The Future of Working Motherhood w/ Alexa Starks

The Future of Working Motherhood: Flexibility, Ambition, and Real Support After Maternity Leave

Amy Pons hosts Alexa Starks, maternity leave coach and founder of Executive Moms, to discuss reshaping maternity leave and return-to-work experiences and the findings from Executive Moms’ Future of Working Motherhood 2026 report.

They reflect on the need to deconstruct harmful workplace systems, the lack of support for mothers returning from leave, and how simple supports like mentorship can improve retention.

Alexa shares key data: 40% of women leave their job within a year of returning from maternity leave, yet 97% would stay if truly supported; the report also found no “ambition gap,” with mothers reporting equal or greater ambition after having kids. A major takeaway was that flexible work design (remote/hybrid/part-time) mattered more than longer leave. Alexa also previews a TED Talk in Rotterdam and the launch of Mothered Magazine.

01:09 Coaching and Paradigm Shift

03:02 Aha Moments in Corporate

05:22 Maternity Return Support Systems

06:48 Report Findings and Retention Stats

09:02 Ambition Gap Myth Debunked

11:43 Burnout and Hands On Work

13:54 Workplace Bullying and Boundaries

15:20 Surprising Data on Flexibility