Women Thrive Magazine
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From Full Time Marketer to Mompreneur: Why I Made the Leap
Every time I tell my story, I am reminded of the new life motherhood breathed into me, and simultaneously all the gut-wrenching moments that shaped my journey to this beautiful-present place.
On December 14, 2016, my daughter, Mallory came into this world. If you knew me before this exact moment, you may have heard murmurs of me thinking about bringing my laptop to the hospital, continuing 60-hour work weeks, all the places I would be traveling, and going at the same pace as I always had.
It was a miracle of sorts that morning as everything shifted within my mind, body, and soul. I say, “of sorts” because I battled severe postpartum anxiety and depression in those early days, and my little 5-pound 9-ounce girl had so many obstacles of her own to overcome.
Mallory had a milk protein intolerance, acid reflux, was colicky, and borderline asthmatic. Looking back, those were small things, but to a new mother, they felt debilitating. Going back to work seemed like a daunting task to add to an already full plate.
At the same time, I knew I needed to feel a little more like myself, and work was always a big piece of my identity. After all, I LOVED marketing. I LOVED the buzz of a collaborative space. I LIVED FOR the outcome of a good brainstorming session with my colleagues.
Only the thought of daycare was no longer appealing, the long drive felt desperate in the early morning hours and late evenings that followed when I missed my baby so much. Stepping onto a plane? It was no longer exhilarating, it was full of what-ifs and a deep longing to be home.
Knowing that I couldn’t keep doing this routine, I opted for a job closer to home, but within 1-year, I was fired, let go, and thrown away from a job I really loved. You see, I lost my job because I wanted to be a mom first, and I was very upfront about this during the interview process. Six months into my new role, I got a new boss. She was a woman with two small children who had a better support system than I did.
That’s the thing. Women have so many opportunities to lift each other up, but in corporate environments where deadlines are looming and competition is fierce, it’s like, “may the best woman at playing the game win”. Only I didn’t want to play the game. I was never one to “play the game”.
Daycare came with a lot of sicknesses and my baby needed me. My husband and I juggled our jobs the very best we could. My mother who worked nights would come straight to my house after her shift to care for Mallory when she was sick so we could keep our jobs. I hated being away from my baby when she was sick. It felt like a cruel and unusual punishment for a new mother. I felt like it was too much and not enough all in the same breath.
In retrospect, I wish I had an easier adjustment to motherhood, but I’m not going to sit in that space because what was born out of this story is nothing short of God having a bigger plan than me.
After I lost my job, I put everything into the business I started a year after my daughter was born, More Meaningful Marketing. It brings tears to my eyes to type those words. Wow, what a journey it has been! I ventured feet-first into entrepreneurship. Have you ever heard the saying, “sometimes God breaks your heart to save your soul”? That’s so clearly what happened to me.
More Meaningful Marketing became a way to simplify marketing for other entrepreneurs who lacked inspiration, clarity, and the confidence to take their businesses to new heights. This company has afforded me the opportunity to be home with my daughter (and now, son!) while pursuing my passion.
The thing was, yes, motherhood changed my life in SO many ways, but I have always known that I am made for more and I have so much to give this world outside of being a mom, too! Now, I have the best of both worlds.
I get to help business owners who come to me and say, “I know marketing is important, but I can’t do it all myself”. I get to calm their overwhelm and bring them to an authentic place where only they can thrive. My clients share their stories outwardly and with such conviction and pride, that I can see the shift of who they were always meant to be coming to the surface.
The best part? Marketing gets to be easy for them, and it’s wildly rewarding for me to watch their journey unfold, and I get to do it alongside motherhood. I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot. I have been immensely blessed, and I know there are other women who are in this same place of not wanting to miss milestones with their children but also wanting to make a purpose-driven difference.
I’m here to tell you it’s possible, it’s within reach, and you can do it. If you’re looking to make a change from the corporate world, first think about what your life would look like at its very best every single day. What job would you be doing? How would you show up for your children? What boundaries would you create in the interest of a more harmonious balance?
By now, your mind might be going to the place of, “can I make a living doing this? Where will the money come from?” I know. I was there, too, and honestly, it was one of the hardest transitions to make in becoming a full-time business owner.
The best advice that I received early on was, “when you do the right things for the right reasons, the money comes”, and it does in abundance it does. The secret is wanting your dream life so much that you would do absolutely anything to achieve it.
The combination of motherhood and entrepreneurship has filled a void I didn’t even realize I had for so many years. This journey is absolutely not rainbows and butterflies all the time, and some days are gut-wrenchingly hard, but I’m doing it with the best balance imaginable. If you want it badly enough, you can do it, too. Reach for the stars, beautiful.
About the Author
Name: Tiffany N Lewis
Professional Title: Strategic Digital Marketer
Bio: Tiffany N. Lewis of More Meaningful Marketing is a mother, avid coffee drinker, business owner, and self-proclaimed rebel with a lot of meaningful causes. She believes your brand story becomes the reason people do business and continue doing business with you. Tiffany is wildly passionate about helping women merge their personal attributes with their professional offerings in a way that boosts both confidence and business.
Website: www.moremeaningfulmarketing.com
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