As an entrepreneur and small business owner, the concept of taking a maternity leave can be daunting. It’s a question I often receive: “How does a maternity leave work when you own a business?” For many, it seems an elusive opportunity, but I want to share my experience of preparing for maternity leave while running a business, and how it might be more achievable than you think. Listen below for more!
For most entrepreneurs, taking time off often resembles their approach to vacations – hesitant and reactive. Your business shouldn’t require your constant presence to function, otherwise, you haven’t built a business; you’ve built a job.
When I found out I was pregnant with my sixth child, due the same day as our planned book launch, my instinct was to power through as usual. We even scheduled a mastermind retreat close to my due date. However, realizing the impracticality of maintaining such a schedule led to a profound decision: moving book launches and shifting masterminds, effectively embracing a more thoughtful approach.
Rethinking Maternity Leave
I wanted a truly present maternity leave, different from past experiences where responsibilities lingered. This time, I aimed to not only step away but ensure the business thrived in my absence. Here’s how I prepared:
- Strategic Adjustments: Evaluating our business model, we questioned if it could run with excellence in my absence. This inspired reimagining and rebuilding our approach.
- Utilizing AI for Leadership: We integrated AI to ensure smooth operations without me as the bottleneck. This AI is trained with my frameworks and approaches, allowing my team autonomy while maintaining alignment with our mission.
- Building Sustainable Systems: With tools like Loom, we documented processes and created playbooks, ensuring clarity and direction for the team.
- Empowering the Team: We adjusted our hires to include strategic thinkers capable of owning outcomes, not just tasks, fostering leadership growth.
The Importance of Community and Strategy
Collaborating with my friend Aly Caffery, who founded Master Maternity Leave, helped us immensely. Building a continuity plan through her anticipation process allowed us to identify gaps and ensure seamless operations during my absence.
Whether you’re a new parent, planning a sabbatical, or seeking a lighter workload, the principles of preparation and strategic planning are universal. It’s about creating a business that affords you the freedom to prioritize different life stages without compromising your business.
We developed the FREE method, a simple yet powerful model for leadership leaves:
- Filter: Prevent unnecessary issues from reaching you.
- Reprioritize: Adapt goals based on current realities, letting go of outdated commitments.
- Elevate: Empower others to lead, encourage their growth.
- Embody: Practice what you preach, lead by example.
This approach not only prepared us for my maternity leave but redefined our leadership strategies moving forward.
As we anticipate the arrival of our new baby, I remain passionate about sharing our journey. Whether you’re expecting a child, considering a sabbatical, or looking to redefine your work-life balance, know that with the right strategies, it’s possible to thrive personally and professionally.
If you’re interested in learning more about these methods or have any questions, feel free to connect with me. Let’s embrace these seasons of life together, supporting each other in achieving a balanced and fulfilling journey.
REFERENCED RESOURCES:
Your Big Next – The Book is Coming SOON! Sign Up Here to Get the Details First!
Overflow CEO Mastermind
DM me ‘no force’ for the AI Prompts
Master Maternity Leave
DM me ‘maternity”
