Publishing isn't just about books. Parenting isn't just about kids. Both are about nurturing something precious into existence—and having the courage to let it go. In this episode, Albiona sits down with Judith Kerr, President and Publisher of the HarperOne Group at HarperCollins, for a conversation that goes far beyond the publishing industry. Judith's journey from a farm in rural Australia to shepherding some of the world's most transformative books into existence offers profound lessons about entrepreneurship, intuition, structure, and what it really means to parent our creative work into the world.
Inside, they explore:
→ Why "first build a better box" before thinking outside of it—and how this applies to parenting, business, and creative work
→ The liberating power of "you can have whatever you want, provided you get it for yourself"
→ How Judith's mother gave her permission to be entrepreneurial from childhood (breeding guinea pigs, collecting junk, understanding "the power of the purse")
→ Why trusting your intuition is a skill you can develop—and how it's helped Judith make decisions for 30 years
→ The Kitchen Sink Story: How being baptized over a kitchen sink on a farm led to making Pope Francis laugh
→ What it means to be a "doula for stories"—and how publishing mirrors the parenting process
→ Why releasing attachment to outcome is essential (and how to celebrate milestones along the way)
→ The village it takes to publish a book—and raise a child
→ How to hold the tension between mystery and structure, passion and pragmatism
→ Why aunts and mentors matter more than we celebrate them
→ The physical nature of intuition: goosebumps, tingles, and the 39 senses we forget we have
Judith also shares the six questions every HarperOne editor must answer before acquiring a book, her approach to "publishing for the world we want to live in," and why she paints calming animal pictures for mental health on Instagram.
This episode is for you if you're nurturing any kind of creative work—whether that's raising children, building a business, writing a book, or bringing any passion project to life. It's about permission, intuition, structure, and the art of parenting what matters most into the world.
Resources & Links:
Connect with Judith:
→ Instagram: @judithcurrkerr (calming animal art + occasional publishing news)
→ HarperOne: @harperonebooks
→ HarperCollins: www.harpercollins.com
Mentioned in This Episode:
→ Girls Write Now: www.girlswritenow.org (mentoring organization for young writers)
→ Pope Francis's upcoming book: Peace Be With You (February 2026)
→ The Source by Dr. Tara Swart
→ The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
→ The Gut by Julia Enders
→ Breast Advice by Dr. Liza Port
Connect with Albiona:
→ Book a Free Discovery Call (1:1 Coaching) - https://www.theparentingreframe.com/coaching
→ Follow Albiona on Instagram - @theparentingreframe
→ Join Albiona's Paid Substack Community - https://theparentingreframe.substack.com
Loved this episode?
Please rate, review, and share it with someone who's nurturing a creative project, raising kids, or learning to trust their intuition in business and life.
We're all learning how to parent what matters—with structure, with heart, and with the courage to let it become what it's meant to be.
Until next time,
Albiona 🤎