24 Career and Motherhood: How to Unlock Aligned Ambition

What happens when your ambition meets motherhood?

In this week’s episode of Joyfully Unstoppable, Becky Hamm sits down with Dana North, founder of Brandwell Studio and creator of ___+ Motherhood, to talk about navigating identity, ambition, and leadership in seasons of change.

Dana shares how motherhood reshapes rather than reduces our ambition, and why the key to leading well (at work and at home) is self-compassion, flexibility, and a willingness to experiment. Together, we explore how women can pursue their calling, sustain their careers, and still show up fully as themselves.

💡 You’ll learn:
-- How clarifying your voice builds real confidence as a leader
-- What shifts in ambition often happen after motherhood, and why that’s okay
-- Why experimentation beats perfection when you’re building balance
-- How to set sustainable systems that support your big dreams
-- Leadership principles that make life (and work) lighter

✨ Connect with Dana:
Instagram: @brandwellmarketing | @andmotherhood
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-north/

Joyfully Unstoppable—helping women reconnect with what matters most.

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Transcript

Becky Hamm: 0:06

Welcome to Joyfully Unstoppable, the podcast for women who are ready to lead boldly, live lightly, and reclaim their joy. Whether you're leading a team, a classroom, a boardroom, or your own big, beautiful life, I am so glad you found us. I'm your host, Becky Hamm leadership coach, speaker and founder of Women Lead Well. After years of high level leadership, I discovered that success doesn't have to come at the cost of your peace, your values, or your wellbeing. Each week we'll explore what it means to lead joyfully, sustainably, and authentically. Even a world that tells you to hustle harder and prove your worth, you carry a lot. Let's help it feel lighter. Now, today I am so excited to welcome Dana North, founder of Brand Well Studio, as well as and Motherhood. Dana has spent more than a decade leading marketing and brand strategy, but her true passion is helping women step fully into who they are as founder of Brand. Well Studio Dana partners with women entrepreneurs to clarify their message, refine their marketing, and launch with confidence. Beyond business. Dana is the creator of and motherhood a community for moms. Navigating identity in the like in between. Balancing ambition with the realities of motherhood and rediscovering who they are in the process. Dana, thank you so much. Welcome to the Joyfully Unstoppable Podcast. Thank you. Thanks so much for having me. Yeah. Oh, we are so happy you're here. And so Dana, you have built brand Wealth studio around helping women clarify their message, so they launch with confidence. What leadership lessons have you seen women gain when they begin to own and really articulate their voice more clearly?

Dana North: 1:58

Yeah, that's such a good question and I feel like one of the biggest things that I see is. Women know that they have all, all of these women entrepreneurs, they have a passion. They have this vision for whatever their business is and you can see them. They just, there's so much heart behind it. And until they start kind of peeling back the layers and understanding some of the beliefs they have around it, the values they have around it, there's always this sense of, um, like a disconnect or it is just lacking confidence'cause they haven't seen it. In the world the way that they want to. So it may sound, um, repetitive or redundant, but it really is that confident piece. It's once they can see something, um, their vision in the real world, they can start seeing wording and sentences and things like that. You can kind of see. They're, they come alive a little bit and I think in leadership, um, that's really important. We have to be able to see how our vision can play out and, um, we have to be willing to stand on it. And, you know, not everything, especially in business, is gonna go as, as a plan is laid out, but I think the ability to be confident and proud of whatever you're putting out there. Kind of mitigates that tension a little bit and helps people stand in that confidence anyway. And, and I think on the flip side of that is people, once they are functioning from that place and learning what their voice sounds like, and um, really leaning into that, that authenticity part of it, um, there is this sense of. They know they don't have all the answers. They know that there's a lot of other, probably businesses and companies that do something similarly, and that's not a threat to them. They don't see somebody else's success or business as taking away from their own, but they see what they offer as an opportunity to connect with people that will really resonate with them. So it's kind of that. Confidence paired with humility, that really sets them up to step into whatever we're doing in their branding and marketing, which is, it's really fun to see. And it's really fun to hear people's experience of, like, I was just working on a client project, um, last week, and she said, it's so fun to see a concept of my business come into reality. And she's like, I didn't know. I would feel so excited about that. So it's just like. Uh, it's helping people take what's in their mind and their heart and putting out into the world, and that pride is, it's really fun to be a part of.

Becky Hamm: 4:33

Oh, that sounds amazing. Yeah. That as you clarify your own voice. That, that, that is part of what gives you confidence and as you suggest, right. Even as things change. Because as we know, like things are changing rapidly within the entrepreneurial space. Yep. But that's okay because you know your message where you know your why, you know your values, you know where your coming from. Yes. And that helps you. Oh, that's awesome. That's gotta be so much

Dana North: 5:01

fun. Yeah. I love that. Oh, it's. It is fun and it's like, I can see it, but I, I like doing the deep work of like, you know, in a brand process, it's understanding the value. So if it's a personal brand, you know, it's somebody's values, if it's a business, like what are the values in that business? And I think when people start putting that strategy behind it, it's not just creating something that looks beautiful, which I love to do. But it would be lacking if it were, if it was missing the depth of the value and the belief, which that is what helps someone show up. So, yeah. Oh, that's great.

Becky Hamm: 5:37

Yeah. And so Dana, I wanna shift focus just a little bit. So many of the women who listen to this podcast, uh, are pretty amazing, right? So they are, um, accomplished professionals in their careers, and then they also have big responsibilities at home. Yes. With your work. With and motherhood. How do you see, do you see identity ambition shift when men when take that transition to motherhood? How does that, um, how does that translate into leadership roles?

Dana North: 6:10

Yes. That's such a good question. Um, I would say I see it all the time o on LinkedIn. My inbox is frequently filled with. Women who I, I share a lot about my own journey becoming a mom and how that shifted my ambition. Um, and so I just, I connect with a lot of people who are in that space and it's highly individualized. But I will say I have not met a person where it has not shifted in some way.

Becky Hamm: 6:40

Mm. So

Dana North: 6:40

some people that shift can be like, they were climbing a ladder or, you know, they, they had this trajectory that they were on and this. Now tiny little human has kind of like put a pin in it or maybe like bumped it sideways to a different tract. And other people, this little human has like only compelled them more to continue on this trajectory. Hmm. So I would say it's not, it's not always like this big shift in terms of like, I wa I wanted to be here and now I'm way over here. I think that is very common and also. It is not always that way. Um, and another thing I would say about that is there, it's already such a, like a tender space, like those first months, years of motherhood. It requires a lot from a mom. Whether it doesn't matter how you became a mom or what those first months look like, there is so much sacrifice in nurturing this little human that. These shifts and like the questions that arise around identity require a lot of self-compassion, which I, as, I feel like I'm, I would label myself as like high achieving, recovering perfectionist, like having that self-compassion is really challenging. But I think it's so crucial, you know, especially women in leadership roles because a lot has shifted and if I'm not able to extend myself, like. The permission to have feelings around it, I will feel that tension so much longer. So how can I create space in my life where I can acknowledge, you know, the amazing things about motherhood and the tensions of this ambition, and then by, I think the biggest part is buy. Opening up that space, it actually allows me to navigate it. If I ignore it completely, I will not address what I need to reconcile. But if I actually offer myself that space, then I can ask hard questions. Do I still wanna stay on this track, or is it actually better for me to shift? And it's okay that it shifts. Nothing is permanent in life and that's beautiful and can be really challenging. So yeah, I would say it changes everything and. For me and a lot of the people I talk to, that self-compassion and creating that space is one of the most important things you can do.

Becky Hamm: 9:14

Yeah. Well, and it sounds Dana too, like not a renegotiation of what success is, but I really, I deeply appreciate, maybe this is what I mean that you, I don't hear you saying that women need to somehow sacrifice their ambition or sacrifice their professional. Growth development because of motherhood.

Dana North: 9:37

Absolutely. Yes. Yeah. And yeah, and that, that's a good point. I feel like there can, it can feel like the, the two do not work together anymore. Um, I mean, the realities of women in leadership, can I, I think I experienced that more. It feels like more is required of me than perhaps like a male colleague. Um. But it doesn't mean that motherhood and that cannot work together. I listened to, oh gosh, this was, this is probably three years ago now. Um, I was listening to a conversation with something called the Mom Project. They, they help women, um, either like come back to the workforce or stay in the workforce with children, all of that kind of stuff. And they were talking with, and I'm blanking on this woman's name, but she's like in high leadership at Amazon, and she, her. The, this piece of advice has been so helpful for me personally, but she basically was saying like, you can have motherhood and you can have your career. They're, they work really well together. You just have to know what things you're willing to step into in this space that you will have to say no to in this space, and vice versa. So she's like, and that's, that's a personal decision. It's gonna look different than any other mom and any other leader, but as long as you're making it from a place where. This is important to you and you're gonna stick to it in motherhood and leadership. That's all that matters. And you'll actually feel like you can make the two work together. Um, she said it much more eloquently, but I, I so appreciated her perspective.'cause it can feel like, I ha I have two young kids. Um, I carried them, I birthed them, I nursed them for a year. So it did feel like so much sacrifice already, which it is. And I was so happy to do it. And it was like, I, I did question like, am I giving up everything I worked for, sacrificing it to just be with these kids, which if that's what I chose, amazing. So many women do that, and that was right for them. That's not necessarily right for everybody. So,

Becky Hamm: 11:45

yeah. So Dana, you are known for bridging strategy and execution and, and particularly helping women. Not just to dream big, but to build the sustainable systems that are needed to support those big dreams, right? Mm-hmm. To allow a woman to say, I do wanna continue to pursue my ambitions, and there will be trade-offs between my professional life and my family. Okay. Life, right? Yep. But you really help build that support system. And so what advice do you give the women who are listening to this podcast? So women leaders, young and old, uh. Who want to continue to grow into that space without burning out in the process?

Dana North: 12:27

Yes, absolutely. I, if anyone is like me, it can be like, if I see something that I wanna pursue or just shift, I kind of wanna, I'm like the all or nothing mentality, which isn't all the time. Very helpful. Especially if you're trying to build systems.

Becky Hamm: 12:44

Mm-hmm. So

Dana North: 12:45

what I say, and this. This is like a lot of what I do in my brand and marketing work, and if I'm talking with moms as well, it is the idea of just starting with one thing. So you know, if it's like, if it's someone who's trying to figure out, okay, I, I wanna be home for dinners with my kids and. Sometimes like I have to be at work extra late. So like identifying where there might be some tension points and then like just pick one like you, you know, brain dump all of the ways that someone is thinking about where there's conflict, and then picking one of those areas and then writing all of the possible solutions. And then from there, which this is what we do in marketing, you just start testing. You put one in place, you give it a little bit of time to see like, how does it, how do I feel doing this? And if it's not a good fit, you can adjust. Like in marketing, it's amazing. You get direct feedback, you know how things are doing in the digital world, and then you make adjustments based on the feedback that you get. So in life. If it's like, if it just doesn't work for your family, it doesn't work for your job, like then you, then you try the next solution that you've ideated, and then once you get that one that feels really good in place, then you can start tackling other areas. And by learning how to do this, it helps in the early stages of motherhood, which is where I am, and I have to imagine it helps as kids get more activities and their life gets busier because it's not just, it's not just the hands-on keeping a human alive anymore and like navigating emotional. Development. It's like, okay, now you have dance and soccer and whatever, music. So that's what I would say start, pick one thing, don't try and overall everything at once, which I feel like is similar to what you probably tell a lot of women, which is probably like change management anyway. Um, but that's what I would say.

Becky Hamm: 14:38

Yeah. I think that is amazing because you, that was a, I think a very articulate way. To say you can have meaningful change, right? This is not that you've gotta just stumble along and whatever happens happens, or you stay stuck for decades while until the kids are out of the house. No. You can actually make thoughtful, intentional changes.

Dana North: 14:59

Yes.

Becky Hamm: 14:59

But I hear this like thread of experimentation. I love the way you had tied marketing to that. Like Right. You run a bunch of different ads and you see which ones resonate and what messages and what colors and what. Yep. I'm not the marketing person. I, yeah, no, that's right. And then you like you tweak, right? Yeah. So there's the experimentation, there's like almost a sense of play, or there could be kind of a sense of play. Absolutely. Yes. Which can help the change. Whatever it is you're trying to, whatever it is you're trying to achieve can help it feel less scary.

Dana North: 15:29

Absolutely. And it takes the pressure off. It's like I don't have to get it right this very first time, which me I wanna do it. Right. Perfect. The first time. That doesn't actually exist in life, so, right. Yeah. Yeah. So

Becky Hamm: 15:43

we have talked about confidence, uh, a few times in our conversation. It's clearly a priority for you in your work. Talk to the listeners, like what helps, what, what might help women leaders feel more confident? Mm. If they are stepping into a season or a project or a prior, something that they don't feel ready to tackle yet.

Dana North: 16:08

Yes. That's such a good question and I really, I appreciate the, the idea of like, how can we kind of grow this muscle?

Becky Hamm: 16:19

Mm-hmm.

Dana North: 16:20

Um, and I think one of the best things to do is. Start before you're ready, before it feels like you're ready. And what goes along with that is just because there's maybe a feeling of, um, like hesitancy or not feeling ready doesn't actually mean you are not, and it doesn't mean that you lack confidence. It might just mean that you're doing something in a new way that you've never done before. And that is going to feel unfamiliar, perhaps uncomfortable, but that doesn't mean you actually lack the confidence. So I think one of the best things to do is just to start, so you know, if it's somebody that's like. I remember going into work the first day after maternity leave ended, and I was like, I don't even know who I am anymore. I didn't sleep. I like, how is this gonna work with trying to find a room to pump in? You know, like all of that kind of stuff. It's all new. It felt very, I was just like. I didn't, I did not know what to expect. And it does leave you kind of like back on your heels, like, whoa, I thought I was this kind of person, but I'm feeling like this. It doesn't mean you're no longer that person. It might just mean that you're holding different things. And it's kind of like, like if you're a server and you have a tray that has like two glasses. That's gonna feel a lot different than if you're a server who's got like 10 glasses and a plate and something that's full. So it's just, um, you just gotta take that step and every step you take, every time you lean into the discomfort, it's gonna grow this confidence muscle. So, you know, if it's like. I, I feel like a lot of women I talk to feel like their voice doesn't matter anymore once they have a kid. Mm-hmm. Um, and it's, it's like inserting where, you know, you have an opinion where you know you have an idea because they are still there. It can feel like your brain is a mush. It can feel like, you know, all of the things we've talked about, but just doing it, whether you feel like it or not, is gonna be, is gonna do more for your confidence than like reading any book or any podcast. So.

Becky Hamm: 18:20

Yeah. Well, yes. And because then once you're through the other side right. You do the thing you're scared of doing, no matter what happened. Like you're not, it's probably not gonna kill you. Yes. I mean, I don't wanna be like, I don't wanna make like a huge universal statement, but probably you're gonna be alive. Right? Probably. Absolutely. It'll be okay, right? Yes. Even if it doesn't go the way you want. Yeah. And that helps to build your confidence, right? Absolutely.'cause figure out, well, I could. Okay. Like I survived that. All right. Yep. So yeah, absolutely. So as you look back on your journey, two small children, and just for the folks, um, who are listening, we're recording this during nap time and so I have been grateful we have made it so far, right? Like it's, I know, maybe I just jinxed it. We're gonna hope. No, no, it's okay. Um, but you've got two kids under two. Yeah. Am I, uh, two kids under three? Yeah. Okay. Two pins under three. What would be a leadership principle that you could share with listeners that has guided you through this season of. Pressure, uncertainty, rapid change, hormonal change, like what would you want other women to know?

Dana North: 19:25

Yeah, I, I would say, and as I look back, like in my motherhood journey, I think this is applicable, applicable there as well as if I look back to times I was leading marketing teams, I think flexibility, adaptability, and transparency, like those three together. Are going to be so helpful for navigating wherever your ambition and your motherhood would take you Flexibility because things change if it's, you know, my kids, they love the same thing for breakfast until one day they don't. And then it's a tantrum. And then do I have, you know, like, what do else do I have to give you? Um, which is like such a small idea of flexibility or like pivoting, you know? Sometimes socks feel wiggly and they're not gonna go out the door with socks on and it's 20 degrees outside. So it's just like how, like building that muscle of flexibility and adaptability and being able to pivot, and I think that's gonna come with motherhood no matter what. You're gonna get practice in that all the time. That actually translates so well to leading teams, to having leadership roles in the workforce in your professional world, because I think. If you can be flexible, you can be adaptable. That actually creates some safety for a team. Mm-hmm. Like if you're leading other people, that's gonna. Your people are gonna perform better. Whatever you're working towards is gonna be better. Mistakes aren't gonna feel super big. You're gonna see opportunity through the mistake. Of course, like mistakes happen. We don't love them and we don't want them, but they actually can help bring innovation. So those three, I think, and the transparency piece of like, not every day are we gonna feel a hundred. If we have 80% be okay with that, be transparent about it, and then bring the full 80%. Don't bring 40% just because you have 80%. So yeah.

Becky Hamm: 21:19

Well then when your team sees that, that transparency, when you show up. Professionally, but when you show Absolutely. Yeah. Transparently about where you are, you're giving them permission to be full human beings too. Right? 100%. They feel more supported with whatever they have that's going on outside of the job, and nobody has to tell you the details unless they Right, but, but just that you signaling I'm showing up as a whole complete person. That's the permission for them to do the same. Yes. And I know that can feel scary to a supervisor or a manager because there's somewhere like hardwired in corporate culture that people are gonna take advantage of that.

Dana North: 21:59

Yeah.

Becky Hamm: 22:00

In my experience, that has not been the case in my experience. People appreciate that so deeply because it can be pretty rare. Yes. That they can double down on. Showing up and doing good, doing good work because they, they feel supported. And Abso Yeah, you can't beat that. And

Dana North: 22:18

you can't. And the reality is we are human first before we are anything else and everything else that we, it's just what we do. But we are a human and we can't escape that. So, yeah.

Becky Hamm: 22:31

So we are, uh, I am a big fan of lifelong learning. We are a big fan Yes. Of lifelong learning here at Joyfully Unstoppable. So what would be a book, a podcast, something that you would recommend to listeners?

Dana North: 22:43

Yes. Okay. I have two that I love. They're very different. One is a podcast, um, it's the Rich Roll Podcast. Rich Roll is a, now he's an author. He's a former attorney. Went through crazy life change'cause of health issues, but he interviews an array of people with different expertise. And the nuggets that I have gleaned from that podcast are incredible. They tend to be longer so. You know, fair warning. Um, so that one, and then this one is very short. So on the other side of the spectrum, and it's an email, it's a Monday through Friday email, um, it's called the Good Trade. It's kind of like helps me feel like a human and engage with my own humanness, which to me is very helpful. So I would say those two things, the Good Trade and Ritual podcast. I love that. Thank you.

Becky Hamm: 23:34

I don't know either one of them, so that great. That's why I asked the question. It helps me to, to, um, find new things to discover. So thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah, absolutely. If you check'em out, I hope you like'em. Yeah, I'm sure I will. So, Dana, as we wrap up, tell our listeners where they can find you. We'll have all of it linked in the description box, but how can folks reach out if they wanna know more?

Dana North: 23:54

So, um, brand, well Studio, it's a brand and marketing studio. You can find us@brandwellmarketing.co online. We also have Instagram, which is Instagram brand well marketing, and then the motherhood side also Instagram just go and, and motherhood. And then you can find me Dana North on LinkedIn as well as we have company pages for the other two. So.

Becky Hamm: 24:19

Excellent. Thank you Dana. Thank you so much for coming on. Joyfully Unstoppable. I know, uh, that this conversation today has inspired, prepared listeners, uh, to lead with greater confidence and clarity and, um, and so I deeply appreciate your being here. Yes, thank you so much. Thank you. And now if this episode spoke to you, I would love for you to share it with a friend who's running on empty. We need more women leading from alignment, not adrenaline, and don't forget to like and subscribe. you can also grab one of our free resources, like the Mental Load Reset or the values clarification exercise@womenleadwell.net and LinkedIn, the show notes below. Remember, joyful, sustainable, and authentic leadership is possible and you deserve to enjoy every minute of it. Until next time. I'm Becky Hamm and this is Joyfully Unstoppable.