Parenthood has definitely reshaped my perspective on my career as a whole and influenced some of my key professional decisions. A prime example was when I decided to leave a role that required extensive travel. With one child, I felt I could still make it work, but having a second made work trips difficult to manage for our family. This was a compromise that has shaped my career path, but one that I do not regret.

The biggest challenge is the myth of ‘balance’ itself. I don’t believe it exists in the way people imagine. You just learn very good time management, delegation and ruthless prioritization. Most working parents I know would agree. The pursuit of balance is like the feeling of a hamster on a wheel, it’s exhausting and unproductive. The crucial lesson is to learn to fail gracefully. You have to accept that there will always be missed school concerts, tears shed, and a constant feeling of FOMO and guilt at home. Occasionally, there’s also delayed work deadlines and unexpected sick days. After a decade as a working parent, I’ve learned that preserving your sanity means sometimes settling for ‘good enough’ in both spheres.

Absolutely. Parenthood is the ultimate training ground for skills that are directly transferable to a tech career. As I mentioned, nothing teaches you better time management than being a working parent. We are the queens and kings of parallel problem solving, juggling multiple agendas and prioritizing under pressure.

A pivotal moment for me was after I returned from parental leave when I was working for my former employer, a PR agency. I was working half-time with a full-time workload for a prestigious Fortune 500 client. The client was known for long, unproductive meetings. Sitting in one that was stretching into its third hour, I had a sudden realisation: I simply no longer had the luxury to waste time. My new constraints forced me to reevaluate and optimize how every minute was spent.

That was a fundamental shift in my professional mindset. While the conclusion seems obvious, parenthood gave me the courage and the imperative to act on it much sooner. It teaches you to cut through the noise and focus on what truly drives impact

The most impactful support for working parents comes from a combination of cultural understanding and structural flexibility.

From a societal standpoint, shifting expectations away from ‘having it all’ to ‘doing your best’ would remove immense pressure.

Within a team, the greatest support you can have is empathy and trust. Understanding that parents are juggling multiple priorities and offering them grace during unexpected sick days or family emergencies fosters a supportive environment.

At the company level, policies make the difference. A flexible hybrid work model and a comprehensive benefits package, including strong medical support.

I’m fortunate to receive this kind of support from my team and employer, and I hope to see society continue to evolve in this direction.

I think that there’s only one good reason for parental responsibilities to stop your career growth — if you want your career growth to stop. I admire the people who choose to slow down and put their children first. It’s a short and beautiful time in life and it’s only fair to make the most of it.

In all other scenarios, parenthood doesn’t slow growth; it transforms it. It forges a new kind of professional, a master of efficiency, resilience, and strategic prioritization. These parents aren’t slowed down; they are leveled up.

Parents don’t need outdated stereotypes about their availability, they need tangible support, well-deserved promotions, and recognition for the immense value they bring. They are, in many ways, the real-life superheroes of the workplace.

Motherhood has profoundly shaped my communication style, making me more empathetic and less judgmental. The constant negotiation with my kids is a masterclass in choosing my battles. I’ve learned that not every hill is worth dying on, whether it’s about wearing pajamas to kindergarten or a minor disagreement at work. This translated into a more compromise-oriented approach with my team… and pajamas being worn to kindergarten today.

Furthermore, it has leveled up my self-awareness. As a naturally sarcastic person, I’ve learned to moderate my humor. Since young children don’t understand sarcasm, I’ve practiced being more direct and constructive in my communication, a skill that has made me (hopefully) a clearer and more supportive colleague whilst also a more boring one. Colleagues may or may not disagree!

I’d like to challenge the glossy, one-dimensional stereotype. There’s often an image of a working mom in tech as perpetually young, effortlessly energetic, and a natural-born ’tech guru’ who balances everything with a smile.

While I’d love to see myself that way, the reality is far more human. We are multifaceted individuals managing immense, often invisible, cognitive loads. The search for ’balance’ isn’t about achieving a perfect equilibrium; it’s about the daily work of prioritization and trade-offs. The strength of a working mother isn’t in having it all figured out, but in her resilience, her exceptional capacity to manage complex systems (both digital and domestic), and her deep empathy, which are great assets in any tech team. So, perhaps we are tech-savvy, but that’s just one layer of a much more complex and capable picture.

Yes, absolutely. Becoming a mother gave me a completely fresh perspective on my career path. Experiencing motherhood firsthand made me admire even more those colleagues who have done it before me, who are thriving in their careers while being devoted, loving parents. You suddenly realize how much strength, organization, and resilience that truly takes.

Motherhood showed me that it’s chaotic, messy, unpredictable, but still completely doable when you have the right balance and genuine support. It pushed me to redefine what success means, shifting from doing everything perfectly to doing what truly matters. It also made me more empathetic as a colleague and a leader, more aware of the invisible effort so many working parents put in every day.

In a way, it didn’t just change how I work but why I work. It gave my career a renewed sense of purpose and clarity.

Timing. Without a doubt. As my baby is still so young, meetings and nap times often overlap, and the daily schedule can feel like a complex puzzle. She’s going through teething, sleep regressions, growth spurts, you name it, while at the same time, work continues to move at full speed. I kid you not, this isn’t for the faint-hearted!

It’s just my husband and me, both working full time, so it takes a lot of planning and coordination. Somehow, with patience, humor, and a lot of timing calculations, we make it work and keep cruising through.

One thing that really helps is carving out uninterrupted stretches of time when I’m allowed to not be a mom for a bit. That’s when I get into my zone, writing a press release, building a content campaign, or planning a communications strategy. Those deep-work sessions are essential; they make sure I can give 101% in both aspects of my life as a mom and as a career woman.

Definitely! I’ve never been this exhausted, or this patient.

As a self-confessed control freak, motherhood has been the ultimate lesson in letting go. It constantly reminds me to stop obsessing over the small stuff and focus on what truly matters. The truth is, we can’t control most things in life but we can control how we react to them. That mindset shift has made me calmer and more solution-oriented at work, even in high-pressure situations.

Parenting a toddler whose logic is still under construction has also been a masterclass in empathy. I’m learning to meet my daughter where she is, with patience, curiosity, and understanding = and that translates directly into how I work with people around me. It’s made me a more compassionate colleague and a more grounded communicator.

Without question, empathy. Most mothers I know are already overstimulated; our minds have no «off» switch. There are always multiple tabs open in our lives, whether about parenthood, work, deadlines, finances, and everything in between. The smallest act of understanding can make a huge difference.

It’s an incredible relief when your child cries in public and no one judges you. It’s comforting when company policies allow flexibility or a few extra days off to care for a sick child. And it’s a real blessing to have colleagues who show support in their own quiet ways, whether its offering help, patience, or simply some kind words on a tough day. For working parents, it’s not grand gestures that matter most, it’s a culture of empathy and trust. When people around you understand that you’re doing your best, even when it’s messy, it gives you the confidence and space to keep showing up, both as a professional and as a parent.

For me, motherhood has been nothing short of an inspiration. Because my baby is a girl, I feel an even stronger drive to excel not only for myself, but for her. I want her to grow up seeing a world where women can lead, innovate, and make an impact whether in tech or beyond.

After having her, I found a new sense of purpose. I want to do something meaningful, something she can one day look at and say, «My mom did that.» It’s no longer just about professional milestones; it’s about building an example of what’s possible.

I once heard a quote that said: «Women can have it all, just not all at the same time.» I understand what that means, that sometimes we need to shift gears between being a mother and being a career woman. And while it’s never easy, I want my daughter to know that with the right support system and unwavering grit, she truly can have it all, if that’s what she wants.

I’m not sure if my teammates would agree, but I truly believe I’ve become kinder, or at least I try to be, especially in the way I communicate and lead.

When you become a parent, one of your constant wishes is for the world to be kind to your child. You want to protect them from every possible hurt, to take all the pain for them if you could. But of course, that’s not how life works. The world won’t always be gentle.

So instead, I’ve learned to embody that kindness myself. To lead with empathy. To be the kind of mentor, colleague, and human being that I’d want my daughter to meet in her own career someday. Parenthood has made me more aware of words, tone, and patience, it’s softened the edges while keeping the core strong.

In a way, leading and mentoring now feels like an extension of parenting, not in a patronizing sense, but in the way you nurture growth, celebrate effort, and give people space to learn and fail safely. It’s about being the change you want to see and the kind of person you hope your child will someday look up to.

One misconception I’d like to challenge is the belief that women in tech can’t have an effective and thriving work—life balance. It’s not easy. It takes patience, genuine support from your partner and workplace, and a lot of grit, but it’s absolutely possible.

I’ve seen it myself, both in my previous roles and here at Kaspersky: women in tech who navigate the dual demands of motherhood and career advancement with incredible strength and creativity. They bring unique perspectives, empathy, and adaptability to their teams — qualities that make organizations stronger.

By fostering a culture of support, flexibility, and inclusivity, companies can empower more mothers to do the same. Because when women are trusted and supported, they don’t just manage, they thrive. Ultimately, it’s up to society and decision-makers to create environments that allow women to grow in both their personal and professional lives. When that happens, everyone benefits.

Becoming a mother has completely reshaped the way I see my career in tech and communication. When my son Riccardo was born, my priorities and my definition of success changed overnight. Before, I was driven by goals, deadlines, and the constant race to the next achievement. After becoming a parent, I learned to focus on what truly matters: balance, creativity, and purpose in everything I do.

It also helped me develop a deeper sense of empathy and resilience. You learn to stay calm when things don’t go according to plan, whether it’s a toddler’s tantrum or an unexpected project crisis. Parenthood gives you this quiet confidence that you can handle chaos and still move forward.

Most importantly, becoming a mother reminded me why I chose this field in the first place: to create meaningful connections between people and technology. Now, I approach every project with a renewed sense of purpose, not just to deliver results but to build something that inspires, supports, and makes life better for others.

The biggest challenge has been finding the right balance or, more honestly, redefining what balance even means. In the beginning, I was constantly chasing the illusion that I could give one hundred percent to both my family and my career at the same time. It felt like there were never enough hours in the day and that something or someone was always getting less of me than they deserved.

Over time, I learned to be more intentional with my time and much kinder to myself. I stopped aiming for perfection and started focusing on presence. When I’m at work, I try to be fully there and be creative, productive, and engaged. When I’m with my family, I let myself disconnect and truly enjoy that space. It’s not always seamless, and there are still days when the lines blur.

But I’ve realized that balance isn’t about splitting time evenly, it’s about being at peace with the trade-offs you make. It’s about quality over quantity and about allowing yourself to be human. Parenthood taught me that progress doesn’t have to mean constant motion; sometimes it means slowing down, recharging, and coming back stronger.

Absolutely. Motherhood has been the ultimate crash course in prioritization, patience, and perspective. It has sharpened my ability to stay calm under pressure and to focus on what truly matters, even when everything feels urgent. When you’re raising a child, you quickly learn that chaos can’t always be controlled, but your reaction to it can. That mindset has been invaluable in my professional life, especially in fast-paced environments like tech and communications.

Parenthood also changed the way I approach problem-solving. Kids have this wonderful ability to challenge your logic with the simplest questions, and that keeps you creative. I’ve learned to look at challenges from unexpected angles, to simplify what’s complex, and to find solutions that work in the real world, not just in theory.

For me, the most valuable support comes down to three things: trust, flexibility, and genuine understanding. Trust means knowing that your performance is measured by your results, not by the number of hours you sit in front of a screen. Flexibility allows you to adapt your schedule when life happens, whether that’s a school concert, a doctor’s appointment, or simply a day when your child needs you more than usual. And team understanding means having colleagues and leaders who see you not just as a professional, but as a whole person.

Open communication is equally important. When you can be transparent about your challenges without fear of judgment, it creates a culture of empathy and respect. Knowing that your team values your work-life balance and that they trust you to deliver but also care that you don’t burn out makes a world of difference.

Ultimately, support for working parents isn’t just about policies; it’s about culture. It’s about creating an environment where people feel seen, heard, and supported in every role they play, both at work and at home.

Becoming a parent changes your perspective, helping you see what truly matters and how to focus your energy more wisely. It teaches you patience, empathy, and resilience, all qualities that can strengthen your professional journey.

However, I do believe there’s still a gap between how motherhood and fatherhood impact professional growth. Fathers often continue to progress easily, while mothers still face more challenges in being recognized and advancing. But things are slowly changing and the more we talk about it, and the more companies create supportive, flexible environments, the closer we get to true equality, where being a parent is seen as a strength, not a limitation.

One of the biggest misconceptions I’d like to challenge is that working mothers are somehow less ambitious or less focused on their careers. In reality, motherhood doesn’t diminish ambition, it refines it. It teaches you to be laser-focused on what truly matters and to use your time with purpose. When you have limited hours in a day, you learn to prioritize, to delegate, and to make every decision count.

So instead of viewing working mothers through the lens of limitation, I’d like to see us recognized for what we really are: resourceful, strategic, and incredibly resilient professionals who bring both heart and efficiency to the table. Motherhood doesn’t hold women back, it equips them with a whole new toolkit for success.

Not really, no. I’ve always known I wanted to be a working mom, and that my career would remain an important part of who I am. For me, motherhood didn’t replace ambition; it just added another beautiful dimension to my life.

Of course, priorities shift, you learn to be more selective with your time and to focus on what truly matters, but my drive to grow professionally never disappeared. If anything, becoming a parent reaffirmed my belief that women can pursue both motherhood and meaningful careers, without having to choose one over the other.

When I moved to Colombia ten years ago, it was one of the biggest transitions of my life. I had amicably divorced my kids’ dad in 2011, and in 2015 I was offered an incredible opportunity to lead Kaspersky’s Andean Region from Bogotá. So, we packed six suitcases and moved, just the three of us.

I remember having so many doubts and questions, but deep down I knew this was the right move for my professional growth. More importantly, I was sure it would open up new possibilities for my children. Balancing work and life as a single parent was far from easy, it took structure, constant communication, and smart time management.

We built our own system, learned to rely on each other, and found strength in teamwork. Looking back now, ten years later, I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved together, both as a family and in my career.

Absolutely! Being a parent of two has given me perspective. It taught me that no two people are the same, even if they share the same background, the same home, parents, and rules. Each person has a unique way of seeing and responding to the world. That understanding has been incredibly valuable in my career, especially when leading teams or working across cultures.

Patience, of course, is another big win. Parenthood teaches you that things don’t always go as planned and that’s okay. You learn to adapt, to listen, and to guide with empathy. I apply those lessons every single day at work. They’ve made me not only more patient, but also more understanding, flexible, and human as a professional.

The biggest difference comes when a company truly understands that parenthood and family sometimes have to come first and they fully support that. It’s not about special treatment; it’s about empathy and flexibility.

When leaders and teams recognize that parents are juggling many priorities and trust them to deliver results in their own rhythm, it creates a culture where people can actually thrive. Simple things, like flexible schedules, understanding during emergencies, or the freedom to work remotely when needed, make an enormous impact.

Supportive companies don’t just help parents «manage» both worlds; they make it possible for them to succeed in both. And that trust, in return, builds loyalty, motivation, and a deeper sense of belonging.

For me, they absolutely inspire me to be better, both as a professional and as a person. Parenthood challenged me to prove to myself that it’s possible to succeed in both worlds, even if it takes extra effort and discipline.

Having children gave me a new sense of purpose and motivation. It pushed me to set higher standards for myself, to be more focused, and to lead by example. I want my kids to see that with determination and balance, you can build a career you’re proud of while being fully present for your family.

Parenthood gave me a new perspective that has positively influenced the way I lead and mentor my team. It taught me to see people as individuals, each with their own pace, motivations, and challenges. Just like children, no two team members are the same, and that’s something I’ve learned to appreciate deeply.

It also made me more patient and empathetic. I’ve learned to listen more, to understand before reacting, and to create an environment where people feel safe to express themselves and grow. Parenthood reminds you that development takes time, that encouragement matters, and that balance is key and I try to bring all of that into my leadership style every day.

One of the biggest misconceptions I’d like to challenge is the idea that to succeed in one role, as a professional or as a mother, you have to give up the other. That’s simply not true.

We mothers are incredibly resilient. We’re full of creativity, patience, and passion, and we bring all of that into everything we do. Balancing a career and motherhood isn’t about choosing one over the other, it’s about learning to integrate both with purpose and grace.

We can nurture our families and still lead, innovate, and grow in our professional lives. In fact, motherhood often enhances those very skills, making us more empathetic, adaptable, and driven than ever before.

Absolutely, it has changed a lot! The limited time I’ve had since becoming a parent made me realize just how passionate I truly am about technology. When every minute counts, you get a very clear idea about what matters most. For me, it reaffirmed that tech isn’t just a job, it’s something that genuinely excites and fulfills me.

Parenthood pushed me to be more intentional with my time and choices. Instead of stepping back, I decided to go deeper, to specialize, to learn more, and to keep growing in this field. It’s funny how having less time can sometimes bring more clarity and motivation than ever before.

Balancing time between work and my children can definitely be challenging, but I’m fortunate that working at Kaspersky allows me to be fully present in both parts of my life. Having the flexibility to work from home on some days means I can make breakfast, take my kids to school, and be there when they return, those little moments mean a lot.

At the same time, my in-office days are just as important. They help me recharge professionally, collaborate with colleagues, and stay connected to the dynamic energy of our work. It’s not always a perfect balance, but this rhythm allows me to give my best, both as a parent and as a professional.

Parenthood is like a masterclass in soft skills. Its incredible in the way it pushes you to elevate your abilities in multitasking, agility, negotiation, and optimization, often all at once! Every day brings a new challenge, and with it, new lessons in patience, prioritization, and creative problem-solving.

All of this has made me a better professional. Parenthood trains you to stay calm under pressure, adapt quickly, and communicate with empathy, skills that are just as essential in the workplace as they are at home.

I believe direct leadership support is absolutely key. A company can have all the right parental initiatives and policies on paper, but it’s the manager who truly brings them to life in the day-to-day experience of working parents.

That’s why empowering leaders to understand both the benefits and the challenges of having parents on their teams is essential. When managers show empathy, flexibility, and trust, it creates an environment where parents feel safe, supported, and motivated to do their best work. In the end, that kind of culture doesn’t just benefit parents, it benefits the whole organization.

For me, parenthood has been one of the strongest career motivators I’ve ever experienced. Of course, financial stability matters, but beyond that, having your own professional space gives you a sense of identity and purpose. When you dedicate so much of yourself to raising your children, your career becomes a reminder that you’re also an individual, someone intelligent, capable, and contributing to something bigger and meaningful to society.

Working at Kaspersky, a company focused on making the world safer for future generations, gives that motivation an even deeper meaning. It connects what I do every day to the kind of world I want my children to grow up in.

Parenthood has definitely improved the way I communicate with my teams and peers. It’s made me more empathetic, more patient, and more focused on what truly matters and I try to help others see that perspective too.

It also taught me to lead with understanding rather than urgency, to listen more carefully, and to recognize that everyone has their own challenges outside of work. This mindset not only strengthens relationships but also creates a healthier, more trusting team culture.

In my opinion, this human approach to leadership adds significant value, not just to our teams, but to our company as a whole.

When a woman becomes a mother, people often see the «mom» before they see the professional she is. To me, the idea that mothers are less available or less committed is a huge misconception. In reality, motherhood equips women with an incredible range of new skills, from focus and time management to empathy and resilience and often makes them even more driven to excel in their roles.

At the same time, I believe we’re witnessing an important cultural shift as Millennials enter the parenting phase. Men are becoming more involved, more present, and more willing to share responsibilities with their partners. This means that both mothers and fathers are now gaining the benefits and lessons that come with parenthood and bringing that emotional intelligence, patience, and balance into the workplace.

Ultimately, this evolution benefits everyone. Families thrive, workplaces become more empathetic, and companies gain stronger, more grounded professionals, regardless of gender.