Startup Parent Sarah K Peck

#212 — Parenting can be lonely, especially as a founder, and it’s even lonelier if we don’t have space to talk about all of its complexity
In this episode of the Startup Parent podcast, Sarah K Peck talks to professional climber and author Majka Burhardt about her book, "More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood," and her experiences becoming a mother of twins while founding her nonprofit, Legado.
Sarah and Majka discuss the emotional journey of motherhood, including the highs and lows, and the importance of creating honest spaces to talk about the hard parts. Majka shares how her experience of being pregnant with twins was a reality check that helped her let go of preconceived notions about motherhood, and how the societal pressure to conform to traditional gender roles affect women's choices.

Sarah and Majka talk about:

What inspired Majka to write her book and her emotional journey becoming a parent.

Having conversations about the realities of parenting and creating safe spaces to talk about the hard parts.

The challenges of learning emotional literacy while parenting young children.

Reconciling the insatiable desire to work on something you care about while becoming a mother and making space for what matters to you.

The considerations Majka faced when deciding whether or not to become a mom while at the peak of her career in a male-dominated industry.

The number one piece of advice that Majka has for entrepreneurs and founders who are building a business while growing a family.


This conversation is a candid exploration of the emotionally nuanced landscape of motherhood and the challenges that come with integrating professional ambitions with the transition into motherhood.
Links + Resources Mentioned

More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood

Legado

The Mulago Foundation


SHOW NOTES
Full show notes at startupparent.com/212

#211 — Momfluencers have taken social media by storm, with their picture-perfect posts and relatable content garnering millions of followers. But what is a momfluencer, exactly?
According to Sara Petersen, a researcher and author of “Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture”, a momfluencer is someone who has monetized their social media presence using motherhood as the defining feature. This includes professional influencers whose livelihoods depend on their work, as well as everyday moms who perform their motherhood on social media to some extent.
Sara's work sheds light on the impact of social media on motherhood and highlights the need for mothers to approach social media content with a critical eye. She points out that motherhood is a complex and challenging role, and it is important for mothers to have the support and resources they need to navigate its many demands.

Sarah and Sara discuss:

Sara’s discovery of mommy blogs, and how the performance of motherhood masks the labor.

The rise of momfluencers, and their impact on marketing, advertising, and content creation.

The way certain aesthetics influence our perception, feelings, and expectations.

Making space for the different experiences of motherhood.

The importance of consuming and creating content with a critical eye.


Links + Resources Mentioned


Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture by Sara Petersen

Sara’s Substack: In Pursuit of Clean Countertops



Mother Brain by Chelsea Conaboy


(Not) Getting Paid to Do What You Love: Gender, Social Media, and Aspirational Work by Brooke Erin Duffy


SHOW NOTES
Full show notes at startupparent.com/211

#210 — Avni Patel Thompson is the founder and CEO of Modern Village, whose mission is to “lighten the load of raising families through thoughtful, delightful and collaborative technology.” Her most recent build, Milo, is a blend of software, AI, and human supervision that does exactly that.
In this episode, Avni discusses her journey to build Milo and how she’s leveraging AI to make modern parenthood feel more manageable. She believes Milo will help promote gender equity by reducing the invisible load that falls predominantly on women. So far, it’s working. Listen to hear her describe the moment she found the missing piece that would make Milo work.
Avni talks with Sarah about her experience as a third time founder, raising pre-seed funding, the challenges that came with making money last until a product was developed, and why securing funding from day one was so important.
She also shares the difficult decisions she has had to make along the way, like scrapping an early iteration of the project and letting most of the team go so that there was more runway to find a solution that worked.
Sarah and Avni discuss:

Avni’s goal to empower women by reducing the invisible labor of parenthood.

Why solving the problem of the invisible load was so tricky.

Making tough choices as a founder, and the role of honesty in decision-making.

Leveraging the power of AI, and why it was the missing piece Avni needed to make Milo work.

How Avni funded the different iterations of Milo and paid herself.

Avni’s mental health journey, and how she got the support she needed to keep going.

#209 — Innovator Avni Patel Thompson is the founder and CEO of Modern Village, a family tool-building company that creates offerings like Milo, “the world's first app built to tackle the invisible load of running and raising a family.” 
For Avni, running a startup is like conducting the science experiments she did to obtain her undergraduate degree in chemistry: it’s all about the margin of error. 
On Episode #209, Avni shares the familiar tale of how her career changed when she had children and why being a mom has inspired her — sometimes obsessively so — to build businesses to make parents’ lives easier. 
Tune in to this episode to hear Avni describe how she bounced back after closing Poppy in 2019, how she plans to continue helping families, and her thoughts on assembling her own village to assist with the mammoth task of raising kids. 
Full show notes at https://startupparent.com/209

#208 — "Real self care is a verb. It's not a noun," Dr. Pooja Lakshmin tells host Sarah K Peck in this week’s enlightening episode of Startup Parent.
As women, we're taught that our value lies in being perfect, selfless mothers. But what if there's more to motherhood than martyrdom?
In this episode, Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, founder of Gemma, and Sarah K Peck discuss how to redefine motherhood, overcome mom guilt and prioritize self-care. They explore the intersection of mental health and gender, and how the language of individualism can exonerate poorly designed systems. They also delve into the importance of creating safe spaces for women to have conversations about motherhood. Pooja describes how Gemma is providing a platform for women to redefine wellness and challenge systems of oppression.
Dr. Pooja Lakshmin is Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the George Washington University School of Medicine and a psychiatrist specializing in women's mental health. As the founder of Gemma, a digital community focused on women's mental health and equity, she has spent thousands of hours taking care of women who are struggling with burnout, despair, depression, and anxiety. Dr. Lakshmin is a contributor to The New York Times and her work focuses on the intersection of mental health and gender. She is also the author of Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included), which aims to redefine self-care in a way that prioritizes asking ourselves different questions.

Where to find Pooja:
Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Full show notes at startupparent.com/208

Resources:
Gemma at Website | Twitter | Instagram
Startup Parent | Substack | Sponsor
Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not IncludedWe Don't Need Self-Care, We Need Boundaries.
How Society Has Turned Its Back on Mothers
Saying “No” Is Self-Care for Parents

This episode is sponsored by WWC

Disclaimer:
This episode includes discussions of suicide and suicidal ideation. While we believe it is important to have open and honest conversations about mental health, we also understand that these discussions can be triggering for some listeners.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. In the US, the number 988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 in English and Spanish.
Si hablas español, llama a 1-888-628-9454. Lifeline ofrece 24/7, gratuitos servicios en español.

#207 – "Being able to see how people operate in their mind and body during a crisis is really important because you get to see how they are coping and then you can offer support and help them work through it," says Michelle Stephens in this powerful conversation with Sarah K Peck.
Have you ever found yourself mentally falling down the side of a mountain, unable to climb back up?
In this emotionally raw episode of the Startup Parent Podcast, host Sarah K. Peck and Dr. Michelle Stephens delve into the dark and difficult topic of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. With vulnerability and empathy, they share personal experiences of sliding down that slippery slope and the importance of seeking help to get back on track.
The conversation also touches on the inadequate resources available for those struggling with mental health issues. They discuss the importance of acknowledging and validating mental health struggles, the challenges of being a parent while dealing with depression, and the value of seeking therapy as a way to cope with life's difficulties. Listen in as they explore these topics with vulnerability, insight, and compassion.
Michelle was inspired to pursue pediatrics when her brother passed away from a congenital heart defect when she was seven. She is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner. Michelle pursued her PhD at UCSF, where she researched early childhood stress physiology and its connection to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and lifetime health. She realized that the single most effective antidote to childhood stress is for children to have intimate relationships with their caregivers, which led her to co-found Oath Care, a community-based healthcare company that supports new parents and families.

Where to find Michelle:
Oath Care | LinkedIn | Twitter
SHOW NOTES
Full show notes at startupparent.com/207

Resources:
Oath Care on Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook
Startup Parent | Substack | Sponsor
How to Go to Therapy
This episode is sponsored by WWC