Women Who Light the Way
Reflections from MOM 2.0
There’s a particular kind of energy that can only come from a room full of women who are doing the work—of raising kids, building businesses, creating space for healing, and trying (somehow) to hold it all together. The MOM 2.0 Summit wasn’t just an inspiring weekend—it was a reset. A call back to what matters. And a bright reminder that even amidst the chaos of working motherhood, there’s beauty in the spark we pass to each other.
I left feeling deeply grateful and absolutely exhausted—and, in Brené Brown’s words, sharing this famous quote, that’s exactly the point.
“The opposite of exhaustion isn’t rest. It’s wholeheartedness.” - David Whyte
Boundaries, Batteries, and Brené Brown
The keynote conversation between Brené Brown and Laura Mayes didn’t feel like a keynote at all—it felt like listening in on a long, honest chat between two lifelong friends (because that’s what they are!). There was no pacing the stage, no presentation slides. Just two women talking about life, leadership, motherhood, and what it really takes to hold onto yourself while showing up for others.
Brené Brown and Laura Mayes
Brené shared one story I’ll never forget: while collaborating with Oprah (OMG!) on a project, Oprah asked if they could meet on Thursdays. Brené declined.
“I drive carpool on Thursdays,” she said.
Even for Oprah, it was a hard no. Because those moments—of listening in the car, of catching glimpses into her children’s lives—are non-negotiable. She’s earned the nickname “Boundaries Brown,” and she owns it. Not because boundaries are trendy, but because they are sacred. They protect what matters most.
That theme—of protecting your energy, your values, your time—showed up again and again. She spoke of how much leadership has changed since 2019, how AI is reshaping everything, and how the real threat isn't just the technology but the dehumanization of leadership. Her current work with C-suite executives is about bringing back creativity, poetry, metaphor, and imagination.
She asked us to think differently about exhaustion. It’s not just about physical depletion—it’s about whether we’re showing up fully or running on autopilot.
Wholeheartedness is the antidote.
That resonated. Especially as part of Sunny, an organization focused on meaningful connection—with one of our core app features being a social battery, which helps people draw awareness to and track their social energy. It’s not just about how much energy you have. It’s about where your energy is coming from.
I also loved what she said about cognitive sovereignty—the ability to protect your attention and reclaim your mind from the chaos of social media. She took five months off social, and said it felt like getting sober again. Wow.
And she had an important message for a room full of creators: if your work lives on social, it’s still okay—actually, it’s good—to take a break.
For your followers, that break should be a signal that you’re a healthy human caring for yourself. And that means you’ll show up more fully, more authentically, when you return.
She reminded us that collective leadership is the way forward: power shared is power multiplied. She quoted Abby Wambach’s Wolfpack philosophy:
When you score a goal, point to the person who passed you the ball.
We don’t do this alone.
And we’re not meant to.
The Women Who Lit Something Up in Me
There were dozens of incredible women I met at MOM 2.0, but here are a few I can’t stop thinking about. Each one a spark, a mirror, a reminder that we’re all connected in this.
Susie Shaw – @thebereavementmom
“I’m the bereavement mom,” she said with quiet power.
Susie lost her son William, a twin, at age ten. Since then, she’s written love letters to him in her Dear William Substack and is building The Greenhouse, a nonprofit space for grieving families to experience joy, not just survival.
Her courage isn’t loud—it’s luminous. Her truth is a lifeline for those who need it.
Follow Susie on Instagram →
Nicole Fortney – Operations at Sundays
Nicole and I met at lunch, then again by the pool. She told me about her life as a Cubs MLB wife and how hiring a virtual executive assistant transformed her family’s rhythms. She now works for Sundays, a virtual executive assistant service (also real moms who get it!) that gives families help with both life logistics (think: groceries, camp sign-up, and calendar mastery) and business operations (think: small business set-up, CRM, and bookkeeping). Genius.
I immediately thought of five people I wanted to connect her with: Sarah Nuse, Allison Tibbits, Zeba Khan, Audrey Berger, and Naseem Sayani.
Explore Sundays →
Zeba Khan – Founder, Motherhood by Design
Zeba coaches women through the transition from maternity leave back into the corporate world (while also working full-time as a consultant at EY). She started Motherhood by Design because her own return to work four years ago was so difficult—and she knew she wasn’t alone.
We talked about how Sunny’s social battery tracker (in our free app coming out this summer) could support her clients, and how Sundays could be the perfect partner for her audience.
Then came the ah-ha:
What if parental leave packages included a 6-month subscription to Sundays as support for reentry? Game-changer. And an intro happened: Zeba —> Nicole
Dr. Stephanie – Founder, Dr. Stephanie’s for Moms
Picture pink balloons, hydration mixes, and a powerful founder who is also a board-certified Doctor of Pharmacy—owning her brand in every way. That’s Dr. Stephanie.
We talked supplements, Target placement, product naming, packaging—and I found myself in full consultant-mom mode. Her products aren’t just for pregnancy or postpartum. They’re also great for moms like me, navigating the edges of perimenopause.
And I knew instantly: she belongs in the women VC world. I’m already lining up a warm intro to Azin Radsan Van Alebeek at Emmeline Ventures.
Follow Dr. Stephanie →
Deb Mallin – Founder, Mighty Doodle
She complimented my hot pink pants, and five minutes later we were in a soul chat.
Deb Mallin is the creator of Mighty Doodle, an app that helps kids learn with confidence (with thoughtful design considerations for neurodivergence). Our conversation sparked something—about honoring how we’re wired and raising a generation to love their uniqueness.
She told me I had a great energy and that I should be speaking on stages. (Deb, if you're reading this, I’m holding on to that!) She mentioned Summit, a gathering of global change-makers—and when I looked it up and saw their mission is to “bring together global entrepreneurs and change makes to cross-pollinate and collaborate” I gasped. A direct nod, universe wink, to my inspiration, a hummingbird who cross-pollinates the world. ✨
Tami Hackbarth – Coach, Speaker, Podcast Host
I joined Tami’s roundtable on habits—and had a full-circle moment. While Sunny is grounded in the science of behavior design and habit formation (and I pride myself on being a checklist master and ritual-keeper), I realized I have a blindspot: my own physical wellness.
Tami spoke about having a why that’s bigger than your pant size. Like wanting to play with your grandkids someday. That struck a chord. So I recruited my 8-year-old daughter as my accountability coach for my daily step goal (in a fun, silly, not putting a burden on my daughter kind of way!).
She’s fierce. And her motivation plan? Hilariously chaotic. There’s a list of “punishments” she’s come up with if I don’t hit my steps—some of which I don’t fully understand but definitely want to avoid. It’s become our thing. We giggle. In helping me, she’s learning too.
What We Carry Forward
Every woman I met had a story. A heartbreak. A hustle. A truth they couldn’t keep inside. And every one of them reminded me:
When women connect, we move mountains.
When we share a spark, we light the way.
Sometimes it’s grief.
Sometimes it’s a podcast suggestion or a branding tip.
Sometimes it’s a stranger who sees something in you before you see it in yourself.
But always, it’s that spark—that shared light.
We can all succeed.
We can all shine.
And we can absolutely help each other get there.
#leadwithlove #meaningfulconnection #mom2summit #womeninleadership
