This episode brings together Rebecca Robertson and Elizabeth Willetts, founder of Investing in Women, for a powerful conversation about flexible work, motherhood, career identity and the financial realities women face. Elizabeth’s story is one many women will recognise: ambition, early career success, the desire for motherhood, the emotional toll of fertility struggles and the challenge of reshaping a career around family life.
Their conversation explores how women’s careers evolve, how money influences choices and how flexible work can empower women to stay in the workforce without sacrificing their wellbeing or identity.
From Huddersfield to the City: The Thrill of Early Career Success
Elizabeth began her career in one of the world’s largest recruitment agencies, placing qualified accountants into major banks. She describes the excitement of arriving in London from a small village, stepping into fast‑paced offices, and being surrounded by ambition, energy, and opportunity. Recruitment was not something she planned, but it quickly became something she excelled at.
She loved the buzz, the pace, the people and the sense of achievement. She loved earning money. She loved the competitive environment. She loved seeing her name on the board, hitting targets and earning commission. It was empowering.
If you want to explore this theme, you can look at women in recruitment or explore career confidence.
The Psychology of Money and Early Independence
Elizabeth always worked. She had a paper round as soon as she could. She worked in cafés. She loved earning her own money and spending it. She loved independence. She loved not needing to ask her parents for anything.
This early relationship with money shaped her confidence and her career choices. It also shaped her belief in women’s financial independence. But she also saw how quickly independence can shift when women step into motherhood.
If you want to explore this, you can look at financial independence or explore money mindset.
When Motherhood Meets Career: The Trade‑Offs Women Face
Elizabeth always knew she wanted children. She also knew she wanted to be a stay‑at‑home mum, because that was the model she grew up with. Her recruitment job was long hours, intense, and incompatible with the motherhood she envisioned. So she made a bold decision: she left her job and retrained as a colour consultant and beauty therapist.
She and her husband even bought a house with a studio so she could run her business from home. It was entrepreneurial, creative and aligned with her dream of being present for her future children.
But life does not always follow the plan.
If you want to explore this, you can look at career planning for motherhood or explore work‑life balance.
The Emotional Toll of Fertility Struggles
Elizabeth’s business was thriving, but she and her husband were struggling to conceive. The environment of her work — intimate conversations with women, constant questions about children — became emotionally painful. Every client asking “Do you have kids?” felt like a small cut.
She found herself spending hours online, searching forums, reading stories, trying to make sense of her own journey. Eventually she realised she needed to return to corporate work for her mental wellbeing.
But returning was not easy. The job she once loved now felt heavy. She cried on train platforms. She cried walking around St Paul’s at lunchtime. She felt like she had failed. She felt stuck between two identities: the career woman she once was and the mother she desperately wanted to be.
If you want to explore this, you can look at fertility and career or explore emotional resilience.
Miscarriage, Grief and the Silence Around Women’s Experiences
Elizabeth eventually became pregnant, but suffered a miscarriage. Her boss was supportive and gave her paid time off, which was rare at the time. But the emotional impact was enormous. Miscarriage is still not spoken about enough, and women often carry the grief quietly while continuing to work, perform and show up.
Rebecca reflects on how women are expected to endure so much — fertility treatments, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause — often without adequate support or workplace understanding.
If you want to explore this, you can look at miscarriage support or explore women’s health at work.
Why Flexible Work Matters More Than Ever
Elizabeth’s experiences eventually led her to create Investing in Women, a job board and community dedicated to flexible, part‑time and family‑friendly roles. She saw firsthand how rigid work structures push women out of the workforce, reduce their earnings and widen the gender pay gap.
Flexible work is not a luxury. It is a necessity for retaining women in the workplace. It is a tool for financial independence. It is a way to prevent women from being financially vulnerable, especially if relationships break down or life circumstances change.
If you want to explore this, you can look into flexible work options or ways to close the gender pay gap.
The Fear of Selling and Why Women Hold Themselves Back
Rebecca and Elizabeth dive into a fascinating discussion about sales. Elizabeth loved sales. She loved the chase, the targets, the commission. But many women in business fear selling. They worry about seeming pushy, unethical or “too much.” They fear rejection. They fear judgement. They fear being seen.
Rebecca explains how selling feels different when it is personal — when you are selling your own service, your own expertise, your own identity. Women often unintentionally repel money because they feel uncomfortable receiving it.
If you want to explore this, you can look at sales confidence or explore money blocks.
Reinventing Your Career After Motherhood
Elizabeth’s story is one of reinvention. She built a corporate career. She built a business. She navigated fertility struggles. She returned to corporate work. She became a mother. And she eventually built a new business that aligns with her values, experience, and her mission to empower women.
Her journey shows that careers are not linear. They evolve. They shift. They respond to life. And flexible work is often the bridge that allows women to continue thriving professionally while honouring their personal lives.
If you want to explore this, you can look into career reinvention or find meaningful work.
Rebecca Robertson in the Accelerating Your Wealth podcast.
