“One of the messages I share with a lot of women that I meet is that, when you are making a decision of whether you want to continue working, stay at home, or be a mompreneur, at any point in time, you have to really know what it is that you want for your life stage. It's very easy to be influenced by what you hear around you, right? But ultimately, you know yourself best. You know your own family best as well, what works best. “

If you missd Part 1 of the episode, listen here 👉 https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/makeitworkasia-podcast/episodes/On-Why-Every-Mom-Needs-Unsexy-Role-Models-with-Sher-li-Torrey--Ep19-Part-1-of-2-e2nehe1

Sher-li Torrey is a Singaporean mom of 2 - a 16-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son. She is best known as the founder of Mums @ Work and Career Navigators, organizations dedicated to supporting and empowering mothers as they return to the workforce. Inspired by her own journey to find flexible work arrangements as a young mother 14 years ago, Mums@Work has since grown into a vibrant community of almost 70,000 members. The platform offers flexible work solutions, a portal for Mumpreneurs to list their services, volunteer opportunities, workshops for working mothers, and returneeship programs to help those transitioning back into the workforce after a career break.

With more than a decade of experience working with mothers and partnering with public and private organizations, Sher-li has become a pivotal figure in advocating for this important demographic in Singapore and beyond. In our two-part conversation, she candidly shares:

🌟 The role of work in providing an identity beyond caregiving

🌟 The power of learning to let go and asking for help

🌟 Her "40 Women Over 40" initiative and why every woman needs unsexy role models

🌟 Insights and lessons she never expected from her journey with other moms

🌟 Learning about the different Asian ecosystems in supporting working mms

Check out our latest episode “On Why Every Mom Needs Unsexy Role Models with Sher-li Torrey “ now available on:

🎙Apple (audio only)- https://tinyurl.com/2ypqmafn

🎙Spotify (video+audio) - https://tinyurl.com/24dm6vfv

🎙YouTube (video+audio) - https://tinyurl.com/24jwedlj

Connect with Sher-li on:

👋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherlitorrey/

👋 Mums at Work: https://www.mumsatwork.net/

Follow and connect with us! We’d love to hear any feedback, comments, or suggestions from you.

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💼⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/company/make-it-work-asia-podcast/

📷 ⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/makeitwork.asia/

🎵 ⁠TikTok⁠: https://www.tiktok.com/@makeitwork.podcast

🍏Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/make-it-work/id1701442085

🎵Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/78ulY0B27nYxGB6jPCABPI?si=abfc48d037d943be

📥⁠Email⁠: makeitwork.asia@gmail.com

Chapters

00:00 Episode Snippet

00:23 Introduction to Episode

01:21 Understanding Personality in the Workplace

02:24 The Importance of Personality Frameworks

03:57 Challenges and Changes for Working Moms

04:46 Segmenting the Needs of Moms

06:47 The Impact of National Exams on Moms

12:09 Comparing Global Childcare Systems

13:18 Insights on Japan's Work Culture

17:19 Empowering Moms to Make Personal Choices

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#MakeItWorkPodcast #WorkingMoms #productivitytips #CareerJourney #Inspiration #FamilyFirst #Entrepreneur

Sher-li Torrey is a Singaporean mom of 2 - a 16-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son. She is best known as the founder of Mums @ Work and Career Navigators, organizations dedicated to supporting and empowering mothers as they return to the workforce. Inspired by her own journey to find flexible work arrangements as a young mother 14 years ago, Mums@Work has since grown into a vibrant community of almost 70,000 members. The platform offers flexible work solutions, a portal for Mumpreneurs to list their services, volunteer opportunities, workshops for working mothers, and returneeship programs to help those transitioning back into the workforce after a career break.

With more than a decade of experience working with mothers and partnering with public and private organizations, Sher-li has become a pivotal figure in advocating for this important demographic in Singapore and beyond. In our two-part conversation, she candidly shares:

🌟 The role of work in providing an identity beyond caregiving

🌟 The power of learning to let go and asking for help

🌟 Her "40 Women Over 40" initiative and why every woman needs unsexy role models

🌟 Insights and lessons she never expected from her journey with other mums

Connect with Sher-li on:

👋 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherlitorrey/

👋 Mums at Work: https://www.mumsatwork.net/

Follow and connect with us! We’d love to hear any feedback, comments, or suggestions from you.

💼⁠ LinkedIn⁠

📷 ⁠Instagram:

🎵 ⁠TikTok⁠

🍏 Apple

📥 ⁠Email⁠

Chapters

00:00 Episode Snippet

00:27 Introduction to Make It Work

00:37 Hello Sher-Li

01:42 Balancing Work and Family Life

02:13 Daily Routines and Time Management

04:04 Non-Negotiables and Flexibility

05:22 The Importance of Asking for Help

09:21 Unsexy Role Models and Other Inspirations

11:03 When We Transmit Our Insecurities To Our Kids

15:57 When I Hit Rock Bottom

21:21 Advice To My Younger Self

23:25 Finding Purpose and Career Transitions

#MakeItWorkPodcast #WorkingMoms #CareerBreak #CareerJourney #Inspiration #FamilyFirst #Entrepreneur #Mothers #Mom #Parents #Parenting #Mum #Family

“…I'd always had a successful career and was always achieving and they just collided. I didn't feel like I could be the mother that I wanted to be, I also felt like at work I wasn't the person that I was before and that was when I started to get panic attacks, and that was the point where I was like, this isn't how life is meant to be like this.”

Sara Pantry is a UK transplant in Singapore for the past 8 years and mother to a 3 year old. She is a Senior Workplace Leader at Linkedin and a passionate advocate and expert on the topic of matrescence, a term that refers to the profound developmental transition a woman undergoes as she becomes a new mother who is navigating the early stages of motherhood. Her work sheds light on how this period impacts not only a woman’s identity but also her mental and emotional well-being. As a Matrescence Practitioner, Accredited ICF Coach and LeanIn Circle leader, Sara has been at the forefront of exploring and discussing this important phenomenon, providing invaluable insights into the complex interplay between motherhood and personal growth with a community of mothers in Singapore. We’re excited to dive into this conversation and explore how matrescence can help us better understand the journey of motherhood.

In our enlightening conversation, Sara also shares on:

🌟 Motherhood: Understanding what makes transitioning into motherhood so difficult

🌟 Navigating maternal load with her partner and working on resolving resentment in parenthood.

🌟 Her experiences and unexpected learnings from creating a LeanIn circle for mothers in Singapore

🌟 The significance of having peer-to-peer mentoring at the workplace who can support and understand the transition back to work after maternity leave.

Also available on: 🍏Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/make-it-work/id1701442085

▶️YouTube : https://youtube.com/@makeitwork.podcast

Connect with Sara on:

👋Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/she_thrives_tribe

👋Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/src357/

👋LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-pantry/

👋Email: sara@shethrives.net

Connect with us! We’d love to hear any feedback, comments, or suggestions from you.

➡⁠LinkedIn⁠: https://www.linkedin.com/company/make-it-work-asia-podcast/

➡⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/makeitwork.asia/

➡ ⁠TikTok⁠: https://www.tiktok.com/@makeitwork.podcast

➡⁠Email⁠: makeitwork.asia@gmail.com

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Chapters

00:00 Episode Snippet

00:23 Introduction to Make It Work

01:07 Hello Sara

02:08 A Day in the Life of Sara

03:12 Balancing Work and Family

06:13 The Challenges of Motherhood

09:45 Discovering Matrescence

19:17 Navigating the Maternal Load

20:46 Understanding Resentment in Parenthood

22:01 Balancing Responsibilities and Communication

24:22 Raising a Child Abroad: Finding Your Tribe

25:47 Creating Support Networks: The Lean In Circle

26:59 Championing Working Moms at LinkedIn

28:02 The Importance of Peer-to-Peer Mentoring

29:57 The Two-Year Transition: Returning to Work

31:10 Global Perspectives on Maternity Support

32:52 Starting a Mentoring Program in Your Company

34:27 The Power of Community Support

36:05 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

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#MakeItWorkPodcast #WorkingMoms #productivitytips #CareerJourney #Inspiration #FamilyFirst #Entrepreneur