The Hidden Costs of Motherhood, with Elizabeth Willetts - Part 1 Ep. 153

In this episode, I sit down with Elizabeth Willetts, founder of Investing in Women and author of Flex. We talk through her career from recruitment in the City to building a business that helps women find flexible, part-time work that fits around their lives. Elizabeth is honest about the parts we usually keep quiet. Being made redundant while pregnant. The years of trying for a baby. And the financial cost of motherhood that follows women around for decades. We get into the numbers, too, including how far earnings can drop in the first five years after a first child and what that does to the pension gap later on. If you have ever felt the system was set up against you or wondered why flexible work is so hard to find at a senior level, this is a conversation worth your time. This is Part 1 of two. Part 2 comes out on Monday, so do subscribe to be notified. Chapters 0:00 Cold open 0:30 Welcome and meet Elizabeth Willetts 2:39 Starting out in City recruitment 6:52 Money, independence and motherhood 9:39 Why recruitment is really sales 15:20 Leaving the City to retrain 17:51 Struggling to conceive 20:04 Miscarriage and the grief no one talks about 22:35 The gender pay gap and motherhood penalty 24:39 Made redundant while pregnant 26:11 Rebuilding and starting her own business 30:03 The real cost of going back to work 32:20 Return to office and a tough job market 34:24 The IVF journey and her daughter 37:33 The emotional toll 40:36 Requesting flexible working 43:45 A second baby, COVID and childcare costs 45:10 Finding her most productive hours 46:44 Wrap up and part two reminder #WomenAndMoney #MotherhoodPenalty #GenderPayGap #FlexibleWorking #FinancialIndependence #PensionGap #WorkingMums #CareerBreak #WomenInBusiness #FinancialPlanning   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connect with Rebecca Robertson and the Podcast: Subscribe for weekly wealth-building strategies: https://www.youtube.com/@rebeccarobertsonifa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebecca_robertsonifa & https://www.instagram.com/acceleratingyourwealth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-financial-advisor Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaRobertsonwealth www.evolutionfinancialplanning.co.uk Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice.