Several years ago, I was in the nursing mothers room at a former place of employment “taking care of business” for baby #3 while simultaneously crying about how I was missing out on precious time with my little ones. My husband and I had been enjoying delightful…we’ll call them “conversations”…more and more frequently as we tried to figure out who would have to take off work when a child was sick or there was a break from school, etc. It was becoming abundantly clear that the current path I was on was no longer what I wanted and was for sure not going to work much longer for me/my marriage/my family/my sanity/my dreams – you name it! So…I started brainstorming, number crunching, and networking. And LOTS of praying too.
We weren’t at a place financially where I could completely quit working so I needed something part-time. Also, if I’m being honest with myself – I wanted something part-time. I love being a mom more than anything else in the world…AND I recognize that, for me, to be the best mom I can, I need something that expands my brain and allows me to be more than just “Mom.”
However, I kept coming up against roadblock after roadblock with people telling me that part-time, good paying, mind-expanding, fulfilling jobs mostly likely didn’t exist. I could find something…but I might not like it.
Now call me crazy but that just didn’t sit well with me. So I continued to brainstorm. Made a list of all my best qualities, experiences, and skills and started to come up with quite the little job description of sorts. Then that job description turned into a proposal to an organization. The proposal was accepted and turned into employment. And then that experience, and the spark that was lit from the whole process, spurred me on to start my own company – Mary Catherine Marketing.
When I started it, my goal was to continue to help nonprofits. Help them tell their story while also continuing that dream of mine to be available for my children AND still make my mark professionally in the world. Oh! And most importantly, not be paid less than my experience and professionalism were worth.
I’m proud to share that I’m reaching that goal each and every day. And I love it. It was never meant to be a business for anyone other than me, but as relationships keep growing and work isn’t letting up (which is a good thing!), that little voice in my head keeps getting stronger. The voice that wants to stick up for other moms and dads – or anyone out there – who want to be more available for their loved ones but still have an opportunity to use that degree they earned and bring a fair income to the table.
So here I am…after a really long blog to share my story, I’m asking if YOU might be that person? Are you a creative person with excellent communication skills, design experience, and/or a love to write? Do you find yourself with 5-10 hours on your hands that you’d LOVE to use to help other nonprofits make the world a better place? Do you have a special place in your heart for the Catholic Church – because that is an area of work that is really expanding! If so, check out the job description below and then let’s find a time to talk.
God put desires on our hearts for a reason. It’s OK to love your family AND want to love your job. If you are looking for some ways to spend time with your loved ones and have a little side-gig that keeps you feeling fresh, I look forward to getting to know you!
-Mary