The Modern Load

S01 EP04: Emmie Faust

What does modern family life really feel like when both work and home are always switched on? In this episode of the Modern Load Podcast (MOLO), host Sophie Bruce is joined by Emmie Faust - mum of four, founder of Female Founders Rise, micro-angel investor, and creator of the Rise Report on female entrepreneurship. Emmie reflects on the difference between the structured, traditional upbringing she experienced and the fast-paced, always-on reality of raising children today. From boarding school and family job charts to London life, entrepreneurship, childcare, school admin, phones, extracurricular chaos and the invisible logistics of running a household, this is a thoughtful and honest conversation about the modern load in action. What we cover: - Growing up with clear family roles and expectations - What changes when both parents work - Why modern family life can feel like a logistics operation - The invisible work behind school, childcare and household admin - How Emmie and Alex reshaped responsibility after burnout - The idea of taking turns to “shine” in your career - Why work-life balance feels different for entrepreneurs - The reality of building a business while raising children - The pressure children face today - Social media, phones and teenage independence - Childcare, female entrepreneurship and the wider economy Chapters: 00:00 – Introducing Emmie Faust 01:10 – Growing up in a traditional family structure 03:20 – Education, pressure and early expectations 06:00 – Boarding school and independence 08:45 – Family jobs, simplicity and childhood routines 11:20 – How modern family life feels different 14:00 – Running a household like a logistics operation 16:30 – Splitting responsibility as parents 19:40 – Burnout, recovery and changing the family dynamic 22:30 – Taking turns to shine in your career 25:00 – Entrepreneurship, parenting and switching off 28:10 – Why modern life feels so much busier 31:20 – Moving out of London and coming back 35:00 – Children, resilience and disruption 38:00 – Pressure on children today 41:00 – Independence, parties and parental worry 44:00 – Women, work, childcare and entrepreneurship 48:00 – The digital demands of modern family life 51:00 – Phones, social media and teenage communication 55:00 – Emmie’s first job and financial independence 58:00 – Building 11 businesses 59:30 – Final reflections 📩 Get in touch: info@moloapp.io X - https://x.com/TheModernLoad_ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themoloapp/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/molo-app/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/The-MOLO-App TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@themoloapp YouTube - / @themodernload ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

S01 EP03: Stacey van den Aardweg

Why does the mental load feel invisible, until it’s overwhelming? In this episode of the Modern Load Podcast (MOLO), host Sophie Bruce is joined by Stacey van den Aardweg to unpack the unseen weight carried across work, home, and everything in between. Stacey shares her perspective on how the mental load shows up day-to-day — from managing households and careers to the constant background processing that never really switches off. The conversation explores why this load is so often misunderstood, how it impacts relationships, and what needs to change to create a more balanced way of living. This is an honest, practical conversation about awareness, ownership, and the systems we need to rethink. What we cover: * What the “mental load” actually is — and why it’s often invisible * How the load builds across work, home, and relationships * Why it’s not just about tasks — but responsibility and anticipation * The emotional impact of carrying the load long-term * How relationships are affected by imbalance * Why awareness is the first step to change * Practical ways to better distribute responsibility * The role of communication, expectation setting, and ownership * Why modern life amplifies the pressure Chapters: 00:00 – Introducing the mental load 01:18 – What people get wrong about it 03:05 – Tasks vs responsibility 05:12 – The invisible work behind the scenes 07:40 – How the load builds over time 09:15 – Emotional impact and burnout 11:02 – Relationships and imbalance 13:24 – Why it often goes unnoticed 15:08 – Awareness as the first step 17:20 – Communication and expectation setting 19:45 – Redistributing responsibility 22:10 – Practical ways to reduce the load 24:30 – The role of modern life and pressure 27:05 – Rethinking how we approach work and home 29:40 – Final reflections and advice 📩 Get in touch: info@moloapp.io X - https://x.com/TheModernLoad_ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themoloapp/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/molo-app/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/The-MOLO-App TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@themoloapp YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheModernLoad ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

S01 EP02: Jo Living

What if the key to navigating work, parenting, and pressure… was thinking more like a poker player? In this episode of the Modern Load Podcast (MOLO), host Sophie Bruce is joined by Jo Living — entrepreneur, former investment banker, and founder of Aces High — to explore how risk, decision-making, and confidence show up in both business and family life. From growing up in a high-achieving household to building and exiting a startup, Jo shares how her relationship with money, ambition, and independence has evolved — and how poker strategy became an unexpected lens for navigating high-stakes moments at work and at home. This is a conversation about ownership, negotiation, and why trying to “do it all” might be the wrong game to play. What we cover: * Why the “modern load” is a systemic problem — not a personal failure * How childhood shapes ambition, money mindset, and independence * The reality of high-performance careers alongside parenting * Why resentment builds in relationships — and how to fix it * “Divide and conquer” vs trying to do everything together * What poker teaches us about risk, confidence, and decision-making * Why women hesitate to “play the hand” they’ve been dealt * The pressure of being a high-achieving parent (and letting go of perfection) * How to practically split the mental load in a relationship * The role of tech, distraction, and always-on expectations Chapters: 00:00 – Poker, parenting, and the modern load 01:01 – Meet Jo Living: entrepreneur, poker strategist, founder 02:30 – Growing up in a high-achieving family 04:00 – Financial shifts and early independence 05:03 – Investment banking and chasing money 05:42 – Walking away and becoming an entrepreneur 08:28 – Building and exiting a startup 09:40 – Cards, strategy, and discovering poker 12:12 – Winning her first poker tournament 13:26 – From poker table to business strategy 14:44 – Parenting, flexibility, and “divide & conquer” 16:09 – Burnout, self-care, and resetting under pressure 17:01 – Resentment and the imbalance of the load 18:21 – Careers, trade-offs, and real-world constraints 20:01 – The “perfect storm” of modern life 21:30 – Why couples misjudge the load (130% problem) 22:20 – Systemic failure vs individual blame 23:15 – Practical ways to split responsibilities 25:05 – Letting go of perfection in parenting 26:22 – Communication, negotiation, and partnership 28:14 – The myth of the “super mum” 30:24 – Parenting differences and decision-making 31:04 – Screen time, tech, and modern challenges 33:04 – Always-on culture and mental load 35:36 – Advice to younger self: know your value 36:49 – First job, money, and early lessons 📩 Get in touch: info@moloapp.io X - https://x.com/TheModernLoad_ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themoloapp/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/molo-app/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/The-MOLO-App TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@themoloapp YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheModernLoad ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

S01 EP01: Antonia Walt

What does it really mean to carry the modern load? In this episode of the Modern Load Podcast (MOLO), host Sophie Bruce sits down with Antonia Redgrove to unpack the reality of balancing career, parenting, and everything in between. Antonia shares her journey growing up in a family of nine, how that shaped her drive for independence, and what happens when ambition meets the realities of modern parenthood. From navigating childcare, career progression, and societal expectations — to the mental load that never switches off — this is an honest, grounded conversation about how people are actually making it work today. If you’re building a career, raising a family, or simply trying to stay on top of it all… this one will hit. What we cover: * The reality of the “modern load” and why it feels so overwhelming * How childhood shapes ambition, work ethic, and financial independence * The transition into parenthood — and the loss (and return) of independence * The mental load of managing work, home, and everything in between * Why modern parenting feels harder than ever * The impact of tech, expectations, and always-on culture * Practical ways couples divide responsibilities (and where it breaks down) * Rethinking ambition after becoming a parent Chapters: 00:00 – Parenthood and the shock to independence 01:32 – Growing up in a family of nine 03:14 – Financial shifts and changing family dynamics 05:12 – Early independence and work ethic 07:25 – Freedom, money, and autonomy 09:23 – Transition into parenthood 11:40 – Navigating work, childcare, and logistics 14:02 – The reality of the modern load 15:09 – Covid, careers, and parenting under pressure 18:14 – Default parenting and mental load 20:30 – Ambition vs parenting expectations 23:14 – Why modern life feels harder than ever 24:48 – The pressure we put on ourselves as parents 28:14 – Tech, distraction, and always-on culture 30:32 – Setting boundaries with technology 32:57 – First job, money, and lessons on work 📩 Get in touch: info@moloapp.io X - https://x.com/TheModernLoad_ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/themoloapp/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/molo-app/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/people/The-MOLO-App TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@themoloapp YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheModernLoad ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.