Grounded in Purpose: Aligning Career, Service, and Becoming a Mother - with Kiran Reddy (part 1)

Leanna Laskey McGrath  0:04  

Welcome to The Executive Coach for Moms Podcast where we support women who are attempting to find balance and joy while simultaneously leading people at work and at home. I'm your host, Leanna Laskey McGrath, former tech exec turned full time mom, recovering perfectionist and workaholic and certified executive coach. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  0:24  

Hi everyone. Welcome back to the show. Thank you so much for being here with me today. As a reminder here in our summer series, we are doing two part interviews with amazing and inspiring women, and I have a very amazing and inspiring one for you today. So let me tell you a little bit about her. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  0:47  

Kiran Reddy is an entrepreneur, general counsel and the founder of Reddy Consulting, where she helps tech startups and SaaS companies navigate legal strategy with clarity and confidence. With over a decade of in house counsel experience. Karen specializes in privacy commercial contracts and scaling smart legal frameworks that support growth. Beyond the boardroom, Kiran is a passionate advocate for prison reform and community empowerment, actively involved in nonprofit leadership and justice driven initiatives. She brings a rare mix of legal precision, business savvy and purpose driven work to everything she does, which I can attest to as Kiran and I used to work together. So welcome, Kiran. Thank you so much for being here.

Kiran Reddy  1:32  

Thank you so much for having me, Leanna. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  1:34  

I'm so excited to talk to you today. So why don't you start off tell us a little bit about you and your story.

Kiran Reddy  1:42  

Well, yes, I forgot we, I didn't forgive but yes, we worked together at a fun startup during that time called orgsy, which was really good times, and that's really the start of my career in the legal tech world was that time you and I worked together, and I learned so much just by watching you as a leader and all the leadership that we had there. So I've been in tech startups for about 12 years now, serving as in house counsel or general counsel. And I want to say in 2021 I started my own consulting company where I provide the same resources to other tech companies who cannot afford full time legal staff. So just using my experience that I've had from previous companies and providing that as like a fractional legal director or in house counsel for other companies to do, which also include privacy laws and all that fun stuff.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  2:39  

Yeah, actually, I find fractional work so interesting. We had someone come on and talk about fractional work, which I think is such a great option for maybe women who are not wanting to be working full time, but still want to be working at a high level, maybe during their kids' young years, or while they have a parent that they're taking care of, or, you know, something like that. How has that been for you with the fractional?

Kiran Reddy  3:05  

It's been great, and it's interesting, because everything has been brought to me by referrals, and I've been doing this for four years about and I just launched my website for the first time, and thinking about getting other additional customers and clients, but what I have noticed is you're just putting yourself out there and having your work ethic. And I think at least for me, it's been great because it's been word of mouth, and that's how I've been getting repeated business. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  3:37  

Well, I think that's a really good point that you bring up, because I think so many people think, like, I have to build the website, and I have to have everything set up before I, like, open up shop. I'm doing air quotes, right? And really it's just like, you could start working today if you just, like, put yourself out there and contact your network. You know, if you want to kind of start up something on the side, or test the waters there. So is that, then, how you kind of got started is, is kind of by word of mouth?

Kiran Reddy  4:07  

Yes, you know, I used LinkedIn as my best friend, as a tool to see where everybody has gone. And I think what I've done is just hit up other past employees I've worked with, especially in the higher management, those who are decision makers, or who can lead me to one, and just having them vouch for me and my work, and just being able to use that as a resource, so that has definitely helped, for sure.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  4:35  

Yeah, so take us back. Like, why did you go to law school? Like, why did you decide to become a lawyer. What like led you on this journey?

Kiran Reddy  4:43  

Yeah, well, funny story, my dad was the one who pushed me, and I wanted to be a photographer, but I'm actually glad he did, because it runs in my family of my grandfather on my father's side, was doing immigration law. And really trying to help those in need. So I think that's always been in my blood of some sort of community and getting people together and help with their rights and advocacy. So in law school, I actually was focused on immigration law. And you know, when you have this dream of what your plan will be after school, or, you know, in your trajectory, of your plan of your career, sometimes it doesn't necessarily go that way, but it can be a good thing. So unfortunately, when I graduated, it was during the recession, so there wasn't that much of a need for immigration. What I did was I ended up going into corporate law, which is what I do today, but still having my ideas of community engagement still there, and that's by volunteering with nonprofits on the side during work. So I'm trying to still stay engaged in some of those areas. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  5:57  

Yeah, I think about helping professions, and I'll be honest, I don't always group like lawyer into that, even though, I mean, it makes sense. I guess my like assumption is generally like, you go to be a lawyer if you want to make a lot of money. I mean, it sounds like you wanted to be a photographer, you end up in law. So maybe you could do both helping those in need and making making a lot of money, hopefully. But yeah, and it sounds like you're doing a lot of cool work on the kind of pro bono or volunteer side. So tell me more about that. Like, what kind of work are you doing with immigration, or you had mentioned about prison reform? I'd love to hear more about that.

Kiran Reddy  6:41  

Sure. I think what I have to say is, the benefit of me staying in a career for this long of time, like I would say now, mid to senior, is that now I understand the nuances, and I can work faster, so that gives me more of ability to volunteer my time with nonprofits, which is my core passion. One of those is prison reform. Like you were mentioning, there is a organization in Kansas City called Reaching Out from Within, and it is a prison led counseling session where I go into the women's prison in Topeka, and we sit and use what we call the blue book to go through and have these really tough discussions about trauma that unfortunately, a lot of these inmates have gone through, and why they are there. So for example, you know, child abuse or violence, alcoholism, addiction, and it's inmates leading this, discussing with each other, and I'm just there to serve as a facilitator. But what I've noticed is I get more out of it than I think they do, just because you think about it, it's hard to have these deep discussions in today's world, because we're so tied, you know, I have my phone right here, or just so many distractions. So this is the first place where you could just sit and have these deep conversations and just really be able to reflect on things. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  8:16  

That's so interesting. What made you get into that?

Kiran Reddy  8:19  

Actually, I want to say, 10 years ago, this woman took me to the Topeka women's maximum security, and at the time, she was trying to figure out, like, what I could do to help this organization. And my world just changed from that one tour and just seeing the limited resources these women have, and how one of them said, I feel like we're just a vegetable, and there's nothing that we could do to stimulate ourselves like with our minds. And that, to me, was just, you know, every person is a human. Everybody has their story. And just getting to know a lot of these women who are just very courageous and, you know, going through a lot of challenges on a day to day basis.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  9:10  

Yeah, yeah. And I remember you had mentioned that the women's prisons are less resourced than the men's is. Tell me more about that.

Kiran Reddy  9:19  

Yes, and I'm sure it varies by state, but I would say, you know, for example, the book that you know we use in this organization, it was written for men, and so we have to think differently as women of okay, violence may not look like this as what it's portrayed in this book, but women are react differently. Or I think there are just sometimes more resources in the men's when it comes to possibly like education and items like that. Because I think when society thinks about prison, it's mostly of the male figure and there are a lot of females that are also captivated. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  10:04  

Yeah. Is there anything else you'd want to share about this work that you do? 

Kiran Reddy  10:08  

It is near and dear to my heart. I've been somehow involved in it since, I want to say maybe 2015, so almost 10 years now. But you know, prisons are always looking for volunteers. There's different types. There's mentoring, where you can have and, you know, help those who are preparing to come out as a returning citizen, is what we call them, or even just, you know, learning more about what we can do as a society to help inmates being treated as humans.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  10:44  

Yeah, what about that makes you feel passionate about it? 

Kiran Reddy  10:47  

I think everybody who I've met, like I said, has a story, and I think as humans, we just need to have dignity for one another and respect. And yeah, some people have made some choices, but I think most of those who are on the journey to, you know, path of recovery, have had the time to think about that and to work on themselves. And I think you know, as those of us who are here in, you know, the outside world, not many of us can say that of being able to have the time to reflect of our choices. So I think there's a lot of work that we could do, but it's also growing awareness as well.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  11:28  

Yeah, yeah. Well, what I am getting from you is, like, just this high level of compassion that I think I would say as a society, I don't know that we are always as compassionate about people in prison, right? And it sounds like you're seeing them, like you said, as humans, and seeing potential there, whereas, obviously they don't feel like they're being treated like there's potential if they feel like vegetables, and kind of just just sitting there. Is that like seeing them, seeing that and kind of like your experience there, how has that impacted your life, not in the prison, or has it?

Kiran Reddy  12:10  

Yeah, that's a great question. And I think you know, each time the drive, it's like either 45 minutes or an hour each way, so you have time to reflect, and I will say that these women really lift me up. And even when I'm going through something personal. You know, I think with work, we drop everything at the door, and then you have those individuals that you meet, either at work or, you know, outside, that really uplift you. And so when you come back home, you're just on this high of okay, what can I do to continue this? And I will say that these women have really helped me out, especially the past two years, has been a challenge for me and change. I went through a separation and a divorce, and just hearing their stories of how they have continued to power on and to move forward that really has helped me and my ability to do that personally with this, I would say this transition in life.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  13:12  

Yeah, doesit put things like in a different perspective for you, or?

Kiran Reddy  13:17  

Yes, and I think that's why I tried to keep this time with volunteering in the prison as something that I need. It's a tool, I think, for me, as I want to say, not necessarily like a survival skill for me, but as an outlet. And I will say it has given me time to reflect of making those personal connections in the walls as to what do I really want with my life and this no last half of my time that's left, which is, you know, really thinking about yourself and taking time for yourself to be in solitude and figure out what you want as a person, as a mother or as a, you know, a career individual.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  14:04  

Yeah, well, it's interesting how you talk about how much you get out of volunteering. And I think that sometimes, you know, we probably think like there's no way I have time to volunteer on top of everything else. So I want to hear more about how you manage that. But also, I think sometimes we forget how much we would get out of it. And also, just want to say that I'm assuming you're probably downplaying how much the participants are getting out of it as well. It's not just you benefiting from it, of course, I'm sure they're getting a lot out of you being there. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  14:42  

So you are doing this volunteer work that you're really passionate about. You're working full time. You've got a consulting business, you're a mom, you've got a four year old. How do you find the time to prioritize volunteer work, for example, or anything else with everything that you've got on your plate?

Kiran Reddy  15:03  

Sure, yeah, that's a great question. I'm still learning. I'm still learning to say no to things, but I have to say in this part of my life, you know, I have a great co parent, and we have strived to make it our priority, to help in any way we can. So that has definitely helped on that situation. We're just great in that respect. So having that as a tool, I would say, but I think also with the time. So I have my son 50% of the time, and I would kind of treat it as, you know, a quote, unquote, empty nester. How do I fill the time when I don't have Leo around, who's my son, or when I don't have all these obligations to run these errands, or, you know, the logistics of being a parent, of taking your child everywhere in addition to yourself? So I think by having the volunteer on the days I don't have him, or working extra on my consulting on hours I don't have Leo, or, you know, I'll pick up extra shifts for my job, for my clients after he goes to bed. So it's just like a different way of prioritizing. I guess I I've never thought about this out loud, but obviously I put him and myself first. But yeah, on the days that I don't have him, it's it has become easier trying to figure out how to fit in the other pieces.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  16:34  

Yeah. And on our next episode, we'll talk more about this process that you've been going through the past several years with your separation and divorce and how you're making co parenting work. I guess I'm curious, like, how did you do it before? Or did you? Was it different? Because I'm sure there are people listening who are in a co parenting situation, and there are people who are listening who are not. And so I'm just curious, like, you've experienced both.

Kiran Reddy  17:01  

You know, the first year of having a baby, as you know, and a lot of your viewers can relate to, it's survival mode. And so just figuring out, okay, what's gonna drop off, that's fine. And I think from after that first year is, for me, it was being comfortable of, I'm just going to let those pieces that fell keep being there. Those weren't a priority of mine. So if it was, you know, another organization I used to go to, or once a month dinners with this group that I haven't been able to see, but I'm okay with that. I think that's where I kind of continued after that year one of having a baby, of, okay, let's see what I can possibly add or adjust to what I'm doing right now.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  17:50  

Yeah. So it sounds kind of like, Hey, I'm taking, like, a one year sabbatical, essentials only, and then, like, slowly adding back non essentials, you know, that that feel more within reach as time goes on. Does that sound right? 

Kiran Reddy  18:07  

That's the perfect way of describing what I was trying to say. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  18:11  

Yeah. So, I mean, I think that that makes total sense, and is a really, a really smart strategy to approach it, because, you know, it's like, what happened? 

Kiran Reddy  18:24  

Yeah.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  18:25  

Yeah. So I think, you know, whenever you have a baby, it's like, your whole world changes. But also, if I'm remembering correctly, you were on the path to getting pregnant for a little while, and so it was like a very intentional something that you were were working toward. I remember something about you going to a mountain. Tell me more about that, if you don't mind sharing about your kind of fertility and, you know, getting pregnant journey.

Kiran Reddy  18:52  

Thank you for asking about that. It's a really cool story. So my husband at the time and I, we had to go through IVF twice, and we happened to be doing a trip to India and Bhutan, at the time, my father died, so I was doing a pilgrimage to spread his ashes. And then we went to Bhutan because it was just a place we always wanted to go. And the tour guy said, Oh, we're going to a fertility temple. And I said, Oh, that's interesting. Like it just happened to be on our tour, and we go up, and we walk up this path, up this portion of the hill mountain. And he allowed me to go inside, but had Joey, my co parent, stay outside, and he was, the monk said, You know, you have to really believe in this. And I said, Okay, you know, I'll try anything. And so I walked outside the temple, and I had to go around the temple three times with this huge wooden phallus wrapped in this blessed white cloth by the monk. Okay, I guess in futon, the penis means good luck and fertility. So I had to do that going around three times. And then finally we were able to both go inside the temple. And the neat thing about it was we saw all these photo albums of these couples, and they provided their picture as a way of saying, Thank you, we are now conceiving and having a baby, and exactly nine months to that day, I found out I was pregnant.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  20:33  

What? Yeah, oh, my goodness, that just gave me chills.

Kiran Reddy  20:37  

It was pretty cool, but I'm sure I'm in a ton of random pictures of tourists doing that.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  20:44  

Wow, that was really cool. So and on your pilgrimage, you know, honor your dad like that's just sounds amazing, yeah, and carrying around a giant penis sounds like something. 

Kiran Reddy  20:56  

It definitely was something, for sure.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  21:02  

Wow, was that a long journey for you, you know, to bring Leo into the world? 

Kiran Reddy  21:07  

Yes, it was about a two year journey from when we started and everything. But yeah, we are told that now we have to bring Leo back to that village to say thank you. Give more blessings. So yes, hopefully one day we can.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  21:24  

Yeah, oh, wow. What a cool story. Well, I cannot wait to hear some more from you. I want to hear about kind of the last few years. I know you've had so many changes, and so I think anyone who's listening who has gone through a lot of changes recently, or is in it right now, or it's upcoming, I can't wait for them to hear more from you about that experience for you. So thank you so much for sharing all this with me, Kiran, and we will see you and everybody here back next week for part two of this amazing conversation. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  21:59  

Sounds great. Thank you so much for having me. 

Leanna Laskey McGrath  22:01  

Thanks everybody, and we will see you all next week. Don't miss out on part two of Kiran's episodes.

Leanna Laskey McGrath  22:14  

If you're loving what you're learning on this podcast, I'd love to invite you to check out The Executive Mom Reset. It's my six month coaching program for ambitious, success driven, career focused women who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving. Together, we'll tackle the stress, guilt and overwhelm that come with being a high achieving executive mom. You'll learn how to set boundaries, prioritize what truly matters, and build the confidence to show up powerfully at work, at home, and for yourself. Head on over to coachleanna.com right now to schedule a free discovery call. We'll spend an hour talking about where you are now, what you want to create, and how I can help you get there, because every woman deserves to live the life of her dreams. Let's create yours together.