About Kate
I am a mum of 3 & has been where you are right now - I knows what's it like to have that feeling of dread every day packing your kids off to school & nursery, juggling the packed lunches, school trips, sports days & work.
And the guilt....the mum guilt is real. You need the money, you have to pay the bills but every day you go to work you feel dead inside.
I returned to work after my first born & hated leaving him. I was going to have 6 months maternity leave & be back at my desk. However having my son changed me. I didn't want to leave him, so I kept extending it for the full amount & then I went back. I had to go back full time, I had no choice because they wouldn't let me work part time. I lasted 2 weeks. That was it & I was out of there. Even those 2 weeks were too much.
In the years that followed I went on to have 2 more babies and just did what I could to earn a bit of money. I ironed for people (hated this with a passion), I made cakes...basically anything I could do to earn money around the kids without having to put them into childcare. Things were tight financially. I didn't ever think I was worth more than menial jobs because I surely couldn't run a successful business as had children right?
I slowly started to realise I could be successful AND have young children.
I started a skincare business & rose to the ranks of senior leadership - all whilst my children were at home. I worked the hours I wanted & was successful.
This gave me a huge boost & confidence to believe in myself again. As a mum we go through so many changes both physically & mentally and we often out our needs at the bottom of the pile.
I then went on the launch a successful recruitment business where in my first year I turned over six figures, which I ran for 3 years.
I realised during this time that the corporate environment is hugely male dominated still. It's ridiculous. As a mum we go back to work after maternity leave & are often over looked for promotion or just not taken seriously because we have children & the assumption is there is no point investing in us, because we are likely to go on maternity leave again. There is an huge shortage of flexible and part time positions at a high level which inhibits women's' success. Its archaic, but if we want a successful career we are meant to ignore the fact we want to have time with our children and be all in with our careers & pretend that they don't exist.
It's ludicrous
The corporate world needs to change & quickly, but it's so slow to react.
There are some incredible, supportive businesses out there but they are few & far between.
So why are we still putting up with it?
Don't wait for the change.
Be the change.
Work to your own time table, enjoy your time with your children why they are young, be successful - yes you really can have it all, your way.
The revolution is coming.