Mother in the C-Suite

Authentic confidence, imposter syndrome and the inner critic in working mothers and female leaders. Confidence therapist Gemma Holmes shares why “fake it till you make it” is not only exhausting, but unsustainable - and what to build instead. Drawing on her experience in corporate leadership and therapy, she explains how imposter syndrome shows up in high-achieving women, why it keeps you stuck and how to shift from self-doubt to genuine self-trust. This conversation is for senior women balancing leadership and motherhood who feel the pressure to perform while quietly questioning themselves. You’ll learn how to understand your inner critic, stop spiralling after difficult moments, and build a version of confidence that actually feels like you - calm, grounded and sustainable.

Working motherhood, ambition and boundaries — the reality of the choices we make. Michelle Hoskin built a successful career transforming businesses and speaking on stages around the world. But behind the success sits a question many working mothers quietly carry: what does ambition cost at home? In this honest and deeply human conversation, Michelle reflects on the choices she made while raising her daughter Ruby — from the early years of parenting and co-parenting while building a business, to the new challenges of raising a teenager. She shares the emotional reality of balancing work and family, navigating menopause at the same time, and learning that there is no such thing as perfect balance — only conscious choices and the courage to live with them. Michelle also opens up about the mindset that carried her through the hardest moments: a relentless belief in herself, clear boundaries around what matters most, and the self-awareness to recognise when life is asking you to slow down. For women balancing work, family and the invisible mental load of holding everything together, this episode is a powerful reminder that motherhood and ambition don’t have to compete — but they will always require trade-offs.

People-first leadership, workplace culture and burnout recovery for senior leaders. Anna shares the unfiltered reality behind building high-performing teams while protecting your own wellbeing. From early career criticism and imposter syndrome to navigating burnout, mental health challenges and leading through complex people dynamics, she explains why kindness and ambition are not opposites. This conversation explores what values-led leadership really looks like in practice - including creating psychological safety, setting boundaries as a leader, rebuilding culture after toxic experiences, and learning how to lead authentically without “playing the game”. For senior leaders, founders and working mothers navigating pressure, responsibility and identity, this episode offers an honest perspective on redefining success on your own terms.

Limiting beliefs, leadership confidence and rewiring your inner narrative. Hayley Mitchell, founder of Human Edge Development, shares how subconscious beliefs shape our careers, our relationships and the way we show up as both leaders and mothers. From a 20-year corporate career in HR and Learning & Development to becoming what she calls a 'spiritual CEO', Hayley explains why mindset work alone is not enough and how deeper belief work can unlock confidence, clarity and resilience. We talk redundancy, heartbreak, 'hot girl eras', being told she had just a 10% chance of conceiving, and the unexpected plot twist to becoming a mother at 41. Along the way, there’s laughter, straight talking and the mantra that now anchors her life: the universe acts in your favour. For working mothers and female leaders navigating identity shifts, imposter syndrome or career pivots, this conversation offers a grounded and refreshingly honest perspective on inner work, self-worth and leading without fear.

IVF, fertility grief and breaking the silence. This is a deeply personal conversation about longing, loss and identity. Ana shares her experience of years of fertility treatment, the injections, the waiting, the hope, the heartbreak and the silence she carried at home and at work. She speaks honestly about the loneliness of IVF, the hormonal and emotional toll and the invisible grief that so many women endure behind closed doors. For women navigating their own desire for motherhood, this episode offers understanding and reassurance. It raises awareness of what fertility journeys really involve, why workplaces must create space for compassion and how women can support one another. Most importantly, it is a reminder that your worth is never defined by your ability to have children, and that you do not have to be alone in this.

Behind every promotion is positioning. Behind every setback is a decision. Behind every working mother is a set of trade-offs no one sees. Linh Slater, Head of Research at NatWest, shares how visibility at Jaguar Land Rover led to her sponsorship, how redundancy at Dyson reshaped her trajectory and why she believes the biggest barrier to promotion is often time served inside one organisation. She also speaks honestly about hiding her motherhood early in her career and how, after finding her tribe, she felt empowered to be fully authentic, embracing motherhood as part of her leadership identity rather than something to minimise. In this conversation, you’ll hear practical insight on earning promotions, navigating succession planning, delivering impact through others and building a career that aligns with the life you actually want in 20 years’ time. For experienced leaders and aspiring executives, this is a thoughtful discussion about ambition, resilience

In this conversation, Astrid shares her journey from creative leadership roles and entrepreneurship to hitting burnout during a period marked by pregnancy, redundancy, family illness and the pressure to hold everything together. She reflects on the motherhood penalty, losing work while pregnant, redefining ambition and why redundancy ultimately became her turning point rather than her downfall. Astrid reflects on what it actually takes to come back from burnout, prioritising herself for the first time in years. This episode is for senior women, founders and working mothers who feel depleted but still driven. It offers permission to prioritise your own wellbeing, rethink outdated ideas of success and recognise that taking care of yourself is what makes sustainable leadership possible.

Michelle became a mother in an era where stepping away meant being left behind. In this episode, she reflects on moving country, becoming a mother and returning to work early driven by the fear of being quietly held back. She speaks openly about why work felt like the easier place to be and how she continues to carry the guilt of not always being there. Now parenting teenagers, she reveals how the juggle hasn’t disappeared, it has simply evolved. The demands are less visible but no less heavy. For working mothers and leaders at any stage, this conversation offers perspective, compassion and a powerful reminder: there is no perfect time, no clean balance, only seasons, trade offs, and the ongoing work of forgiving yourself.

Redefining success, ambition and identity after motherhood and burnout. Ruth, founder of insight agency Pinch, shares what it really felt like to reach global board level while raising young children and why having it all eventually became unsustainable. From post maternity pressure and workplace guilt to anxiety, identity loss and the invisible mental load, this conversation goes beyond surface level leadership stories. This episode is for senior working mothers, founders and female leaders who have achieved the titles but are questioning the cost. You’ll hear an honest reframe of ambition, the power of reclaiming agency, and why presence, flexibility and self-trust now matter more than status or external markers of success.

Flexible working, redundancy after maternity leave and the reality many ambitious mothers face when returning to work. In this conversation, the founder of Mother of All Jobs, Evie Squires, shares her journey from a career in recruitment and financial services to being made redundant on her first day back from maternity leave, while pregnant again. She explains how that experience became the catalyst for creating Mother of All Jobs, and why so many capable, ambitious mothers struggle to find roles that genuinely fit family life. Evie now works with employers to introduce flexible working properly, while supporting parents to find roles that truly work for them. This episode is for senior working mothers, leaders and employers who want to understand the real cost of inflexible systems, the resilience motherhood builds, and why trusting parents with autonomy doesn’t reduce performance - it strengthens it.

Building a service-based business while raising young children requires constant adjustment often without clear rules. In this episode, chartered financial planner and founder Olivia Shipstone shares her journey of starting her firm at 24, navigating pregnancy through covid, working through maternity by choice, and building a family business with her husband. She speaks honestly about flexibility at work, parenting roles, the mental load of being the default parent, and the resentment that can quietly build alongside it. This conversation is for women who love their work, love their children, and are holding both at the same time.

Senior leadership doesn’t pause when you become a mother — but your definition of success often shifts. In this episode, our guest, Mandy Rawlinson, reflects on navigating a high-profile career alongside motherhood, from managing travel and boardroom expectations to being honest with her employer about emotional pressure and family transitions. She shares how mentorship, supportive partnerships and using her voice helped her stay ambitious without pretending motherhood hadn’t changed her. This conversation is for senior working mothers, executives and leaders questioning outdated workplace assumptions — and for women who want to progress, speak up and redefine success on their own terms.

Welcome to Mother in the C-Suite - the podcast where ambition, leadership, and motherhood collide. Hosted by Michelle Wilson-Stimson & Shaunagh Wilson, a mother-and-daughter CEO/COO duo on a mission to help women reach their potential. This is for mums and aspiring mums who want more — and sometimes feel stretched by it all. Through honest, real conversations, we explore the realities of motherhood alongside leadership, growth, boundaries, and balance. If you’re a founder, business owner, senior leader, or rising talent, this space is for you. We’re redefining success with humanity, ambition, and honesty at the centre.