"When I was pregnant, my clothes looked like appliances, like I was a machine," says Aleksandra Żebrowska in episode 4 of the "Women Rule" podcast. It didn't start with a grand business plan, but with frustration and a question more and more women are asking themselves today: why should motherhood mean giving up on yourself? In the new "Women Rule" podcast, Joanna Olekszyk talks with the influencer and entrepreneur about the path to success, the price of independence, and whether it's possible to maintain autonomy in a family.
A Woman at the Center, Not on the Margins
Aleksandra Żebrowska has been building a community of women who refuse to fit into the narrow framework of societal expectations for years. Her work—both on social media and in business—is rooted in a need to change the narrative.
"I want women to be at the center," she says in an interview with Joanna Olekszyk, and it sounds like a manifesto. While for years women – especially mothers – have been the backdrop rather than the protagonists of social narratives, Żebrowska consistently reverses this perspective. Her brand, Francis & Henry, was born from this very impulse: a protest against the objectification of pregnant and postpartum women.
"Clothes looked like appliances"
Pregnancy was the turning point. An experience that, for many women, becomes a moment of redefinition – including their own bodies and identities.
"When I was pregnant, clothes looked like appliances, as if I were a machine," Żebrowska recalls, revealing more than just an aesthetic issue. This is a story about objectification, about reducing women to mere functions. In a world that, on the one hand, idealizes motherhood and, on the other, strips women of their agency, Żebrowska decided to create an alternative.
"Why, when you become a mother, would you want elephant pajamas?" the guest rhetorically asks.
Francis & Henry is the answer: a brand that restores women's sense of style, agency, and normalcy. Because being a mother doesn't preclude being yourself.
Success is not a solo performance
Although Aleksandra Żebrowska's story is often told as an example of individual success, she consistently emphasizes the importance of relationships and support.
"Being a mother, I managed to develop professionally, but you can't do that without support." This is an important voice in the discussion about the "self-made woman." Because behind every success story are specific conditions—emotional, logistical, and social. In Żebrowska's case, partnership plays a crucial role. Her relationship with Michał Żebrowski—an actor, but also a partner in everyday life—becomes an example of what a modern family model can look like.
Without space for growth and without mutual support, it's difficult to speak of true independence.
Persistence as a strategy
In Żebrowska's story of success, there's no room for chance. Instead, there's determination. "What helped me is that I was stubborn." This stubbornness is understood not as blindly sticking to one's guns, but as consistency. The ability to act despite doubt, fatigue, and pressure. In a world that constantly expects compromise from women, persistence becomes a tool for survival—and growth.
Aleksandra Żebrowska doesn't fit the "good girl" stereotype. And perhaps that's why her voice resonates so well with other women.
Small Happinesses, Big Meanings
There's another important thread in this story—everyday life. Because although the conversation revolves around success, business, and ambition, Żebrowska doesn't lose sight of the simplest things. "You have to appreciate the small happinesses," she says, providing a counterpoint to the culture of constant momentum. In a world where success is measured by scale and visibility, she reminds us of something more fundamental: mindfulness, balance, and the fact that life isn't just about ticking off goals.
A New Definition of Success
The "Women Rule" podcast begins on a high note. Aleksandra Żebrowska's story isn't a classic tale of business triumph. It's rather an attempt to define success on her own terms.
Success that doesn't exclude motherhood.
Success that doesn't mean giving up on yourself.
Success that's based on relationships, not just individual effort.
And perhaps that's why this conversation will stay with us for a long time. Because it shows that in a world full of conflicting expectations, you can still choose your own path—even if it requires persistence.
