Motherhood and entrepreneurship is a combination I never expected to experience.

Having began my career as a journalist working for a large media company, I had a rather “traditional” view of what having a new bub would look like; namely 12 months maternity leave followed by the inevitable return to work / childcare juggle. In simple terms: work would happen “from 8 to 6”, and family life would happen around that. That’s what everyone did, right?

My reality for the birth of both of my children couldn’t have looked more different to this! (I set an out-of-office on my email for 8 weeks , topped up the coffee machine ☕️ and hoped for the best! Ha! Just kidding… kind of. ).

But in all seriousness, I had never imagined motherhood and entrepreneurship as it wasn’t something I’d seen modelled by women around me. I viewed entrepreneurship as meaning no paid leave for time with my kids, no guaranteed income, no boundaries between work and home, no defined path for career progression.

That all changed when I entered the creative industry in Vancouver 8 years ago. I was suddenly surrounded by incredible women forging their own paths and writing their own rules as mothers and business owners.

Entrepreneurship has meant a freedom and sense of control I never knew was possible.

They showed me entrepreneurship could mean I determined my own work hours, leave and time with my children, I was in control of my income, I could set my own boundaries between work and home, and I was in control of excelling (or pumping the brakes) on my career at any rate I choose.

As I’ve eased back to work since the birth of our little boy Jacob (born on July 3), I’m feeling endlessly grateful to be experiencing the motherhood and entrepreneurship combo for a second time.

It might not be forever (I’m a huge believer that life has seasons) and it’s certainly not for everyone, but for me right now—entrepreneurship has meant a freedom and sense of control I never knew was possible.