“Grieving an Avalanche of Emotions” — A Professional Ice Climber Shares How Motherhood Irrevocably Changed Her Career (Majka Burhardt)

#212 — Parenting can be lonely, especially as a founder, and it’s even lonelier if we don’t have space to talk about all of its complexity

In this episode of the Startup Parent podcast, Sarah K Peck talks to professional climber and author Majka Burhardt about her book, "More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood," and her experiences becoming a mother of twins while founding her nonprofit, Legado.

Sarah and Majka discuss the emotional journey of motherhood, including the highs and lows, and the importance of creating honest spaces to talk about the hard parts. Majka shares how her experience of being pregnant with twins was a reality check that helped her let go of preconceived notions about motherhood, and how the societal pressure to conform to traditional gender roles affect women's choices.

Sarah and Majka talk about:

• What inspired Majka to write her book and her emotional journey becoming a parent.
• Having conversations about the realities of parenting and creating safe spaces to talk about the hard parts.
• The challenges of learning emotional literacy while parenting young children.
• Reconciling the insatiable desire to work on something you care about while becoming a mother and making space for what matters to you.
• The considerations Majka faced when deciding whether or not to become a mom while at the peak of her career in a male-dominated industry.
• The number one piece of advice that Majka has for entrepreneurs and founders who are building a business while growing a family.

This conversation is a candid exploration of the emotionally nuanced landscape of motherhood and the challenges that come with integrating professional ambitions with the transition into motherhood.

Links + Resources Mentioned

• More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood
• Legado
• The Mulago Foundation

SHOW NOTES

Full show notes at startupparent.com/212