In this episode, we sit down with Kait Stephens, CEO and co-founder of Brij, to explore what it really means to build a business and a family at the same time — and do it with intention. Kait walks us through her shift from a career in finance and investing to launching Brij, a platform that helps brands capture first-party data and build lasting customer relationships through QR technology. What began as a pain point around brands losing the consumer connection at retail grew into a full-fledged SaaS solution used by over 150 brands.
We unpack how the pandemic accelerated QR adoption, e-commerce growth, and customer data awareness — all of which validated Brij’s direction. But this conversation isn’t just about startup strategy. Kait shares the deeply personal and emotional journey she went through while building the company: a long and painful road through infertility, five rounds of IVF, miscarriages, and the isolation that came with it. All of this was happening in parallel with launching her business. Her message? You can do both — but it’s messy, nonlinear, and hard.
We discuss the role of proactive decision-making in fertility, the emotional toll of early motherhood, and how she structured her life — and calendar — to make space for both work and family. Kait shares how she blocks time for bathtime and bedtime with her daughters, why she doesn’t apologize for it, and how she encourages her team (mostly women) to do the same.
She also opens up about sharing her journey publicly — from vulnerability hangovers to going viral on LinkedIn. We explore how blending personal stories into professional spaces builds trust, strengthens leadership, and creates a more connected team. Kait talks candidly about online criticism, gendered expectations, and the double standards that still persist for working moms.
We close with a discussion about managing burnout, raising strong daughters, hiring Gen Z talent, and redefining what success looks like as a parent and a leader. Kait leaves us with one powerful reminder: parenting doesn’t diminish your ability to lead — it expands it. The negotiation, multitasking, and empathy required in motherhood? Those are executive skills too.
00:00 - Intro & Meet Kait Stephens
01:50 - Breastfeeding on Zoom: Hands-Free Parenting Hacks
03:08 - Kait’s Career Pivot: From Finance to Founder
10:45 - Kait’s IVF Journey & Emotional Toll
13:58 - Balancing IVF and Startup Life
18:00 - Crying at Work & Reframing Vulnerability
23:32 - Social Media Criticism & Gender Bias
28:42 - Marriage, Kids & “You” Time
41:31 - Sharing Family Online: Boundaries & Hangovers
45:19 - Hiring Gen Z: The Culture Clash
57:43 - Kait’s Superpower & Final Thoughts
More:
Brij Website: https://brij.it/
Kait Stephens on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kait-margraf-stephens/
Newton Baby - https://www.newtonbaby.com
My Brest Friend Pillow – https://www.mybrestfriend.com
Modern Fertility – https://modernfertility.com
The Anxious Generation (Book) – https://www.anxiousgeneration.com
Tin Can (Kid’s landline alternative) – https://tincan.kids/
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