How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty

• Stephanie Pow: Why Paid Partner Leave Could Change Everything

  In this episode, I chat with Stephanie Pow, founder of Crayon, a startup on a mission to reduce financial stress in the moments that matter most. Crayon is best known for creating the New Zealand Parental Leave Register, which brings transparency to over 300 verified parental leave policies nationwide.Stephanie shares the personal journey that inspired her to launch Crayon, and why even with a finance background, she found navigating the costs of parenthood unexpectedly challenging.She explains how lack of transparency and support around parental leave can deepen the motherhood penalty and how better policies, planning and paid partner leave could change everything.Stephanie also opens up about her own experience juggling entrepreneurship, parenting and the invisible mental load, and why she believes paid partner leave could be the single biggest lever to smash the motherhood penalty.We speak about:· The financial realities new parents face and why they’re often unprepared· How the NZ Parental Leave Register works and why it’s changing the conversation· The hidden pitfalls of clawback clauses and qualifying criteria· Why return-to-work support and “returnships” matter· The link between paid partner leave and closing the gender pay gap· Practical steps employers can take to support parents and retain talentResources Discussed · https://www.gocrayon.com/ · https://nyupress.org/9781479835454/what-works-for-women-at-work/ · https://hbr.org/2021/09/the-problem-with-greedy-workConnect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

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• It’s Good to Talk: Mental Load, Masculinity & The Power of Conversation with Aidan Kyrke-Smith

  How often do dads get real about what’s going on in their heads?In this episode, I sit down with Aidan Kyrke-Smith, founder of Dadventure, to unpack the often-unspoken world of fatherhood, masculinity, and the invisible mental load that dads carry.From late-night worries to guilt around “who has it harder,” Aidan shares insights from years of working with dads who are desperate for deeper conversations, but don’t always feel they have permission to start them.We speak about:· Why the mental load of fatherhood is so rarely discussed.· The myths around masculinity that keep men quiet.· How to start meaningful conversations with your partner (without turning it into a competition).· Simple, low-stakes ways to talk about fatherhood with your mates.· Why workplaces need to rethink flexibility and culture for parents.· How sharing “what it feels like to be you right now” can transform relationships.Resources Discussed· Dadventure: https://www.dadventure.net/Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

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• Joe Consedine and Jess Stuart: Redefining Gender Roles in Work and Home

  What would our workplaces and homes look like if caregiving was truly valued, shared, and supported?In this thought-provoking episode, I sit down with Joe Consedine and Jess Stuart from Mobilise to unpack the invisible labour of caregiving, the systemic barriers that keep gender norms in place, and the opportunities we have to innovate for equity.From the daily “mental load” of running a household, to the stigma men face when taking parental leave, this conversation challenges us to rethink what we reward in both professional and personal life.Jess and Joe share their vision of a world where caregiving is recognised as a skill, not a burden, and where policy, culture, and mindset shifts work together to create real change.We speak about:· Why unpaid care work remains undervalued, and how it impacts gender equity· The structural and cultural barriers to shared caregiving in families· How organizations can innovate HR policies (flexibility, job design, parental leave) to reflect the future of work· The importance of normalizing men as active, equal caregivers from the very start· The “boring but essential” caregiving tasks that keep households running and why sharing them matters as much as the joyful moments· What it will take to rewire workplaces, families, and society to support true equalityResources Discussed · Mobilise: https://www.menasallies.co.nz/mobilise-programme· Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeconsedinenz/· Connect with Jess on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-stuart-559a7940/Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

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• It's Good To Talk | Trailer

  Welcome to. It's Good to Talk. The podcast that equips working parents with the conversations they need to be having. My name's Emma McClain. I'm an executive coach and I work exclusively with working parents. I know for sure that working and having a family is hard. But I think the answer to real long-term sustainable change is talking.So in this podcast, we're gonna shine a light on conversations that have mattered for my guests, the ones that they wish they'd had sooner, and the ones that have changed everything.This podcast will appear fortnightly, right here where you're listening to this. I really hope you join me. I'm excited to have these conversations, to share different perspectives on the conversations we need to be having.

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• It’s Good to Talk: The Power of Honest Conversations with Anna Johnstone

  What are the conversations that truly make a difference for working parents?In this episode of It’s Good to Talk, I turn the tables on Anna Johnstone, executive coach, founder of The Female Career, and host of the podcast of the same name.Anna shares her journey from global corporate roles in Europe to returning home to New Zealand and building a business dedicated to lifting women up in their careers, and the conversations she wishes she’d had.We speak about:· The gritty, practical advice that helped Anna navigate life as a working parent.· Why investing in childcare is also an investment in your career.· The importance of being proactive about kids getting sick (and why you need backups to your backups!).· The role of honest conversations, with partners, employers, and friends, in avoiding burnout.· What dads need when it comes to having “their people” and joining these conversations too.· How boundaries, support networks, and courageous asks can help women thrive at work and at home.Resources Discussed· The Female Career: https://www.thefemalecareer.com/· The Female Career Podcast: https://www.thefemalecareer.com/podcast/Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

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