Tall Poppy Syndrome and Australian Culture

Michelle Battersby has built a career around creating products that improve the lives of women. From launching Bumble in Australia, to building and selling her own tech company to Fanfix, and now becoming President of the largest women’s network for moms, all while 30 weeks pregnant, Michelle has consistently disproven the 86% of women who believe motherhood will jeopardize their career.

Raised in a hyper-competitive household with Olympian parents, Michelle reflects on how her identity has been shaped by ambition and challenged by cultural expectations, tall poppy syndrome, and motherhood, while building apps for women, by women.

Plus, Michelle brings her 7 week old baby, Bobby, on the podcast to live breastfeed to prove that yes, women really can do it all. 

Michelle discusses:

• Tall Poppy Syndrome & Female Visibility: How cultural discomfort with ambitious women shows up as judgement, self-policing, and pressure to stay small - especially in Australia.
  

• Motherhood, Career & the Myth of ‘Having It All’: What pregnancy and postpartum taught Michelle about leadership, resilience, and why motherhood doesn’t weaken ambition - it sharpens it.
  

• Women’s Bodies, Confidence & Control: Why society sexualises women’s bodies but shames their biology - and why reclaiming ownership is an act of leadership.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:02:13) Finding My Purpose Building for Women

(00:04:19) Growing Up with Olympian Parents

(00:06:06) How I Changed My Relationship with Failure

(00:07:48) The Power of Naivety at Bumble

(00:10:11) Building a Personal Brand Before You’re Ready

(00:14:53) Tall Poppy Syndrome Explained

(00:18:16) Did Moving to the US Change Me?

(00:19:21) Being a Woman in Australia vs the US

(00:20:32) Matrescence: Losing Yourself After Birth

(00:26:17) BeeHiiv Ad[00:27:38] Why I Built a Business for Women

(00:30:48) Sunroom: Pushing Boundaries Online

(00:33:07) Posting My Body and Being Respected

(00:34:38) Breastfeeding Live on a Podcast

(00:37:07) The Fear of Pressing Upload

(00:38:40) Investor Pushback?

(00:39:28) Why Breastfeeding Is Still Shamed

(00:40:49) Disclosing Pregnancy During Interviews

(00:43:42) 3 Leadership Lessons from Motherhood

(00:45:14) Pregnancy Didn’t Kill My Ambition

(00:47:49) I Thought Being a Mum Would Ruin My Career

(00:50:27) You Can’t Achieve with an Incompetent Partner

(00:53:28) Man's Role In First 1000 Days of Parenting

(00:56:46) How Motherhood Makes You Better at Work

(01:01:20) Going From Founder to Employee

(01:09:18) How Can Someone Be Like You? Final Advice

(01:12:11) Quick Fire Questions

Sponsored by: Beehiiv - Use code HSR30 for 30% off Link: https://www.beehiiv.com/hsr?utm_campaign=hsr-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=hsr&utm_term=2025-12-24

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Follow Michelle Battersby:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellebattersby/

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Hot Smart Rich is your place to hear unfiltered conversations with the people shaping the future of culture, creators, startups and community. Hosted by Maggie Sellers Reum, investor and media powerhouse, and guests breaking the mold, you’ll get the real deal as it relates to navigating the startup fast lane, leveling up your life or becoming your hottest, smartest, richest self. New episodes weekly on Wednesdays.

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