for Change Joe was the New Zealand General Manger for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand where he...

In this episode, we interview Sam Cunnington Waugh. Sam is a father to an almost 5 month old boy Felix, and a 5 year old daughter Rhea, who has recently started school. He is a Brit, married to a kiwi Bella and they moved over to Aotearoa from London in 2021, during the tail end of the pandemic.  Sam works in government, currently at a crown entity, but has had a varied history in different g...

In this episode, we interview Sean Keaney. Sean, CEO of FCB Wellington, isn't your average ad exec. He's a seasoned veteran, having cut his teeth in the good old days of direct mail, and has since tackled campaigns for a diverse range of clients, from banks to power companies, retirement villages to consumer electronics giants. But Sean's passion lies beyond the bottom line. He's a champion for im...

Kia ora koutou, welcome back to Season Two of How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty. In this season we are turning the spotlight onto Working Fathers. Even though they may not personally pay “the motherhood penalty” they make tough sacrifices, and they face real challenges in the juggle of career and family. In this season I will get curious about the challenges they face, the support they lean on a...

In this episode, we interview Steve Jurkovich, dad to two daughters and Chief Executive of Kiwibank. You’ll need to pull up a chair for our conversation as it is a fire side chat with a master storyteller.  Steve joined Kiwibank in July 2018 as Chief Executive. He graduated from Otago University with a Bachelor of Law and completed his MBA at the University of Sydney. With over 20 years of ba...

In this episode, we interview Paul Taylor. You may remember him and his wife Bec from Season One. Well – he is back! We are super lucky to hear from him again. Paul and Bec met in London, had an amazing, carefree, fun-filled time working jobs they loved, traveling, sleeping in, and genuinely living the dream. They moved home to Auckland and suddenly life came at them fast. They bought a house, got...

In this episode, we interview Scott La Franchie. Scott is a proud Husband and father of two young daughters, aged 4 and 6, and a senior leader and marketing strategist with nearly two decades of experience launching innovative products across IT, telecommunications, and security sectors in New Zealand. He is currently taking a break after finishing up at First Security and will be focusing on...

In this episode, we interview Callum Williamson. Callum is a working father and General Manager at Conductive Education Taranaki who recently took time off to care for his one-year-old daughter, Molly-Maggie. During this period, he experienced the day-to-day demands of balancing parenting and professional responsibilities. Callum shares his perspective on the challenges and adjustments that come w...

As this is the final episode of the first season of “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty”, I wanted to reflect on what I have learnt from taking the leap and making this series. And I also wanted to share what I would do if I had a magic wand. It is a question I have asked all my guests – if they had a magic wand that would make the biggest impact on smashing the motherhood penalty – what would it...

In this episode we talk with Michelle Russell, General Manager, Talent and Culture, for ANZ NZ and the Pacific. It was a special conversation recorded in the recent school holidays and a unique blend of Michelle’s story long with her observations of the workplace and what is needed to smash the motherhood penalty. She is a fierce supporter of parents continuing to grow their careers and to do it “...

This week, our guest is Charlotte Ward, the Chief People Officer for Kiwibank. I reached out to Charlotte when I saw that they had created a part time role for one of their senior leaders when they returned from parental leave. Creating senior roles that can be completed in part time hours is one of the ways we will smash the motherhood penalty. This is how we can continue to build our careers ins...

How good is it to spend time with someone who has found her sweet spot and loves her work. This person is indeed, Dellwyn Stuart. Dellwyn is a mother of three and the Chief Executive of the YWCA in Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland. She is in her happy place working with young women in Auckland. Alongside this she is also one of the co-founders of the Mind the Gap campaign (advocating for measuring and re...

This episode is one that I dared to dream about. Through my coaching with working parents, I have had a window on the world of families that others may not have. I have listened to my client’s stories about how they manage the daily operations of their families and the challenges they face. And I have concluded that what happens at home has a massive impact on what is possible at work. So, I was d...