Kundra — The career podcast for working parents and HR leaders tackling parental leave
The podcast explores the realities of gender at work through the voices of women, working moms, leaders, and changemakers.
What began as customer research for a B2B SaaS — by Theresa Gschwandtner, FinTech exec turned Founder — quickly revealed stories too powerful to keep private.
This is a public journey of product discovery, filled with honest conversations, practical takeaways, and proof that equality drives success.
Sign up for the beta
https://www.kundra.ai/
Kundra — The career podcast for working parents and HR leaders tackling parental leave
The podcast explores the realities of gender at work through the voices of women, working moms, leaders, and changemakers.
What began as customer research for a B2B SaaS — by Theresa Gschwandtner, FinTech exec turned Founder — quickly revealed stories too powerful to keep private.
This is a public journey of product discovery, filled with honest conversations, practical takeaways, and proof that equality drives success.
Sign up for the beta
https://www.kundra.ai/
How do you create a parental leave culture that keeps performance steady while strengthening loyalty?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Marine, Product Manager at Alan, who shares her inspiring story of navigating motherhood shortly after joining the company - while still in her trial period.
We explore how Alan’s culture of radical transparency, coaching instead of management, and proactive planning transformed what could have been a stressful moment into a story of trust, empowerment, and high performance.
Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:
Whether you’re a working parent, HR leader, or manager, this episode shows how clear structure and genuine care can make parental leave a flywheel for loyalty and growth.
In this episode we cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is building the future of parental leave.
We believe ambition and parenthood can thrive together - and companies that embed equity into their foundations today will lead tomorrow.
This podcast is part of our journey: speaking with working parents, business leaders, and HR innovators to surface the truths of career and parenting and the tools that make it work.
We’re now opening up pilot programs for companies ready to rethink parental leave. If you’d like to see how Kundra can support your teams, email theresa@kundra.ai for a demo.
Want more from each episode?
Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, recaps, and HR toolkits
Follow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadership
Follow Kundra on Instagram for stories, quotes, and behind-the-scenes
What happens when a manager and her team member sit down to discuss the highs, lows, and lessons of navigating two maternity leaves together?
In this special episode of the Kundra Podcast, Podcast host Theresa reconnects with Ines, a Paris-based marketer turned entrepreneur, for a rare two-sided conversation.
Together, they reflect on their shared experience at Qonto, where Theresa managed Ines through back-to-back maternity leaves in a fast-scaling tech environment.
With humility and honesty, they explore what worked, what didn’t, and how both perspectives - manager and employee - can shape better parental-leave support inside companies.
Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:
Whether you’re a manager, HR leader, or working parent, this episode offers an honest look at the messy, human side of maternity leave - and how small, intentional actions can make a lasting difference.
In this episode we cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is building the future of parental leave.
We believe ambition and parenthood can thrive together - and companies that embed equity into their foundations today will lead tomorrow.
This podcast is part of our journey: speaking with working parents, business leaders, and HR innovators to surface the truths of career and parenting and the tools that make it work.
We’re now opening up pilot programs for companies ready to rethink parental leave. If you’d like to see how Kundra can support your teams, email theresa@kundra.ai for a demo.
Want more from each episode?
Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, recaps, and HR toolkits
Follow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadership
Follow Kundra on Instagram for stories, quotes, and behind-the-scenes
How do you prepare for maternity leave when you’re leading a commercial organization - and make sure your team, business, and career continue to thrive while you’re away?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Maria, VP of Revenue Operations at Welcome to the Jungle, who shares how she approached two very different maternity leaves - one at a large, established company, and one inside a fast-scaling startup.
Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:
Continuity by Design: How Maria built clear handover plans, ownership structures, and expectations that kept performance steady.
Coverage Decisions: The trade-offs between redistributing responsibilities internally vs. hiring an interim contractor - and how to evaluate what’s right for your team.
Team Empowerment: Why maternity leave can become a leadership accelerator when managed intentionally.
Performance & Progress: How Maria aligned objectives, success markers, and performance reviews to protect career growth during leave.
Return & Reflection: What “reboarding” looks like in practice - and how stepping away reshaped her leadership clarity and purpose.
Whether you’re a working parent, HR leader, or manager, this episode is a blueprint for designing continuity, protecting performance, and turning maternity leave into a moment of organizational and personal growth.
In this episode we cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is building the future of parental leave.
We believe ambition and parenthood can thrive together — and that companies embedding equity into their culture today will lead tomorrow.
This podcast is part of that journey: conversations with working parents, business leaders, and HR innovators to uncover the truths of career and parenthood, and the structures that make it work.
We’re now opening pilot programs for companies ready to rethink parental leave.
To learn more or see how Kundra can support your teams, email theresa@kundra.ai for a demo.
Want more from each episode?→ Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, recaps, and HR toolkits→ Follow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadership→ Follow Kundra on Instagram for stories, quotes, and behind-the-scenes
How do you balance an ambitious international career with motherhood - and what happens when your company builds real support around you?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa speaks with Lalla Elasanty, Operations Development Manager at a global beauty company, whose career has taken her from Indonesia to China, the UK, France, and now Singapore.
Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:
Early Career Clarity: How setting bold career goals opened doors abroad
Supportive Systems: The role of HR, company doctors, and structured handovers in France
Female Role Models: Why seeing other mothers in leadership reshaped her ambitions
Motherhood & Leadership: How embracing imperfection built resilience and sharpened her management style
Parental Training Programs: How her company normalized struggles and created community for parents
Manager Advice: Practical ways leaders can support team members preparing for leave
Whether you’re a working parent, HR leader, or manager, Lalla’s story shows how motherhood can enrich a career - and how companies can turn parental leave into a moment of growth.
In this episode we cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is building the future of parental leave.
We believe ambition and parenthood can thrive together - and companies that embed equity into their foundations today will lead tomorrow.
This podcast is part of our journey: speaking with working parents, business leaders, and HR innovators to surface the truths of career and parenting and the tools that make it work.
We’re now opening up pilot programs for companies ready to rethink parental leave. If you’d like to see how Kundra can support your teams, email theresa@kundra.ai for a demo.
Want more from each episode?
Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, recaps, and HR toolkits
Follow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadership
Follow Kundra on Instagram for stories, quotes, and behind-the-scenes
What does it take to grow your career at a global tech company while navigating maternity leave - twice?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Deepa Mensinkai, Director of Product Marketing at LinkedIn, to unpack her journey from consulting into tech and the lessons she’s learned as a working mom.
Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:
How Deepa planned her first maternity leave while leading a U.S.-based team from Canada
What happened when she returned to a changed role - and the hit to her confidence
Why self-advocacy is critical for career growth during parental transitions
How she’s preparing differently for her second leave with clearer goals and sponsors
What HR leaders and managers can do to make reboarding more effective
Whether you’re a working parent, a team leader, or an HR decision-maker, this episode offers real strategies for balancing ambition and parenthood.
In this episode we cover:
00:00 Deepa’s Career Journey - From Consulting to LinkedIn
04:47 Planning Her First Maternity Leave - Setting Up for Success
08:31 Returning to a Changed Role - and Rebuilding Confidence
12:48 Lessons in Self-Advocacy and Career Conversations
20:52 Preparing Differently for a Second Leave
27:00 What Companies and Managers Can Do Better
About Kundra
Kundra is building the future of parental leave.
We believe ambition and parenthood can thrive together - and we are the only platform that turns parental leave from an unpredictable cost to a structured investment.
We’re have limited pilot spots for companies ready to rethink parental leave. If you’d like to see how Kundra can support your teams, email theresa@kundra.ai for a demo.
Want more from each episode?
Subscribe to Kundra Notes for insights, recaps, and HR toolkits
Follow Kundra on LinkedIn for product updates and thought leadership
Follow Kundra on Instagram for stories, quotes, and behind-the-scenes
After hundreds of parental-transition coaching conversations, which common insights drive retention and performance?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Rita Bouzaid—Paris-based consultant, former investment banker, and founder of Empowerment—coaching men and women on reintegrating and excelling in their careers after becoming parents. Drawing on her deep expertise at the nexus of leadership and family life, Rita reveals why parental leave must be treated as a strategic transition, not a personal interruption, and how companies can turn it into a talent-boosting advantage.
Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:
Whether you’re an HR director, team leader, or working parent mapping your next career move, Rita’s insights will help you transform parental transitions into moments of growth, retention, and stronger team performance.
In this episode we’ll cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and this podcast is part of that journey.
We’re speaking to founders, HR leaders, and working parents to better understand what support looks like when ambition meets parenting.
The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.
If you're shaping that future — or want to help us build the tools that support it — we’d love to hear from you.
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Want practical takeaways from every episode?
What happens when a senior finance leader navigates pregnancy in one of the world’s most demanding banking cultures?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Hemi — Executive Director at JPMorgan and working mother who’s built her career across London and New York. Hemi shares her candid journey through pregnancy in a high-performance finance environment, from her bold request to work from home to the micro-stress of negotiating informal leave policies, all the way to her vision for a dedicated parent business resource group. Along the way, she reveals how proactive flexibility, transparent communication, and inclusive workplace policies empower working mothers (and all parents) to thrive without sacrificing career momentum.
If you’re a finance leader, HR professional, or working parent seeking real-world insights on parental leave, career advancement, and building a truly parent-first workplace, this episode is your blueprint.
In this episode we cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and this podcast is part of that journey.
We’re speaking to founders, HR leaders, and working parents to better understand what support looks like when ambition meets parenting.
The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.
If you're shaping that future — or want to help us build the tools that support it — we’d love to hear from you.
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Want practical takeaways from every episode?
What if you could manage a team member’s parental leave in a way that supports people and drives performance — even if you’re not a parent yourself?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Marion, Head of Product Marketing at Yousign — a high-growth SaaS company based in Paris — for a first-of-its-kind conversation. Unlike other episodes that center around the experience of becoming a parent, this one flips the perspective: Marion isn’t a parent, but she’s a people-first leader who successfully managed a senior team member’s maternity leave.
She shares the exact steps she took to plan ahead, secure budget for external support, maintain team performance, and ensure a smooth re-onboarding that helped her team member return with confidence — and outperform within a quarter. From company-wide support structures to manager-led empathy, Marion proves that treating parental leave as a normal part of business leads to better outcomes for everyone.
If you’re an HR leader, department head, or founder who wants to future-proof your culture and operations — this episode is your blueprint.
In this episode we cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and this podcast is part of that journey.
We’re speaking to founders, HR leaders, and working parents to better understand what support looks like when ambition meets parenting.
The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.
If you're shaping that future — or want to help us build the tools that support it — we’d love to hear from you.
—
Want practical takeaways from every episode?
What happens when a company treats parental leave as a strategic investment — not a disruption?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa is joined by Celine, Director of Sales at Spotify and mom of two, who shares the first truly positive parental leave experience we’ve heard.
After years in media agencies, Celine joined Spotify and later took maternity leave with her second child. What followed was rare: a smooth handover, protected career momentum, outstanding business results and not one — but two promotions after her return.
We talk about what made the difference:
If you're a leader, future parent, HR professional, or someone building a career while building a family — this conversation is your blueprint.
Listen now to learn how parental leave, done right, can become a leadership accelerator — not a career risk.
In this episode we cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and this podcast is part of that journey.
We’re speaking to founders, HR leaders, and working parents to better understand what support looks like when ambition meets parenting.
The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.
If you're shaping that future — or want to help us build the tools that support it — we’d love to hear from you.
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Want practical takeaways from every episode?
What happens when you're at the top of your game — and the job disappears the moment they learn you’re pregnant?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa speaks with Caroline, a former marketing leader at Klarna and soon-to-be mother, who found herself navigating not one but two CMO job offers while expecting her first child.
One company withdrew their offer after she disclosed her pregnancy. Another showed support from the start.
With transparency and courage, Caroline walks us through how it felt to have her employment contract withdrawn with the CEO’s words: “Your first job now is to fall in love with your baby and not think about work”, why she chose not to pursue legal action, and what ultimately led her to land the CMO role of her dreams. She shares powerful lessons on how to spot red and green flags in interviews, the emotional toll of her experiences and her decision-making process, and how companies can benefit from investing in top talent in the long-term.
If you're a hiring manager, a future parent, or curious about how to attract the best executive talent, this one is for you.
In this episode we cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and this podcast is part of that journey.
We’re speaking to founders, HR leaders, and working parents to better understand what support looks like when ambition meets parenting.
The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.
If you're shaping that future — or want to help us build the tools that support it — we’d love to hear from you.
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Want practical takeaways from every episode?
What if becoming a mother didn’t hold back your career — but gave you the skills to lead even better?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa sits down with Ektaa, Founder and Managing Director of the Coworth Group. After years on the Partner track at global firms like Page Executive, Ektaa became pregnant — and everything changed.
Promotion conversations stopped. Visibility faded. Three months after giving birth, she quit her job and launched her own company.
In this conversation, Ektaa shares what really pushed her to leave the corporate world, how motherhood sharpened her leadership instincts, and what she’s doing differently as a founder. From pregnancy bias to resilience after giving birth, this episode is full of insight for anyone navigating ambition and identity after becoming a parent.
If you’re curious about how parenting skills can fuel business success — this episode is for you.
In this episode we cover:
About Kundra
Kundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and this podcast is part of that journey.
We’re speaking to founders, HR leaders, and working parents to better understand what support looks like when ambition meets parenting.
The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.
If you're shaping that future — or want to help us build the tools that support it — we’d love to hear from you.
—
Want practical takeaways from every episode?
What happens when you land your dream job in advertising—only to discover you’re also navigating a surprise pregnancy while figuring out parental leave in a new job?
In this episode of the Kundra Podcast, Theresa interviews Eve Maguire, a Senior Strategist with a standout career at ad agencies across New York, London, and now Dublin, having worked with some of the most iconic global brands.
With honesty and humour, Eve opens up about balancing a major international move, a new role, and an unexpected pregnancy.
From lack of transparency around maternity benefits, to the stress of disclosing pregnancy in a new job and the financial challenges of starting a family, Eve sheds light on the emotional and logistical challenges many of us deal with in silence.
If you’re starting to think about the next stage in life and career—or building for the future of work—don’t miss out on these insights and practical tips.
About Kundra:
Kundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and we’re inviting collaborators, testers, and forward-thinking leaders to help shape what comes next.
The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.
Sign up to join the beta → https://www.kundra.ai/
In this episode we cover:
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Want practical takeaways from every episode?
What happens when a top 1% sales performer becomes a first-time mom — and the system expects her to pick up exactly where she left off?
In this episode of the Kundra podcast, Theresa interviews Vanessa Gschwandtner, a sales executive who built her career at LinkedIn, Slack, and now AI startup Glean. Vanessa shares the untold side of maternity leave in high-performance environments: the invisible planning, the identity shift, and the silent loss of confidence no one talks about.
From navigating full quotas with no reboarding support to redefining what “success” means after motherhood, Vanessa’s story offers a candid look at the realities many women face — but few workplaces prepare for.
Whether you're a working parent, a leader who understands that companies investing in equity see 5.5x higher revenue growth, or someone shaping the future of work — this conversation will shift how you think about career, identity, and real support.
About Kundra:
Kundra is currently in active discovery and prototyping — and we’re inviting collaborators, testers, and forward-thinking leaders to help shape what comes next.
The companies that will lead tomorrow are building equity into their foundations today.
Sign up to join the beta → https://www.kundra.ai/
In this episode we cover:
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Want practical takeaways from every episode?
Why focus on gender workplace equality? Why launch a podcast — and why the name Kundra? In this 7-minute origin story, host Theresa Gschwandtner (former Product Marketing Exec at LinkedIn, WeWork & Qonto) shares what led her to leave big tech and start building a SaaS for change. Hear how a powerful book, personal inspiration, and shocking customer research discoveries sparked Kundra — a podcast for real stories, surprising insights, and actionable ideas to build more equal workplaces.
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Want practical takeaways from every episode?
What’s Kundra about? In this 4-minute trailer, get a feel for what to expect: real stories of women, leaders, and changemakers driving gender equality at work — with sharp conversations, surprising insights, and actionable takeaways. Hosted by FinTech Exec turned Founder Theresa Gschwandtner. Subscribe now and join the journey.
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Want practical takeaways from every episode?