THE FINE LINE | with Neha Ruch
The Fine Line | with NEHA RUCH
Neha Ruch — a thought leader, speaker, and the founder of Mother Untitled — has become a leading voice in the conversation about balancing career ambition and family life. Through her platform, she supports women navigating career pauses for motherhood, encouraging them to redefine success on their own terms. Neha’s work shines a light on the untold realities of motherhood and career ambition, offering a fresh perspective on stay-at-home motherhood that resonates with hundreds of thousands of women today.
After a decade in brand strategy and earning her MBA from Stanford, Neha chose to downshift her career following the birth of her second child. Confronting outdated stereotypes about stay-at-home moms, she launched Mother Untitled to provide a space for women embracing ‘The Gray Area,’ rethinking what it means to balance personal fulfillment and professional ambition.
Neha’s new book, The Power Pause: How to Plan a Career Break After Kids — and Come Back Stronger Than Ever, builds on this important dialogue, providing practical advice for women on how to approach career breaks with confidence and clarity. Her work deeply aligns with the core themes of The Fine Line, addressing the questions that sparked the creation of Brigade Events when Justine saw her women colleagues leave the workforce to become mothers, grappling with their identities and the uncertainty of returning to their careers. In this conversation, Neha explores how to navigate the seasons of motherhood and entrepreneurship, how to talk to your kids about your work, and how to prioritize ambition, family, and personal fulfillment.
How has becoming a mother positively influenced your career?
Motherhood ended up being what I sought in business school — but better.
It was a train stop to surround myself with smart people and see what came next. In having my first son, Bodie, in 2016, I found a sense of purpose and “enoughness” I’d been missing for a long while. I chose to downshift and eventually pause my career to make room for more time with him… and honestly, more time to figure out this new version of myself.
Ultimately, it inspired me to build Mother Untitled as a way to reshape the narrative that downshifting or pausing your career is somehow incompatible with ambition, traditional success, or that it's a career-ender. For a long time, I was planting the seeds for this work in the form of a smaller platform, working mostly within the quieter hours of motherhood. It became a lesson in playing the long game, timing, and knowing the right moment for something larger would come.
As my kids grew older and culture shifted — especially in the post-pandemic world, where the idea of career breaks was ripe for reexamination — I found myself empowered with the confidence to trust my intuition and block out the external noise.
How do you stay connected with your family while managing a busy career as an author and leading Mother Untitled?
I try and take it season by season.
Leading up to the book launch of The Power Pause in Fall 2024, I knew it would be a busy time, so I made intentional choices about what I would prioritize and what I would let go of for this season.
I accepted that I wouldn’t be able to make it to school pick-up as often, and I bumped up our after-school babysitter to four afternoons per week.
I also decided I wanted to reserve evenings for family, so I dialed down my social commitments. I committed to keeping my phone out of reach (in another room) from 5PM to 8PM when my kids are home so I could be fully present to them. Then, before bed, I make sure to do the same for my husband. Even if I go out one evening a week, I still aim to get into bed by 9PM so we can unwind together, stay connected, and continue feeling like a team.
Now that the book launch is behind me, I'm giving myself space in this new season to find a rhythm that includes more time with friends again.
What advice do you have for working moms?
‘Right now’ are two magical words.
When women consider pausing or downshifting, I encourage them to remember this is just for ‘right now’ — and they can always reevaluate.
The same applies during the busier seasons of life.
How do you involve your children in understanding your work, and what do you hope they learn from watching your career?
My kids inspire my work, so I talk to them often about how my time with them has shaped my thoughts on confidence, goals, friendship, and creativity. I explain how much of my growth in these areas happened while they were right there with me.
I’ve shared with them that as they’ve grown, I’ve felt more ready to grow Mother Untitled too. They understand that it’s been a fluid journey — that I care deeply about this work, but also that it’s ever-evolving and ever-shifting.
If I do my work well, I hope they won’t think in terms of 'stay-at-home' or 'working' parent. Instead, I want them to simply know that I was doing meaningful work and that I was present for them.
Who are a few women founders and/or women-owned businesses that you're excited about?
Elisa Marshall, founder of maman, the NYC-born French bakery, café, and event space. She leads the way in building a consistent brand. Despite growing to nearly 35 locations across the East Coast, she’s stayed true to her vision, showing that the best brands are deeply authentic.
Sara Naghedi, the founder of Naghedi Bags, has been such a powerhouse to watch. As a mother and creator of one of the most versatile and chic accessories, she’s designed bags that not only serve but also elevate the day-to-day life of motherhood.
There is also a whole new realm of portfolio businesses that I’m inspired by, like my friend Liz Teich, who has a booming presence on Instagram. She makes style accessible, while collaborating on a wide range of projects with everyone from corporate clients to celebrities.
FOLLOW ALONG
Follow Neha at @motheruntitled.
Support her latest book, The Power Pause.
Follow Brigade Events and stay tuned for the next iteration of The Fine Line at @brigadeevents.
We’d be honored to include you — or a woman you admire — in this series. If you or someone you know has a story to share, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us at carly@ingoodcompanypr.com. Together, we can uplift, support, and redefine leadership for the next generation.
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