Leadership & Motherhood

Summer is a unique season for working moms.  While social media reminds us that we "only get 18 summers" with our kids, many executive moms are simultaneously leading teams, managing projects, running businesses, navigating camp schedules, and juggling childcare logistics. The result? A lot of pressure to make every moment count. In this final episode of Season 2, Leanna explores how high-achieving women can approach summer with more intention and less pressure. Instead of focusing on creating the perfect summer experience, she invites listeners to focus on something much more powerful: how they want to show up during the moments that matter. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the "18 summers" narrative can create unnecessary pressure and guilt The difference between controlling external circumstances and choosing how you want to show up How unrealistic expectations often lead to disappointment Practical mindset shifts for staying calm and grounded when things don't go according to plan Why curiosity is more helpful than self-criticism when reflecting on difficult moments How to approach summer intentionally while balancing the realities of work and family life Plus, Leanna shares a free Summer Guide designed specifically for executive moms who want to approach the season with greater clarity, alignment, and self-compassion. Download the free Summer Guide, a framework for intentionally designing your summer.  And if you’re ready to design your ideal career and life, The Executive Mom Reset can help you do just that. Book a Discovery Call with Leanna today.  Thank you for being part of Season 2 of Leadership and Motherhood. We'll see you back soon for Season 3!

In this episode, Leanna Laskey McGrath sits down with career and executive coach Maya Sharfi to explore what it truly means to grow your career in alignment with your life, not at the expense of it. Maya shares how she supports high-achieving women, from manager to executive levels, in navigating promotions, career pivots, and redefining success. Drawing on her unique background in design and women’s empowerment, she brings a powerful blend of analytical thinking and deep personal insight to her coaching. Together, they discuss how to advocate for yourself at work, recognize your value, and make intentional career decisions that increase fulfillment. This conversation is especially relevant for ambitious women who feel the tension between professional growth and personal alignment. If you’re ready to stop climbing the ladder on autopilot and start building a career that actually supports your life, this episode will give you both perspective and practical direction. Take advantage of Maya’s special gift for Leadership & Motherhood listeners, a 5-minute assessment to identify what is standing between you and your next career level! Sign up for the Leadership & Motherhood mailing list.

In this powerful and perspective-shifting episode, Leanna Laskey McGrath sits down with Anna Malaika Tubbs, renowned author, speaker, and advocate for examining the narratives that shape how we see ourselves and each other. Anna shares her global upbringing and how it shaped her understanding of identity, belonging, and cultural storytelling. Together, they explore the importance of elevating voices and histories that have been overlooked or erased (particularly women’s and mother’s stories), and how storytelling can be a tool for connection, healing, and change. This conversation goes beyond theory and into real life, touching on motherhood, raising children with awareness, and the responsibility we carry as leaders, parents, and individuals to question inherited narratives. For high-achieving women, executive leaders, and mothers, this episode is both grounding and expansive, an invitation to think more critically, lead more intentionally, and bring more awareness to what stories are shaping our beliefs. In This Episode, We Discuss: How our upbringing shapes the way we see the world The impact of inherited narratives and cultural conditioning Why storytelling matters in leadership, motherhood, and identity Raising children with awareness, empathy, and intentionality The importance of questioning systems and assumptions How curiosity and compassion can create deeper human connection What it means to lead and parent with greater consciousness Connect with Anna Malaika Tubbs: Anna Malaika Tubbs Official Website @annamalaikatubbs on Instagram Read New York Times Bestseller The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of MLK Jr., Malcolm X, and James Brown Shaped a Nation  Read instant New York Times Bestseller and USA Today National Bestseller Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden From Us Connect with Leanna Laskey McGrath: Coach Leanna website  Linkedin

In this episode, Leanna Laskey McGrath sits down with Lauren Cannata, a leader in the influencer marketing industry and mother of two, for a conversation about motherhood, career growth, work-life balance, and the intentional decisions that help high-achieving women create more sustainable and fulfilling lives. Lauren shares how becoming a mother reshaped the way she approaches ambition, productivity, leadership, and success. Instead of feeling more chaotic, motherhood pushed her to become more intentional with her time, boundaries, and career decisions, ultimately creating more balance, clarity, and presence in both work and family life. Together, Leanna and Lauren explore the pressure many working moms and executive women feel to “do it all,” why boundaries are essential for preventing burnout, and how values-aligned career decisions can help women build lives that support both professional success and personal fulfillment. They also discuss the leadership skills motherhood strengthens, including empathy, patience, perspective, and prioritization, and why redefining success after motherhood can lead to a more grounded and meaningful life. This episode is for ambitious women, working moms, leaders, and professionals who want to create more balance in motherhood without losing themselves, their goals, or their careers. In this episode, listeners will learn: How motherhood changes ambition and career priorities Why boundaries are essential for work-life balance How intentional career decisions can create more balance in motherhood The leadership skills women develop through motherhood How high-achieving women can redefine success after becoming mothers Practical mindset shifts for reducing overwhelm and burnout There are still a few spots left if you’d like to sign up to Try Coaching in observance of ICF’s International Coaching Week!

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, this episode creates space for a conversation that often goes unseen, especially among high achieving women. Leanna sits down with Dr. Kelly Dries, a strengths-based leadership coach, to explore the complex and often hidden relationship between ambition, success, and mental health. Together, they unpack what it really looks like to be high functioning on the outside while struggling internally. This conversation goes beyond surface-level discussions of burnout and productivity. It dives into the pressure to “hold it all together,” the identity of being the strong one, and the quiet belief that there isn’t room to not be okay. Dr. Dries shares her personal journey with depression, eating disorders, and recovery, and how those experiences shaped her work supporting high achieving women today. They also explore the importance of emotional awareness, self-trust, and creating space to reconnect with yourself in a world that rewards constant achievement. This episode is both honest and deeply human. If you’ve ever felt like you should be able to manage it all, or like there’s no room for your struggle, you are not alone. Content warning: this episode contains discussion around topics including suicide, self harm, death, cancer, and eating disorders. Please take care of yourself. If you need support, please reach out to someone you trust or contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Connect with Kelly and learn more about her RISE Women’s Leadership Group at https://www.kellydries.com/. Connect with Leanna and sign up for a free Try Coaching session in May in observation of ICF’s International Coaching Week.

What do you do when something goes wrong at the worst possible moment? In this episode, I'm sharing a story from earlier this week — a flat tire, pouring rain, and a coaching mastermind I didn’t want to be late to — and the one sentence that kept me from completely spiraling. That sentence: "This is my curriculum for today." It sounds simple, but the shift it creates is profound. When we hit an unexpected obstacle, most of us default to resistance — why me, why now, this always happens — and without even realizing it, we hand over our power to the situation. This reframe does the opposite. It cuts through the drama, puts you back in the driver's seat (pun intended), and opens the door to something most people don't expect to feel in a hard moment: gratitude and genuine power. In this episode I walk you through exactly what happened, how I handled it, and why the way we think about our circumstances determines not just how we feel, but how we show up — at work, at home, and everywhere in between. This one is for every high-achieving woman who has ever let a curveball derail her day, her mood, or her confidence. In this episode you'll learn: Why fighting against reality is always a losing battle — and what to do instead How one sentence can interrupt a panic spiral before it takes over The difference between things happening to you vs. for you How your thoughts directly shape your emotions and your ability to show up powerfully Why gratitude is accessible even in the most frustrating moments — and how to get there quickly Coaching is the thing that’s helped me choose more empowering sentences to support me in these tough moments. If you’d like to experience the power of coaching for yourself, join me in May to celebrate ICF’s International Coaching Week with a “Try Coaching” session. It’s the one time a year I offer free 1:1 coaching. Sign up here.

What if the reason you feel overwhelmed isn’t just about your circumstances, but also how you’re thinking about them? In this episode, Leanna Laskey McGrath explores the shift from feeling stuck and out of control to becoming truly empowered in your life and leadership. Drawing from her own experience as a corporate executive and new mom, she shares how easy it is to fall into a pattern of overwhelm, even when you’ve created the life you thought you wanted. Through a powerful comparison of two women with identical circumstances but completely different experiences, Leanna reveals the real difference maker: mindset. You’ll learn how to recognize when you’re operating from a disempowered place, the subtle ways it shows up in your thoughts and stories, and how to shift back into control, starting with what’s already within your power. If you’ve been feeling stuck, stretched thin, or like life is happening to you, this episode will help you reconnect with your agency and take your power back. 🎯 Ready to go from overwhelmed to empowered? Free “Try Coaching” sessions are available this May. Come experience the shift for yourself. Schedule Now!

This episode is a candid, thought-provoking conversation with three executive mom friends: Leanna Laskey McGrath, Annemieke Rice, and Andrea Palmer, on what happens when high-achieving women can no longer rely on the same habits, identities, and definitions of success that once drove them. Together, they explore the shift from effort-based value to experience-based leadership, and why motherhood doesn’t diminish ambition, but transforms it. This conversation challenges the idea that success comes from pushing harder, and instead invites a more nuanced question: What actually matters in this season of your life? They discuss: Why “doing what’s right for you right now” is more powerful than planning for forever How motherhood expands your capacity and your leadership The redefinition of value beyond hard work and long hours Choosing presence over urgency (and why you’ll “lose the time” either way) The role of aligned environments in making success sustainable Turning up joy instead of trying to eliminate difficulty The idea that there isn’t one path to fulfillment, leadership, or contribution At its core, this episode is about self-trust, seasons, agency, and the courage to choose a version of success that reflects who you are now, not who you used to be. Connect with Annemieke here. Connect with Andrea here. Last call for April "Defining Enough” Mini-Sessions! If you are constantly feeling like you’re not giving enough at work and/or at home, join me for a free 45 minute mini session. You’ll walk away feeling a little lighter and a lot more empowered. Register now!

What if enjoying your life wasn’t about changing your circumstances, but changing how you think about them? In this episode, Executive Coach Leanna Laskey McGrath sits down with Camille Jaramis, an Australian entrepreneur, full-time professional, and mom, who is intentionally building a life that reflects what matters most to her.  She works very hard. She’s building a platform to support parents. She’s building her family and raising her kids. She’s living her life. But what stands out most isn’t everything she’s doing; rather, it’s how she’s thinking and approaching it all. Camille brings a grounded, intentional approach to life, work, and motherhood. She doesn’t wait for the perfect conditions to feel fulfilled. She takes ownership of how she spends her time, how she prioritizes, and how she experiences her life. She’s done the work to understand herself, and she uses that clarity to deliberately design a life she actually enjoys. This conversation explores the mindset behind that way of living. The belief that her life is hers to shape, that she can add real value to the world, and that hard work and enjoyment are not mutually exclusive. If you’re a high-achieving woman who wants to pursue meaningful goals and feel present and fulfilled in your life, this episode will challenge you to think differently about what’s possible. Check out what Camille is building to support parents and listen to her podcast here. Leanna is offering a free coaching mini session in the month of April. Book now!

We’ve all heard plenty of advice when it comes to our health: what to eat, how to move, how to take care of ourselves. And for many high-achieving women, the challenge isn’t a lack of information… it’s actually following through. In this episode, Leanna is joined by Dr. Meghan Garcia-Webb, a triple board-certified physician and certified life coach, to explore the missing piece in women’s health. We talk about the gap between knowing and doing, why traditional approaches often fall short, and what actually drives sustainable behavior change. This conversation goes beyond surface-level advice and into the mindset, patterns, and internal barriers that can keep even the most driven women feeling stuck. Dr. Garcia-Webb shares a more compassionate and realistic approach to health, one that supports long-term change without relying on willpower alone. If you’ve ever felt frustrated with your ability to stay consistent or wondered why “knowing better” hasn’t translated into doing better, this episode will give you a new perspective. Visit Dr. Meghan’s website and follow her YouTube channel for more information. Leanna is offering a free coaching mini session in the month of April. Book now!

If you’ve ever ended a full, productive day and still thought “it’s not enough” or “I should’ve done more,” this episode is for you. In this solo episode, Executive Coach Leanna Laskey McGrath unpacks one of the most common (and invisible) patterns she sees in high-achieving women: the constant feeling of falling short, even when you’re doing everything right. The root issue? Most high achievers have never actually defined what “enough” means, so their brain keeps moving the goalposts to keep them focused. Through a powerful client story and practical coaching tools, Leanna explores: Why your default will always be “never enough” (and why that’s not your fault) How the “inner critic” or “drill sergeant” keeps you stuck in overdrive The difference between your absolute best and your relative best A simple daily practice to define success on your terms This episode will challenge how you think about productivity, performance, and self-worth, and help you start closing the gap between what you’ve done and what you believe you should have done. If you’re ready to feel more grounded, more intentional, and finally enough, this is your starting point. 🎯 Leanna is offering a limited number of free April mini sessions to get personalized support on defining enough. Sign up at coachleanna.com!

So many women live with debilitating pain that no test can explain. This is Leanna’s story and her journey to finding answers and solutions. Despite multiple ER visits, specialist referrals, scans, and procedures, everything continued to come back “normal.” With no clear answers, she began to question her own experience—and eventually, like so many women, started to accept the pain as something she might have to live with. In this deeply personal episode, Leanna shares her six-year journey to a diagnosis of endometriosis and adenomyosis, and the moment everything changed when she was finally referred to a doctor who listened differently and was able to determine the underlying issue and provided a solution. She is joined by that doctor: Dr. Nicole Donnellan, a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon and Director of the UPMC Magee Women’s Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Center. Dr. Donnellan specializes in the treatment of complex pelvic pain conditions and is a leading advocate for advancing research and care in women’s health. Together, they explore the challenges of diagnosing endometriosis, why so many women go years—sometimes decades—without answers, and the limitations of current diagnostic tools. They also discuss the wide range of symptoms associated with endometriosis and adenomyosis, the role of pelvic floor physical therapy, and the importance of patient advocacy. This episode sheds light on a condition that affects millions of women, yet remains widely misunderstood and underdiagnosed. For anyone navigating unexplained pain, questioning “normal” test results, or seeking answers, this conversation offers both validation and hope. Connect with Dr. Donnellan. Connect with Leanna To learn more about Leadership & Motherhood and join the initiative, visit leadershipandmotherhood.info and sign up to receive updates.

In this episode, executive coach Leanna Laskey McGrath sits down with mindset and meditation coach Nemisha Patel Owen to explore what it really means to live an aligned life. After 18 years climbing the corporate ladder in a highly male-dominated engineering environment at NATS, the UK’s air traffic control provider, Nemisha appeared successful by every traditional measure: an MBA, promotions, and leadership roles in a prestigious field. But internally, something felt off. When a major health crisis forced her to slow down, Nemisha began questioning the path she had worked so hard to build. That moment of disruption became the catalyst for redefining success, ambition, and what it means to truly live in alignment for her. In this conversation, we discuss cultural expectations, identity, motherhood as a catalyst for change, and the quiet inner voice many high-achieving women experience when their external success no longer matches their internal truth. If you’ve ever felt successful on paper but unsettled inside, this episode offers a powerful reminder that alignment—not approval—is the foundation of a fulfilling life and career. Connect with Nemisha on Instagram and other socials as nemisha.patelowen, practice YogaLife with Nemisha on YouTube, listen to her podcast, Live Your True Self, and join her free Introduction to Meditation: 6-week Course to Inner Calm. Connect with Leanna To learn more about Leadership & Motherhood and join the initiative, visit leadershipandmotherhood.info and sign up to receive updates.

In this special episode of Leadership and Motherhood honoring Women’s History Month, Leanna sits down with executive leadership coach Loretta Stagnitto and her daughter, fractional marketing executive Annie Ricci, for a powerful cross-generational conversation about ambition, identity, and defining success on your own terms. Loretta shares her journey from corporate VP in Silicon Valley to building her own executive coaching business after burnout and motherhood reshaped her priorities. Annie reflects on growing up watching her mother lead, and how that example shaped her own path from corporate marketing to launching a fractional consulting business. Together, they explore: How our identities get wrapped up in corporate titles What happens when our ambition doesn’t align with the corporate ladder The grief and growth that come with career transitions The subtle expectations firstborn daughters carry How the example we set quietly shapes our children’s beliefs about work and possibility This is a conversation about generational evolution, how each woman learns from the one before her, keeps what resonates, and consciously chooses her own version of success. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re setting the “right” example for your children, this episode will remind you: they are always watching and they are learning from the example we set. Connect with Loretta Connect with Annie Connect with Leanna To learn more about Leadership & Motherhood and join the initiative, visit leadershipandmotherhood.info and sign up to receive updates.

In this first interview on Leadership and Motherhood, executive coach Leanna Laskey McGrath sits down with top-performing NYC real estate leader Rebecca Blacker to explore the real challenges high-achieving executive women and mothers face. From people pleasing and mom guilt to delegation struggles and confidence at work, this conversation dives deep into the tension between building a successful career and being the present, engaged mom you want to be. Rebecca shares how becoming a mother became the catalyst for a major career transition when she chose not to step back, but instead, to lean into more aligned, fulfilling leadership and work. If you’re an executive woman navigating work-life balance, managing a team, building confidence, and raising a family, this episode offers honest insight, practical reflection, and reassurance that you’re not alone. Connect with Rebecca Connect with Leanna  Let us know what you think about the new show! Click the microphone on the bottom right to record a voice message. We want to hear from you!

Welcome to the very first episode of Leadership and Motherhood! After 2.5 years and 153 episodes, The Executive Coach for Moms Podcast has evolved into something bigger. In this episode, Leanna Laskey McGrath, Executive Coach for Moms, shares why she made the intentional decision to end her previous show. It was not because she stopped loving podcasting, but because she felt called to create something more aligned, more expansive, and more impactful. Leadership and Motherhood is not just a podcast. It’s a movement. Launched intentionally on March 1st to kick off Women’s History Month, this new initiative exists to: Elevate women’s voices Redefine motherhood as a leadership advantage Inspire women to create lives and careers they truly desire If you’ve ever felt disoriented after becoming a mom…If you’ve questioned your value at work…If you’ve wondered whether it’s possible to feel fulfilled in both career and motherhood… You are in the right place. This podcast will bring you real conversations, mindset shifts, leadership tools, and inspiring stories from women who are navigating both worlds… not perfectly, but intentionally. Because you have one precious life. And you deserve to build it on purpose. You deserve to love it. Subscribe, connect with Leanna on LinkedIn , and join the Leadership and Motherhood movement. Let’s change the conversation. Together.

You are listening to the final episode of The Executive Coach for Moms Podcast as we know it. It’s the end of an era! A huge thank you to everyone who has made this podcast such a huge success and this journey so much fun. Listen to hear a little bit about what’s next, and in the meantime, here are three things you can do right now: Follow the show to receive future updates. Rate and review the show on Apple and Spotify, or wherever you get your Podcasts, to help others gain access. Go back and listen to some old episodes, either to revisit or to hear what you’ve missed. Rather than an ending, this episode marks an evolution, an acknowledgment of growth, change, and the need to create something even more aligned with the work ahead. Thank you for being a part of the journey! Sign up to hear more about the new show. https://www.coachleanna.com/connect Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here.

This episode is a grounding conversation for high-achieving women who want to stay ambitious without becoming emotionally hijacked by everything happening in the world. Leanna explores how to remain informed without burning out your nervous system, why timing and intentionality matter when consuming news, and how external chaos can quietly pull you off track from goals that deeply matter to you. She introduces the mindset shift of who before how, inviting you to stop asking how to reach your goals and instead focus on who you need to become to create them in order to create clarity, momentum, and resilience, even in imperfect circumstances. This episode encourages you to start embodying your next evolution today; imperfectly, intentionally, and in the midst of real life challenges, so you can continue building momentum toward the life and leadership you truly want. Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. Join Leanna for the third annual January Reset for high achieving women, where you’ll learn new strategies and be supported in achieving your 2026 goals, no matter the circumstances of the world and our lives this year.

When life gets busy, even the most successful executive moms can find themselves quietly drifting away from their goals, not because they don’t care, but because the strategies they’ve been taught are missing some important mindset components. In this episode, executive coach Leanna breaks down why motivation fades when life gets full, what’s actually happening beneath the surface, and what truly helps you stay connected to your goals without relying on perfection or burnout. If you want sustainable progress that works with your life rather than not against it, this episode is for you. Join Leanna for the January Reset, where you’ll learn new strategies and be supported in achieving your 2026 goals.

In this behind-the-scenes New Year episode, executive coach Leanna McGrath shares the goal setting process she uses every year—and how it’s helped her build a life and career in alignment with her values and vision. Designed for executive moms, working mothers, and high-achieving women, this episode explores why reflection matters, how consistency beats intensity, and what actually keeps ambitious women following through on their goals. If you’re ready for a more sustainable approach to the New Year—without burnout—this episode will help you approach 2026 differently. Ready to make 2026 the year you achieve your goals? Join the 2026 January Reset for High Achieving Women!

Merry Christmas! In this heartfelt episode, Leanna opens up about a deeply personal season of rest, recovery, and reflection. She talks candidly about undergoing surgery after six years of unanswered pain and what it taught her about advocating for herself in a healthcare system that often minimizes women’s pain. Beyond the medical journey, this episode explores something many high-achieving women will recognize: the realization that she felt she needed a “valid” reason to stop producing and let others take care of her. From unexpected lessons in rest and leadership to an opportunity to reconsider how and when we allow ourselves to be cared for, this episode is a reminder that you don’t need a crisis to deserve rest, and that listening to your body and your needs is a powerful act of leadership. Full transcript available here. Check out Leanna’s Holiday Tips Series by connecting with her on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn. Sign up for Leanna’s email list at coachleanna.com/connect for the latest information on her third annual January Reset for High Achieving Women!

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series.

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series.

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series.

As the holiday season ramps up and time and energy feel especially scarce, this episode dives into one of the biggest hidden drains for high-achieving moms: negative thought spirals. Building on last week’s conversation about mom guilt, Leanna breaks down how these spirals form, why executive brains are particularly prone to them, and how quickly a single moment of disappointment, overwhelm, or uncertainty can turn into shame, self-doubt, and paralysis. She shares practical, compassionate tools to help you interrupt spirals, regain a sense of control, and redirect your thinking without forcing toxic positivity. This episode is a reminder that your thoughts are optional, progress matters more than perfection, and with a little practice, you can reclaim precious time and energy during the holidays and beyond. Full transcript available here. Re-visit last week’s episode, Holiday Mom Guilt for High Achievers. Check out Leanna’s Holiday Tips Series by connecting with her on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn. Sign up for Leanna’s email list at coachleanna.com/connect for the latest information on her third annual January Reset for High Achieving Women!

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series.

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series.

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series and join us for the Seasonal Support Sessions.

In this episode, Leanna dives into one of the most persistent and painful emotions ambitious moms face this time of year: holiday mom guilt. Whether you’re listening while wrapping gifts or squeezing this in between meetings, you’ll learn why guilt tends to spike during the holidays and the three core places it comes from: unrealistic expectations, comparison overload, and the pressure to show up “perfectly” in both quantity and quality with your kids. Leanna offers practical tools to bring you back to presence when your mind is trying to distract you. If you’ve ever felt torn between being the leader your team needs and the mom you want to be, this episode will remind you that what you’re doing is not just enough but also deeply impactful. Join Leanna’s free Seasonal Support Session this Friday, December 12, at 2 PM ET to recharge, connect with other high-achieving moms, and enter the holidays feeling supported instead of stretched thin. REGISTER NOW! Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. Sign up for Leanna’s email list at coachleanna.com/connect for the latest information on her third annual January Reset for High Achieving Women!

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series and join us for the Seasonal Support Sessions.

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series and join us for the Seasonal Support Sessions.

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series and join us for the Seasonal Support Sessions.

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series and join us for the Seasonal Support Sessions.

In this episode, Leanna talks with functional wellness practitioner Kathryn Becker, whose story will feel familiar to high-achieving women who keep pushing through exhaustion, stress, and mystery symptoms because life simply doesn’t slow down. Kathryn shares how she spent years performing at a high level while quietly battling insomnia, gut issues, hormonal chaos, and the pressure to “just keep going.” Her turning point came when she realized that willpower wasn’t the problem; her body was asking for a different kind of leadership. Her journey from burnout and frustration to clarity, strength, metabolic healing, and weight loss offers a powerful reframe for executive women who are craving change but don’t know where to start. This conversation is an invitation to rethink what wellbeing looks like for driven women and a reminder that transformation is possible without stepping away from your ambition. Full transcript available here Get lots of tips and tricks from Kathryn by following @beckerhealth on Instagram, and sign up for Kathryn’s Lean Energy program now! Enrollment opened December 3, 2025 and closes January 5, 2026. Connect with Leanna here. If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset; Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now!

I created the Holiday Tips series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you. Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series and join us for the Seasonal Support Sessions.

In this concise and heartfelt Thanksgiving episode, Leanna invites you to pause amid the cooking, coordinating, and family dynamics to check in with yourself and honor what you need today. She shares three grounding reminders to help you stay regulated during a high-pressure holiday: giving yourself permission to take a breather, releasing the expectation of perfection, and remembering that you’re fully capable of handling whatever comes your way. Tune in for a few minutes of encouragement and perspective as you head into a beautifully imperfect Thanksgiving. You’re Invited! Leanna is offering Seasonal Support Sessions for moms balancing leadership and family during the holidays, who may be craving connection, support, and a moment to breathe. Sign up for one or both sessions today at www.coachleanna.com! Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here.

I'm sharing a special episode to introduce my new holiday tips series and to share tip #1. I created this series for ambitious high achieving women trying to juggle everything this holiday season -- closing out the fiscal year at work, coordinating holiday events, hosting, cooking, cleaning, communicating, shopping, wrapping. The mental load is extra heavy this time of year, and I'm hopeful these holiday tips will help make things a little lighter for you.  Connect with me on Instagram @execcoachleanna or LinkedIn to tune into the full series.

In this episode, Leanna sits down with career strategist and mother of three, Klara Ganter, for a deeply honest conversation about redefining ambition, navigating nonlinear career paths, and choosing a life aligned with your values, not everyone else’s expectations. Klara shares her remarkable journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, what it really took to close the doors on her long-held dream, and why clarity, courage, and strategy matter more than perfection when you’re juggling motherhood and a demanding career. If you’ve ever felt stuck between who you are, what you want, and what the world expects of you, this episode will leave you feeling seen, inspired, and empowered to create your next chapter with intention. Full transcript available here Check out Klara’s platform Mompire, listen to her podcast The Working Mom Show, and connect with her on LinkedIn. Connect with Leanna here.

In this episode, Leanna dives deep into one of her favorite guiding principles, “Don’t believe everything you think.” If you find yourself overthinking or talking yourself out of opportunities, this episode is for you. Leanna shares practical mindset tools to help you stop second-guessing yourself and challenge the limiting beliefs that hold you back. Learn how to recognize when your “survival brain” is keeping you stuck, reframe unhelpful thoughts, and build confidence through intentional thought work. Tune in to discover how to break free from self-doubt and move forward with clarity and confidence. Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset; Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now!

In this episode, Leanna explores the powerful mindset shift of embracing life’s various seasons and giving yourself permission to let go of unrealistic expectations. She invites listeners to examine what belongs in their current season and what can be temporarily or permanently set down. Leanna explores how redefining success, relinquishing old expectations, and aligning your energy with your current values can actually make you more effective and fulfilled as a leader and as a mother. If you’ve been feeling the pressure to “do it all,” this episode is a refreshing reminder that you *can* have it all, just not all at once. Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here.

In observance of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Leanna welcomes back Kami Wernimont, founder and president of Let the Light In, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting women and families through loss. Kami shares how her organization has grown and evolved over the past two years, offering one-on-one companion support, community events, and new initiatives for siblings and families. Together, Leanna and Kami explore what it truly means to take care of yourself in grief, how to find comfort in the uncomfortable, and why strength often looks more like gentleness, rest, and honesty than pushing through pain. This episode is a tender reminder that healing isn’t about moving on – it’s about learning to walk with grief – and that none of us have to walk it alone. Full transcript available here. Re-visit episode 17 to hear Kami’s story. Re-visit episode 62 for last year’s update and to hear the lessons Kami shared about supporting others while maintaining her own self-care and quality time with her children. If you’re moved to support the important work of Let the Light In, please donate here. Connect with Kami and learn more about Let the Light In here. Connect with Leanna here.

In this episode, Leanna shares one of the simplest yet most transformative practices she recommends to every client: journaling. If your mind feels constantly full and your days seem to blur together, this episode will help you reclaim a sense of calm, clarity, and intention. Leanna walks through the top five journaling prompts she personally uses and teaches and explains how each one can help you feel more grounded, confident, and present in both your work and home life. Whether you’ve never journaled before or you’ve fallen out of the habit, this conversation will inspire you to take just a few minutes a day to connect with yourself and lead your life more intentionally. For a client’s testimonial of the value of journaling, re-visit Episode 99, How Executive Coaching Helped Me Rebuild Confidence and Redefine Success After Motherhood: Angela's Story. Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. Strong leadership starts with strong foundations. The Executive Mom Reset Foundations begins October 2025. Join us to gain the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive at work and at home without burning out.

In this sixth episode of the Taking Care of Yourself series, Leanna gets personal about the resistance so many working and executive moms feel when it comes to making positive changes in their lives. Even when we know what we need to do to feel better, our brains often keep us stuck in old patterns, convincing us it’s too hard, won’t make a difference, or that we’ll fail if we can’t do it perfectly. Leanna explores why that happens, how to recognize the thought errors that hold us back, and what it looks like to move forward with small, meaningful steps instead of waiting for the “perfect” moment. If you’ve ever felt like taking care of yourself is just one more impossible thing on your to-do list, this episode will remind you that change doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing, and that even 1% shifts can create lasting transformation. Catch up on the Taking Care of Yourself series: #1 The Mindset Shifts Every Executive Mom Needs to Balance Ambition and Well-Being #2 Empowering Executive Moms to Recognize Your Own Needs Without Guilt #3 Burnout as Betrayal: Breaking Free from People Pleasing and Perfectionism to Reclaim Your Energy - with Lora Cheadle #4 Advocating for Your Needs at Work and at Home  #5 Reclaiming Your Energy and Connection Through Science-Based Nervous System Healing - with Melissa Romano Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. Strong leadership starts with strong foundations. The Executive Mom Reset Foundations begins October 2025. Join us to gain the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive at work and at home without burning out.

In this episode, Leanna sits down with licensed social worker and integrative somatic therapist Melissa Romano, author of the Vagus Nerve Deck, and creator of Connected Healing. Together they explore how high-achieving women can break free from living in constant “protection mode” and step into intentional, empowered living. Melissa shares her journey from chronic pain and stress to nervous system healing, and offers practical tools to help working mothers regulate emotions, increase resilience, and feel more connected to themselves and their families. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing it all but running on empty, this conversation will give you a grounded, science-backed approach to redefining self-care, so you can lead with presence, balance, and energy both at work and at home. Follow @reclaimingmelissa on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Find her Vagus Nerve Deck on Amazon. Visit her website at reclaiminghealthy.com to find more about her signature program, Connected Healing, as well as her other offerings such as one-on-one and live group coaching, retreats, live workshops, and more. Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. Strong leadership starts with strong foundations. The Executive Mom Reset: Foundations course begins October 21. Join us to gain the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive at work and at home without burning out.

In the fourth episode of the Taking Care of Yourself series, Leanna continues with a focus on how executive moms can confidently advocate for their own needs, both at work and at home. High-achieving leaders often excel at championing others, yet find it difficult to speak up for themselves. Leanna explores the mindset shifts and strategies that make it possible to identify, communicate, and honor personal needs without guilt. She highlights why meeting those needs is not selfish but essential for effective leadership, sustainable success, and thriving both professionally and personally. If asking for more support, flexibility, or space feels uncomfortable, this episode offers practical tools to start building that confidence. Catch up on the Taking Care of Yourself series: #1 The Mindset Shifts Every Executive Mom Needs to Balance Ambition and Well-Being #2 Empowering Executive Moms to Recognize Your Own Needs Without Guilt #3 Burnout as Betrayal: Breaking Free from People Pleasing and Perfectionism to Reclaim Your Energy - with Lora Cheadle Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. Strong leadership starts with strong foundations. The Executive Mom Reset Foundations begins October 21. Join us to gain the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive at work and at home without burning out.

What if burnout isn’t just exhaustion, but a form of betrayal? In this episode, attorney-turned-coach and TEDx speaker, Lora Cheadle, shares how years of people pleasing, perfectionism, and prioritizing everyone else’s needs over her own left her depleted, and how she discovered that the deepest betrayal wasn’t her husband’s long-term infidelity, but the ways she had abandoned her own needs. Lora reframes burnout as a wake-up call to stop self-sacrificing and start honoring your worth. She offers a powerful framework for identifying unmet needs, moving beyond resentment, and building resilience. This conversation will challenge how you see burnout, and it will inspire you to reclaim your authenticity and self-trust. Get Lora’s Betrayal Recovery Guide and learn more about her Betrayal Recovery method on her website. Start at the beginning of the journey. Listen to The Mindset Shifts Every Executive Mom Needs to Balance Ambition and Well-Being, and Empowering Executive Moms to Recognize Your Own Needs Without Guilt, the first and second episodes of the Taking Care of Yourself series. Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. Strong leadership starts with strong foundations. The Executive Mom Reset Foundations begins October 21. Join us to gain the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive at work and at home without burning out.

High-achieving working mothers are so attuned to recognizing everyone else’s needs at work, at home, and everywhere in between, that we often overlook our own. In this episode of the Taking Care of Yourself series, Leanna explores why tuning into your own needs matters, how ignoring them eventually leads to burnout or resentment, and why recognizing them is the very first step toward balance. She introduces Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as a practical framework, shares everyday examples of how unmet needs show up in our behavior, and walks through the RAIN method (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) to help you build awareness without judgment. You’ll leave this episode with clarity on how to start small, meet one need at a time, and begin shifting from putting yourself last to honoring your needs with confidence and without guilt. Whether you’re leading a team at work, caring for your family, or both, this conversation is a compassionate reminder that meeting your own needs is not selfish; it’s the foundation for lasting success and joy, as well as the model we want to be for those who look up to us. Start at the beginning of the journey. Listen to The Mindset Shifts Every Executive Mom Needs to Balance Ambition and Well-Being, the first episode of the Taking Care of Yourself series to uncover why we so often ignore our own needs and how to begin rewriting that story. Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. Strong leadership starts with strong foundations. The Executive Mom Reset Foundations begins October 21. Join us to gain the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive at work and at home without burning out.

In this episode, Leanna kicks off the fall series with the theme Taking Care of Yourself, a deeper, more practical alternative to what’s often labeled as “self-care.” She explores why so many high-achieving women and busy moms put their own needs last by unpacking five key barriers that keep working mothers from prioritizing their well-being. Leanna reframes each barrier with empowering shifts, reminding working mothers that caring for themselves isn’t selfish; it’s essential for longevity, resilience, and showing up fully in every area of life. This conversation invites women to recognize their worthiness, challenge old narratives, and begin building a more sustainable rhythm of care to support themselves in order to better support others. Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here. Strong leadership starts with strong foundations. The Executive Mom Reset Foundations begins October 21. Join us to gain the tools, strategies, and support you need to thrive at work and at home without burning out.

We’re closing out the 2025 Summer Series by weaving together the most powerful lessons from the six remarkable women who shared their journeys of leadership, resilience, and motherhood. Their stories highlight that success has many definitions, that motherhood can sharpen rather than limit leadership, and that true strength comes from adaptability, reflection, and alignment with values. Together, their insights remind executive mothers that intentional choices and resilience not only shape careers but also create space for balance and purpose at home. Leanna offers key takeaways designed to inspire professional women to embrace clarity, redefine success, and lead with confidence. Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here and share your takeaways from the 2025 Summer Series! If you missed any of the conversations in the Summer Series, now is the perfect time to revisit them. Each episode offers unique strategies and inspiration that build toward the takeaways Leanna shared here. Dr. Lesley Robinson Ep 102: Leading with Purpose: Charting Your Own Course as a High-Achieving Woman Ep 103: Leading with Impact: Values Based Leadership and Growth Mindset for Working Mothers Dina Silver Pokedoff Ep 104: Navigating the Unexpected: Career Pivoting, Fertility Journeys, and Redefining Success Ep 105: Navigating Working Motherhood: Leadership, Self-Care, and Sustainable Ambition Sarah Brelowski Ep 107: Becoming Strong: From Career Burnout to Alignment, Fulfillment, and Self-Defined Success Ep 108: Sustaining Strong: How Strength Training Empowers Women with Self Confidence, Resilience, and Mental Wellbeing Erica Willie Ep 109: The High Achiever's First Superpower: Outwork Everyone and Succeed Through Work Ethic Ep 110: Embracing Motherhood as a Superpower and Building a Values Aligned Legacy Ashley Chang Ep 111: From Doing It All to Doing What Matters: Redefining Work-Life Balance in Working Motherhood Ep 112: You Don't Have to Do It All: Delegation Strategies and Support Systems for Working Moms Kiran Reddy Ep 113: Grounded in Purpose: Aligning Career, Service, and Becoming a Mother Ep 114: Grounded in Resilience: Growing Through Adversity and Change in Relationships, Career, and Motherhood If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset; Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show to help more women find these empowering stories!