We hear often that motherhood and ambition have to sit in separate buckets. This week's episode proves that isn't true.
I've known Sarah Hollingsworth, Co-Founder and CEO of Poppylist, for about a year now, and I still didn't know how bad it actually got. We sat down to talk about her Re:Brand — specifically, how you build back after a version of you gets replaced overnight (ahem, having kids) — and somewhere in there, Sarah got real about how dark postpartum depression can be. Dark enough that it became her breaking point, and the moment she had to rebuild who she wanted to be, both as a mom and at work.
She quit her job to take care of her mental health in those early of motherhood. And it was in that step back — not despite it — that she breathed life into what's now Poppylist. It took blowing up what work and motherhood intersecting even looked like for her to get there.
Here's my biggest takeaway from the conversation: Sarah's confidence in the boardroom comes directly from her confidence as a mom. She knows she's raising good kids, and she’s damn proud of that. She knows the decisions she's making for her family are the right ones, and instead of leaving that part of her at the door, she lets it bolster her as a founder and a leader.
I love this framing because we're so used to hearing the opposite: that you leave "mom" at the door when you clock in, and put the title back on when you get home. Founder, director, VP, manager during the day. Mom at night. It’s exhausting!
Sometimes it takes more than a pivot. Sometimes it’s blowing it all up to put the pieces back together how they’re meant to fit.
So here's what Sarah episode reinforces for me: a pivot is not a failure — it's a rebrand. Sometimes it takes more than a pivot. Sometimes it’s blowing it all up to put the pieces back together how they’re meant to fit. But if you do it in line with your health, your purpose, your greater calling — you're exactly where you're supposed to be.
Leading with confidence
Inspired by Sarah, here's a quick challenge — where can we pull confidence from in our every day life, and how do we lead with that?
Here’s my “more confidence” list:
Trusting the decision I've already made instead of running it past five more people first
Saying "I'm good at this" out loud without immediately following it with a joke
Treating my kids being funny, inquisitive, individual humans as proof I know what I'm doing — not just at home, everywhere
Making the call before I feel ready — Sarah didn't wait to feel ready either
Blowing something up on purpose instead of waiting for the “perfect” time
Watch + Listen to Sarah’s episode
Go watch or listen to the full episode with Sarah — it's one of the most honest conversations we've had on this show, and I say that a lot, but I mean it more this time.
Two more things:
1. Re:Wilding Workshop is coming up - Oct. *th, get in touch with your inner Wild Woman! Register.
2. Re:Brand, the community that started it all, is now officially back open to receive new members! Apply and share with your friends.
xx,
Cat
