In Part 2 of this inspiring conversation, Leanna continues the heartfelt exchange with senior communications executive, mom, and stepmom, Dina Silver Pokedoff.

Dina shares how she’s learned to navigate the complex realities of career and motherhood, offering an honest, empowering look at what it means to lead with authenticity—both at work and at home. From delegating household tasks to prioritizing health and wellness, Dina opens up about what it takes to stay grounded, resilient, and present for what matters most:

 * How to shift from perfectionism to presence, while giving yourself grace along the way
 * Why delegating isn’t a weakness, but a leadership skill both at home and in the office
 * The importance of prioritizing self-care as a foundation for long-term success and modeling it for your children
 * Strategies for managing the mental load and staying focused on high-value tasks
 * How setbacks, like a layoff or injury, can be powerful opportunities to reframe goals and priorities

A must-listen for any executive mom seeking sustainable success, clarity, and fulfillment in life through intentional leadership and self-compassion.

If you missed Part 1, start with Episode 104 to hear Dina’s powerful three decade journey of career pivots, fertility challenges, and how she redefined success on her own terms. Then come back for this practical, honest look at how she balances executive leadership, motherhood, and personal well-being with grace and grit.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/105].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/]; Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

Be sure to follow, rate, and review the show. It helps more working moms and women leaders find this conversation!

Navigating Working Motherhood: Leadership, Self-Care, and Sustainable Ambition - with Dina Silver Pokedoff (part 2)

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Dina Silver Pokedoff, Senior Vice President of Communications, mom, and stepmom, shares the twists and turns of her 30-year career in the communications industry. From dreaming of med school to becoming a powerhouse in PR, Dina opens up about the non-linear path that shaped her leadership style, work ethic, and resilience.

We explore:

 * How Dina built a thriving communications career without a traditional degree in the field
 * The mindset shift required to pivot industries and roles, including taking strategic steps “down” the ladder to grow
 * Her deeply personal and emotional fertility journey, including IVF and donor egg experiences
 * The challenge of balancing a high-achieving career with the uncertainty of family planning
 * How a layoff challenged her to untangle her identity from her career during a period of transition and reinvention

This episode is a powerful reminder that success doesn’t follow a straight line, and that clarity, open mindedness, and support can help you redefine both your career and your sense of self.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we dive deeper into navigating motherhood, leadership, and sustainable ambition.

🎧 Loved this conversation? Don’t miss Part 2 [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/105], available June 26.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/104].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/]; Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show to help more women find these empowering stories!

Navigating the Unexpected: Career Pivoting, Fertility Journeys, and Redefining Success - with Dina Silver Pokedoff (part 1)

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Leanna continues her discussion with Dr. Lesley Robinson, entrepreneur, educator, and fierce advocate for women in leadership.

Dr. Robinson unpacks what it really means to lead with a founder-focused mindset—whether you’re building a business or leading from within an organization. She dives into the unique challenges women face in entrepreneurship, the critical need for customer obsession, and the power of building community with purpose.

From navigating funding disparities for women to creating personal advisory boards and networking with values, this episode is packed with real-world wisdom for ambitious women who want to lead with impact, without losing themselves in the process.

🎧 If you missed Part 1, start with Episode 102 [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/102] for the heart behind the journey, then come back for this deep dive into the mindset and mechanics of empowered leadership.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/103].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/]; Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

Be sure to follow, rate, and review the show. It helps more working moms and women leaders find this conversation!

Leading with Impact: Values Based Leadership and Growth Mindset for Working Mothers - Dr. Lesley Robinson (part 2)

In part 1 of this inspiring conversation, Leanna talks with Dr. Lesley Robinson, founder of Embolden Education and co-founder of the Ayana Foundation, about what it takes to lead as a woman, a mother, and a visionary.

Dr. Robinson shares how she navigated a decade-long academic dissertation journey, embraced entrepreneurship, and made bold life changes to align her work with her values. From navigating career shifts to balancing motherhood and ambition, her story is a powerful reminder that you don’t have to choose between purpose and personal fulfillment. Together, they talk about the power of reflection, trusting the process, and creating space for both family and big dreams.

If you're a working mom or a woman redefining success on your own terms, this conversation is for you.

🎧 Loved this conversation? Don’t miss Part 2 [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/103], available June 12, where we dive deeper into the mindset, strategy, and real-world tools women need to lead with impact.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/102].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/]; Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show to help more women find these empowering stories!

Leading with Purpose: Charting Your Own Course as a High-Achieving Woman - with Dr. Lesley Robinson (part 1)

As the school year winds down, Leanna invites executive moms to take a breath before diving into the busy summer season. With a blend of mindset work and practical tools, she shares a powerful framework for creating a summer that feels intentional and aligned, without the heavy mom guilt or overwhelm. Drawing on lessons from both corporate life and motherhood, Leanna introduces the "Flawless Execution" model to help listeners move from vision to action with clarity. She encourages moms to visualize their ideal summer, communicate with family, and build in regular check-ins to ensure they’re truly living the season they want. This episode is a compassionate reminder that joy and balance are possible, even during the chaos of summer break.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/101].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/] — Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

How to Have a Meaningful Summer with Your Kids: An Intentional Summer Planning Framework for Working Moms

Today, we’re celebrating 100 episodes!! Leanna reflects on her two year journey of The Executive Coach for Moms Podcast. She shares five powerful lessons she’s learned from podcasting about living the life of your dreams, from letting go of perfectionism and embracing a beginner mindset to reconnecting with purpose and asking for support. She opens up about the fears and doubts that delayed her launch, the importance of taking imperfect action, and how staying focused on service has helped her push past procrastination. Whether listeners are longtime fans or tuning in for the first time, this episode offers heartfelt insights and encouragement for anyone who wants to take bold steps toward their dreams.

Thank you for being a valued listener! Here’s to the next 100!

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/100].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/] — Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

Pursuing Your Dreams and Building the Life You Want (100th Episode!!)

In this incredibly inspiring episode, executive mom Angela Pontius shares how coaching helped her rediscover confidence, set boundaries, and redefine what success looks like after becoming a mother. As a self-identified perfectionist and first-generation immigrant who built her identity around achievement, Angela opens up about the challenges she faced after the birth of her first child: feeling lost, burned out, and unsure of how to balance her career and motherhood.

Over two years of coaching with Leanna, Angela has shifted from over-preparing and doubting herself to trusting her instincts, leading with authenticity, and creating a sustainable work-life balance. She speaks candidly about imposter syndrome, mom guilt, redefining confidence, and the power of journaling, reflection, and mindset work.

If you’ve ever struggled to feel “good enough” in both work and motherhood, Angela’s story will resonate deeply, and remind you that change is possible when you invest in yourself and give yourself permission to slow down, reflect, and grow.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/99].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/] — Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

How Executive Coaching Helped Me Rebuild Confidence and Redefine Success After Motherhood: Angela’s Story

In the third and final installment of the Confidence Series, Leanna explores a confidence killer that often flies under the radar: the compulsion to shape-shift in response to others' expectations.

Adapting oneself to meet the needs and preferences of others, aka being a chameleon, is a skill many high-achieving women have mastered. It can be a superpower. But when done unconsciously, it chips away at our confidence, erodes our self-trust, and feeds imposter syndrome. In this episode, Leanna shares how to bring intentionality and authenticity back into the way we show up at work and at home.

Whether you’ve ever walked away from a meeting wondering, “Was I enough?” or felt the pressure to be all things to all people, this episode is for you.

Key Topics:

 * Why being a chameleon can erode self confidence and create imposter syndrome
 * How to stop outsourcing your identity
 * What it means to show up with intention
 * Two exercises to start reclaiming your confidence today

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/98].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/] — Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

Confidence & Authenticity: Who Are You When You’re Not Being Who Everyone Else Needs You to Be?

In today’s episode, Leanna explores the hidden beliefs many women and working mothers carry about compensation and overworking as they rise in leadership roles. As salaries increase, so do the unspoken assumptions: more money must mean more hours, more sacrifice, and less balance. But is that actually true?

Leanna challenges the unspoken contract many high-achieving women are holding themselves to: that they must prove they’re worth it by constantly over-working, over-delivering and being available 24/7. She walks through common mindset traps, including imposter syndrome, tying self-worth to work ethic, and believing value only comes through output.

This episode invites you to reflect:

 * What do you believe you owe your employer in exchange for your salary or title?
 * What do you bring to the table beyond your work ethic?

If you've recently taken on a new role or are negotiating your next promotion, this is a must-listen conversation to help you step into leadership with clarity, confidence, and balance.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/97].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/] — Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

How High-Achieving Women Can Avoid Burnout While Confidently Climbing the Corporate Ladder

Leanna explores the theme of confidence and how it plays a pivotal role in professional success. Focusing specifically on women in the workplace, Leanna shares lessons from her coaching clients and her own journey, highlighting the shift from knowledge-based confidence to belief in one’s problem-solving abilities. Through real-life examples, she explains how a growth mindset can unlock unshakable confidence, especially in environments where women often feel the pressure to have all the answers. For working mothers, this episode offers a gentle but powerful reminder: you don’t have to over prepare or overwork to prove your value. Leanna’s reflections provide actionable tools to help you show up with more ease, authenticity, and impact—both at home and in the office. Whether you're new to a role or navigating the ever-changing demands of life and leadership, this episode will inspire you to trust yourself and embrace the belief that you can solve any problem. Tune in for practical takeaways and the reminder that you already have what it takes.

Full transcript available here [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/96].

Connect with Leanna here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannalaskey/].

If you're ready for deeper transformation, check out The Executive Mom Reset [https://podcast.coachleanna.com/introducing-the-executive-mom-reset/] — Leanna’s six-month coaching program designed to help ambitious moms stop merely surviving and start thriving. Book a consult now! [https://calendly.com/coachleanna/exploratory-session-with-leanna-laskey-mcgrath?month=2025-03]

Growth Mindset: The Key to Ditching Self-Doubt and Leading with Confidence

The Executive Coach for Moms podcast supports women who are attempting to find balance and joy while simultaneously leading people at work and at home.

Hosted by Leanna Laskey McGrath, former tech exec turned full time mom, recovering perfectionist and workaholic, and certified executive coach.

Leanna Laskey McGrath

Shows