Up Close and Personal: Juggling Mom Life and Career Ambitions with Kara Kayrouz [episode 2]

Listen to Up Close and Personal: Juggling Mom Life and Career Ambitions with Kara Kayrouz on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your preferred listening platform 

I’m excited to welcome the very first guest on the podcast, Kara Kayrouz!

I wanted to have a conversation with Kara because she’s really defied both social and professional norms during her pregnancy, and into postpartum. During a time that most women are told they need to slow down and take a step back..Kara did the complete opposite. Confidence has played a pivotal role in the success and positive outcomes for Kara, but she’s definitely had her fair share of challenges that she’s had to overcome along the way too.

In this episode, Kara and I talk about juggling mom life and career ambitions. Not only did Kara take a position within a new company, but she stepped into a leadership role AND launched her first major entrepreneurial endeavor, all within her pregnancy and the first year of her son’s life. We’re also digging into guilt and how it can show up in both motherhood and career, understanding how you can use masculine and feminine energy that truly supports you in your own life, the beautiful, natural birth experience that took Kara’s confidence to another level, what postpartum life looks like for her now, and more.

Kara has a passion for boldly supporting other women, and showing them that no one needs to put them in a box, because THEY are in control. Once you get crystal clear on what you really want and what you’re willing to sacrifice in your life, you can find harmony within your relationships and family life, career, and everything in between, all while still being the whole person you deserve to be. No matter the season of life you’re in, I know this episode is going to encourage AND empower you to make space for those big visions and dreams you have for your life!

Kara is a tech executive, an entrepreneur at heart, and the charismatic host of a new podcast.  With over a decade's worth of startup adventures, she tackles the rollercoaster of the tech world by day, and channels that expertise into hosting the Gateless Podcast by night—a platform featuring the untold stories of successful women doing big things. Fueled by a passion for inspiring women to bet boldly on themselves, Kara is on a mission to reshape norms, amplify voices, and propel women toward success on their own terms. Beyond the hustle of business ventures, Kara's world is made so much sweeter by her teammate (husband) and adorable baby boy.

In this episode about juggling mom life and career ambitions, we cover: 

• Kara’s story of changing career paths, promotion in a new career, and starting her own business during her pregnancy and first year of motherhood

• Not feeling guilty when you choose to show up boldly in both motherhood and your career

• Understanding the difference between the leading masculine and leading feminine energy + how that can come out in the most authentic way for you

• The small, everyday interactions and internal confusion that shaped Kara’s beliefs, and eventually led her to pursue her current path in life 

• Kara’s unmedicated labor and delivery of her son, and how her natural birth experience has dramatically impacted her confidence since then

• Kara’s early postpartum journey + where her mom guilt actually came from

• What ‘Kara after baby’ looks like now + the creation of Gateless

• Getting very clear on what you really want and what you’re willing to sacrifice, because ultimately, you CAN have it all when it comes to your family, relationships, career, etc.

Connect with Kara:

• Follow on Instagram @karakayrouz and @gatelesspod

• Check out her website

• Subscribe/follow her podcast, Gateless

Connect with Sarah:

• Follow on Instagram @mothercrafting

• Sign up for my newsletter

• Check out my website

More about the Mothercraft podcast: 

Mothercraft - because becoming a mom today can feel crazy! It’s both uniquely challenging and exciting. The templates about how we should ‘mom’ are outdated and we have the opportunity to reconstruct them in a way that works for us. There are women, parents, and resources available who can support us. 

Let's write a new story, where we experience how to be connected, informed and empowered about our paths forward as moms, professionals, and women without overwhelm, judgment, or a one-size fits all mentality. 

Tune in each week for conversations with host Sarah Dunn, along with other moms and special guest experts, as they share their stories, encouragement, advice, and solidarity about this lifelong journey of motherhood.

We’ll cover topics such as pregnancy, postpartum, mental health, motherhood, being a high-achieving woman, mom guilt. We will touch on the good, the bad, the funny, the ugly – the multifaceted reality that is motherhood. 

This podcast will leave you feeling empowered, connected, and confident to hold space for your love of self, family, and ambitions. 

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!