15. If You’re A Mother Going Back To Work … This Is For You - Mela Lush

Mela Lush is rewriting the rules for women in the workforce. What started as a personal challenge—navigating solo motherhood, a broken system, and impossible expectations—became a full-blown movement. In this episode, Mela shares how she built Jobs for Mums from her living room into a national platform that’s already impacted over 10,000 families and helped shift the conversation around motherhood, equity, and identity. Expect raw truth, hard-won lessons, and the empowering reminder that systemic change starts with one bold choice.About our guest:Mela Lush is the founder of Jobs for Mums, a social enterprise helping parents—especially mothers—access flexible, meaningful employment. With a background in marketing and leadership, Mela’s mission is to dismantle the outdated systems that penalize parenthood and make work, well… work, for everyone. Her platform is now a catalyst for economic growth, gender equity, and deeply personal transformation.Follow Our Guest:Guest Website: https://www.jobsformums.co.nz/Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jobs_for_mums_newzealandFollow Us On:Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_powerhouse_alliance/Host Website: https://www.drdanielkirkbride.com/Episode Highlights:00:00 - Episode Trailer01:00 - Mela’s truth: Losing herself in motherhood, finding herself in work05:10 - The motherhood penalty and systemic challenges for working parents08:30 - How Jobs for Mums was built from the couch (with babies in tow)14:00 - From side hustle to media coverage and a 3M-person livestream18:45 - Why the system was never built for us—and why it’s time to rebuild22:30 - Burnout, identity, and redefining what “success” really means28:00 - Imposter syndrome, visibility, and daring to lead rooms you feared34:50 - Rest, micro-moments, and the myth of “doing it all”40:05 - Critical thinking, social pressure, and the power of showing up45:15 - Why asking for help is the next level of leadership49:30 - Mela’s biggest lesson: Trust yourself more than you fear the unknown