In this solo episode, Faith Clarke breaks down the invisible labor so many of us carry—especially women with marginalized identities—and how it shapes our leadership, health, and humanity. From the exhausting calculations we make to stay safe, to the unspoken emotional labor of managing other people’s comfort, Faith exposes the quiet toll this labor takes on our bodies and businesses.

She offers clear, actionable practices for naming, tracking, and shifting these patterns—both within ourselves and our organizations. This is an episode for anyone who’s ever felt like they had to soften the blow, hold the bag, or clean up the mess… and for those of us building feminist businesses that promise to do better.

Discussed in this episode:

• The invisible labor required by people with marginalized identities to simply exist in and navigate the world
• Why women often "hold the bag" in group dynamics—and how that connects to patriarchy, power, and perceived belonging
• The unspoken calculations women make to avoid seeming “difficult” or “aggressive” at work
• How safety, identity, and marginalization intersect in workplace dynamics
• The emotional labor of navigating men’s feelings and the constant threat of backlash when setting boundaries
• The “man vs. bear” thought experiment and what it reveals about how women assess risk in everyday interactions
• Ongoing systemic violence like Canada’s “birth alert” policy and how Indigenous women are criminalized during childbirth
• How Black women’s emotions are policed and misinterpreted as aggression
• The physical, emotional, and mental health toll of invisible labor—especially on women ages 25–55
• The compounding effects of time poverty, caregiving demands, and self-neglect on women’s health
• The trap of drawing boundaries but still being asked to "soften the blow" for those with power
• Four practices to begin addressing invisible labor in your life and business.

Resources Mentioned:

• “Man vs. Bear” essay
• Canada’s “birth alert” policy
• Jay Asooli

🎤 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCAST COLLECTIVE

Grief isn’t just about death — it’s the emotional response to any kind of loss, from big life changes to daily disappointments. And for women, especially, grief often goes unseen and unspoken.

In this episode of Feminist Founders, Becky talks with Nikki the Death Doula about the heavy (and invisible) labor women carry when it comes to grief. Together, they unpack how we’re conditioned to take on everyone else’s pain, hide our own, and minimize the everyday losses that still weigh on us.

Nikki shares her experience as a death doula, what she’s learned about unrecognized grief, and the simple practices that can help us process it — including her mantra: name it to tame it. They also explore how cultural silence around miscarriage, caregiving, and “small” griefs leaves us isolated, and how community and validation can open the door to healing.

Connect with Nikki Smith:

• Website: https://www.nikkithedeathdoula.com
• Good Grief with Nikki the Death Doula: https://www.nikkithedeathdoula.com/podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-smith-26203b38/

Discussed in this episode:

• What grief really is (and why it’s not just about death)
• The “invisible labor” of carrying everyone else’s grief
• How women are socialized to silence or downplay their own pain
• The compounding effect of unprocessed grief
• Miscarriage, caregiving, and other under‑acknowledged losses
• “Name it to tame it”: a simple practice to process daily grief
• Comparative suffering (aka the grief Olympics) and why it harms us
• The healing power of validation and community

🎤 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE: http://feministpodcastcollective.com/

In this solo episode of Feminist Founders’ summer series on women’s invisible labor, Becky shares a deeply personal practice she’s relied on for years: quarterly solo hotel retreats.

Recorded across two days in real time, Becky opens up about why she prioritizes this ritual, the family grief and financial stress that made this one especially necessary, and how these retreats help her reset from the relentless invisible labor of parenting, partnership, and work.

From perimenopause symptoms to parenting burnout, from the quiet joy of lowering a thermostat to 60 degrees to the relief of binge-watching shows alone in peace, this episode is an intimate reminder that self-care isn’t selfish — it’s survival.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
• Why Becky takes solo hotel retreats every quarter (and why two nights are non‑negotiable)
• The invisible labor women carry in parenting, marriage, and caregiving
• The guilt that arises when prioritizing your own needs — and how to work through it
• How grief, perimenopause, and financial strain compound emotional labor
• Small ways to carve out restorative space, even if a hotel isn’t possible
• Why granting yourself permission to rest can be revolutionary

Resources & Links
• Join the Messy Liberation Coaches Circle
• Heather Vickery's episode on retreats

🎤 PROUD MEMBERS OF THE FEMINIST PODCASTERS COLLECTIVE