Entrepreneurship, Motherhood, and Everything In Between

Most entrepreneurs I meet dove into this lifestyle with dreams of more freedom, flexibility, and space for life.

Maybe because entrepreneurship is often romanticized - those who take the leap are met with admiration and praised for their courage and success.

We were no different, and yes, entrepreneurship can be incredibly rewarding.

But it also comes at a cost. A cost, and a series of personal sacrifices, that aren't always visible in the moment.

The promise of freedom (and what no one tells you)

Over time, friendships begin to fade. Not because you want them to, but because you’ve said no too many times.

To coffee dates, birthdays, weekend getaways - all the things that couldn’t fit between deadlines, meetings, and to-do lists.

Slowly, you're forgotten. Not on purpose, but because you’re no longer part of the daily rhythm.

The entrepreneurial life takes up space, and your world becomes more and more your own - a place that few understand and even fewer can relate to.

It’s good for business, yes - focus and dedication bear fruit.

But personally, it can be lonely.

The freedom paradox

Because while you’re fighting for your dream, you gradually lose connection to what once was.

You’re both your biggest critic and your only cheerleader.

And this is where entrepreneurship reveals its duality: You crave community, but often feel lonely.

You chase freedom, but have never been more bound.

You pursue perfection, but nothing ever feels good enough.

And you can live like that for years. Especially when you only have yourself to consider.

It’s possible - the imbalances become part of everyday life, something you learn to navigate.

Then came motherhood

But everything changes when you become a mother.

It adds another layer to the complexity that entrepreneurship already is.

Because how do you reconcile the desire to be a present parent with the ambition to build something big?

How do you balance the love for your child with the passion for your business?

It’s a constant negotiation, often marked by guilt and doubt.

And in a time where there are still invisible expectations of how one “should” be as a mother, it can feel like a battle doomed to fail - or at least one where you rarely feel like the winner.

Becoming a mother wasn’t an easy decision.

For both personal and professional reasons.

There are three co-founders Female Invest, and when a third of the team suddenly steps out, even temporarily, it’s noticeable.

Not just in the work, but also in the dynamics, decision-making, and pace.

I knew my maternity leave would have consequences.

I knew my maternity leave would have consequences

So exactly how long I would be away wasn’t a given, but I ended up taking four months of leave.

Enough to breathe, but not quite enough to find my footing in the new reality.

There’s no training for this

The first 14 days after giving birth felt like pure survival. I clearly remember stumbling around blindly, both physically and emotionally.

My body was sore and exhausted, my head filled with doubt and new thoughts, and my world had suddenly been turned upside down.

The confidence I had built as an entrepreneur temporarily crumbled in the face of the unknown, and I felt vulnerable in a way I had never experienced before.

As an entrepreneur, you’re used to taking chances, making quick decisions, and solving nearly impossible problems - even when you’re unsure.

But motherhood is a completely different kind of challenge.

I once read that it takes about six months to settle into a new job. And the same goes for becoming a mother.

There’s no orientation day, no manual, and no KPIs to measure yourself against.

Only love, chaos, and a constant sense of finding your way in something you’ve never done before.

The learning curve is steep, and nothing comes easy.

Balance is a moving target

The idealized images of motherhood - about enjoying every moment - did more harm than good. Instead of feeling present, I constantly felt inadequate.

I spent months trying to find the balance between my life as an entrepreneur and my new life as a mother.

And honestly, I’m still trying.

But today, I find it easier to accept that imbalance is a prerequisite - and that both highs and lows are part of it.

I’ve regained a form of control where fragility has been pushed into the background in favor of a new confidence.

Nine months after my child was born, I wrote a letter to myself.

A kind of pat on the back - with the insights I wish I had had when I was in the thick of it.

Here goes.

Dear Emma, 9 months ago…

The first 14 days you barely standing on you feet.

You’re in pain, you’re sensitive, you’re distraught. You know nothing.

And everything you do over the next nine months, you’ll question. It will nag at you, and it will fill you with a whole new kind of insecurity.

It’s a steep learning curve, for better or worse, and nothing is handed to you.

The phrase “Remember to enjoy it. This time never comes back…” is useless to you, especially in the life of an entrepreneur.

It only fills you with guilt and a sense that you’re “missing out.”

Accept that mess, chaos, and lower hygiene standards are part of your new self.

Your child can absolutely manage alone with his dad, but don’t expect that did will do things “your way” or accomplish everything that “mom can.”

Instead, trust that “dad’s way” offers your child something else, and that your child will survive with dirt the floor, dishes in the sink and without fixed eating and sleeping routines.

And to the entrepreneur in you…

What exactly did you expect? That it would be easy?

That you could breastfeed between meetings and bring your baby to work?

You’ve never been more dehydrated (because yes, breastfeeding does that to you), you have never slept worse, and yet you have never been more “on.”

Use the bottle to give yourself a break, and seek advice from others in the same situation.

Don’t expect others to understand your choices. Don’t expect them to understand your obligations.

Don’t expect to “take things at your own pace.” Your business can’t always wait.

But do expect that you’ll often feel inadequate, and accept that this natural.

Forget about work-life balance—it’s a fantasy.

And it probably won’t be any better in another 9 months from now.

Dad also needs a break sometimes, and you’ll have zero energy to give after a long workday, so ally yourself with good people who can easily step in.

No, you’re not a worse mot

her because you don’t go to baby sing-alongs or baby swimming, or because you send dad to the doctor with your child. No, you’re not a worse mother because you’re not “there,” because you are. You’re just not the one on parental leave.

Baby and business demand a whole new dimension of planning, prioritizing, and reliance on outside help.

And after 9 months, you’re still searching for “the perfect way” to balance it all..

But one thing is clear - you’ve never regretted having a child.

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If you’re in it too

To those, who might be facing a similar situation—perhaps as an expecting mother, an entrepreneur, or both—I want to say: Trust your intuition. There’s no perfect formula.

Whether you choose a short or long maternity leave, it’s about finding the solution that works for you and your family—not other people’s expectations.

Be open to the fact that your way of doing things might not look like others’.

Ditch the ideals. Stop comparing.

Because there are many ways to be both a great mother and a successful entrepreneur—even when life is messy, demanding, and full of change.

You don’t have to choose one or the other.

You’re allowed and capable of being both.