The Sustainable Mom: The Podcast about Career, Ambition, & Motherhood

Jennifer Gagnon

The Sustainable Mom is the podcast for high-achieving mothers navigating the messy, powerful intersection of career and motherhood.  Hosted by career coach Jennifer Gagnon, each episode explores how becoming a mom changes our ambition, our identity, and our relationship to work.  Through honest conversations and real stories, we’ll help you create a career—and life—that’s sustainable, fulfilling, and fully your own.

  1. 11/03/2025

    14. Small Habits, Big Shifts: Finding Light in Motherhood with Morgan Jackson

    In this episode, Jen is joined by Morgan Jackson, founder of Light 56, a framework that helps women rediscover joy, lightness, and motivation through small, meaningful habits that actually stick. Morgan shares her journey from corporate life at Microsoft to becoming a mom and entrepreneur, and how her experiences inspired her to create Light 56. Together, Jen and Morgan explore what it really means to feel light in a season of life that can often feel anything but. They discuss how to start small when everything feels heavy, why “light” looks different in every season, and how to create habits that last without falling into the all-or-nothing trap. Morgan also shares simple, actionable ways to bring joy and calm back into your day without adding one more thing to your to-do list. Listen to learn: Why we mistake productivity for progress and how you can break that cycleWhat “light” really means and how to find it when life feels dark or heavyHow to build habits that last without the pressure of perfectionThe power of noticing gratitude, joy, and kindnessWhy it’s okay to be imperfect and why rest is part of progress Meet & Connect 🤝 Morgan’s passion is helping women find joy and light in life. With over a decade of experience in small businesses, nonprofits, and at Microsoft, she drew on her background - including being an athlete and parent - to create the Light 56 framework. This approach creates personalized habits that stick, unlocks motivation, and adds fun through unique challenges.  A top speaker at Microsoft Inspire, Morgan now shares her insights at events and on podcasts, covering topics like Redefining Success, Living Lightly, and Ditching Perfectionism. She also founded Light 56 Circle, a community for women who tackle hard things in a light and feminine way! You can find Morgan wakesurfing behind a boat, creating something with her son or in the mountains with her husband training for her next endurance hike. Links: Website: https://www.light56.com  Social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lightfiftysix ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ You don’t have to choose between ambition and motherhood. Jen helps women navigate career transitions after motherhood: whether you’re ready to advance without burning out, explore entrepreneurship, or find clarity when you know your current role isn’t it. Through private, high-touch 1:1 coaching, you can build a career and life that feels as good as it looks, without the guilt, overwhelm, or constant second-guessing. Book your private consultation Not quite ready for coaching? Start with The Working Mom Reset—a 7-day email experience to help you recover from overwhelm & finally feel like you again. Consider it your first step toward a life you enjoy instead of one you’re just getting through. Stay connected for more honest, curated support: Instagram → @leadwithjen → @thesustainablemompodcast Threads → @leadwithjen Substack → The Sustainable Mom

    49 min
  2. 10/20/2025

    13. Golden Handcuffs: When Success Starts to Feel Like a Trap

    You know that feeling when everyone thinks you’ve “made it” but you not only feel like you didn't make it, in fact, you feel trapped at your job. In this episode Jen is naming one of the most common things keeping moms trapped in their jobs: golden handcuffs. The big salary, the benefits, the flexibility… all the reasons you should love your job except you don’t. In this episode, Jen shares why so many working moms feel trapped in roles that no longer fit after motherhood, and she provides practical ways to loosen the golden handcuffs (even if you never quit) and start moving toward work that actually fits your life. You’re allowed to want more than a paycheck and you’re allowed to redefine success on your terms, without the handcuffs or feeling trapped! ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ You don’t have to choose between ambition and motherhood. Jen helps women navigate career transitions after motherhood: whether you’re ready to advance without burning out, explore entrepreneurship, or find clarity when you know your current role isn’t it. Through private, high-touch 1:1 coaching, you can build a career and life that feels as good as it looks, without the guilt, overwhelm, or constant second-guessing. Book your private consultation Not quite ready for coaching? Start with The Working Mom Reset—a 7-day email experience to help you recover from overwhelm & finally feel like you again. Consider it your first step toward a life you enjoy instead of one you’re just getting through. Stay connected for more honest, curated support: Instagram → @leadwithjen → @thesustainablemompodcast Threads → @leadwithjen Substack → The Sustainable Mom

    18 min
  3. 10/13/2025

    12. Thinking About Quitting Your Job? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions First

    If you’ve been repeatedly asking yourself how you'll keep showing up to a job where you feel stuck, and the voice inside tells you the only option is to quit, then this episode is for you. Deciding whether to leave your job as a mom isn’t just a “career decision.” It’s emotional, practical, and deeply personal. Maybe you’re burned out, maybe you’re just done, or maybe you can’t tell the difference anymore. In this episode, Jen shares five powerful questions every working mom should ask before making a big career move. These questions will help you get clear on what’s really going on and whether you’re ready for a change, or simply in need of recovery. You’ll learn: The difference between burnout and being truly doneHow to separate fear from intuition when making a big decisionThe hidden stories many moms believe about “quitting”Why clarity comes from better questions, not overthinkingA simple reframe to see your current season with more compassionWhether you’re fantasizing about putting in your notice, or just craving a life that actually feels good again, this episode will help you take your next step without fear or second guessing yourself. Free Break Free from Burnout Guide: https://theleap.co/creator/Jennifer_Gagnon/digital_download/break-free-from-burnout-free-guide ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ You don’t have to choose between ambition and motherhood. Jen helps women navigate career transitions after motherhood: whether you’re ready to advance without burning out, explore entrepreneurship, or find clarity when you know your current role isn’t it. Through private, high-touch 1:1 coaching, you can build a career and life that feels as good as it looks, without the guilt, overwhelm, or constant second-guessing. Book your private consultation Not quite ready for coaching? Start with The Working Mom Reset—a 7-day email experience to help you recover from overwhelm & finally feel like you again. Consider it your first step toward a life you enjoy instead of one you’re just getting through. Stay connected for more honest, curated support: Instagram → @leadwithjen → @thesustainablemompodcast Threads → @leadwithjen Substack → The Sustainable Mom

    15 min
  4. 10/06/2025

    11. It Shouldn't Be This Hard: The Motherhood Standards That Are Setting Us Up to Fail

    Working motherhood feels harder than it should and it's not because of your lack of organization or discipline. It’s the cultural script of intensive mothering. This model expects moms to give 100% at home while we’re also expected to give 100% at work, creating guilt, exhaustion, and the constant sense you’re falling short. In this episode of The Sustainable Mom, Jen unpacks where intensive mothering came from, why it makes working motherhood feel impossible, and how you can start stepping out of its impossible standards. You’ll walk away with a framework for noticing the script, redefining what actually matters to you, and writing a new version of motherhood that’s sustainable—without the guilt. Because the truth is: your kids don’t need perfect. They need you. Let this episode be your permission slip to drop the pursuit of perfection and recognize you're already doing enough! ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ You don’t have to choose between ambition and motherhood. Jen helps women navigate career transitions after motherhood: whether you’re ready to advance without burning out, explore entrepreneurship, or find clarity when you know your current role isn’t it. Through private, high-touch 1:1 coaching, you can build a career and life that feels as good as it looks, without the guilt, overwhelm, or constant second-guessing. Book your private consultation Not quite ready for coaching? Start with The Working Mom Reset—a 7-day email experience to help you recover from overwhelm & finally feel like you again. Consider it your first step toward a life you enjoy instead of one you’re just getting through. Stay connected for more honest, curated support: Instagram → @leadwithjen → @thesustainablemompodcast Threads → @leadwithjen Substack → The Sustainable Mom

    18 min
  5. 09/29/2025

    10. Parenting in an AI world with Dhani Ramadhani

    In this episode, Jen is joined by Tech mom & Harvard policy grad, Dhani Ramadhani as they talk about the new frontier or raising kids in an AI shaped world. We are the first generation to raise kids with AI so this is wildly unnavigated terrain. Unknowns and uncertainties can bring fear and avoidance. Dhani created aiPTO to help parents make sense of this new world with confidence. If you've ever wondered how to talk to your kids about AI, when to introduce kids to AI, or even if you just want to know more about it for yourself, this episode is for you! Meet & Connect 🤝 Dhani Ramadhani is a tech growth strategist, Harvard-trained policy thinker, writer, and mom of two. She draws from her multicultural, neurodivergent family life and years in GovTech to explore what it really means to raise thoughtful, resilient kids in an AI-shaped world. Through her initiative, aiPTO (aiParentTech.com), she shares practical tools and research-backed reflections to help families navigate tech with clarity and intention, instead of hype or fear. Links: Website: https://www.aiparenttech.com/ Social media: https://www.instagram.com/aipto365/  http://www.youtube.com/@aiPTO365 ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ You don’t have to choose between ambition and motherhood. Jen helps women navigate career transitions after motherhood: whether you’re ready to advance without burning out, explore entrepreneurship, or find clarity when you know your current role isn’t it. Through private, high-touch 1:1 coaching, you can build a career and life that feels as good as it looks, without the guilt, overwhelm, or constant second-guessing. Book your private consultation Not quite ready for coaching? Start with The Working Mom Reset—a 7-day email experience to help you recover from overwhelm & finally feel like you again. Consider it your first step toward a life you enjoy instead of one you’re just getting through. Stay connected for more honest, curated support: Instagram → @leadwithjen → @thesustainablemompodcast Threads → @leadwithjen Substack → The Sustainable Mom

    41 min
  6. 09/22/2025

    9. How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Like a Priority

    Do you ever review your to-do list and feel like every single thing on it is urgent, important, and totally aligned with your values? If you said yes, you're not alone.  Even though it's a common experience, there are things we can do to help us prioritize and be satisfied with what we choose to prioritize. In this episode,  Jen gets real about what it actually looks like to juggle work, motherhood, a household, and a coaching business—all while admitting she doesn’t have it “all figured out.” (Spoiler: none of us do.) You’ll hear: Why even “free time” can feel paralyzing when you’re used to being in constant motionA 5-step approach to deciding what matters most when everything feels importantHow to spot the sneaky “shoulds” that pull you into obligation instead of choiceWhy the real goal isn’t completing your to-do list but finding alignment with your valuesIf you’ve ever felt guilty for leaving the laundry unfolded so you could sit with a book, felt like you “wasted” time scrolling instead of tackling the dishes, this episode will help you reframe how you think about time, energy, and what truly matters. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ You don’t have to choose between ambition and motherhood. Jen helps women navigate career transitions after motherhood: whether you’re ready to advance without burning out, explore entrepreneurship, or find clarity when you know your current role isn’t it. Through private, high-touch 1:1 coaching, you can build a career and life that feels as good as it looks, without the guilt, overwhelm, or constant second-guessing. Book your private consultation Not quite ready for coaching? Start with The Working Mom Reset—a 7-day email experience to help you recover from overwhelm & finally feel like you again. Consider it your first step toward a life you enjoy instead of one you’re just getting through. Stay connected for more honest, curated support: Instagram → @leadwithjen → @thesustainablemompodcast Threads → @leadwithjen Substack → The Sustainable Mom

    19 min
  7. 09/15/2025

    8. Beyond the Corporate Ladder: Ambition on Your Terms

    In this solo episode, Jen dives into why so many high-achieving moms are stepping off the traditional corporate ladder and carving out new paths that align with their values, energy, and priorities. She shares the viral post that struck a nerve with thousands of women, why it resonates so deeply, and how it’s giving moms permission to want something different. This episode talks about burnout, shifting ambition, and why walking away from the hustle isn’t giving up. It’s redefining success on your terms. If you’ve ever craved more freedom, flexibility, or fulfillment but felt like it was selfish or ungrateful, this episode is for you. This Episode Breaks Down: ✨ Why so many moms are rethinking the corporate climb ✨ The difference between losing ambition and redefining it ✨ How burnout is reshaping the way we approach work ✨ Steps you can take to create a career that actually fits your life There isn't only one path to success, it's time to decide what success and ambition mean to YOU. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ You don’t have to choose between ambition and motherhood. Jen helps women navigate career transitions after motherhood: whether you’re ready to advance without burning out, explore entrepreneurship, or find clarity when you know your current role isn’t it. Through private, high-touch 1:1 coaching, you can build a career and life that feels as good as it looks, without the guilt, overwhelm, or constant second-guessing. Book your private consultation Not quite ready for coaching? Start with The Working Mom Reset—a 7-day email experience to help you recover from overwhelm & finally feel like you again. Consider it your first step toward a life you enjoy instead of one you’re just getting through. Stay connected for more honest, curated support: Instagram → @leadwithjen → @thesustainablemompodcast Threads → @leadwithjen Substack → The Sustainable Mom

    22 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Sustainable Mom is the podcast for high-achieving mothers navigating the messy, powerful intersection of career and motherhood.  Hosted by career coach Jennifer Gagnon, each episode explores how becoming a mom changes our ambition, our identity, and our relationship to work.  Through honest conversations and real stories, we’ll help you create a career—and life—that’s sustainable, fulfilling, and fully your own.