It's working for Anne Kenny, Founder of Caring Ink
San Francisco, CA
2 children
Entrepreneurship is appealing because it affords more flexibility and control than the corporate world. I wish there were more part-time options for moms to be able to integrate their home and work lives.
Spend less time creating the “ideal” birth plan and more time learning about and preparing for postpartum. There’s a lot of emphasis for expecting moms on making it through labor but there is not enough conversation or support for what happens right afterwards.
When I left the corporate world, I really missed being in an uninterrupted flow state and coworkers. I crave illustrating because it provides that flow state, and I enjoy collaborating with others as a proxy for having coworkers.
When I was deciding if I wanted to officially sell my cards, I reached out to Gia Graham, an illustrator, teacher and mom of two. She had built and then sunsetted a stationary line, and I asked if I could pay her to share your experience with me. Her advice to go “slow and steady” has become one of my mantras. With limited time, I try to keep taking small steps.
Thank you. It still feels nascent but I love when someone recognizes that it’s a new category of cards that doesn’t exist and feel seen and validated for all the work they do that often goes unacknowledged.
Entrepreneurship is appealing because it affords more flexibility and control than the corporate world. I wish there were more part-time options for moms to be able to integrate their home and work lives.
After leaving my job, I wrestled a lot with my identity. Most social interactions revolve around the questions, “What do you do?” or “How’s work going?”. I found myself saying, “Well, I used to…”, and that talking about my kids to people who weren’t moms themselves would quickly end the conversation. I swung the pendulum from working at a hyper-growth startup to being a full time mom. I’m still figuring out something in between that works for me and my current phase of life.
My advice is:
My husband is both supportive of this passion project and engaged in our day-to-day routines. I’m lucky to have family close by who is my proverbial village. I’ve learned that if I pay for exercise classes I’m much more likely to regularly exercise. And, I try to.
Creating a predictable schedule was helpful for my sanity. I also had to get over my personal FOMO; having time by myself recharges me as a parent. I carve out time for my own unicorn space and try to support my husband to have his.
Understanding norms and “what’s expected”. For example, should I put “pump” on my calendar? Is it okay to leave work early? Am I expected to attend an overnight offsite that everyone else is so excited about, but I’m secretly dreading? If ways of working aren’t explicitly communicated, working parents spend a lot of mental energy thinking about these types of questions and their implications.
Band together! I met so many moms through prenatal yoga, birthing classes, work, and playgrounds. They continue to be a critical source of support. Becoming a mom helped deepen my friendships with coworkers in a way I didn’t expect.
Women who had recently returned to work, a Slack channel for moms, and friendships that grew in the pump room.
Informal and official working parent advocates, Genevieve Pearson & Henri Loh, who helped me navigate my pregnancy and return to work. When I hear a woman is expecting, I share resources and advice I wish I had known.
As a working parent, I never expected ____would be so hard and _____would be so much easier.
As a working parent, I never expected the invisible parts of motherhood (breastfeeding, pumping, supporting children during their meltdowns, emotion coaching) would be so hard and, sadly, I can’t think of something that’s so much easier. Even things like getting dinner on the table every day is no small feat!