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At 28 years old, I was married, expecting a baby, and at the same time was the founder and CEO of a rapidly growing early-stage technology company. It’s safe to say that my situation raised a few eyebrows (and was met with quite a bit of skepticism).
Day after day, I was told things that made no sense to me, such as “You’re too young to be a CEO” or “You’re too young to have children…” and suddenly… happened. A switch is flipped, and one day the advice you receive changes to, “You’re too old to have a family,” or “It was selfish of you to wait.” For some reason, we decided that raising children and entrepreneurship were incompatible. Not so for women, anyway.
I’m not the first person, and I won’t be the last, to be forced to choose between pursuing my biggest career goals and my ultimate lifelong dream of becoming a mother. So, after two years, I can say:I mean both. teeth Possible.
I want to take a step back and fully realize how lucky I am to have certain resources and support that not everyone can help me with. She is only 51% of women who take more than 5 weeks off for maternity leave. Even worse, 62% of low-income women take no maternity leave at all. This is a truly unacceptable result. We have to be better.
Before I sat down to write down my experience, I spoke to countless parents covering a wide range of experiences. The final conclusions reached are as follows. There is a consensus that 1) taking more time off results in some kind of penalty at work, 2) parents feel that taking time off hurts their chances of promotion, and 3) parents I spoke with said: Some of them were not promoted. Due to economic circumstances, it does not take much time at all.
For those of you who find yourself in a similar position to me, please know that even though it is difficult, you can and will get through it. And maybe by using the platform that I’ve been given, the conversation can get bigger, and maybe it won’t be as difficult for those who follow. Maybe we can be a little more kind.
So let’s talk about the reality of pregnancy and entrepreneurship, the part no one wants to discuss.
Investors don’t want to support pregnant CEOs, pregnancy hinders venture capital funding, raising children is why investors are afraid of women-led companies, taking maternity leave is a signal of crisis , and so on countless times. Lack of commitment to the company.
My advice is: don’t tell them what your expectations are, and don’t meet in person. Either way, we have forged ahead amidst the chaos of impending parenthood and business growth. We started talking with potential investors when I was about 7 months pregnant and officially closed our Series A just days after giving birth. Yes, you are right too. Texting an investor while giving birth is not for the faint of heart.
Related: Why is there a boom in female entrepreneurship now?
In the days and weeks that followed, running a company, changing diapers, breastfeeding, and, as if that wasn’t bad enough, giving birth to a broken coccyx, the women felt isolated and unsupported. I feel like I haven’t. It’s time to remove the stigma and normalize conversations around the challenges of pregnancy and motherhood in the workplace.
As for my career path, I didn’t take maternity leave until my baby girl was about 12 months old. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to do so. But by then I was exhausted and didn’t feel like I was doing either role particularly well. In the end, taking three months of maternity leave was the best decision for me, my family, and my business.
Not everyone is in the same position as me, or as lucky as I was to take time off late, but I’m sure there are others out there who are struggling with work-life balance and the challenges of new parenthood. For those of you who have sex, here’s what I did. Have learned.
For those of you who think you don’t need a vacation or think your career doesn’t allow for it, I want to be clear: You need to change your perspective. You are not only entitled to this time; you need it And it’s not just about physical recovery, it’s also about mental and emotional health, bonding with your child, and adjusting to the monumental task of raising a child. This is not just a story about birth parents. Mothers, fathers, adoptive parents, we all need this time. why?
- Your child is most important. Forget about work for a while. Bonding with your child is a once in a lifetime experience and should never be overshadowed by anything.
- Raising children is the hardest job in the world. There is no corporate challenge comparable to the early years of parenthood. Taking time will help you get used to this new stage of life, but I wish I had more time before going back to work.
Related: How to balance entrepreneurship and parenting without losing your cool
And here are some tips for those navigating this journey.
- It’s okay to put yourself first. One of the best pieces of advice I can give is that it’s okay to be “selfish.”This is the only time you can say no, ask for help, and set boundaries – no matter how you look at it, the world should It feels like it’s revolving around you.
- Don’t be afraid to communicate openly with your team and clients. It’s easy to be scared and honest about what you’re going through. My advice: Be open and honest. And you’ll often be surprised at the support you get.
- Plan and delegate. Before you leave, set clear expectations and delegate responsibilities. Empower your team to keep your business running smoothly in your absence, minimizing stress for everyone involved.
It’s time to break the silence surrounding parenting and entrepreneurship. Let’s embrace the complexity of our lives, challenge social norms, and pave the way for a more inclusive and collaborative future.
