WORK Conversations: Emily Tisch Sussman

WORK Conversations: Emily Tisch Sussman — Episode Summary

Podcast: Work with Erika Ayers Badan
Host: Erika Ayers Badan
Guest: Emily Tisch Sussman
Date: March 20, 2026

Overview

This episode features a candid conversation between Erika Ayers Badan and Emily Tisch Sussman, host of the "She Pivots" podcast. The discussion centers on the concept of personal and professional pivots—how major life changes (such as motherhood) can reshape identity and career, and why embracing vulnerability, uncertainty, and reinvention is vital, particularly for women. The episode weaves in themes around efficiency, redefining success, women’s sports entrepreneurship, and lessons drawn from "She Pivots" guests.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Genesis of "She Pivots" and Embracing Change

Emily introduces the impetus behind her podcast:
- After a high-powered political career in D.C., becoming a mother to three children in under four years, and the onset of the pandemic, Emily experienced a crisis of identity and purpose.
  - Quote: “My career is dead, and my identity is also dead with it. Like, I did not step back from my career because I wanted to spend more time with my kids. I didn’t.” (01:32)
- She didn’t connect to cultural narratives of resilience, which often imply a "return to normal":
  - Quote: “Resilience implies, like, going back to the same way that you were before. Like, I’m different.” (04:12)
Sought stories from other women who made personal decisions that sparked professional pivots—aiming to move culture forward by embracing vulnerability and specificity.
- Quote: “I actually think it’s the really vulnerable, specific, individual story. So let’s narrow in on that.” (03:23)

2. Redefining Success & Learning Efficiency

Transitioning from ‘outworking’ to working smarter:
- Motherhood forced Emily to relinquish her former identity as an indefatigable worker.
  - Quote: “Something that I used to take a lot of pride in in my work is that I could just outwork anybody.” (05:00)
- New priorities: efficiency, delegation, clear boundaries.
  - Quote: “Because being really present with my kids and being able to do pick up and drop off is a priority, I can be super efficient in the hours that I am working.” (05:21)
Acknowledging and processing the emotional fallout:
- Emily describes feelings of depression and loss when her old value signifiers—her work, her competence—felt out of reach.
  - Quote: “I felt like I had no value because the things that I had put value on for myself, I didn’t have them.” (05:52)

3. The Process of Pivoting

Practical advice for career transitions:
- Step 1: Clarify what you’re moving toward (values, autonomy, creativity) and what you’re moving away from (“I don’t want to commute anymore”).
  - “Being specific about what you want out of it does not mean going to the form. It’s more abstract. It’s like, I want to be autonomous and creative.” (08:27)
- Step 2: Consult friends for perspective on transferable skills—a key insight, as people often overlook their strengths.
  - “You also may not realize what your skills are and how transferable they are.” (09:06)
- Step 3: Broaden your network by speaking to people in the desired industry and understanding key differences (language, metrics, timelines).
- Step 4: Be realistic about pace and progress. Treat initial efforts as research and experimentation, not failures if immediate success doesn’t materialize.
  - “The first six months are market research. The next ones are trying products. Just be realistic about it.” (09:34)

4. The Challenge of Pacing & Redefining Success

Managing intensity and expectations:
- Erika muses on the difficulty of slowing down after years of hustling.
  - Quote (Erika): “It was great in my 20s...slightly less great than that in my 40s.” (09:41)
- Emily notes that definitions of success must evolve:
  - “My earlier career version of success was title, compensation, access to information...Now my definition of success is: Can I do something impactful in the hours that I have, and then can I be present with my kids?” (10:37)
- Acknowledges the difficulty of setting personal (rather than work/family) goals, and learning to protect her own bandwidth for maximum value creation.

5. Experimentation & Openness

Practicality and play in career moves:
- Emily tried two podcast concepts before landing on "She Pivots," illustrating the value of experimentation.
  - Quote: “I’m a big proponent of, like, just try it. Like, try something once. I don’t have to decide the rest of my life is gonna be tied to this new thing that I’m doing.” (11:47)

6. Universal Patterns in Pivots (from "She Pivots" guests)

Emily shares three core lessons:
- You can pivot at any age—guests span from 20s to 80s.
  - “You can do it at any age.” (13:06)
- The process is messy, and the outcome is unknown in the middle.
  - “When you’re in that hard moment, you don’t necessarily know you’re gonna come out of it in a successful way...It’s gonna be really bad. Otherwise, it doesn’t force you to change.” (13:21)
- Universally, her guests are glad they made the leap.
  - “They’re really happy that they did it. Because that thing that you had before, like, maybe you bring pieces of it with you, and you’ve lost the things that don’t matter.” (13:55)

7. Ongoing Evolution and Cultural Impact

Emily identifies as "constantly pivoting," moving from legislative change to cultural change:
- “My whole career was in legislative change...I never thought I’d be in this span of culture change.” (14:51)
- Finds deep meaning in helping women share their stories of reinvention, especially in challenging times.

8. Women’s Sports Entrepreneurship: Gotham FC & Family Ties

Gotham FC and the business of women’s sports:
- Emily and her sister, leveraging their family's stake in the New York Giants, took controlling ownership of Gotham FC, New York's women's soccer team, in 2023.
  - Quote: “It became clear that the biggest opportunity is women’s sports, particularly women’s soccer. So we became the controlling owners of Gotham FC, the New York team, in 2023.” (17:20)
- Her sister now presides over the club and the league—true examples of career pivots and visionary redefinition.
- The team’s challenge: Transforming from a sports team to a live events, cultural-centric brand, attracting families and casual fans, not just hardcore supporters.
  - “We had to reorient ourselves from, like, a sports team to a live events business...how do we become part of a family’s regular activity?” (20:26 and 20:43)

9. Notable Moments & Quotes

On cultural narratives of work:
- Erika: “When a man has three kids, he’s not like, fuck, I’m out of my big job. You know what I mean? But for a woman, like, yes, let’s hope we get there.” (02:29)
On feeling disconnected:
- Emily: “I was just like a bad mom who didn’t feel connected to her babies...like, don’t I have a higher use than this?” (05:52–05:59)
On embracing a new identity:
- Erika: “Just embracing the...these are my new rules. These are my principles now. And I’m gonna go make it.” (07:09)
On trying new things:
- Emily: “I’m just playing. I’m just...splashing in.” (12:04–12:07)
On women’s sports' potential:
- Emily: “The biggest opportunity is women’s sports, particularly women’s soccer.” (17:20)
- Erika: “Just the world is really opened up for women’s sports and more nascent sports, which lacrosse was at the time.” (18:19)

Timestamps for Key Segments

[00:00–03:23] – Introductions and the urge for new conversations about women’s pivots
[03:23–05:34] – Personal crash and the search for meaning and efficiency after having children
[05:34–07:22] – Depression, loss, and the necessity of embracing a new version of self
[07:22–09:41] – Step-by-step on pivoting: clarity, transferable skills, and realistic expectations
[09:41–11:44] – On pace, redefining success, and protecting one’s own bandwidth
[11:44–13:05] – Experimentation, multiple podcast concepts, and evolving personal goals
[13:06–14:43] – Three universal truths about pivots from "She Pivots" guests
[14:51–15:48] – Perpetual evolution and current fulfillment in culture work
[15:48–17:19] – The business of Gotham FC and the women’s sports investment boom
[17:19–21:35] – Building Gotham FC’s brand, fanbase, and family-friendly culture in sport

Memorable Quotes

“Resilience implies, like, going back to the same way that you were before. Like, I’m different.” – Emily (04:12)
“Something that I used to take a lot of pride in in my work is that I could just outwork anybody.” – Emily (05:00)
“Just be realistic. Like, the first six months are market research. The next ones are trying products.” – Emily (09:34)
“My earlier career version of success was title, compensation, access to information...Now my definition of success is: Can I do something impactful in the hours that I have, and then can I be present with my kids?” – Emily (10:37)
“I’m a big proponent of, like, just try it. Like, try something once...I’m just playing. I’m just splashing in.” – Emily (11:47–12:07)
“You can do it at any age.” – Emily (13:06)
“They’re really happy that they did it. Because that thing that you had before, like, maybe you bring pieces of it with you, and you’ve lost the things that don’t matter.” – Emily (13:55)
“The biggest opportunity is women’s sports, particularly women’s soccer.” – Emily (17:20)

Resources & Where To Find More

She Pivots: Available on all podcast platforms and Instagram; newsletter at the She Pivots website
Emily Tisch Sussman: Findable via She Pivots’ online platforms and on LinkedIn
Gotham FC: Plays at Sports Illustrated Stadium, Newark, NJ

This episode is an inspiring, incisive dive into the emotional and practical realities of significant life and career pivots, especially for women—delivered with humor, honesty, and actionable advice.