For International Women’s Day, we asked 35+ female founders what observations they had since starting their businesses. Quickly, five themes emerged: community, motherhood, bias, self-discovery and resilience.
Scroll for the observations of these mothers and founders.
Ashley Lewis, Founder of Fleur Marché
"Getting pregnant was one thing I worried about that didn't end up mattering. We were in the midst of our first fundraise when I got pregnant for the first time (alongside Meredith, my cofounder), and I was so scared of telling investors for fear that it would deter them from believing in us. I was scared about what would happen to the business when we had the babies. Welp, we ended up being oversubscribed in our pre-seed round AND we were both so committed to our "third baby" that the business was able to chug along despite the fact that we each took maternity leave (albeit, condensed) and continue to prioritize being good moms and spending time with our kids alongside being good business owners."
Jenna Levine, Founder of Linné Botanicals
"Since becoming a mother I’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from other female founders and customers. Balancing family and entrepreneurship is a challenge indeed and I feel so grateful to have such a kind, caring and understanding community."
Gabbie Slome, Founder of Ollie
"Balancing being a mom and a founder is not easy but can be an asset. It makes you prioritize more, makes you more empathetic and helps put problems in perspective."
Allie Egan, Founder of Veracity Selfcare
"As both a mother and a founder, I am expected to be ‘on’ at all times. When I’m not working I’m putting my son down for a nap, when I’m not taking care of my son I’m on calls with investors. The hustle never stops because both of my babies require my undivided attention. But finding joy in the chaos is the power of the female founder."