Mother’s Day is just around the corner. So, to celebrate, we’re looking at some kick arse business mums who know exactly how to work hard and play hard. It’s tough to be a parent and a business owner. One minute you’re ruling the world, negotiating with suppliers and the next, you’re playing lego with your five-year-old or dressed up as Elsa singing along to Frozen for the third time in an hour.
Yet, these mums are nailing the working parent brief. And the best thing about it is they’re pretty darn real about it. Is it tough? Yes. Do they get it done anyway? You bet!
The creatives
Being creative can sometimes be tough as a mum. It seems all you’re doing is picking up after everyone, negotiating with a 10-year-old about homework and picking up after everyone again. But there are mums out there who have figured out the formula. Take Things by Bean creator, Jo Power as an example. Jo created a collection of cards for all occasions, non-occasions and even made up occasions, all with a little sidekick along the ride, and another on the way. The cheeky, sometimes creepy but always cute card are now stocked in more than 50 retailers across Australia.
And then there’s sweet queen, Rachel Ross from Sweets for Tilly. With macarons tailored to each season and custom-made cakes, Sweets for Tilly is a delectable destination in Melbourne for anyone and everyone with a sweet tooth. Rachel, a mum of one, juggles running the business with being a parent, although if Rachel was our mum, we probably wouldn’t be complaining. The treats come home, right?
Mum squad
Getting out with a baby in tow is tough. Like, really tough. Have you ever been in dire need of a flat white with a two-year-old in tow, who wants nothing more than to play? Mum of one, Laura Rushton found herself in this situation one too many times. So, she did something about it. Laura created Out and About Baby, a one-stop-shop directory for getting out with a kid. It also includes a handy guide for dads so they know where there are ‘parent’s rooms’ rather than ‘mother’s rooms’. The directory includes user-generated reviews on cafes, restaurants, playgrounds, hotels, shopping centres and more. So next time you’re out and about, and in a bind, look Laura up, she’ll help a sister (or brother) out.
Another mum doing her awesome thing is Amanda Stevens. Think thought leadership is just for the business world? Think again. Supporting speaker for Condoleezza Rice, shared the stage with Sir Bob Geldof and Sir Richard Branson. There’s not much this mama can’t do. Amanda Stevens has presented for audiences from 30 to 3000, from prisoners to top wealth advisors. And Amanda does it all while anticipating the needs of her child, as she builds and nourishes her business.
Business with heart
Running a business with a family at home is no easy feat. But some mums make it look like a piece of cake. And they do it with heart. Don’t worry, we know their secret – it’s called hard work. An excellent example of business with heart is Peggy Willcox, a mother of two, who founded Mooney Real Estate, a real estate agency focusing on the human side of property. When she founded her business, Peggy was determined to put the heart into the real estate industry. On top of this, Peggy provides the western Sydney community with loads of pro bono legal advice, particularly in the area of rental disputes for mismanagement, all while raising a young family.
Also in the real estate space is Emma, is ditching the 9-5 grind, packing up her son and hit the road in a van with her hubby. She will be travelling around Australia, nailing the digital nomad routine and running her business on the go. The Barr Essentials is a real estate digital lead generation agency run completely from the back of a van, and a couple of co-working spaces or coffee shops. The mum of one juggles the work/life balance alongside her husband, as they travel Australia while growing their online empire, iLeads – an innovative marketing solution for real estate agents.
Probably the least tolerable part of being a mum though, is dealing with periods while trying to keep everything and everyone together. Mums, however, just seem to get on with it.
Pain, bleeding, discomfort. No worries, mama can handle it. But Liz, a mum of three and Carol, a mum of one, who brought Lunette to Australia are trying to make periods a lot more manageable. The menstrual cup is designed, developed and packaged with the environment at heart are a great alternative to disposable period products, which often see women limited in their opportunities and pollute the planet.
Being a working parent is hard. There’s guilt on both sides – guilty you’re not working when you should be, and guilty you’re not with your children when you’re working. To all the mamas out there who are working mums and mums who work, kudos! You deserve a day to be spoilt. In fact, you deserve 365 of them.
