In this inspiring episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Rebecca Brosnan, CEO and Founder of The Halo Planner, and Non-Executive Director across several listed and non-profit organisations.

Rebecca shares her remarkable journey from high-pressure executive roles in finance to building a flexible, international portfolio career, all while raising two young children without sacrificing ambition or family life.

She talks openly about the messy reality of balancing senior leadership and motherhood, the importance of intentional planning, and why it’s possible (and necessary) to redefine success on your own terms.

✔️ Why building a successful board career with young children is possible — but messy.

✔️ The practical systems and mindsets that helped Rebecca balance senior leadership and parenthood.

✔️ How to plan your way to a thriving career without sacrificing presence at home.

✔️ Why NGO boards can be just as rewarding and impactful as corporate boards.

✔️ How to set boundaries without guilt and stay intentional with your time.

✔️ The role of support networks, planning tools, and saying no (without fear).

✔️ Practical steps for anyone wanting to start a portfolio career.

• How to create a portfolio career that aligns with your family priorities.
• The power of meticulous long-term and short-term planning for working parents.
• Why messy does not mean unsuccessful — and how to embrace it.
• How to balance ambition, purpose, and parenting without guilt.
• Why saying no is a leadership skill (and how to do it without burning bridges).

• Connect with Rebecca Brosnan on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Halo Planner at thehaloplanner.com
• Follow Halo Planner on Instagram: @thehaloplanner
• Learn more about the Leaders Plus: Big Careers, Small Children podcast and explore additional resources at leadersplus.org.
• Follow Leaders Plus on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Bluesky.
• Connect with our CEO, Verena Hefti MBE on LinkedIn.
• Find out more about the work of Leaders Plus by signing up to our Newsletter.

Our multi-award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowships support parents committed to career growth while enjoying family life. Expertly designed to keep parents on the leadership path, our programme tackles gender pay gap issues and empowers parents to thrive. Learn more here: Leaders Plus Fellowship.

Episode 209: {CEO Series} Dr Nara Daubeney - How To Let Go of Guilt and Redefine Success as a Working...

In this inspiring episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Louise Donaghey FRAeS, Group Head of Engines at International Airlines Group GBS, who will soon be one of Leaders Plus’ Senior Leader Mentors, about her remarkable career in aviation, leadership in male-dominated environments, and her experience of being the sole breadwinner in her family for nearly two decades.

Louise shares candidly about managing the pressure of high-stakes roles while raising two children, how she learned to embrace vulnerability as a strength, and what it really takes to stay present as a parent when the stakes at work are high. Her story is full of honesty, practical wisdom, and powerful reframing of success, motherhood, and leadership.

✔️ What it means to lead as the sole breadwinner in a family

✔️ Why vulnerability is a leadership strength, not a weakness

✔️ How to deal with judgement from others (especially fellow parents)

✔️ Practical strategies to be present with your children while succeeding at work

✔️ How to shut out guilt and define success on your own terms

✔️ Why ambition can grow because of parenting, not in spite of it

✔️ The value of scaring yourself with roles that stretch you

• How to balance career ambition and caring responsibilities
• Why perfection is a myth and authenticity matters more
• How to handle judgment and stay confident in your choices
• Strategies for setting boundaries and managing your energy
• The mindset shift needed to thrive as a working parent and leader

• Connect with Louise Donaghey on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Leaders Plus: Big Careers, Small Children podcast and explore additional resources at leadersplus.org.
• Follow Leaders Plus on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Bluesky.
• Connect with our CEO, Verena Hefti MBE on LinkedIn.
• Find out more about the work of Leaders Plus by signing up to our Newsletter.

Our multi-award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowships support parents committed to career growth while enjoying family life. Expertly designed to keep parents on the leadership path, our programme tackles gender pay gap issues and empowers parents to thrive. Learn more here: Leaders Plus Fellowship.

Episode 199: (C-Suite Series) Elizabeth Willetts - How to Break the Glass Ceiling While Juggling Career Ambitions and Parenthood

Episode 203: (C-Suite Series) Jane...

In this episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Dr Nara Daubeney, CEO & Co-Founder of Phaim Pharma and NHS Surgeon.

Nara is also a mum of four. She shares her deeply honest and inspiring reflections on what it takes to build a big career and raise a thriving family without sacrificing either.

From designing Easter hats at 5am to leading a clinical-stage biotech company, Nara brings warmth, clarity, and wit to a conversation about redefining ambition, letting go of guilt, and building systems that work for your life, not against it.

✔️ Why guilt is baked into motherhood and how to release it

✔️ How to balance ambition with presence during different parenting phases

✔️ Why support systems are essential (and how to build your own, even without nearby family)

✔️ What makes someone ready to be a CEO

✔️ How leadership and parenting challenges mirror each other

✔️ What teens really need from you, and how that shapes career decisions

✔️ Why perfection isn’t the goal, and how embracing imperfection is freeing

• How to redefine success on your own terms
• Why motherhood and leadership are not in conflict
• The mindset shift that helps you build a sustainable career
• How to set boundaries and run your life like a system
• The role of authenticity, values, and reflection in leadership

• Connect with Nara Daubeney on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Phain Pharma: www.phaim.co.uk
• Learn more about the Leaders Plus: Big Careers, Small Children podcast and explore additional resources at leadersplus.org.
• Follow Leaders Plus on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Bluesky.
• Connect with our CEO, Verena Hefti MBE on LinkedIn.
• Find out more about the work of Leaders Plus by signing up to our Newsletter.

Our multi-award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowships support parents committed to career growth while enjoying family life. Expertly designed to keep parents on the leadership path, our programme tackles gender pay gap issues and empowers parents to thrive. Learn more here: Leaders Plus Fellowship.

Episode 186: Nathalie Holdstock - How to Thrive as a Shift Worker When You're a Parent of Young Children

Episode 179: Dr Sonia Damle – How to Navigate Shift Work as a Parent & the Benefits of Self-Rostering in the NHS & Beyond