Around But Not Present - A Working Mom's Honest Confession And More | Elena Chow Ep 36

<p>From a 15-year career at Procter &amp; Gamble to taking a 4 year career pause to be a stay-home-mom to building <strong>ConnectOne</strong>, a company that helps high-growth startups find and develop their teams — <strong>Elena Chow</strong> has spent decades helping others build meaningful careers, all while raising four children and navigating her own seasons of work and motherhood.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, I sit down with <strong>Elena</strong>, who shares her rare honesty about the <em>paradox of being around but not present</em>, what “balance” really looks like in different seasons of life, and why sometimes, the bravest thing a woman can do is pause.</p><p><br></p><p>Elena opens up about stepping away from corporate life, starting over as an entrepreneur in her 40s, and how faith, community, and purpose guided her through each transition. As a recruiter and pioneer member of the Portfolio Careers Asia group, she also shares her candid advice for mothers today — whether you’re taking a break, returning to work, or exploring a more flexible, <em>fractional</em> path.</p><p><br></p><p>As a mother, founder, and mentor to many, Elena reminds us that having it all doesn’t mean doing it all — it means understanding the season you’re in, and choosing what matters most in it.</p><p><br></p><p>In this heartfelt conversation, we explored:</p><p>💼 How Elena pivoted from corporate to entrepreneurship — and built Connect One from scratch</p><p>🧭 What it means to “fake it till you make it” with courage and humility</p><p>👩‍👧‍👧 The hardest lesson about being present as a working mom</p><p>💬 Why there’s no such thing as perfect work-life balance — only shifting seasons</p><p>✨ How women can thrive in today’s world of <strong>fractional work, portfolio careers, and flexible opportunities</strong></p><p><br></p><p>—-----------------------------------------------</p><p>Chapters:</p><p>00:00 Debunking Work-Life Balance Myths</p><p>01:01 Introduction</p><p>03:14 How She Knew It Was Time to Leave Corporate</p><p>07:56 The Hardest Part of Being a Mom-Entrepreneur</p><p>16:08 What She Wishes She Knew Earlier</p><p>24:52 The Unexpected Way Her Kids Learned</p><p>26:25 Why Volunteering Changed Everything</p><p>27:16 The Trips That Shifted Her Family’s Worldview</p><p>31:06 The Truth About Career Pivots for Moms</p><p>42:21 The One Thing Moms Returning to Work Must Hear</p><p>—-----------------------------------------------</p><p><br></p><p>Connect with Elena here:</p><p>👋 ConnectOne: <a href="https://www.connectone.com.sg/"><u>https://www.connectone.com.sg/</u></a></p><p>👋 LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenachow/"><u>https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenachow/</u></a></p><p>👋 Join Portfolio Careers Asia group: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14287306"><u>https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14287306</u></a></p><p><br></p><p>Watch more:</p><p>When You Show Up Anyway: A Mother’s Story of Loss and Leadership - Maria Li: <a href="https://youtu.be/Pwv8XfGJp9A"><u>https://youtu.be/Pwv8XfGJp9A</u></a></p><p>Navigating Life&#39;s Transitions With Belief - Sarah Wong | On The Soft Power Project: <a href="https://youtu.be/H2Lb05Awnm8"><u>https://youtu.be/H2Lb05Awnm8</u></a></p><p>Parenthood Across 10 Countries: The Village Every Parent  Needs - Marina Lopes: <a href="https://youtu.be/hDMbVn725uA"><u>https://youtu.be/hDMbVn725uA</u></a></p><p>29 Weeks Too Soon: Motherhood, Identity, and Building Something Radically New: <a href="https://youtu.be/Yau2wLUNS5U?si=srWjlnBhnBKuqZ9o"><u>https://youtu.be/Yau2wLUNS5U?si=srWjlnBhnBKuqZ9o</u></a></p><p><br></p><p>Follow and connect with Sarah &amp; Make It Work! ⁠<a href="https://linktr.ee/makeitwork.podcast%E2%81%A0"><u>https://linktr.ee/makeitwork.podcast⁠</u></a></p><p>📷 ⁠Instagram:⁠ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/makeitwork.asia/"><u>https://www.instagram.com/makeitwork.asia/</u></a></p><p>💼⁠LinkedIn⁠: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/make-it-work-asia-podcast/"