Mark: Most people think a career break for motherhood is a step back. What if it's actually the ultimate career accelerator? A forced reset that lets you build something far more authentic and powerful than what you left behind. That's the provocative idea we're exploring today. Michelle: I love that framing. Because the default narrative is all about loss—loss of status, loss of income, loss of self. But you’re suggesting it’s a chance for a massive upgrade. Mark: That provocative idea is the heart of A New Way for Mothers by Louise Webster. Michelle: And Webster isn't just a theorist. This book came directly from her own experience. She left a high-flying PR career, started her own agency, sold it after having kids, and then hit that wall so many mothers face. Mark: Exactly. She felt her skills were just... evaporating. That personal crisis led her to create the 'Beyond the School Run' platform and, eventually, this book, which has been praised by readers for being a long-overdue, practical guide for mothers who want more than just to 'go back' to their old lives. Michelle: It really taps into this huge cultural conversation about flexible work and what it means to be a working parent today. Mark: And it all starts with what Webster calls the 'Beyond the School Run' moment, which isn't this big, dramatic explosion. It's often a quiet, internal click.

Michelle: Okay, so what is that 'click'? Is it just the moment you realize you’re bored of talking about nap schedules? Mark: It’s deeper than boredom. It’s a moment of profound disconnect. Webster has this incredible story that captures it perfectly. She was on her way to a meeting at No. 10 Downing Street—the heart of British government—to meet with the Prime Minister's advisor about her work. Michelle: Wow, that’s a pretty big deal. Mark: A huge deal. But she was traveling with her two young children in a buggy because she had to drop them off at her husband's office first. On the train, two well-meaning gentlemen helped her with the buggy and asked where she was off to. Before she could even answer, one of them smiled and said, "Off for a bit of shopping, are we?" Michelle: Oh, that's infuriatingly familiar! The number of times people have made assumptions like that. It’s the casual, unintentional dismissal that stings the most. Mark: Precisely. She didn't correct them, but she was struck by the power of that assumption. Here she is, a mother, an entrepreneur, on her way to a high-level government meeting, and the default assumption is... shopping. That’s the 'Beyond the School Run' moment. It’s the realization that society has put you in a box, and you start to question if you’ve put yourself in one too. Michelle: But is this just about feeling undervalued by others? Or is it something deeper happening internally? Mark: It’s absolutely deeper. The external moments just reveal the internal state. Webster argues that the first step is to clear your mind of these limiting societal messages. She quotes the education expert Sir Ken Robinson, who famously said that we are all born with tremendous natural capacities, but we lose touch with them, ironically, through education and socialization. We're taught to fit in, not to stand out. Michelle: So it’s almost like you have to de-program yourself from the identity society hands you as a mother before you can figure out who you actually are now. Mark: That's the perfect way to put it. It’s a de-programming. Webster says the period of intense caregiving, while challenging, is also a unique opportunity to find your 'element' again—to rediscover those natural talents and passions that got buried under years of work, routine, and then parenthood. She tells a personal story about how she always felt drawn to writing but was told early in her career she couldn't write and even lost a job over it. Michelle: That’s crushing. A belief like that can stick with you for life. Mark: It did. But when she started her platform, she had to write. And she realized that writing wasn't about perfect grammar; it was about having a voice, a passion, and something to say. Overcoming that one limiting belief was a huge part of her own awakening. It’s about realizing the only thing stopping you is often yourself. Michelle: That’s a powerful shift. It moves the problem from 'the world won't let me' to 'what am I not letting myself do?' Mark: Exactly. And once you've started that de-programming, Webster argues the next step isn't to just fire off resumes. It's to build a new support system, often in the most unexpected places.

Michelle: I’m glad you said that, because my first thought is, 'Great, I'm awake and de-programmed. Now what? I still have to pick up the kids at 3 PM.' Mark: And that’s where Webster’s most radical idea comes in. She says the talent you need is probably standing right next to you at those school gates. She tells this brilliant story about relaunching her website. She needed an expert in customer web usability, a highly specialized skill. Michelle: Which would normally cost a fortune to hire from an agency. Mark: Right. But one day at school pickup, she just started a conversation with a dad she’d never spoken to before. Instead of talking about the kids, she asked him what he did for work. It turns out, his name was Rob, and he was a leading specialist in that exact field. He gave her invaluable advice that transformed her website. The expertise was right there, hidden in plain sight. Michelle: That’s incredible. It reframes the school run from a daily chore into a networking opportunity. But it requires a different kind of conversation. Mark: A completely different one. It’s about seeing the whole person, not just the parent. And this connects to her idea of creating a business the 'female way.' Michelle: Okay, 'female way of working' sounds nice, but what does it mean in practice? Is it just about being 'nice' in business? Mark: It’s not about being soft; it’s about changing the metrics of success. Webster quotes the entrepreneur Carrie Green, who says the feminine way to build a business is to focus on how you are serving your audience. It’s about nurturing something, prioritizing purpose, compassion, and a desire for change over just profit and growth. It’s about building something that aligns with your core values. Michelle: That feels like a direct response to the traditional, often cutthroat, corporate world many women leave behind. Mark: It is. And it’s built on authentic connection, not just transactional networking. There’s a fantastic story in the book about Simona Barbieri, the founder of Hub Dot. She was at a coffee morning, and another mother told her she "had it all," completely unaware of her internal struggles. Simona realized that so many interactions between women were based on labels—'working mum,' 'stay-at-home mum,' 'Fulham mum'—that prevented any real connection. Michelle: The labels become barriers. Mark: Huge barriers. So she created Hub Dot, a global networking phenomenon where people connect not through job titles, but through sharing their authentic stories. It’s a perfect example of this 'female way'—creating a space for genuine connection, which then leads to opportunities. It’s about finding your tribe. Michelle: I can see how finding these connections and building something new would be incredibly empowering. But it also sounds exhausting. How do you sustain that energy when you're also dealing with, you know, children? Mark: That is the million-dollar question. And Webster dedicates a huge part of the book to answering it. It’s not enough to have a great idea or a flexible job. You need an internal operating system to run it.

Michelle: An 'internal operating system.' I like that. It’s not just about managing your time; it’s about managing your energy and your mind. Mark: Precisely. Webster calls it 'finding your flow.' This is that state of being so immersed in what you’re doing that you lose track of time. For a parent working in short, intense bursts between school runs, finding that flow quickly is a superpower. Michelle: But 'finding your flow' can sound a bit abstract. What are the practical, non-fluffy steps she suggests? Mark: It starts with very concrete habits. She shares her own story of transforming her morning routine. She used to just start the day with a coffee, feeling reactive and unprepared. She realized she needed to feel stronger, so she made a change: she started exercising before her kids woke up. It meant going to bed earlier, but that small shift set the tone for the entire day. She felt in charge, not just reacting to demands. Michelle: I can relate to that. The days I exercise in the morning, I feel like I can handle anything. The days I don't, I feel like I'm constantly one step behind. Mark: It’s a game-changer. And the other big piece is vitality, specifically nutrition. Webster talks about realizing she was running on sugar for years. After consulting a nutritionist, she discovered food intolerances and how much her reliance on sugar was causing her energy to crash. Michelle: The 3 PM slump is real. Mark: It is! And she talks about the gradual process of cutting out refined sugar, not as a diet, but as an energy strategy. She started making her own healthy treats and noticed a massive difference not just in her own energy, but in her children's moods too. It’s about investing in your well-being as a core business asset, not as a luxury. Michelle: Right, because your energy isn't just for work; it's for everything. The idea of redefining success feels key here. It seems like the ultimate goal isn't just to earn money flexibly. Mark: Not at all. That’s the final and most important part of the toolkit. It’s about completely redefining what success means. It’s not about the title or the salary anymore. Webster’s new definition combines work with wellness, growth with giving, and dreams with the present moment. Michelle: That’s a much more holistic and, frankly, healthier way to look at it. Mark: And she has this beautiful, poignant story to illustrate it. She realized that for years, her birthdays had become emotional and disappointing because she was always focused on what she would get. On her forty-third birthday, she decided to flip the script. Michelle: What did she do? Mark: She decided the day would be about gratitude. She wrote a list of everything she was grateful for and put a 'thank you' sign up in her office. She stopped the endless search for 'more' and just focused on what she already had. And in that, she found a profound sense of peace. She says that gratitude keeps her present, it keeps her still, and it gives her a place of peace and flow to grow from. Michelle: Wow. That’s a powerful lesson. It’s not about striving from a place of lack, but growing from a place of abundance. Mark: Exactly. And that shift in mindset is the engine that powers this entire new way of life.

Mark: So when you look at the whole picture, it's not a linear path from A to B. It's a cycle: an internal awakening allows you to build a new external reality, which you can only sustain with a powerful internal toolkit of flow, vitality, and gratitude. Michelle: It feels like the most practical first step Webster offers is just to start a different kind of conversation. Tomorrow, at the school gates or in a parents' group, instead of just asking about the kids, ask another parent, 'What did you do before?' or 'What are you passionate about?' Mark: That one simple question could unlock a world of potential, for you and for them. It’s about seeing the hidden talent all around us. Michelle: And it all comes back to that core idea of authenticity. Are you living the life you’re 'supposed' to live, or the one that’s truly yours? Mark: And maybe the most important question to ask ourselves is the one from Steve Jobs that Webster kept on her desk: Am I living someone else’s life, or do I have the courage to follow my own heart and intuition? Michelle: A question we should probably all ask ourselves a little more often. Mark: This is Aibrary, signing off.