Have you ever been told that work-life balance for women in STEM is a myth?
Do you want a meaningful science career and a rooted family life —but you worry that you’re “failing at both”?
Are you running low on time, energy, and sleep, trying to keep up with grant deadlines, conferences, and kids?
Do you wonder if negotiating career shifts, flexible jobs, STEM-adjacent roles, or maternity leave is proof you’re not a serious scientist?
Welcome to Science Careers for Moms — a TOP 2.5% GLOBALLY RANKED PODCAST for women in STEM who want a career path where they can thrive in science without sacrificing their family or personal wellbeing.
Hi! I’m Anokhi Kapasi, a PhD researcher and mom of two boys. I created this show because I know what it is like to feel torn between being a serious scientist and a present mom —and to realize that “trying harder” is not a strategy.
This show is different because it integrates career and life planning strategies designed specifically for science-minded moms in a work culture that was not built for caregivers. Every episode blends interviews with other scientists who have been where you are and career planning deep-dives where you will learn the answer to questions like:
🎯 Are there decision-making frameworks to help me navigate pivots, return-to-work, academia vs. industry…or to even know what the “next right move” is?
🎯 How do I set career goals that allow me to stay ambitious, connect with my family, and feel like myself again?
🎯 Is work–life balance for working moms in STEM actually possible, and what does it look like in practice?
🎯 Can I stay in science & tech without burnout, guilt, or losing sight of myself?
STEM-trained moms, I’ll teach you how to make confident career decisions that align with your whole life —not just professional development.
🎧 FOLLOW this show and never choose between being a good mom or a good scientist again!
🗣️ GUEST INTEREST FORM: https://calendly.com/anokhi-solveformom/guests-on-solve-for-mom
📩 QUESTIONS: hello@solveformom.com
🌐 VISIT: www.SolveForMom.com for more resources & information
Episodes
Sunday Sep 14, 2025
Sunday Sep 14, 2025
If you've ever felt like your ambitious side disappeared after becoming a mom, this episode reveals why you're more ambitious than you think. Ambitious moms often struggle to recognize their own skills in managing complex family logistics and making high-stakes decisions daily.
That's exactly why I'm redefining ambition through the lens of motherhood. These 5 hidden signs are the key to recognizing your innate ambitious traits while balancing the demands of raising children, managing a household, and pursuing personal dreams.
In this episode, I'm walking you through: ⭐️ How motherhood requires managing complexity that would challenge any CEO ⭐️ Why the high-stakes decisions you make daily showcase your ambitious nature ⭐️ How your continuous adaptation to children's changing needs demonstrates growth mindset ⭐️ The way your relentless persistence through exhaustion reveals your ambitious drive ⭐️ How your long-term vision for your family mirrors visionary leadership
You don't need to choose between being an amazing mom and pursuing your personal goals—but you do need to recognize the ambitious skills you're already using every day. This framework will help you reclaim your identity as an ambitious woman who happens to be a mom.
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (3:30): Redefining traditional meaning of ambition for mothers
- (11:07): Hidden Sign #1: Managing complexity daily
- (12:26): Hidden Sign #2: Making high-stakes decisions
- (13:11): Hidden Sign #3: Continuous adaptation to changing needs
- (14:13): Hidden Sign #4: Relentless persistence through challenges
- (15:09): Hidden Sign #5: Holding a long-term vision
- (17:00): Wrap-up
Links Mentioned in Episode:
Book your Free Exploratory call 📞 with Anokhi now!
Free Resources
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
✍🏻 The go-to blog for ambitious moms
📱Free Life Planning Quiz
📝 Free Template - Personal Code of Conduct
🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information
Let's Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
➡️ Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest
❓Questions? Leave me a message
📫 E-mail hello@solveformom.com
// Meaningful Work by Aligning Your Time With Who Your Are //
Friday Sep 12, 2025
Friday Sep 12, 2025
Your feeling of being stuck isn't the problem. Your inability to balance everything isn't the problem. Self-doubt when pursuing your dreams isn't the problem. The problem is that you haven't embraced the power of "yet" in your mindset.
In this episode, I'm sharing how I went from feeling defeated by unachieved goals...to finally transforming my personal growth journey through one tiny three-letter word. From reframing "can't" statements to celebrating micro-wins—I've built a system that creates space for growth amid real life.
And the best part? You can do this too.
I'm walking you through what adding "yet" to your vocabulary does for your brain, what micro-tasks can accomplish when you're feeling overwhelmed, and the exact mindset shifts that made this transformation possible—so you can achieve your ambitious mom life without feeling like a failure.
If you're ready to stop feeling defeated by unchecked boxes and unmet goals, hit play so you can achieve your ambitious mom life!
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (3:23): Introduction: The power of adding "yet" to your inner dialogue
- (4:18): The science behind growth mindset and how "yet" transforms your brain
- (12:21): How growth mindset and life planning work together
- (14:51): Mindset Shift #1: How to get out of black and white thinking
- (16:14): Mindset Shift #2: Breaking goals into simple micro-tasks
- (18:33): Mindset Shift #3: How to activate neural reinforcement with progress
- (21:51): Recap & Practical application
Links Mentioned in Episode:
Book your Free Exploratory call 📞 with Anokhi now!
📖 Negativity Bias - Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5(4), 323-370.
📖 Stress on working moms - Kahn, S., & Moore, M. (2018). The motherhood penalty: A meta-analysis of the effects of motherhood on women's career outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 103(5), 547-566.
Free Resources
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
✍🏻 The go-to blog for ambitious moms
📱Free Life Planning Quiz
📝 Free Template - Personal Code of Conduct
🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information
Let's Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
❓Questions? Leave me a message
➡️ Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest
📫 E-mail hello@solveformom.com
// Life Planning Tools for Moms Who Want to Make a Difference ay Home & Work //
Monday Aug 25, 2025
Monday Aug 25, 2025
Do you ever find that your thoughts and emotions are holding you back? Today's episode is Part 1 of my conversation with Lesley Alberts, host of The Grounded Mama Podcast, to talk about how nervous system regulation can be the foundation for personal growth for high-achieving moms.
You are an amazing mama. You have a DESIRE TO RECONNECT WITH YOUR AMBITIONS —but to truly GROW MINDFULLY without stress, overstimulation, or burnout — you need nervous system strategies, avoiding triggers for anxiety, and building grounding habits.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
🧠 Why regulating your nervous system is essential for personal growth and identity
🧠 How somatic coaching helps moms process stored stress responses
🧠 Practical ways to ground yourself during overwhelming moments as a busy mom
🧠 How simple daily techniques can help you feel more regulated and present
Let's get you back on track today with this deep dive into nervous system regulation for ambitious moms!
Selected Quotable Moments
"True failure happens when you sit on the sidelines and you just wish and hope and wonder what if."
“Our mind is a great tool to help keep us safe, but we need to learn how to put the seatbelt on it and put it in the backseat versus the driver.”
“There are so many ‘shoulds’ in this world, and there's so much fear, guilt, and shame instilled with being productive.”
Episode Highlights
- (00:00): Teaser
- (2:10): Introduction to Lesley Alberts and her background
- (4:15): Perfectionism in high-achievers
- (09:00): What is trauma-informed somatic coaching and how it helps moms
- (15:02): What to focus on during life transitions & survival mode
- (16:04): Signs someone might benefit from nervous system regulation
- (24:06): How motherhood changes our identity and relationship with achievement
- (32:24): Simple grounding techniques for busy moms
- (38:24): Wrap-up
Lesley’s Links Mentioned:
🎧 Podcast: The Grounded Mama
▶️ Lesley’s Journey of discovering her nervous system was dysregulated
IG: @groundedmamapodcast
Free Resources
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
✍🏻 The go-to blog for ambitious moms
📱Free Life Planning Quiz
📝 Free Template - Personal Code of Conduct
🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information
Let's Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
❓Questions? Leave me a message
➡️ Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest
📫 E-mail hello@solveformom.com
// Life Planning Tools for Moms Who Want to Make a Difference ay Home & Work //
Friday Aug 15, 2025
Friday Aug 15, 2025
Hello Ambitious Mom!
Are you drowning in information but struggling to make it stick? Do you capture interesting ideas from podcasts, books, or meetings only to forget them when you actually need them? Perhaps you've tried taking notes during conversations but ended up unable to stay present in the moment?
As ambitious moms, we're constantly building our knowledge base, driven by our deep desire for personal growth and self-improvement. Yet the information overload we experience can make it difficult to capture and hold onto valuable knowledge.
In today's episode, I'm sharing how to transform your cluttered notes into a knowledge base that works for your busy mom life. You'll learn effective note-taking strategies that allow you to be present in the moment while still building your knowledge base for future use.
This episode is packed with practical solutions to help you maintain your intellectual identity while efficiently managing your precious time. Whether you're juggling corporate responsibilities with family life or simply want to reclaim mental space, these techniques will help you process information more effectively.
If you're ready to turn your cluttered notes into useful learning, hit play and together we can Achieve Your Ambitious Mom Life!
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Listener question about taking notes
- (2:45): 📌 Ask me your question
- (3:15): Introduction to information processing challenges for busy moms
- (6:46): Versatile note-taking strategies for different situations
- (13:38): Building a personalized knowledge hub that works for you
- (15:31): Different knowledge management approaches (Second Brain, Atomic Notes, Zettelkasten)
- (18:56): Features of knowledge bases
- (21:30): How to actually apply what you learn
- (23:16): 📌 Get the twice monthly newsletter
- (23:44): Wrap-up & Recap
Links Mentioned in Episode:
⏮️ EP 62: How to Create an Information Management System for High-Achieving Moms [Community Question]
Free Resources
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
✍🏻 The go-to blog for ambitious moms
📱Free Life Planning Quiz
Book your Free Exploratory call 📞 with Anokhi now!
📝 Free Template - Personal Code of Conduct
🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information
// Create Balance Through Effective Knowledge Management //
Let's Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
➡️ Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest
// Life Planning Tools for Moms Who Want to Make a Difference //
Monday Aug 11, 2025
Monday Aug 11, 2025
Hello Wonderful Mom!
Are you're feeling out of touch or uncertain about your next professional step? If you’ve been a stay-at-home mom or had a career pause and now find yourself saying, "I've had time off from paid work and now I'm considering my options for going back," then you’ll want to hear today’s episode.
Many of us who have faced a major decision about going back to work have had to do so without much guidance. That’s why in today's episode, I share three powerful strategies to help you move forward with confidence so you can bridge the gap between your stay-at-home mom experience and your next career chapter. These practical power moves will transform your career pause into a strategic advantage, allowing you to create work that truly aligns with your life as a mom while showcasing all the valuable skills you've gained along the way.
This is a show about career planning after a pause that will help you reframe your SAHM experience into transferable skills, determine your ideal job parameters, and align your next professional role with your broader life vision.
If you're ready to find the perfect job that aligns with your mom life, hit play and together we can Achieve Your Ambitious Mom Life!
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (2:18): Listener review
- (3:07): The career confidence gap many moms face after time away
- (8:49): Power Move #1: Identify your transferrable skills
- (12:49): Power Move #2: Select your job parameters
- (17:02): Power Move #3: Use your Life Plan to define your role
- (17:27): Create your Life Plan - 📞 Free Exploratory call
- (18:30): How to implement these strategies starting today
- (20:00): Recap
Links Mentioned in Episode:
🎯 Book your Free Exploratory call with Anokhi to create your custom life plan
➡️ Tag @solveformom on LinkedIn and Pinterest
Free Resources
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
✍🏻 The go-to blog for ambitious moms
📱Free Life Planning Quiz
📝 Free Template - Personal Code of Conduct
🌐 Visit solveformom.com for more information
Let's Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
❓Questions? Leave me a message
// Life Planning Tools for Moms Who Want to Make a Difference //
Sunday Jun 29, 2025
Sunday Jun 29, 2025
Hello Goal-driven Mama!
Do you often feel like you don't have time for fitness? Are you torn between taking care of your family and yourself? Have you tried intense workout programs only to abandon them when life gets hectic?
So many high-achieving moms struggle with the same challenge – including me! We want to prioritize health without sacrificing precious family time.
In today's episode, I talk with Rachel DeSonier, a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, and mom of 5 who specializes in helping women build confidence through simple, effective strength training routines. Rachel shares practical advice for moms who want to get stronger and feel better without spending hours at the gym.
Our conversation is full of topics that I was surprised to find were related to fitness:
- How to deprioritize
- Honesty & purpose
- Black & white thinking
- Being a steward of your body
- Boundaries
- Building huts
- Emotional eating
If you're ready to find a no-guilt, sustainable system to fitness that fits into your busy mom life, hit play and together we can Achieve Your Ambitious Mom Life!
Selected Quotable Moments
"I think that a really great way to have fantastic fitness - whether you need weight loss, you're wanting to get strong, or your wish to be more functional as you age - is to really start small and be really strategic with what you choose to implement.”
"The mindset shift that I take is making sure that what we say aligns with what our schedule goes to."
"All exercise is, is communicating what sort of adaptation you want your body to develop. Strength training signals to your body that we need bigger muscles to move this load next time."
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (2:31): Greeting
- (4:09): Rachel shares the exciting trend of moms focusing on fitness for long-term health
- (6:02): Why the all-or-nothing approach fails most women and what to do instead
- (11:06): A mindset shift to prioritizing healthy habits & modeling for your family
- (12:48): Life planning is a simple system for aligning your core values
- (15:49): How to start small with strategic fitness implementations & adapting to challenges to build confidence and mental resilience
- (19:30): How strength training can be more time-efficient than other workouts
- (20:13): A holistic approach to health includes nutrition & meal planning to support strength training
- (21:20): How to tackle overwhelm related to individualized health goals
- (23:48): Wrap-up & Rachel's plan to create impact
Rachel’s Links Mentioned:
- 🎧 Podcast: Effective Weight Loss for Moms
- FB Group: Strength Training for Moms
- IG: @effectivefitnessforwomen
- 🏋️♀️ Downloadable freebie: No Fear Weight Room Tour
Connect with Anokhi:
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
🎯 Balanced Mom Coaching Program
📱 Solve for Mom group on LinkedIn
❓ Questions? Email me at hello@solveformom.com
// Optimize Daily Decisions By Aligning Your Time to Your Values //
Friday May 23, 2025
Friday May 23, 2025
Hello Amazing Mama!
Do you keep saying "someday" to your dreams? Are you putting your personal goals on the back burner while helping everyone else with theirs? If you're tired of waiting for the "perfect moment" that never seems to come, you’ll want to listen in on today’s mini-episode!
Since "someday" isn't a real date on your calendar, I share why planning for a vague “later” can only get you so far and how it's actually stealing from your identity. I drop some truth bombs about the real reasons we procrastinate on our personal goals. I also provide practical strategies to take action without waiting to feel “ready.”
If you’re ready to transform those dreams into reality, hit play and together we can solve for Mom!
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Introduction and exciting news about our new Friday mini-episodes
- (1:54): Understanding why we put our dreams on hold
- (2:26): Why the "one day" strategy doesn't work
- (2:37): 1. Overwhelm
- (3:06): 2. Perfectionism
- (3:53): 3. Fear & uncertainty
- (4:17): 4. Imposter syndrome
- (4:32): Sign-up for the free newsletter
- (4:50): 5. Procrastination
- (5:21): How to take action without waiting to feel "ready"
- (9:05): 🎯 Strategy sessions with Anokhi (start with a free exploratory call)
Resources Mentioned:
📞 Complimentary Exploratory Call
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE weekly tips, tools, and exclusives
Let’s Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
📱 Solve for Mom group on LinkedIn
❓ Questions? Email me at hello@solveformom.com
// Work-life balance for ambitious moms through purposeful planning //
Friday May 09, 2025
Friday May 09, 2025
Hello Amazing Mom!
Are you feeling stuck in a cycle of negative self-talk? Do you catch yourself saying "I'm too..." or "I'm not enough" more often than you'd like? Many moms struggle with balancing their external responsibilities while their internal dialogue remains unbalanced.
In today’s special Mother’s Day Bonus episode, I share a powerful mindset shift about balance that goes beyond just managing your schedule. Learn how your thoughts shape your actions and discover practical tips for rewiring your neural connections with more empowering messages.
If you're ready to transform your internal dialogue and create more balance in your life, hit play and together we can solve for Mom!
Episode Highlights
- (0:00): Teaser
- (0:59): Empowering thoughts to envision a balanced life
- (2:14): Feeling calm with a balanced mindset
- (4:11): Meaningful thoughts to improve mental well-being
- (5:25): How to re-balance rigid thinking
- (4:50): Subscribe to the SFM Newsletter
Resources Mentioned:
💌 Become an SFM Insider for FREE twice monthly tips, tools, and exclusives
📖 ”How to be a Healthy Gamer” by Alok Kanojia
Let’s Connect!
👍🏽 Tap +Follow and never miss an episode. Leave me a 🤩 rating & review—your support helps other moms find the show!
🎯 Balanced Mom Coaching Program
📱 Solve for Mom group on LinkedIn
❓ Questions? Email me at hello@solveformom.com
// Find Time By Aligning Daily Decisions to Your Values //