Hitha Palapu runs a pharma company, has written two books, speaks on global stages, and is raising two boys, and she'll be the first to tell you that's not the impressive part. The impressive part is knowing exactly which hyphens to own, which to pause, and when to walk away entirely.

In this conversation, Hitha and Barbara go deep on what it really takes to build a full life as a working mom — the morning routines, household systems, time management strategies, and honest trade-offs that make ambition sustainable without burning out.

What you’ll learn:

🎭 What it actually means to be a multi-hyphenate and why Hitha says most women already are one

🌅 How to structure a morning routine that protects your most important priorities

🤝 The Fair Play system for dividing household tasks with your partner and how to adapt it when life shifts

💬 Why weekly marriage meetings work (and how to run one that's half business standup, half emotional check-in)

💆‍♀️ Hitha's Gentle Wednesdays practice and why a midweek reset makes you perform better Thursday through Friday

⌛The Magic 20 List: a low-stakes way to start any creative project and know when to quit

🚀 How to build a thought leadership presence online that you can actually sustain

📚When to close a chapter, and why that's a multi-hyphenate skill, not a failure

If you're an ambitious working mom who's ever felt like you have to choose between your career and your presence, this episode is your permission slip to stop choosing.

This episode is perfect for moms searching for: how to do it all as a working mom · multi-hyphenate career · working mom morning routine · Fair Play Eve Rodsky · how to split chores with your partner · weekly marriage meeting · time management for working moms · how to start a creative project with no time · Gentle Wednesdays · thought leadership for moms · how to build a personal brand as a working mom · multi-passionate career women · work life balance for moms · ambitious mom podcast · how to stop doing everything yourself

Resources & Links Mentioned

Follow Hitha on

On Instagram here
On LinkedIn here
On Substack here

Follow Barbara:

On Instagram here
On LinkedIn here
On Substack here

About New Modern Mom: You know the dream of having it all – a thriving career, an active social life, present time with your kids, and adventures in travel. But how the F can we actually do it all? Host Barbara Mighdoll chats with other working mom executives on the raw truth behind their support systems, self-identity shifts, productivity, infertility and pregnancy loss, mom guilt, partner dynamics, childcare and even imposter syndrome. We’re exploring how these incredible women are translating their professional superpowers into their personal lives. Because we believe you can have it all, you just cannot do it all. Together, we’re building the playbook for the new modern mom.