What happens when a high-growth startup marketer decides to step away from a dream job and build a life that's more aligned with her values as a mother and entrepreneur?

In this episode of Full Stack Moms, Shannon Curran and Mallory Lee sit down with Cat Canada, former Director of Marketing at Bobbie and founder of Re:Brand, a thriving networking community for women. Cat shares her journey from helping scale one of the fastest-growing brands in the mom-and-baby space to launching her own consulting business and community-driven platform.

The conversation explores the realities of balancing ambitious careers with motherhood, navigating burnout, building meaningful professional relationships, and embracing the evolving seasons of work and family life. Cat also offers a fascinating look at emerging trends in the parenting market, including the rise of Gen Z parents and the growing number of first-time moms in their forties.

Whether you're building a business, raising a family, or redefining success on your own terms, this episode is packed with insights, humor, and encouragement.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Cat Canada

(02:24) Leaving startup life to build a consulting business

(04:34) What it was like helping scale Bobbie as a mom-first brand

(07:08) Burnout, motherhood, and deciding it was time for a change

(09:27) Careers have seasons, and why that's okay

(11:45) Launching Re:Brand eight days after leaving Bobbie

(13:18) Why modern motherhood doesn't have to be binary

(15:16) Holding onto both career and parent identities

(17:18) COVID parenting, daycare, and finding your village

(19:17) How parenting changes as kids get older

(21:36) The connection between motherhood seasons and career seasons

(23:48) Daycare teachers and the people who help raise our kids

(25:25) The story behind Re:Brand and building meaningful networks

(30:36) Consulting in the mom, baby, and women's health space

(32:52) Brand advocacy, social impact, and purpose-driven marketing

(34:53) The business of motherhood and the brands serving parents

(35:33) Gen Z parents, older moms, and the future of the mom market

(38:38) Why TikTok drives culture and modern marketing

(42:37) Save of the Week: IT heroes, friendship, and much-needed parent breaks

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Cat Canada: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catcanada/

Check out Re:Brand: https://www.rebrandcollective.com/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

What happens when a newborn baby joins an executive board meeting?

Shannon shares the story behind one of the defining moments that inspired Full Stack Moms: bringing her exclusively breastfed infant to a startup board meeting in New York.

In this conversation, Shannon opens up about returning to work just weeks after giving birth, leading strategic discussions while caring for her baby, challenging traditional expectations of working mothers, and embracing the mindset that sometimes you have to ask, "What if you just did it?" Together, we explore vulnerability in leadership, work-life integration, parenting in public, and the reality that everyone is figuring things out for the first time.

If you're a working parent navigating career growth, leadership responsibilities, postpartum challenges, or the constant balancing act between ambition and family life, this episode will resonate with you.

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) We’re all figuring it out together
(02:04) Building a business while pregnant

(03:15) When your client asks you to return five weeks postpartum

(06:42) The baby at the board meeting

(09:41) Nursing through executive board discussions

(13:14) How to lead without the CRO in place

(14:55) Changing a diaper on the 29th floor

(17:37) Everyone’s doing this for the first time

(19:14) SVB crisis and emergency board meetings

(22:22) Rethinking work-life integration

(24:57) Baby socks as a service

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

What happens when career growth, motherhood, and entrepreneurship collide?

Amber Williams, head of RevOps and Chief Revenue Officer at Passetto, talks about her journey through tech leadership, maternity leave, and building a startup while raising a young child. Amber opens up about navigating layoffs while pregnant, doubling her income with the help of career coaching, and balancing high-pressure work with parenthood.

In this conversation, Amber shares insights on mental load, work-life integration, spousal support, career pivots, starting a business, and the bravery that comes with making bold choices for family and self.

If you’re a working parent navigating ambition, burnout, identity, or the constant juggle between career and home life, this episode will hit close to home.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Amber Williams

(03:08) Fractional RevOps to startup cofounder

(04:27) Business coaching and productized services

(06:40) Coaching skepticism and asking for help

(08:05) Biology major to RevOps leader

(10:26) Pregnant, laid off, income doubled

(13:17) Postpartum confidence and returning to work

(15:36) Vision board becomes business launch

(19:56) Refine Labs to Passetto full circle

(20:55) Can moms have it all?

(22:01) Journaling, reflection, and defining freedom

(22:54) Always on and modern motherhood

(25:09) Revenge bedtime procrastination and TV

(26:18) Learning to ask for help

(27:57) Ikea bed project resets mindset

(29:41) Comfort shows, chores, and decompression

(32:05) Maysember chaos and summer relief

(32:58) Remote work and kid boundaries

(37:07) Saves of the week

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Amber Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-victoria/

Check out Passetto: https://www.passetto.com/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

What happens when the “corporate husband” is actually the wife?

Chantel Hirschel, Director of Revenue Operations at Sana, talks about her career growth, motherhood, and building a nontraditional family dynamic. Chantel opens up about her husband’s life-changing accident, becoming the sole provider, balancing leadership in tech with raising two young children, and the emotional realities of postpartum recovery while working in high-pressure environments.

In this conversation, Chantel opens up about parental leave, stay-at-home dads, mental load, gender expectations, childcare, flexible work, and the sacrifices that come with designing a life that actually works for your family.

If you’re a working parent navigating ambition, burnout, identity, or the constant juggle between career and home life, this episode will hit close to home.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Chantel Hirschel

(03:22) Chantel’s early career and breadwinner decisions

(03:55) Coping with tragedy and change

(05:35) Quitting UPS to take new risks

(07:38) Fast returns and postpartum realities

(11:58) Long tenure and leave experiences

(14:08) Managing work flexibility during pregnancy

(17:01) Dad bias at medical appointments

(19:34) Learning to share parenting responsibilities

(20:47) Solo parenting strengths emerge over time

(24:26) Finding flow with three children

(29:34) Advice on stay-at-home spouse setup

(32:39) Managing mental load and letting go

(34:22) Save of the week parenting stories

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Chantel Hirschel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantel-hirschel/

Check out Sana: http://www.sanabenefits.com

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

Balancing a career and navigating motherhood requires more than ambition, it requires resilience and bold decision-making.
Barbara Nicholas, CEO of Polly, shares her journey of growing up with limited resources, becoming a young mom at 18, working double shifts to make ends meet, and still managing to carve a path all the way to the C-suite.

Barbara opens up about one of the most defining moments of her career: returning to work after having her second daughter, only to find her employer hadn't prepared a proper space for her to pump. What followed was a decision that changed everything, and a lesson she's carried into every leadership role since.

We also dig into the state of parental leave in the US today, including the disheartening rollbacks at companies like Deloitte and Zoom. Barbara shares how Polly approaches leave and why she believes supporting working parents isn't just the right thing to do, it's simply good business.

This one is honest, fiery, and full of hard-won wisdom from a woman who's been figuring it out since day one.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction and family setup

(01:19) Barbara’s journey to becoming CEO

(03:09) Becoming a young mom and early career challenges

(05:09) Maternity leave and pumping struggles at work

(07:53) Leaving her job and reclaiming career agency

(09:37) Setting boundaries and having bold employer conversations

(15:30) Paid leave policies and equity at Polly

(19:23) Corporate parental leave rollbacks and workplace trends

(21:54) Childcare costs, economics, and career impact

(30:32) Generational reflections, leadership, and motherhood

(35:21) Save of the week segment

Connect with Barbara Nicholas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-nicholas-polly/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Check out Polly: https://www.polly.ai/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

Building a business and navigating motherhood requires more than ambition, it requires embracing uncertainty and constant reinvention.

Jillian Whitlow, founder and CEO of Ink & Honey, shares her journey of transitioning from a corporate career to entrepreneurship while raising three kids under four. From navigating the challenges of starting a business after a layoff to balancing a thriving career and a stay-at-home husband, Jillian reveals the real-life decisions behind making it all work.

In this conversation, Jillian opens up about the tough decisions she’s made, how she built her company on the fly, and the constant juggling act of being both a CEO and a mom. She dives into the complexities of creating a family-first business and the pressures working moms face in today’s world, all while refusing to pretend it’s easy.

If you’ve ever wondered how to have a successful business while being fully present as a parent, this episode offers an honest, refreshing look at what it really takes to build a career and a life you love on your own terms.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Jillian Whitlow

(01:00) Transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship

(03:15) Starting a business after a layoff

(06:20) Navigating the first year of business with a newborn

(08:30) The decision for her husband to become a stay-at-home dad

(10:45) Balancing a growing business with motherhood

(13:00) Challenges of working from home with young kids

(15:30) Building a LinkedIn branding business

(17:50) The ups and downs of being a mompreneur

(21:10) Letting go of perfection and embracing the chaos

(24:30) What it really takes to build a business while raising a family

(27:00) The importance of flexibility in business and life

(29:50) Redefining success on your own terms

(32:40) Save of the week: Leveraging a tiny babysitter for big results

Connect with Jillian Whitlow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-whitlow/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Check out Ink & Honey: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inkandhoney/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

There’s no clean handoff between work and parenting. It all happens at the same time.

Paula shares how years of frustration over finding snacks her kids would actually eat turned into Sampleit, and what it really took to get there. Not a perfect routine or carved-out hours, but stolen moments between school drop-offs, snack requests, and the constant pull of little people who need you right now.

Paula opens up about the mom guilt that creeps in when you're trying to build something for yourself, how she navigates work when her kids are watching, and why she stopped trying to separate the two. She also talks about the "let me fill you up" approach that became her reset button and what it actually looks like to show up for your business and your family in the same messy hour.

This is what building something looks like when you're also raising someone.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Paula Wise

(01:33) The idea behind Sampleit

(03:40) How motherhood shifted what work felt like

(10:30) "Better for you" vs perfect parenting

(11:45) What flexible work actually looks like day to day

(19:45) Trying to be present while your brain is still working

(26:55) Why working outside the house can feel easier

(28:10) Traveling without your kids and what comes up

(33:03) Teaching independence and modeling work

(35:11) Staying connected while you're away

(39:54) Taking time off as a business owner

(41:54) Save of the week: Empty boxes > toys

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Paula Wise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulawise/
Check out Sampleit: https://sampleitbox.com/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com

What happens when the childcare system fails you? You’re a mom, you fix it.

In this episode, Karen Kelly shares how losing afterschool care for her son two years in a row led her to quit her job as a startup president and build a grassroots movement. After a single post in her town's mom Facebook group yielded 75 emails overnight, she mobilized 600 parents, negotiated with local vendors, and helped launch a new afterschool program at a summer camp just 500 yards from her backyard.

Karen opens up about the tension of working in a venture-backed startup culture, where 12-hour days were the norm, and how that clash reshaped her priorities. She also talks about the real struggles of working moms, why the pressure to "choose" is so pervasive, and what it actually takes to find a balance between career and family that's uniquely yours.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Karen Kelly

(02:26) Why Karen quit her tech presidency

(04:36) Mobilizing parents for local childcare solutions

(08:50) What local boards and committees can impact

(10:34) How to navigate the invisible 15-minute mental load

(12:53) Some seasonal struggles of summer childcare

(16:16) Comparisons on global and US childcare systems

(18:53) How to find purpose beyond the mom title

(20:16) Parenting realities within venture culture

(22:42) The struggle of leading tech companies through a pandemic

(25:23) Exploring social infrastructure and human connection

(29:57) The key to managing the full-stack mom identity

(32:39) Building authentic connection through shared failure

(34:55) Facilitating calm and confident AI adoption

(38:09) Save of the week: AI as a buddy and community

Connect with Mallory Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorylee/

Connect with Shannon Curran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-sweeny-curran/

Connect with Karen Kelly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kelly-daring-greatly/

Check out Launch by Lunch: https://launchbylunch.co/

Check out Built by Karen: https://builtbykaren.com/

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

www.shareyourgenius.com