Ambition 2.0

Neha Ruch built her career in brand strategy—an MBA from Stanford, a fast climb on the corporate ladder, and a title she loved. Then she paused her career after her second child and spent the years since rebranding what a career pause actually looks like for ambitious women.  In her book, The Power Pause, Neha makes the case that stepping back from paid work isn't the opposite of ambition. It's a chapter of it. She also reframes the “stay-at-home mom” label, citing survey results showing outdated stereotypes (like apron-clad June Cleaver from Leave It to Beaver), and argues modern parenthood is more fluid with technology, networks, and involved partners.  Whether you're actively wondering, "Do I quit my job? Do I take a pause? What should I do?", or if family planning is somewhere on your radar for the next few years, or if kids aren't even part of the picture yet—this conversation is worth having early. Neha and Amanda get into how to come out the other side of a power pause with a stronger sense of self, a real community, and clarity on what's next, well before you're right in the thick of it. Key Takeaways A "power pause" is deliberately shifting time and energy toward family for a chapter, while still holding onto a sense of self and community. The most common image people associate with "stay-at-home mom" (June Cleaver) versus "working mom" (Michelle Obama, Sheryl Sandberg, Beyoncé) shows just how outdated and polarized our cultural narrative around motherhood still is. A good partner is someone who can have difficult conversations and makes you feel safe having conflict, not someone who avoids hard topics altogether. Career pauses don't have to mean fully leaving the workforce; they can look like part-time work, consulting, freelancing, or simply deprioritizing taking on demanding projects for a season. Tracking small wins during a pause can become a real, resume-worthy experience when you're ready to return to work. How to know when it’s time to return to work and how to market your power pause on LinkedIn. Working moms, stay-at-home moms, and everyone on a power pause are part of the same ecosystem, not opposing sides, and supporting each other is what actually moves the conversation forward. Timestamps 00:00 Intro  02:07 Neha's career downshift  04:03 Dealing with judgment after pausing  06:03 The power pause framework  10:59 Why stay-at-home still feels loaded  13:09 Having money talks with your partner  17:11 Dating for shared values  21:12 Trade-offs and other options than just working or not working 24:50 Returning to work after the pause  29:57 We’re part of an ecosystem, not a divide  32:58 Rapid fire questions GUEST LINKS Follow Neha: https://www.instagram.com/neha_ruch/  Website: https://www.thepowerpause.com/ Read her book: https://bookshop.org/a/116169/9780593716182  FOLLOW THE PODCAST IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss  Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/  https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast  SIGN UP  Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/   For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/  ABOUT AMBITION 2.0  Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we'll be exploring what it really means to "have it all" in work, family, identity, and self… and if it's actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who've walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever caught yourself calling your side hustle "just a little passion project" while secretly wondering if it could be your next thing—this episode is your permission slip. Amanda Goetz sits down with Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer, co-founders of Entreprenista, who quit their corporate jobs on the same day back in 2012 with zero investors, zero business plan, and one very clear number: $4,000 a month each, just to break even. Fourteen years later, they've built a +3,500-member community, scaled an agency to eight figures in cumulative revenue, and helped women found and grow thousands of businesses. We cover how they knew it was time to go all in, the real difference between a hobby and a business, whether (and when) to tell your boss about your side hustle, and why community (not funding) is what actually got them to seven figures. Key takeaways You don't need a grand plan to quit your job—you need a number: Stephanie and Courtney calculated the bare minimum they each needed to survive and used that as their revenue goal before walking away from corporate. Stephanie's litmus test: if you're already making money, you have the start of a business. But turning a hobby into a business isn't automatically the right move. Never burn a bridge, and give yourself a real timeline before walking away from a job (they gave themselves three months to prove it could work). The single biggest driver of their early growth wasn't a funding round or a growth hack. It was showing up to one random networking group and actually building relationships there. Comparing your timeline, your funding, or your exit to what you see on Instagram is a fast way to lose sight of the business you actually want to build. Both Stephanie and Courtney say if they were starting a business today, they'd go all-in on learning AI.  Timestamps  [00:00] Intro [05:05] The exact day they quit their corporate jobs [08:47] How to tell a hobby apart from a real business opportunity [10:44] The most common (and costly) mistake new founders make [11:35] Did they set out to build Socialfly to sell it? The surprising answer [14:49] How to spot your first "side hustle idea"—and use AI as a brainstorming partner [17:48] Building a business while working full-time, without burning out [20:20] Should you tell your boss about your side hustle? [23:37] Why community (not funding) is their real superpower [29:06] Rapid fire: tools, time-wasters, and the best (and worst) advice they've ever gotten GUEST LINKS Follow Entreprenista: https://www.instagram.com/entreprenistas  Join the Entreprenista League: https://www.entreprenista.com/tel-start  Follow Stephanie: https://www.instagram.com/stephjillcartin/  Follow Courtney: https://www.instagram.com/courtspritzer/  FOLLOW THE PODCAST IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss  Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/  https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast  SIGN UP  Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/   For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/  ABOUT AMBITION 2.0  Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we'll be exploring what it really means to "have it all" in work, family, identity, and self… and if it's actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who've walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Ambition 2.0, Amanda sits down with board-certified psychiatrist, researcher, and viral mental health educator Dr. Judith Joseph, MD, MBA, to talk about a form of depression that often flies under the radar: high-functioning depression. If you’re the one who “has it together” (the dependable friend, the rock at work, the caregiver who never drops the ball), but feel numb, exhausted, or joyless inside, this conversation is going to hit uncomfortably close to home (in the best way). Dr. Judith breaks down: Why so many high-achieving, caregiving women are especially vulnerable The science-backed difference between happiness (external, elusive) and joy (internal, accessible) Her framework of the five V’s of healing: validation, venting, values, vitals, and vision How people-pleasing and masochistic traits keep you stuck The surprising ways trauma, divorce, and “smaller” emotional wounds shape our ambition and burnout Why anhedonia (a loss of joy) is a red flag How PMDD, postpartum, and perimenopause can amplify everything They also get into practical tools: how to set limits with toxic people you can’t fully cut them off, how to support a friend with high-functioning depression without shaming them, and why scheduling joy is needed. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m functioning… but I’m not okay,” this episode will help you name it, understand it, and start to change it. 00:00 Intro 01:39 Judith’s story of realizing she was depressed 03:19 Why high-achieving, caregiving women are vulnerable to high-functioning depression 04:41 The difference between happiness and joy 08:30 The five V’s of healing 11:06 What masochism really means, how it became “people-pleasing,” and why women self-sacrifice 19:27 Venting vs trauma dumping 24:16 How Dr. Judith reclaimed joy through play 33:08 How to support a friend with high-functioning depression GUEST LINKS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjudithjoseph/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjudithjoseph YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmHQJaOerTsZJfOtiYz4sOg Read High Functioning: https://bookshop.org/a/116169/9780316577298 https://drjudithjoseph.com/ FOLLOW THE PODCAST IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast SIGN UP Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/ For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/ ABOUT AMBITION 2.0 Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we’ll be exploring what it really means to “have it all” in work, family, identity, and self… and if it’s actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who’ve walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have. DISCLAIMER This episode is sponsored by Bulova Crafted with over a century of heritage, the Bulova Rubaiyat collection fuses timeless design with modern femininity. From diamond-studded dials to sleek gold and silver finishes, these timepieces are proof that luxury should be anything but quiet. So, go ahead. Celebrate your milestones. Invest in yourself. Because time is on your side — and it looks so damn good on you. Discover the Bulova Rubaiyat collection at bulova.com. And get 30% off sitewide until November 28, 2025. https://bulova.sjv.io/c/3557746/3398415/16604 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if ambition didn’t mean chasing the next title, paycheck, or performance review? In this episode of Ambition 2.0, host Amanda Goetz sits down with executive coach, podcast host, and author Amina AlTai (The Ambition Trap) to unpack what ambition really means—and why it might need a full rebrand. Together, Amanda and Amina get real about how culture (and capitalism) have warped our relationship with ambition—especially for women—and how to reclaim it on our own terms. From the “core wounds” that drive our overachieving tendencies to the importance of rest, self-awareness, and setting boundaries, this episode is your permission slip to stop chasing and start living. ✍️What you’ll learn Why ambition is cyclical (seasons of push + rest) The five core wounds (Lise Bourbeau) & how they show up at work “Painful” vs “purposeful” ambition—and how to shift The five "whys" to separate ego goals from what truly lights you up The resentment line: naming needs, stating them, and negotiating How to spot toxic individualism and reframe success as a team sport Why identity is a prism (you’re more than your job title) Whether you’re deep in your hustle era or learning to rest without guilt, this convo will help you spot what’s fueling your ambition—pain or purpose—and redesign it for something sustainable, joyful, and yours. 00:00 Intro 02:14 Two camps of ambition 03:58 Core wounds & masks 08:10 Untangling identity from achievement (and capitalism’s worthiness trap) 14:17 Desire, shame, and policing women’s wants 18:34 Toxic individualism vs. team sport mentality 22:38 Mistaking passion for purpose 26:50 Finding your purpose 32:45 Living above the resentment line GUEST LINKS Amina AlTai: https://www.instagram.com/aminaaltai/?hl=en Read The Ambition Trap: https://bookshop.org/a/116169/9780593655306 https://www.aminaaltai.com/ RESOURCES MENTIONED: Lise Bourbeau’s Five Core Wounds framework Stephen Cope’s The Great Work of Your Life FOLLOW THE PODCAST IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast SIGN UP Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/ For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/ ABOUT AMBITION 2.0 Powered by Girlboss, Ambition 2.0 is a podcast where we’ll be exploring what it really means to “have it all” in work, family, identity, and self… and if it’s actually worth it. Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who’ve walked the tightrope of ambition. They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have. ABOUT HER WORKPLACE UNFILTERED Listen to Her Workplace Unfiltered—a podcast about what it really means to be a woman in the workplace. Instagram: @herworkplaceunfiltered @herworkplace TikTok: @herworkplaceunfiltered @herworkplace Watch on YouTube Join Her Workplace Follow Her Workplace on LinkedIn Subscribe to their newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the debut episode of Ambition 2.0, host Amanda Goetz sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni—the visionary co-founders of Phia, the AI-powered shopping assistant backed by Hailey Bieber, Kris Jenner, Sheryl Sandberg, and other major investors. From meeting as college roommates at Stanford and launching Phia as a class project to raising an $8M seed round for their company, Phoebe and Sophia have been through it all together. They get candid about building a tech startup from scratch, navigating friendship as co-founders, and learning how to set boundaries to avoid burnout. They open up about: The real meaning of work-life balance (and does it even exist?) Why personal branding is a superpower for founders The “ground rules” that keep their friendship—and business—thriving Lessons from their fundraising journey and startup leadership The creative philosophy behind their own podcast, The Burnouts Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or just love a good founder origin story, this episode dives deep into ambition, friendship, and what it takes to build something groundbreaking. (00:00) Intro (03:50) The origin story of Phia (05:18) Building the Phia team and shaping company culture (11:50) Raising $8M with high-profile investors (14:15) Friendship “ground rules” for co-founders (23:10) Burnout, boundaries, and balance (28:42) Work-life balance (30:45) Why personal branding matters more than ever (32:00) Rapid-fire questions (38:23) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs GUEST LINKS Phoebe Gates: https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates/ Sophia Kianni: https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni/ Phia: https://www.instagram.com/phiaco/ The Burnouts Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts/ FOLLOW THE PODCAST IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/ https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast SIGN UP Subscribe to the Girlboss Daily newsletter, filled with career inspiration and intel for ambitious women: https://newsletter.girlboss.com/ For all other Girlboss links: https://linkin.bio/girlboss/ DISCLAIMER This episode is sponsored by Semrush. Check out Semrush One, the only solution built for the next era of search. It unites Semrush’s leading traditional SEO tools with powerful AI search capabilities, all in one place, so you can make smarter, faster marketing decisions. Search moves fast, and you should have the right solution to stay ahead of the curve. Trusted by 10M+ marketers worldwide, try it today at semrush.com. #Ambition2Point0 #PhoebeGates #SophiaKianni #PhiaAI #GirlbossPodcast #WomenInBusiness #AIShopping #Startups #FemaleFounders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re in New York City or are planning a visit before January 5, 2025, you’re going to want to head to the Music Box Theatre to see Suffs The Musical. Get your tickets now at https://suffsmusical.com/ On this episode of Girlboss Radio, Avery chats with Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy's resident trend expert. If that job sounds really cool, that's because it is. Dayna spends her days interpreting data and trend insights and talking about creativity to uplift and promote Etsy's 5.4 million makers. She makes frequent TV appearances and talks to the media about emerging design trends. Yup, she knew about cottagecore way before the rest of us did. Dayna did not apply for the job she has now—but she created it by zeroing in on what she loved to do and asking Etsy's leadership to create a role that fit her talent and excitement. Avery and Dayna talked about the unusual way Dayna figured out her dream job, how to tell if a company will be a great place to work from the interview stage, and play a special round of In or Out: Design Trends Edition. 🤝 Keep up with Dayna here: https://www.instagram.com/daynaisomjohnson/ 📈 Check out Dayna’s Etsy picks here: https://www.etsy.com/featured/dayna 💌 Never miss an episode by subscribing here: girlboss.com/pages/girlboss-radio-subscribe 📷 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlbossrally/ 💻 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/girlboss 💼 Find your dream job or post open roles: https://jobs.girlboss.com/ 📚 Did you know Girlboss has courses? Check them out here: https://course.girlboss.com/collections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices