Laura Rutledge ESPN star on balancing family and high-profile job, the fear of Motherhood ruining her career, dealing with grief behind the scenes and reveals what marked change for the rising star.

“I was afraid being a mom would hold me back then it became my greatest strength."- Laura Rutledge A Pivotal conversation as we celebrate Mother’s Day and all the amazing women who impact lives daily. We welcome Emmy Award-Winning sports television host, Laura Rutledge, for a raw and inspiring conversation about the journey behind the success. Before becoming one of the most recognizable faces in sports media, Laura was on a path that she never thought would end up landing her a sideline view of sports’ biggest arenas from NFL to College Football to The Masters. In a deeply personal revelation, Laura opens up about the sacrifices, grief, fear of losing her career after becoming a mom, and the relentless work it takes to show up for both family and purpose. A powerful reminder that strength isn’t just what you achieve — it’s what you overcome. Laura shares the emotional decision of becoming a mother while fearing it could slow down — or even ruin — the career she worked so hard to build. Reflecting on her recent years, she opens up about the real fear and even disappointment of finding out about her first pregnancy and how that single experience changed her mindset and course of life forever. She talks candidly about balancing ambition with family, overcoming doubt, handling loss, and redefining success beyond titles and television. Laura explains the support of her long-time husband, breaking the mold and attacking life differently than most couples, Laura opens up on the challenges of having a high profile career, while trying to raise kids away from the spotlight and stay true to her roots. Although her younger years were shaped by a competitive nature- performing ballet overseas, winning Miss Florida in 2012 and developing a deep love of Gator pride attending Florida University, Laura discovered her true calling and the love of her in life, in an unexpected turn. Laura opens up about meeting her husband, Josh early in life and building a relationship while navigating the uncertainty of a rising career in sports broadcasting. She reflects on breaking into a male-dominated industry, earning respect in sports media, and the pressure that came with constantly proving herself on the biggest stages. This is a powerful conversation about ambition, sacrifice, motherhood, love, and pure authenticity you don’t want to miss. And from our Pivot Family to yours-Happy Mother's Day to all the women out there who consistently show up with unconditional love and praying for those who may be missing their moms today, we see you and send you strength. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices