Becoming a parent for the first time can be one of life’s most joyful experiences. But it can also be stressful for women balancing a full-time job in corporate America with the responsibilities of motherhood. Now an increasing number of new moms are saying goodbye to their corporate lives and becoming entrepreneurs, so they can have more control over their daily schedules.
Take Judy as an example. She told NBC Nightly News that she was fine working 14-hour days at a Pittsburgh biotech firm, until her son was born. She says the company she worked for simply didn’t recognize how difficult it was for her: “They didn’t understand why I came in later, they didn’t understand why I had to leave earlier and they didn’t understand why I had to keep my door closed so I could pump milk for my son.” Judy decided to leave that job to start her own business, A Mother’s Boutique, which is tailored to new moms who find themselves in similar situations. Because she understands what new moms go through, Judy gives her employees the flexibility that she would have liked when her son was born.
Since 1997, start-ups created by women have grown more than 67%. Some women created their businesses because of tough times during the recession, but advances in technology and more readily-available financing options also helped fuel this growth. While many of the businesses tend to be smaller in both size and revenue, they do provide the flex hours that these working moms, like Judy so dearly need.
By the way, Judy says she’s much happier now running her own business: “I think I’ll always be a workaholic, but now I work when it’s convenient for me.”
Are you a mother struggling to balance your career and family life? How do you do it? Share your stories and tips with us!
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