How did you manage to keep the rollout of the project on track despite disruptions caused by pregnancy and Ray’s arrival?
Given that we all knew about my pregnancy and the birth date, we were able to factor that into the planning and project management of the building and launch of the Employment by Law Squared platform. Whilst I had the initial idea, my brother Andrew developed the idea into something much greater and then the team of geniuses at Law Squared took the platform to a whole new level. They worked on the project in an agile management context, using one-week sprints to keep the developers and internal team in check. They only needed me to bounce ideas off, check outputs, attend weekly sprint meetings and test things to see if I liked how they were tracking.
I would bring baby Ray to meetings when needed, breastfeed wherever we were, use a nanny to help me if I required chunks of quiet time and change nappies wherever was hygienic to do so!
The team quickly got used to a baby being around and our founder, Demetrio, was incredibly supportive of having a baby in the office and in meetings. His favourite catchphrase is ‘one team, one dream’, and I certainly found that I could prioritise family during this hectic time.
We launched the platform when baby Ray was still only a few months old, so of course I just invited my whole family to the launch—mum and dad came along to juggle the toddler, Brendan, my husband was there to hold baby Ray, and clients took their turns cooing over his cuteness! It was exhausting but worth it.
I didn’t have to miss out on a big career experience and I got to cuddle my newborn at the same time. Win win.What have you learnt from this experience that you would pass onto other working parents in a similar situation? If you choose to juggle work and a baby then there are no excuses. If you turn up to a meeting unprepared, it’s not an excuse that you’re holding a newborn. Yes, you’re a hero for being able to get out of the house(!) but everyone else will expect you to turn up and do your job so you have to be functioning 110%. Sometimes this is really hard. But so is staying at home doing an unpaid job so choose your hard. Commit to it. No excuses. How did you feel about returning to work after Ray’s arrival? How have you managed your transition back to the workplace? I actually never left the workplace! I spoke with my boss, Demetrio, prior to Ray’s arrival, and we agreed that I didn’t need to take maternity leave so long as I could do some work from home initially and then slowly increase my days in the office with the help of a nanny in the workplace. I started slowly, a few hours per week, and then built it up to a few days per week. In that sense I felt like I never left and it was just a constant tweaking of the routine and roster to make it work.
I have managed both my transitions as best as I can. Stuffing up occasionally, struggling for motivation sometimes, but always turning up.I try and have honest discussions regularly with the team so that they can tell me how they’re coping and what they don’t like and we do our best to make it work together—in line with both the business’s needs and those of my family. What have you found most challenging about working and having a young family? The pull and tug of it all. When I’m home with the kids, I can find it hard—I mean, three hours of imaginative play with a toddler is enough to drive anyone up the wall, right!? But then when I’m at work I do miss being with the kids, particularly if I have to do a dinner/evening event, so I try and limit those. Also, interstate travel is hard. I do it, but always try and limit it to day trips or take the whole family with me (including the au pair) if it’s an overnight trip. Not easy or preferable but again, I prefer to have them with me.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever been given?
Get perspective by having a life outside of work. Don’t sweat the small stuff or the things you can’t control. Don’t try and guess someone else’s motivation, work only with the facts before you.
What is your approach to health and wellbeing? How do you look after yourself with a newborn and preschooler to care for?
I eat as well as I can, particularly because of breastfeeding. I gorge on nuts, avocado, complex grains, yoghurt for gut health, and loads of fruit and veggies. I exercise only with the kids—we do big bush walks on the weekend (hello hiking backpack for the baby and bribery for the toddler!) and walk every day to the playground, parks or river.
Favourite time of the day is…morning. I operate on all cylinders at 6AM and start to wane about 3PM.
Instagram sites that inspire you…@circlein.co of course, also League of Extraordinary Women founder @hatchthatdream, @hilaryduff, Natural Supply Co (for enviro living inspo) and @dayswithgrey as I’m obsessed in her #breakfastinvitation craft ideas to keep TV to a minimum.
I’m addicted to…coffee.
Favourite wardrobe staple for work…wrap dresses by @bysamanthamelbourne as they’re perfect for travel, breastfeeding, pregnancy and then post maternity too!
I’m happiest when…with the whole family and we are down at the beach house with my parents.