I Didn’t Know Who I Was Outside of Google with Sara Holcomb

Sara Holcomb spent 16 years inside Google before leaving for senior roles at Dentsu and Criteo, where she's now SVP of Strategy. But the more interesting story isn't the resume – it's what happens when the thing you've built your entire identity around is suddenly gone.And then, on top of that: her younger son August started losing his hearing.We talk about the months-long diagnostic journey that led to his diagnosis of congenital CMV – the leading non-genetic cause of childhood hearing loss – and how that experience cracked Sara open in ways that a 16-year career never did.In this episode, Sara takes us from Atlanta to Cambridge, from the phone-lines of AdWords to senior leadership at Criteo and into the much harder, more human story underneath all of it:– Why high-achieving women confuse institutional success with identity– The slow, uncomfortable process of detaching your sense of self from a company– How stability at work becomes a coping mechanism when life gets hard at home– What chronic vigilance looks like for parents of medically complex children– Why Sara is fighting for universal newborn cCMV screening in MassachusettsIf you live in Massachusetts, you can help support legislation requiring newborn cCMV screening. Click this link to VoterVoice for an email tailored to your local representative. The bill, with Sara’s help, is up for voting this summer. Every email counts: https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/NationalCMV/Campaigns/134843/Respond******The Boston Alliance for LGBTQ Youth (BAGLY) is hosting its annual Heels for Hope fundraiser on May 29 in Boston. BAGLY provides free support and services – from health screenings to therapy to basic necessities – for LGBTQ youth across Greater Boston.👉 Visit BAGLY.org/heels to donate or get tickets to attend Heels for Hope*******⭐️ Follow The Mothers and leave a 5-star review if this resonated💬 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it📱 Join The Mothers on Instagram @themotherspod✍️ Subscribe to ⁠⁠Sara’s Substack⁠⁠ for reflections on life, work, meaning & motherhood💼 Find Sara on ⁠LinkedInThe Mothers is a production of Backline Media.