Episode 354: Turning Lived Experience Into Lasting Impact: Balancing Leadership, Motherhood, and Startup Life

Balancing leadership, motherhood, and startup life takes more than time management—it takes clarity of purpose and the courage to lead differently.

In this episode, Amanda DeLuca, Founder & CEO of Riley, shares how clarity, empathy, and lived experience have shaped her journey from leadership roles at Google, Eventbrite, NerdWallet, and Etsy to launching a parenting platform that meets families where they are.

You’ll hear how Amanda transformed the challenges of early motherhood into a mission-driven business, built a culture of trust in high-growth environments, and learned to protect her priorities without losing momentum.

Tune in to discover how to turn personal insight into innovation, lead with empathy and accountability, and navigate life’s most demanding seasons with purpose.

Visit our website where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with our special guest.

The key moments in this episode are:

[00:00] Introduction to Beyond Barriers Podcast [00:27] Empowering Failure and Innovation [01:17] Meet Amanda DeLuca: Career Journey [05:00] The Birth of Riley: Solving Parenting Challenges [13:23] Decision Making: Hats, Haircuts, and Face Tattoos [18:11] Leadership and Personal Growth [22:41] Balancing Public and Private Life [27:21] Balancing Work and Family Life [24:42] Leadership Lessons from Mentors [30:54] Handling Criticism and Emotional Reactions [33:14] Daily Rituals and Family Time [34:09] Empowerment Through Parenthood [37:53] Advice to My Younger Self [44:18] Lightning Round and Final Thoughts