Culture
Mothers share the reality of blending careers with caregiving
Writer and business owner, Kendra Futcher, found her own path by stepping away from traditional agency life altogether. “I started my business because I had no other option,” she explains. “Freelancing allowed me to work at my own pace, be present for my kids, and build a career I love.”
The creative industries celebrate hustle stories, but for many moms there’s an unseen struggle: balancing parenting with pitching, nurturing ideas alongside children, and building careers while raising families.
Creative Boom asked creative mothers—freelancers, founders, and directors—how motherhood has shaped their careers and views on flexibility.
While many see motherhood as a powerful creative force, it also adds an often unrecognized layer of work to creative careers—one rarely acknowledged in success stories.
"If you can negotiate to get the kids dressed and out the door on time, the most stressful part of your day is done. It gives you empathy — a crucial leadership skill — and a confidence that comes from knowing you've literally brought life into the world."
"We are wired to nurture and get things done — but not always in a straight line. The more women who create new ways of working that sustain creativity and care, the more checks and balances we bring to hustle culture."
"Leadership is still mainly made up of men. And the set-up is not geared up to be flexible enough, still. People also view creative mothers differently than they view creative fathers. There is a negativity associated with being a mum that just isn't the same with being a dad. It's unsaid but it's there. Like you're not edgy enough or something."
