Building a career and raising a family can be a juggling act, but for Mel Goodman, it became a chance to create something meaningful after experiencing a major career crossroads. After spending years in the tech industry and leading teams, Mel found herself at a pivotal moment when she had to dissolve a team due to the effects of COVID-19.

Mel shares her journey of founding WorkMom, a business dedicated to helping women navigate career transitions while balancing motherhood. She walks us through the emotional challenges of redefining success and ambition, the importance of creating boundaries, and how she helps women make high-stakes decisions from a place of clarity and confidence.

Mel also opens up about the importance of support systems, her experience with modern motherhood, and the strategies she used to build a life that integrates both career fulfillment and family life.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Mel Goodman

(02:49) How Shannon and Mallory connected in business

(05:11) Mel’s system for work-life balance

(07:19) From Salesforce to becoming a founder

(12:24) Navigating career crossroads after having kids

(13:58) Setting boundaries and creating family systems

(18:47) Dealing with confidence dips and mom brain

(23:06) Overcoming imposter syndrome after maternity leave

(26:49) Postpartum pressure, resentment, and career struggles

(27:52) Zooming out after setbacks in motherhood

(28:27) Learning from mistakes and mom perspective

(29:22) Morning chaos and celebrating small wins

(31:04) Addressing burnout and redefining success

(32:32) Managing energy, boundaries, and self-care

(39:46) Burnout impact and vision for working moms

(41:55) Designing life goals before work priorities

(44:27) Weekly saves, sleep tips, and working mom hacks

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

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

Connect with Mel Goodman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melgoodman/

Check out WorkMom: https://www.workmom.io/thecollective

Try Riverside Pro free for a month with code fullstackmoms at creators.riverside.com/fullstackmoms

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s actually possible to build a high-growth tech company while raising a family, this conversation will challenge everything you think you know.

Join us as we talk with Alina Vandenberghe, Co-founder and CEO of Chili Piper, about what it really looks like to lead at the highest level while raising four kids. From navigating the constant tension between ambition and presence to redefining what success actually means, Alina shares how motherhood didn’t slow her down, it reshaped how she leads, thinks, and builds for the long term.

We also get into the real, unfiltered side of this journey: the mental load, the guilt, the tradeoffs, and the unexpected advantages. From building a remote-first company culture that supports parents to raising independent thinkers at home, Alina breaks down how she’s intentionally designing both her company and her life around what actually matters.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(00:53) Quick look into Alina’s family and daily life

(02:59) Becoming visible online and building a public presence

(12:35) Bringing kids into work and business environments

(22:20) How motherhood shaped her CEO mindset

(25:24) Running a company and parenting as co-CEOs

(28:29) Navigating mom guilt and self-judgment

(32:47) Raising kids to think independently

(36:57) Rethinking parental leave and workplace flexibility

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

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

Connect with Alina Vandenberghe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alinav/

Check out Chili Piper: https://www.chilipiper.com/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

Growing a family and building a business at the same time can feel overwhelming, but for Sydney Mulligan, it was an opportunity to do both - after she was laid off while on maternity leave. Yes, you read that right.

Sydney shares her journey of founding EMMIE Collective, a marketing and revenue operations agency. She walks us through the challenges she faced as a new mom starting a business, how she balanced career and motherhood, and how she leveraged her layoff to advance her entrepreneurial goals.

She also shares the unique perspective of growing a business while caring for young children, the importance of support networks, and her approach to building a flexible, family-friendly work environment.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Sydney Mulligan

(05:01) Building an agency-ish as a "third child"

(07:22) Why 12 weeks of paid leave isn't enough

(07:57) Navigating return-to-work inequity

(13:49) Job hunting for 6-month parental benefits

(18:04) Getting laid off while on maternity leave

(21:37) Networking strategies during a leave of absence

(23:14) Choosing entrepreneurship over a W2 role

(26:23) Scaling EMMIE Collective’s freelance model

(27:44) The risks of planning your own maternity leave

(34:25) How to backfill roles during parental leave

(37:04) Solving for a systemic lack of parent support

(42:27) Save 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 Sydney Mulligan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneymulligan/

Check out EMMIE Collective: https://www.instagram.com/emmiecollective

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com