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Between business and motherhood

Local mothers and entrepreneurs weigh in on work-life balance
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Squamish business woman, Deanna Wampler.

Deanna Wampler isn鈥檛 a mompreneur 鈥 she鈥檚 a mother and an entrepreneur.
鈥淚 grew up in an entrepreneurial family. I spent four years
studying it as commerce, and there are men that have similar companies as me,鈥 she explains. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not
called 鈥渄adpreneurs.鈥

The social media manager, strategist, and coach made
her side job into a business in early 2011. 鈥淚鈥檓 a people person, so the best part of my business is forming these amazing relationships with my clients,鈥 she says.

Having flexibility is a huge asset in carving out work and family time. 鈥淚 figure out what works for me,鈥 Wampler says. 鈥淚 have the freedom during the day to pick up my kids if I need to.鈥

It does take some juggling. 鈥淏ecause I do it myself, I carry a little less guilt,鈥 she says, often working 11-hour days. Knowing when to turn it off can be difficult. 鈥淵ou feel torn with that guilt sometimes,鈥 she explains. 鈥淵ou want to continue working on your business.鈥
Particularly with young children, Wampler says it鈥檚 important to find a group of supportive
people to help you. 鈥淚t can feel like you鈥檙e drowning,鈥 she explains. 鈥淚 work with a lot of female entrepreneurs in Squamish, and we鈥檙e all in the same boat. We work how we can.鈥

One of those entrepreneurs is Shannon Lorenz, owner of Garibaldi Events and Design, who started her business to have more time with her then baby.
That allowed her to have family time and accomplish all her tasks. 鈥淢ost importantly, [my children] understand my work is my passion, and they understand what hard works look like,鈥 Lorenz says.

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Shannon Lorenz, owner of Garibaldi Events and Design. - File photo/David Buzzard


The kids are still young, so finding quiet time is difficult, she notes. Routine is a big part of wellbeing: She gets up at the same time every day and works out. 鈥淎ll so I feel like there is consistency in my life and to avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed,鈥 she explains.
It鈥檚 important to make individual choices based on lifestyle and preferences, Lorenz says, adding it took time to figure it out.
That鈥檚 how the group Squamish Mothers In Business Society came to be. What started as a Facebook group is now a non-profit organization that brings women together to learn from others how to balance motherhood and business.

Grace Macleod is a member and business owner. 鈥淚t is our way of giving back to the community,鈥 she says.
Though from time to time she may feel squeezed, she鈥檚 recently realized how efficient she can be. Not only is she working full time, but she鈥檚 also studying at U小蓝视频.
鈥淚鈥檝e cut out many of the things that I used to enjoy before the kids arrived,鈥 Macleod acknowledges, noting her husband shares all the home duties.
The family is always first, and the beauty of her job is the balance: She can reschedule something that will be there later, and she doesn鈥檛 have to miss the important milestones in her children鈥檚 lives.
鈥淚t is possible to have a successful business without taking away from family,鈥 she says.

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