Kundra

• From Planning to Business Continuity - A VP’s Playbook for High-Impact Maternity Leave

  How do you prepare for maternity leave when you’re leading a commercial organization - and make sure your team, business, and career continue to thrive while you’re away?In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Maria, VP of Revenue Operations at Welcome to the Jungle, who shares how she approached two very different maternity leaves - one at a large, established company, and one inside a fast-scaling startup.Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:Continuity by Design: How Maria built clear handover plans, ownership structures, and expectations that kept performance steady.Coverage Decisions: The trade-offs between redistributing responsibilities internally vs. hiring an interim contractor - and how to evaluate what’s right for your team.Team Empowerment: Why maternity leave can become a leadership accelerator when managed intentionally.Performance & Progress: How Maria aligned objectives, success markers, and performance reviews to protect career growth during leave.Return & Reflection: What “reboarding” looks like in practice - and how stepping away reshaped her leadership clarity and purpose.Whether you’re a working parent, HR leader, or manager, this episode is a blueprint for designing continuity, protecting performance, and turning maternity leave into a moment of organizational and personal growth.In this episode we cover:00:00 Introduction & Maria’s Background03:03 Setting the Scene - Two Very Different Maternity Leaves04:56 Designing Coverage - Splitting the Team and Empowering Others07:58 The Decision Framework - Objectives, Cost & Continuity13:07 Hiring a Contractor - How to Make It Work23:14 Lessons for Managers - When You Can’t Hire Externally27:28 Preparing for Return - Disconnecting, Reboarding & ReframingAbout KundraKundra is building the future of parental leave.We believe ambition and parenthood can thrive together — and that companies embedding equity into their culture today will lead tomorrow.This podcast is part of that journey: conversations with working parents, business leaders, and HR innovators to uncover the truths of career and parenthood, and the structures that make it work.We’re now opening pilot programs for companies ready to rethink parental leave.To learn more or see how Kundra can support your teams, email [email protected] for a demo.Want more from each episode?→ Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, recaps, and HR toolkits→ Follow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadership→ Follow Kundra on Instagram for stories, quotes, and behind-the-scenes

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• Episode 11 — From Indonesia to France to Singapore: How Global Careers and Parenthood Can Coexist

  How do you balance an ambitious international career with motherhood - and what happens when your company builds real support around you?In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa speaks with Lalla Elasanty, Operations Development Manager at a global beauty company, whose career has taken her from Indonesia to China, the UK, France, and now Singapore.Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:Early Career Clarity: How setting bold career goals opened doors abroadSupportive Systems: The role of HR, company doctors, and structured handovers in FranceFemale Role Models: Why seeing other mothers in leadership reshaped her ambitionsMotherhood & Leadership: How embracing imperfection built resilience and sharpened her management styleParental Training Programs: How her company normalized struggles and created community for parentsManager Advice: Practical ways leaders can support team members preparing for leaveWhether you’re a working parent, HR leader, or manager, Lalla’s story shows how motherhood can enrich a career - and how companies can turn parental leave into a moment of growth.In this episode we cover:00:00 Introduction to Lalla02:29 Lalla’s Career Journey Across Five Countries04:21 Motherhood and Career Balance07:08 Support Systems and Parental Leave in France09:43 Role Models and Leadership Growth28:30 Advice for Managers Supporting Parental LeaveAbout KundraKundra is building the future of parental leave.We believe ambition and parenthood can thrive together - and companies that embed equity into their foundations today will lead tomorrow.This podcast is part of our journey: speaking with working parents, business leaders, and HR innovators to surface the truths of career and parenting and the tools that make it work.We’re now opening up pilot programs for companies ready to rethink parental leave. If you’d like to see how Kundra can support your teams, email [email protected] for a demo.Want more from each episode?Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, recaps, and HR toolkitsFollow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadershipFollow Kundra on Instagram for stories, quotes, and behind-the-scenes

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• Episode 10 — From Ambition to Advocacy: Navigating Maternity Leave Without Losing Career Momentum

  What does it take to grow your career at a global tech company while navigating maternity leave - twice?In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Deepa Mensinkai, Director of Product Marketing at LinkedIn, to unpack her journey from consulting into tech and the lessons she’s learned as a working mom.Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:How Deepa planned her first maternity leave while leading a U.S.-based team from CanadaWhat happened when she returned to a changed role - and the hit to her confidenceWhy self-advocacy is critical for career growth during parental transitionsHow she’s preparing differently for her second leave with clearer goals and sponsorsWhat HR leaders and managers can do to make reboarding more effectiveWhether you’re a working parent, a team leader, or an HR decision-maker, this episode offers real strategies for balancing ambition and parenthood.In this episode we cover:00:00 Deepa’s Career Journey - From Consulting to LinkedIn04:47 Planning Her First Maternity Leave - Setting Up for Success08:31 Returning to a Changed Role - and Rebuilding Confidence12:48 Lessons in Self-Advocacy and Career Conversations20:52 Preparing Differently for a Second Leave27:00 What Companies and Managers Can Do BetterAbout KundraKundra is building the future of parental leave.We believe ambition and parenthood can thrive together - and we are the only platform that turns parental leave from an unpredictable cost to a structured investment.We’re have limited pilot spots for companies ready to rethink parental leave. If you’d like to see how Kundra can support your teams, email [email protected] for a demo.Want more from each episode?Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, recaps, and HR toolkitsFollow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadershipFollow Kundra on Instagram for stories, quotes, and behind-the-scenes

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• Episode 9 — From Investment Banker to Parental-Leave Coach: Patterns Every Leader Should Know

  After hundreds of parental-transition coaching conversations, which common insights drive retention and performance?In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Rita Bouzaid—Paris-based consultant, former investment banker, and founder of Empowerment—coaching men and women on reintegrating and excelling in their careers after becoming parents. Drawing on her deep expertise at the nexus of leadership and family life, Rita reveals why parental leave must be treated as a strategic transition, not a personal interruption, and how companies can turn it into a talent-boosting advantage.Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:Patterns in Parental Transitions: The recurring identity shifts and confidence dips that returning parents face—and how to anticipate them.Strategic Reboarding Blueprints: Why a one-size-fits-all checklist fails, and how to design tailored reboarding plans that stick.Importance of Manager Support: How empowering managers with scripts, training, and check-ins transforms the return-to-work experience.Policy Pitfalls to Avoid: The top three missteps companies make when designing leave and return programs.Why ignoring fathers undercuts cultureWhether you’re an HR director, team leader, or working parent mapping your next career move, Rita’s insights will help you transform parental transitions into moments of growth, retention, and stronger team performance.In this episode we’ll cover:00:00 Intro to Rita01:05 From Investment Banking to Parenthood Coaching03:46 Identity Shifts & Confidence Dips: Common Challenges for Returning Parents06:23 Where Companies Go Wrong: Treating Leave as a Pause, Not a Transition08:48 Bridging Process & People: Human-Centric Transition10:12 The 3-Step Framework: Anticipate → Accompany → Anchor15:17 Case Study: Four-Month Reboarding Plan That Ended in a Promotion24:17 Manager Playbook & Final Advice: Silence, Pace, AmbitionAbout KundraKundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and this podcast is part of that journey.We’re speaking to founders, HR leaders, and working parents to better understand what support looks like when ambition meets parenting.The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.If you're shaping that future — or want to help us build the tools that support it — we’d love to hear from you.—Want practical takeaways from every episode?Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, episode recaps, and HR toolkits you can use right nowFollow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadershipFollow Kundra on Instagram for quotes, behind-the-scenes, and daily moments

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• Episode 8 — From London to NYC & Back: How an Executive Director Navigated Motherhood in Top-Tier Banking

  What happens when a senior finance leader navigates pregnancy in one of the world’s most demanding banking cultures?In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Hemi — Executive Director at JPMorgan and working mother who’s built her career across London and New York. Hemi shares her candid journey through pregnancy in a high-performance finance environment, from her bold request to work from home to the micro-stress of negotiating informal leave policies, all the way to her vision for a dedicated parent business resource group. Along the way, she reveals how proactive flexibility, transparent communication, and inclusive workplace policies empower working mothers (and all parents) to thrive without sacrificing career momentum.If you’re a finance leader, HR professional, or working parent seeking real-world insights on parental leave, career advancement, and building a truly parent-first workplace, this episode is your blueprint.In this episode we cover:00:00 Intro to Hemi01:12 Crossing Cultures: London ↔ New York Journey08:13 Planning for Parental Leave & Handover Practices09:40 Early Pregnancy in High-Performance Finance23:44 A Parent Business Resource Group25:43 Asking for Support: Flexibility & Accommodations30:06 Advice for Leaders & Closing ThoughtsAbout KundraKundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and this podcast is part of that journey.We’re speaking to founders, HR leaders, and working parents to better understand what support looks like when ambition meets parenting.The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.If you're shaping that future — or want to help us build the tools that support it — we’d love to hear from you.—Want practical takeaways from every episode?Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, episode recaps, and HR toolkits you can use right nowFollow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadershipFollow Kundra on Instagram for quotes, behind-the-scenes, and daily moments

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