Stephanie Pow on Redefining Financial Wellness for Parents

The Scholars Podcast - Conversations with Inspiring Leaders

This episode features Stephanie Pow, recipient of the NSW Premier’s John Monash Scholarship. The award enabled Stephanie to pursue dual master’s degrees—an MBA from the Wharton School and an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School—broadening her expertise beyond finance into public policy and mission-driven leadership. From her early days as a top-performing investment banker at UBS to becoming the founder of Crayon, Stephanie shares the inspiring journey that led her to create a platform to reduce financial stress during life’s most pivotal moments.

Stephanie discusses the challenges of launching Crayon, a startup that supports parents with verified parental leave data and financial preparation programs. She highlights how Crayon partners with over 300 employers in New Zealand to provide transparency on parental leave policies and empower employees navigating parenthood. With plans to expand into Australia, Stephanie reveals her broader vision for addressing financial stress across other significant life events, including aged care and family transitions.

Throughout the conversation, Stephanie offers a candid look at balancing startup life with raising young children and the unique insights she brings as a parent and entrepreneur. She reflects on the challenges women face in building businesses post-motherhood and how her lived experiences were instrumental in shaping Crayon’s mission. Stephanie also shares her take on global parental leave trends, calling for Australia and New Zealand to adopt more progressive policies like those in Europe and Asia.

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