Running a business from home

I had my 3rd child on May 19th – a boy named Solzy. I’m thrilled to have a newborn in my arms again. So many people have asked me if I will be taking off work – a maternity leave of sorts. But given that I run a company now –it is impossible to stop overseeing the business. Everything would come to a standstill. When I was at L’Oreal, I got 5 months of maternity leave which was absolute bliss, but just before Seka, my 2nd child was born, I decided to start my own business. I didn’t realize that I would actually be working 24/7 – every single day of the year, but at least now, I work from home. I do not have an assistant but I do have a team that manages Babo’s accounting, finance and customer service and a group of women who manage sales, but we all live in different states – so we communicate through constant emails, texting and phone calls which I can do from home (or wherever my kids may be). I was recently interviewed for a piece on CBS news about stay-at- home mothers who become CEOS and the truth is we get to choose when we work – still having the flexibility to be with our children. So, even if I stay up past midnight working or on my iphone returning emails at my son’s soccer class, or having a conference call with my kids playing in the background, I feel so blessed. Yes there have been times when I’m on the phone with a retailer and my kids are having a breakdown, but since I’m in the kids business, people seem to think that comes with the territory. I simply call whoever back when it quiets down again. I try to get my children involved in the business too. For sure, they are great testers of products now – but they also help me schlep things to fed ex or stock store shelves. It’s so fun having their participation and feeling it’s a team/ family activity. A fellow stay-at-home mom/ business woman wrote, “ I have worked from the kitchen table, the car, baseball and football fields, floor of the living room...it's a bit chaotic @ times...but there is no trade-off for "being there" (and making your own hours, so you get to go on field trips!).” I completely agree! So I’m happy to not take maternity leave but I do consider Babo my 4th child who I have to nurture at any hour it needs me (I do get emails at all hours). And I love hearing from all the mothers who buy Babo – that is really what keeps me motivated! So thank you for anyone who is reading this blog. My entire family thanks you.