{"podcast":{"title":"The Breadwinners Podcast","slug":"the-breadwinners-podcast-7566806","podcast_index_feed_id":7566806,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/thebreadwinners","website_url":"https://thebreadwinners.co/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/de2afeea-b8f8-11f0-afb4-dfc49638fbb1/image/30d33e19b529a190b2ab3ebdc10753e2.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Alexis Contos","episode_count":32,"summary":"They say you can't have it all — that mothers must choose between ambition and presence. But what if we're asking the wrong question? On The Breadwinners Podcast, Alexis Contos redefines what it means to be a Breadwinner in modern culture, moving it far beyond the paycheck. Through raw, honest conversations with women like Morgan Zanotti (CEO of Primal Kitchen), Nicole Trunfio (CEO of Bumpsuit), and Eve Rodsky (Author of Fair Play & Find Your Unicorn Space), we explore what it really takes to bring financial richness, emotional richness, and systemic change to our families. This isn't about balance, it's about integration. Not perfection, but wholeness. Whether you're already navigating motherhood and career, building your empire before kids arrive, or reimagining what family leadership looks like, these conversations will challenge everything you've been told about what's possible. The Breadwinners: Where ambitious mothers aren't just earning a living, they're pioneering a new era for themselves, and everyone who comes next. Learn more at thebreadwinners.co.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-14T22:17:08.536044+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-breadwinners-podcast-7566806"},"episode":{"title":"EP. 14 | Devon McDonald on the Secrets Successful Women Keep: Burnout, Mom Shame, & Rebuilding with Intention","slug":"ep-14-devon-mcdonald-on-the-secrets-successful-women-keep-burnout-mom-shame-rebuilding-with-intention","published_at":"2026-03-20T17:56:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-breadwinners-podcast-7566806/ep-14-devon-mcdonald-on-the-secrets-successful-women-keep-burnout-mom-shame-rebuilding-with-intention","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-breadwinners-podcast-7566806","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/WRTNB1398688149.mp3?updated=1774029726","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/WRTNB1398688149.mp3?updated=1774029726","summary":"What does it feel like to reach the pinnacle of your career — and realize it no longer fits? Devon McDonald spent 17 years in venture capital, rising to General Partner at OpenView Ventures while raising three kids and serving as the financial anchor for her family. In March 2020, OpenView had its largest exit ever when Datadog went public, returning the fund ten times over. On paper, it was the moment she'd worked her entire career for. On the inside? Devon was sitting alone in her car, listening to meditation audiobooks, wondering why she felt desperate to escape. In this raw, honest conversation, Devon and Alexis explore what happens when the life you built for everyone else stops fitting who you're becoming — and what it actually takes to rebuild. Devon opens up about the warning signs she ignored for years: the physical symptoms of chronic stress, the shame spiral of working-mom guilt, the perfectionism and control that masked how much she was struggling. She shares the terrifying work of dismantling a life that looked perfect from the outside — losing 30 pounds, hiring a psychologist and spiritual coach, learning nervous system regulation, setting boundaries at work, transitioning out of her GP role, and ultimately leaving her marriage. Today, Devon is the co-founder of Second Harvest, a retreat for high-achieving leaders at midlife who are ready for something more aligned to their inner truth. This episode is for every Breadwinner mother who has ever sat in her car just to breathe. What we cover: - The moment Devon realized her biggest career win felt completely hollow - How the body signals misalignment long before the mind catches up - Mom shame, working-mother guilt, and why high-achieving women don't talk about it - The role of nervous system regulation, som…","meta_description":"What does it feel like to reach the pinnacle of your career — and realize it no longer fits? Devon McDonald spent 17 years in venture capital, rising to G…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3884,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-breadwinners-podcast-7566806/episodes/ep-14-devon-mcdonald-on-the-secrets-successful-women-keep-burnout-mom-shame-rebuilding-with-intention/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-breadwinners-podcast-7566806/ep-14-devon-mcdonald-on-the-secrets-successful-women-keep-burnout-mom-shame-rebuilding-with-intention.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}