Big Careers, Small Children

In this reflective and deeply thoughtful episode of Big Careers, Small Children, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Ori Carmel, Founder and CEO at Sowen. Drawing on his lived experience as a father of two, Ori shares how working parents can make better decisions about work and family, build guardrails that protect what matters most, and avoid the regret that often comes from overwhelm or overcommitment.

Ori reflects on the moment he missed his daughter’s first smile while travelling for work, the subtle choices that shape daily family life, and the simple frameworks he now uses to stay aligned with his values.

Together, they discuss:

✔️ How working parents can use simple decision-making tools to avoid stress, regret and overwhelm

✔️ Why flexibility often leads to blurred boundaries and how to put guardrails back in place

✔️ The “bandwidth check-in” system Ori and his wife use to share the load on tough days

✔️ How cultural expectations and ego subtly influence men’s decisions about work and family

What you'll learn in this episode:

🔹 How to make clearer day-to-day decisions about work and family

🔹 How to recognise early signs of overstretch before burnout takes hold

🔹 Why decision-making frameworks help parents stay aligned with their values

🔹 How to course-correct when work starts to take up more space than intended

Ori’s reflections are an invitation to slow down, examine your decision-making patterns, and build structures that support both your ambition and your family life.

Show Notes:

In this research-rich and deeply practical episode, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Prof Gudrun Sander, Director of the Institute for International Management and Diversity Management IIDM-HSG at the University of St. Gallen, about what workplaces must do if they genuinely want to support working parents and close gender progression gaps.

A global expert on gender equality, leadership, and organisational culture, Prof Sander brings decades of evidence-based insight into what really moves the needle and what doesn’t.

She unpacks why many well-intentioned initiatives fall short, the key levers that actually shift equality outcomes, and how organisations can redesign work so that parents can thrive without penalty.

Together, they explore:

✔️ Why having a family should be treated as a normal part of an employee’s career path

✔️ How organisations can remove systemic barriers that disadvantage working parents

✔️ The real reason visibility matters as much as performance for progression

✔️ Why women don’t need to be “perfect” to step into stretch opportunities

✔️ What companies get wrong when designing policies like parental leave

✔️ How hybrid work can either accelerate equality or deepen inequalities

✔️ Practical steps leaders can take today to build a more inclusive culture

✔️ How to support managers so they can properly support parents

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

🔹 How to design workplace systems that genuinely support working parents

🔹 Why visibility and sponsorship matter more than ever

🔹 How perfectionism and confidence gaps limit progression, and what to do about it

🔹 The organisational behaviours that predict better gender equality outcomes

🔹 How leaders can role-model balance without losing credibility

🔹 Why diversity policies fail and what makes them effective

Show Notes:

In this inspiring episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Ahed Serhal, HR Director, La Prairie Switzerland, about how she transformed guilt into growth while building a global career and raising 10-year-old twins abroad.

Living without nearby family support, Ahed shares her honest reflections on balancing ambition and parenthood — from morning school selfies to open conversations with her employer and children. She reveals how learning to let go of guilt, plan with purpose, and communicate openly helped her find true balance and confidence as a working parent.

Together, they explore:

✔️ The mindset shift that helped Ahed turn guilt into growth

✔️ How to progress your career while living abroad without family support

✔️ Why being vocal about what you need builds trust and balance

✔️ How parenting can strengthen your leadership through empathy and structure

✔️ The power of partnership and planning when both parents travel for work

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

🔹 How to let go of guilt and define balance on your own terms

🔹 Why openness with your manager (and your children) is key to thriving

🔹 How to create systems that support both your career and your family

🔹 Why parenting can make you a more strategic, grounded leader

🔹 The one mindset shift that helps you progress without traditional support networks

Show Notes:

In this honest and inspiring episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Heather Blundell, UK CEO at Grayling, and mum of two young boys.

Heather shares her personal journey of combining ambitious leadership with parenthood — from taking work calls during bath time to confidently blocking out school pick-ups in her diary. She reflects on the pivotal karate-class moment that shifted her approach to presence, and why setting boundaries has made her a more intentional, effective leader.

A working parent at the top of her game, Heather offers a refreshingly real perspective on leadership, family life, and the cultural responsibility CEOs hold to model balance.

Together, they explore:

✔️ The powerful realisation that changed Heather’s approach to presence as a parent and leader

✔️ Why she sets more boundaries now as a CEO than in previous roles

✔️ How becoming a parent made her a more decisive, compassionate, and time-efficient leader

✔️ The cultural ripple effect when senior leaders model balance at work

✔️ How to let go of perfectionism and focus on what truly matters

✔️ Navigating playground imposter syndrome as a senior leader

✔️ Why parenting can enrich, rather than hinder, leadership ambition

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

🔹 How to set transparent boundaries at a senior level without losing credibility

🔹 Why presence, not perfection, creates impact at work and home

🔹 How parenting can sharpen your leadership clarity, efficiency, and empathy

🔹 Practical ways to lead by example and shape organisational culture

🔹 Why “having it all” is a myth — and how deliberate choices make the difference

Show Notes:

In this episode of Big Careers, Small Children, part of our brand-new Series 16, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Jess and Darryl Abelscroft about how they navigated shared parental leave and what they learned along the way.

Jessica Abelscroft, Director, Abelscroft Consulting, and Darryl Abelscroft, Future Safety and Innovation, Civil Aviation Authority, both former Leaders Plus Fellows, share their reflections on splitting leave, balancing careers, and parenting equally.

Together, they explore:

✔️ The practicalities of navigating HR systems and dividing time off

✔️ The emotional challenges of handing over leave and adjusting roles

✔️ The lasting benefits for their children, who see both parents as equal caregivers

✔️ Why shared parental leave strengthened their careers as well as their family life

✔️ The changes needed in policy to make shared leave more accessible

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Equity at home creates equity at work: Shared leave builds confidence and balance in both parenting and careers.
• Expect complexity: HR processes are not straightforward — early planning makes a big difference.
• The emotional side matters: Handing over leave can be tough, but it sets the stage for long-term equality.
• Children gain too: Equal involvement of both parents shapes healthier expectations of family roles.
• Policy reform is essential: Better pay and simpler systems would make shared leave viable for more families.

Show Notes: