How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty

• It’s Good to Talk: Redefining Fatherhood and Success with Art Green

  In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat with Art Green, dad of three, entrepreneur, and one of New Zealand’s most recognisable modern fathers.Art shares his journey from rural small-town kid to The Bachelor NZ, to building businesses, becoming a husband, and now raising three young children with his wife, Matilda.But what makes this chat so powerful is Art’s vulnerability and intention as a parent. He speaks candidly about identity shifts, redefining success, the pressure men feel to earn, the struggle to let go of career expectations, and the mindset work required to be a truly present dad.We dig into the realities of parenting in 2025, from mental load and gender roles, to finding time for yourself, decision fatigue, exercise as therapy, and the simple truth that everything is a phase.This episode is validating, thoughtful, funny, and deeply human. A must-listen for any parent (mum or dad) trying to find their footing in the chaos of early family life.We speak about:· Art’s honest journey into fatherhood and why he’s redefining what success looks like· How exercise, community and presence help him stay mentally healthy· Why dads need space, support and permission to be active caregivers· The ongoing challenge of balancing work, identity and family· How shifting from “earning” to “parenting” changed Art’s mindset· Gender roles: what’s changing, what isn’t, and why it still matters· The realities of decision fatigue, sleep deprivation and the seasons of parenting· Why grandparents, community and shared caregiving make all the difference· The advice Art would give to the version of himself before kids (“Everything is a phase”)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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• Georgie Dent: What Happens When We Support Parents Properly?

  In this episode, I chat with Georgie Dent, one of Australia’s leading voices on gender equality, parental support, early childhood education, and the motherhood penalty. As CEO of The Parenthood, Georgie has spent years campaigning for a system that recognises, values, and properly supports the work of caregiving.Georgie shares her own lived experience, from her early career as a lawyer and journalist, to navigating severe burnout, to becoming a fierce advocate for parents and families across Australia.We unpack the structural drivers of the motherhood penalty, the economic impact of underfunded childcare systems, the cultural narratives that hold women back, and the practical policy changes that could transform families’ lives across Australasia.If you care about gender equity, the future of work, or raising children in a society that genuinely supports families, this conversation is essential listening.We speak about:· Georgie’s journey from lawyer to journalist to national advocate· The reality of burnout and why workplaces still misunderstand it· How The Parenthood is driving major policy reform across Australia· Why early childhood education should be treated as essential infrastructure· How the motherhood penalty affects families economically, emotionally and generationally· What governments must fix, and what businesses can do right now· Why fathers and partners are a crucial part of the solution· The cultural narratives that shame mothers (and how to rewrite them)· Practical change parents can push for in their own workplaces and communitiesConnect with GeorgieThe Parenthood: https://www.theparenthood.org.au/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: Part-Time Leadership, Parenting and Policy, Inside the ANZ Whānau Network with Danielle Chew

  In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat to Danielle Chew, a senior leader at ANZ and co-chair of the ANZ Whānau Network, an employee-led group transforming the experience of working parents inside one of Aotearoa’s biggest organisations.Danielle shares her personal story of navigating motherhood, senior leadership, part-time work, caring responsibilities, and the very real juggle so many parents face. She opens up about raising two young daughters, becoming a primary carer for her grandmother, and the moment she realised workplaces must change if parents are going to thrive.Together, we unpack the realities of flexible work, parental leave, the “line manager lottery,” why dads need to be part of the conversation, and the huge role organisational culture plays in either empowering or burning out working parents.It’s an honest, practical and uplifting episode for any parent trying to make work and life fit together and for any leader committed to doing better.We speak about:· How Danielle built a senior career at ANZ while working part-time· The family and cultural experiences that fuelled her passion for supporting working parents· Why she founded the ANZ Whānau Network and how it’s driving strategic change· The barriers parents face inside large organisations and how to shift them· The “line manager lottery” and why leadership capability matters more than policy· Why parental leave for dads and secondary carers is essential for equity· How flexible work, part-time roles and good job design keep women in the workforce· Why most people are caregivers and why caregiving is not a niche issue· The conversations every working parent needs to have with their partner, leader and themselvesConnect 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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• Michelle Allbon and Julia Bower: How Fractional Leadership Is Changing the Game

  In this episode, I chat with Michelle Allbon and Julia Bower, the powerhouse duo behind The Fractional Directory, a progressive platform redefining what leadership and productivity look like in today’s world of work.Michelle and Julia share the story of how they met as new mums in an antenatal class and went on to build a global business helping leaders and companies embrace fractional work, a model that challenges the outdated 40-hour work week and creates new opportunities for parents, women, and top-tier talent to work differently.Together, they unpack the cultural and structural barriers holding companies back from embracing flexible leadership, how the Fractional Directory is driving change across New Zealand, Singapore and Australia, and why “part-time” should no longer mean “less than.”This conversation is packed with insights on career reinvention, female leadership, systems change, and motherhood without compromise. It’s honest, smart, and deeply inspiring.We speak about:· How Michelle and Julia turned their shared frustration into a global startup· What “fractional work” really means, and how it differs from part-time or consulting· Why flexible leadership models are key to smashing the motherhood penalty· The cultural and policy barriers stopping companies from adopting new ways of working· How Singapore’s government is leading the charge with a national fractional hiring pilot· Why “hours ≠ value”, and why we need to measure productivity by outcomes, not time· How mothers can reclaim ambition, identity and financial power through new work modelsConnect with Michelle and Julia Fractional directory: https://www.fractional.directory/ Follow Michelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleallbon/ Follow Julia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julialbower/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: Raising Kids and Running a Startup, The Truth About Balance with Renata Wiles

  In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat with Roam With Kids founder Renata Wiles to talk about the invisible work of parenting, financial fairness, and the conversations every couple needs to have before, during, and after becoming parents.Renata shares how a lockdown pregnancy, one income, and the realities of raising two young kids inspired her to build Roam With Kids, an app helping parents find child-friendly cafés, playgrounds, walks and events across Aotearoa. But this episode goes much deeper than business.We unpack everything from KiwiSaver gaps and shared finances to equitable partnerships, parenting mental load, and why every household needs a “coffee budget” for sanity and self-care. It’s an empowering, down-to-earth conversation that will leave parents feeling seen, validated, and ready to make small but mighty changes at home.We speak about:· How Renata turned her parenting experience into a thriving startup, Roam With Kids· The KiwiSaver gap: why women fall behind financially during caregiving years, and how to fix it· What an equal partnership really looks like at home· How to talk about money, roles, and responsibilities with your partner· The truth about starting your own business as a parent· Why “the coffee budget” is essential for mental health· How to raise kids who see equality modelled at homeResources DiscussedFollow or connect with Sophie:· Instagram: @roamwithkids, @renataroaming· Website: https://roamwithkids.app/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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