When it’s big – someONE has to give

90 hour work week so far and it’s only Thursday....

It’s one of those weeks where the entrepreneurial roller coaster canes you with highs and lows.  Being in a medium size business I get caught up in the day to day and find sometimes, my business is running me not the other way around.  These weeks are hard, emotional and highly stressful.  I push everything aside in my life to focus on these times just to get the job done.  

I don’t mind these times though, truly, I don’t.  I find them cathartic at the end as they always push me to a new level of awareness of my strengths, weaknesses and new skills.  They challenge me and I embrace it. 

However, they don't come without sacrifices, and without a solid support system there is no chance  I would be able to achieve what I do day to day.  

  

Over the past 6 months I’ve spent a lot of time asking my friends the gender related questions as the quota for women on boards heats up and women equality in the workplace is the key topic…I ask the question..

“Is it women in the workplace we should be talking about – or is it really about the bigger picture of – When it’s big …someONE has to give”

I started with my business in 1999 which feels like a hundred years ago now and after winning a few awards and having a successful run at it recently, I reviewed where it all started to go really well.  That’s when it hit…it truly wouldn’t have happened without the other half - my support system.  

In my generation of women – 30-40 yrs old, I am finding it’s common practice for men to take a more significant domestic role due to their partner being the major bread winner or unable to participate day to day in the domestic duties.  They aren’t complaining, they aren’t thought of any less in their peer group and in fact – discussing detergent smells and engine noises at the same time is common ground for these guys. 

Our expectations have shifted and so have our perceptions – at least in my world.

Our guys these days are strong, emotionally secure, fully functioning men, with proper views in the world.  They’re happy to partner and believe in being part of the process – whether that means sometimes they are the bread winner or the domestic caretaker.   

Most senior roles of any kind take time, pressure, effort and significant stress. The roles and needs don’t’ change - we need to recognise it’s about whos’ going to save the day when it’s needed.  The old adage of behind every great man there is a woman, the true future statement is behind every man or woman there is someone there to support them in whatever capacity that may be.

I'd love to hear what you think!

T: acculligan

Apparently, I should be pregnant

In the ripe old age of my..ahem mid 30's, I got married.  It was wonderful to finally commit to someone after years of investigating the market as I call it.  


However, shortly after tying the knot and getting back to the grindstone, the most common question amongst friends, family and well, everyone else I know was "so, when are you going to start having children?"  


Now first things first, I'm not against having children in the slightest and I admire, respect and adore my gorgeous friends with their gorgeous little and big ones.  But when did we crawl back to the 1950's where we had to get married to have children AND we had to have children once we got married?  How far we have come, and yet how far away we truly are.  


I could go on and on in the blog about that subject, but that's not what I wanted to talk about so I digress.


I started thinking about why I haven't got the bug, the maternal drive, the want to procreate, have beautiful children and watch them grow (right now anyways).  And it hit me. I have a child.  It's 11yrs old. It screams, keeps me up at night, takes the money from my wallet, smiles at me when it wants something and makes me compromise my livelihood on a daily basis.  It's called "My Business".  


Now in business years, it's kind of like dog years, so in reality I have a teenager who's about ready to leave home, and create their own path in this world, a phase of which I'm rather excited to witness.  And, just like coming home on Sundays, we too will also sit down once a week to discuss the woes and wonders of the world where we'll both learn and educate each other - kind of like Sunday Roast dinner.  


I don't pretend to know the pains and the joys of having children, and I dont make light of the pros and cons of either side, but I love MY child, I feed it, shower it with love, spend my life making sure it's happy and in turn, it provides me a wealth of emotion, success and happiness (generally speaking), however at the end of the day, my child is my business.  


So, to all of those fabulous young and older women who are creating their own family in whichever way that means to you - I applaud you.

Andrea
Twitter: @acculligan