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294. How I Prepared for Maternity Leave By Building a Business That Doesn’t Break When I Step Away
Episode 29429th September 2025 • YOUR BIG NEXT | business growth, leadership development, scaling with purpose, faith and family first entrepreneur • Elizabeth Hartke
00:00:00 00:25:58

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If you've ever wondered how to take a true break from your business—whether for maternity leave, a sabbatical, or even just to breathe—this episode is for you.

As I prepared to welcome baby number six (yes, six!), I felt the familiar pull to just “power through.” But this time, I made a different decision. I chose to lead differently—and I’m sharing exactly how I did it.

In this episode of Your Big Next, I walk you through how I structured my business for maternity leave: from delaying launches (including my book!) to integrating AI tools that actually support my team, to hiring with intention so the business could run without me in the day-to-day.

This isn’t about stepping away and hoping things don’t fall apart—it’s about building a business that can thrive in your absence because it’s built on systems, stewardship, and support.

Inside this episode, I share:

👶 Why I resisted the urge to “push through” this season

📅 What it looked like to pause big projects (like my book launch!) to protect my peace

🛠 How I prepared my team, integrated AI, and built systems that allow space without sacrifice

📹 The role of tools like Loom and how I used them to document leadership thinking

Whether you're planning for maternity leave or you just know it's time to step back without stepping away, this episode will help you create the margin your leadership needs—without compromising the mission you're building.

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