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/
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