Discover how Nicole McCasey navigated changes in both her personal and professional life with the birth of her son and the start of her new role as President of Bravado Designs after 15 months of maternity leave. Nicole and Cherissa discuss the challenges new moms face from shifting identities to prioritizing your time for family, health, career and friends.

Balancing Motherhood and Career: A Conversation with Nicole McCasey

In this episode of Pearls on Boards, host Charissa sits down with Nicole McCasey, President of Bravado Designs. Nicole shares her experience of having her first child at 37, navigating a male-dominated field, and making the transition from maternity leave back to the corporate world amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The discussion covers the importance of asking for help, setting boundaries, maintaining health and well-being, and the difficulty of balancing professional aspirations with family life. Nicole also emphasizes the critical role of community support, effective communication, and the impact of modeling healthy behaviors for children.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Background

00:34 Guest Introduction: Nicole MacCasey

00:58 Navigating Maternity Leave

02:11 Challenges of Returning to Work

03:16 Balancing Career and Motherhood

04:18 Identity Shift and Societal Expectations

07:07 Support Systems and Family Dynamics

14:36 Transitioning to a New Career

16:11 Sponsor Message

17:22 The Importance of Help and Support

17:33 The Importance of Asking for Help

18:18 Balancing Work, Family, and Personal Health

23:09 Integrating Health and Family Time

30:29 The Role of Communication in Family Dynamics

35:04 Final Thoughts and Reflections

About the Guest

Nicole McCasey is a transformative executive for top global consumer brands, recognized for driving strategic change with a relentless focus on people and results. 

Prior to assuming the role of President at Bravado Designs, Nicole spent over 15 years in progressive roles in the Sporting Goods industry, including having worked for brands like TaylorMade Golf, adidas, Asics and Saucony. Her regional & global positions have given her the opportunity to create, implement and effectively measure strategic business plans. She has held a diverse set of roles, proving the career ladder isn't always vertical.

Her 360-degree approach to business is her superpower, always keeping the big brand picture top of mind. She is keenly focused on understanding and reaching the core consumer for the brands she works on. In 2022 Nicole received the prestigious honour of being chosen as one of Canada's 5 to Watch in Sports Business, a celebration of five leaders who have achieved remarkable career success before the age of 40.

Nicole is an accomplished marathon running and avid soccer player. While loving every minute of working for Bravado and it's employees, Nicole's #1 job is being Mama to her son George.