The Truth about Motherhood in Tech
Motherhood is life-changing. For many professional women, becoming a mom precipitates an identity crisis, both in how we view ourselves and what our colleagues, teams, managers and investors expect of us. We are simultaneously penalized and glorified. Our ability to “”do it all”” is lauded even as our commitment is quietly questioned. Endless blog posts about how becoming a mom makes you a better leader compete with very real limits on our time and attention. And when we can’t do it all, the result is guilt. Guilt that we’re not there for your kids 24/7 like good moms are supposed to be. And guilt that we’re not there for our jobs 24/7 like good leaders are supposed to be.
Facing a lack of realistic role models and with no guidance to be found, Leslie and Jessica – both of whom had their second babies in the last five months – join forces on stage to discuss the truth about working motherhood.
Leslie Feinzaig is Founder & CEO of the Female Founders Alliance, a network of founders, investors, partners and champions that collaborate to help women and non-binary startup leaders succeed. FFA offers programming, community, incubation, deal flow and investment opportunities, with a mission to increase the number of successful member founders 20 times over in 10 years or less. Leslie has a background in consumer technology and strategy consulting, with a BSc from the London School of Economics and an MBA from Harvard Business School with a full scholarship. Leslie was named one of Forbes Magazine’s Most Powerful Women from Central America & the Caribbean, Seattle Magazine’s Most Influential People, and Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. She’s a frequent speaker and published author. She was born and raised in San Jose, Costa Rica, and now lives in Seattle with her husband and their two daughters.
Jessica Eggert’s focus is on building communities and tools that advance the economic mobility of women and underestimated people. She currently does this as the Founder & CEO of LegUp, a child care management company that connects working parents to out-of-home care, and as the creator of The Affinity, an online community for diversity, equity and inclusion professionals to connect and share resources and best practices with their peers. Previously, Jessica was the Head of Culture & Innovation at The Riveter, a national, venture-backed, female-focused workspace and community. Prior to The Riveter, Jessica spent 9 years in HR, DEI, and internal operations working for technology companies across the U.S. and Europe. Jessica is a mother of two based in Seattle, a mentor, a speaker, and an advisor for Ethel’s Club, the first social and wellness club for people of color. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter!