In this heartfelt episode of the Reentry Room podcast, host Alexa Starks welcomes Shayna Abraham, a dedicated advocate for families navigating the challenges of the NICU and beyond. Shayna shares her personal journey of becoming a mother to a premature baby and how it inspired her to support other families through similar experiences. Together, they discuss the emotional highs and lows of motherhood, the importance of proactive preparation, and the power of community support. Tune in to discover valuable insights and resources for parents facing the unexpected.
If you're pregnant or a working mom and looking for resources about a maternity leave plan, confidently pumping at work, or advocating for yourself please visit
https://www.executivemoms.co/for-moms
Visit: https://www.preparetobloom.com/
https://www.instagram.com/prepare_to_bloom/
Connect with Alexa:
https://www.executivemoms.co/
Join Alexa Starks as she chats with Nikki Steele Osborne, the Scottish Soul Sister, about her transformative journey from hairdresser to maternal mental health advocate. Discover how Nikki's personal battles with postpartum depression led her to create resources for new parents, and learn about the importance of understanding oneself before diving into parenthood.
Connect with Nikki:
https://www.instagram.com/thescottishsoulsister/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-steele-osborne-848448219
If you're planning your maternity leave or the return to work, make sure you grab the only complete Maternity Leave Plan or Pumping Plan and set yourself up for a successful and easy return to work transition!
https://www.executivemoms.co/for-moms
And connect with Alexa:
TW: Grief & Pregnancy Loss
In this heartfelt episode of the Reentry Room podcast, Alexa Starks and Michelle Valiukenas delve into the raw and honest realities of motherhood. Michelle shares her poignant journey through loss and how it has shaped her approach to parenting.
Together, they discuss the importance of community, the power of vulnerability, and the strength found in embracing life's imperfections. Join them for an inspiring conversation that normalizes grief and celebrates resilience.
Learn More about the Colette Louise Tisdahl Foundation:
https://www.instagram.com/colettelouisetisdahl/https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-colette-louise-tisdahl-foundation
If you're planning your maternity leave or the return to work, make sure you grab the only complete Maternity Leave Plan or Pumping Plan and set yourself up for a successful and easy return to work transition!
https://www.executivemoms.co/for-moms
And connect with Alexa:
TW: Suicide and Mental Health
In this deeply moving episode of the Reentry Room podcast, Alexa Starks and Diane Moca delve into the raw and honest realities of motherhood and mental health. Diane shares her personal journey of balancing career ambitions with the challenges of parenting, revealing her struggles with guilt and the lessons learned from her daughter's mental health battles.
Through candid confessions and heartfelt discussions, this episode offers a powerful reminder of the importance of listening, understanding, and embracing imperfection in the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment.
Join Alexa and Diane as they explore the complexities of motherhood, supporting your children with unconditional love, the courage to ask for help, and the strength found in vulnerability.
Connect with Diane and MomSub:
https://www.instagram.com/momsubapphttps://www.linkedin.com/in/workingmomwarrior/https://www.youtube.com/workingmomwarrior
Connect with Alexa:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexastarks/
In this episode of the Reentry Room podcast, hosts Alexa Starks and Miriam Rubin dive into the challenges and triumphs of being a working mother. They discuss the realities of balancing a career with motherhood, focusing on the often-overlooked topic of pumping at work.
Miriam shares her personal journey and insights on how workplaces can better support mothers, while Alexa offers practical advice for moms returning to work.
Tune in for an honest conversation about the struggles and solutions for working moms everywhere.
If you're pregnant or a working mom and looking for resources about a maternity leave plan, confidently pumping at work, or advocating for yourself please visit
https://www.executivemoms.co/for-moms
Connect with Miriam:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriamrubin/https://www.linkedin.com/company/listen-to-your-mothershttps://www.instagram.com/listentoyourmothers/
Connect with Alexa:
https://www.executivemoms.co/
Join Alexa Starks as she sits down with Jiemi Gao, founder of the mom mentorship platform Nori. In this episode, Jiemi shares her transformative journey from a high-paced career in strategy consulting to creating a supportive community for mothers. Discover how motherhood reshaped her identity and inspired her to help other moms navigate their unique paths. Tune in for insights on balancing career ambitions with the demands of parenting, and learn about the power of community in motherhood.
Grab your Maternity Leave Plan here if you don't have it yet!
https://executivemoms.mysamcart.com/the-reentry-blueprint-system/
Connect with Jieme & Nori
Personal LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jiemi-gao-61735215Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asknori1Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nori_asknori
Connect with Alexa:
Join Alexa Starks and special guest Kayla McGuire as they explore the transformative journey of motherhood and its parallels to leadership. Discover how skills honed in parenting can empower women in the workplace, and learn practical steps for new moms to harness their leadership potential. Whether you're navigating the return to work or seeking to redefine your identity, this episode offers valuable insights and resources to support your journey.
Have you grabbed the complete Maternity Leave Plan yet? Get your copy of the only complete system!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylamcguire/https://www.instagram.com/mommerz.brand/www.kaylamcguire.comwww.mommerz.com
Connect with Alexa:
In this empowering episode of the Reentry Room, host Alexa Starks welcomes Elisabeth van der Wilt, a holistic doula and women's health coach, to discuss the realities of working motherhood. Together, they explore the challenges of imposter syndrome, the importance of authenticity, and the power of community support. Elisabeth shares her journey from overcoming doubts to embracing her role as a doula, offering valuable insights for moms navigating their own paths. Tune in for a candid conversation filled with wisdom and encouragement for every stage of motherhood.
Connect with Elisabeth:
https://www.instagram.com/fruitfulwombdoula/
If you're pregnant or a new mom, make sure to grab The Maternity Leave Plan to plan your maternity leave & return to work: https://executivemoms.mysamcart.com/the-reentry-blueprint-system/
Connect with Alexa
: https://www.instagram.com/alexa.starks/
In this episode of "The Reentry Room," host Alexa Starks challenges the traditional notions of ambition, especially for working mothers. Alexa shares her personal journey of redefining ambition after motherhood, highlighting the stark differences between ambition and tolerance for workplace nonsense.
She critiques the outdated corporate systems that fail to support women, particularly mothers, and emphasizes the power of mature ambition that seeks meaningful impact over superficial accolades. This episode is a call to action for women to embrace their evolved leadership and reject systems that don't serve them.
Grab your copy of the only complete Maternity Leave Plan here:
https://executivemoms.mysamcart.com/the-reentry-blueprint-system/
Connect with Alexa:
https://www.executivemoms.co/
https://www.instagram.com/alexa.starks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexastarks/
In this episode of The Reentry Room, Alexa Starks welcomes Laura Niebauer, a job search strategist and career coach for women re-entering the workforce after a career break. They discuss the challenges and strategies for working mothers, including the importance of clarity, networking, and self-advocacy. Laura shares her personal experiences and insights on balancing motherhood and career, offering practical advice for women navigating similar paths.
Connect with Laura:
www.linkedin.com/in/lauraniebauer
https://www.lauraniebauer.com/
Connect with Alexa:
https://www.instagram.com/alexa.starks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexastarks/
Resources for New & Expecting Moms:
In this episode of "The Reentry Room," host Alexa Starks welcomes Katie Falcone, co-founder of "I'm Her Story," to discuss the challenges and realities of working motherhood.
They delve into the creation of safe spaces for women to share their stories and seek support, addressing issues like ageism, toxic workplaces, and the struggle of balancing work and family life. Katie shares her insights on societal programming, self-awareness, and the importance of community support in overcoming workplace challenges. Tune in for an empowering conversation about rewriting the narrative for working mothers.
Visit https://www.imherstory.com/ and connect with Katie on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiefalcone/
And if you're pregnant or a new mom and looking for resources to help plan maternity leave and the return to work, visit https://executivemoms.mysamcart.com/the-reentry-blueprint-system/
And connect with Alexa on:
In this episode of the Reentry Room, host Alexa Starks welcomes career strategist Klara Ganter to discuss the challenges and opportunities for working moms transitioning from corporate roles to entrepreneurship.
Klara shares her insights on creating a strategic exit plan, the misconceptions about freedom in entrepreneurship, and the importance of setting boundaries to avoid burnout.
Alexa and Klara also explore the emotional journey of redefining career goals post-motherhood and the significance of leveraging past experiences in new ventures. Tune in for practical advice and inspiring stories that resonate with moms seeking meaningful work-life balance.
To connect with Klara:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/klaraganter/
If you're pregnant or a new mom, make sure to grab The Reentry Blueprint System for Moms to plan your maternity leave & return to work:
https://executivemoms.mysamcart.com/the-reentry-blueprint-system/
Connect with Alexa on IG:
Motherhood doesn’t just change you, it asks you to outgrow the version of yourself who thought she had to do it all. In this episode, Alexa Starks reflects on the messy, beautiful process of shedding old expectations and rediscovering who you actually want to be now. From performance-based worth to redefined ambition, she shares what happens when you stop trying to “bounce back” and start becoming forward.
If you're pregnant, don't forget to plan your maternity leave and return to work with this Reentry Blueprint System for Moms here:
https://executivemoms.mysamcart.com/the-reentry-blueprint-system/
In this episode of the Reentry Room, host Alexa Starks speaks with perinatal expert and psychologist Dr. Emily Guarnotta about the challenges of working motherhood, particularly during the perinatal period. They discuss the shift to online therapy, the importance of specialization in mental health, and the struggles many mothers face, including feelings of inadequacy and the impact of social media. Emily shares her personal experiences with motherhood and offers advice on acknowledging the difficulties of parenting and the importance of seeking help.
Connect with Emily at joinphoenixhealth.com
For more resources if you're a working mom, visit
When you’re becoming a mother, everyone tells you how to prepare for birth — but no one tells you how to prepare for after. In this episode, Alexa sits down with doula and Share the Drop founder Kelly Cox to talk about postpartum realities, building real systems of support, and the power of community among moms. Plus, Kelly steps into The Confession Chair for an honest moment every mom will relate to.
Learn more about Kelly’s work at sharethedrop.com
or on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sharethedrop/
Ready for more support in your own reentry after maternity leave?
Check out the resources for moms here: https://executivemoms.mysamcart.com/work-with-alexa-starks/
Find Alexa Starks on IG: https://www.instagram.com/alexa.starks/
You’re back at work, doing all the right things — but something feels off. Everyone around you says, “It’ll feel normal again soon,” and yet deep down, you’re realizing… maybe you don’t want normal.
In this episode, Alexa Starks unpacks the quiet, uncomfortable truth that many moms face after maternity leave: the life you worked so hard for doesn’t fit anymore. She explores what that ache really means, why it’s not confusion but clarity, and how to start designing a life and career that align with who you are now — not who you were before baby.
Ready to figure out what’s next?
Book a free clarity call with Alexa to explore 1:1 coaching for moms navigating the transition from career to entrepreneurship, or explore additional ways to work with Alexa:
In this episode, Alexa Starks gets honest about the quiet moment so many new moms face after maternity leave: when gratitude for your career collides with the deep knowing that something no longer fits.
Alexa walks through the identity shifts, mindset reframes, and practical steps to help you figure out whether you’re burned out or truly ready for change. From redefining ambition to designing a thoughtful exit plan, this episode will help you find clarity and give you permission to want more.
Ready to explore what’s next?
No one talks about how much of yourself you lose—and find again—after becoming a mom. In this episode, Alexa Starks unpacks the emotional and professional identity shift that happens when motherhood collides with ambition. She shares why returning to work can feel like living in two worlds, how to release the version of yourself that no longer fits, and what it really means to rebuild your sense of self as both a mom and a leader.
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I don’t even know who I am anymore,” this episode will remind you: you’re not behind, you’re becoming and evolving into better.
Ready for support in this season?
Book a free clarity call with Alexa to explore 1:1 coaching for moms in their first year back to work at https://executivemoms.co/coaching/
Motherhood cracks us open, reshapes us, and forces us to reimagine who we are in ways no promotion, leadership program, or career pivot ever could. It’s beautiful, but it’s also brutal—and the way our culture and workplaces treat mothers makes it even harder than it needs to be.
So this episode unpacks some of your top frequently asked questions about motherhood and how to navigate being a working mom as well.
And if you're a mom in the first year back from maternity leave, the next group coaching program starts January 5, 2026, you can learn more about the program and join the waitlist here>> https://executivemoms.co/coaching/
Or book a free call with Alexa to ask all your questions and make sure it's the right fit for you: https://calendar.app.google/dGZANMWrQX5TPx1CA
Trying to copy-paste your old schedule onto your new life after maternity leave? That’s the fastest path to burnout—and resentment. In this episode, Alexa Starks unpacks why “bouncing back” is a myth and guides you through a step-by-step framework to redesign your work week around energy, boundaries, transitions, and focused ambition.
You’ll walk away with practical strategies to rebuild your calendar in a way that fits who you are now—so you can lead from power, not survival.
Ready for personalized support?
If you’re in your first year back at work after baby, book a free clarity call with Alexa to explore 1:1 coaching: executivemoms.co/coaching/