Can Your Business Survive a Break? Lessons from My Maternity Leave

Manouchka: Hey Boss Mama! Welcome back to the show. I’m your host, Manouchka Elefant, marketing coach and fellow mom entrepreneur.

This episode was one of the first I had in mind when I started this podcast because, truthfully, this topic wasn’t an easy one for me.

Today we’re answering a big question: how do you prepare a business for maternity leave, or any extended break, without it falling apart?

Because let me tell you, I was not prepared.

When I was getting ready for my maternity break, I had a rough plan in place. I figured I’d take a step back. I also thought I’d have plenty of time to keep my business running in the background.

Instagram made it seem so easy, right? Those cool mom entrepreneurs seemingly juggling it all without breaking a sweat. Baby on the hip, bottle in one hand, laptop in the other, a clean diaper and… wait, hold on. How many hands do they have? Are they secretly Indian gods with multiple arms? Because let’s be honest, that’s not how it works.

And I was naive. I had heard that newborns sleep all day and I’d get to work, right? Obviously it wasn’t that smooth.

Yes, my son did nap a lot, but in short 45-minute cycles, and nights were constant feedings, and I was just exhausted. Nap when the baby naps became my survival mantra. And work? Well, let’s just say my business was the last thing on my mind.

And the irony? I was implementing the best strategies for my clients, helping them build and scale their businesses, but my own business was always at the bottom of my priority list. What’s that expression again? The cobbler’s children have no shoes. That was exactly me.

And here’s the thing. I didn’t realize at the time how much motherhood would completely shift my vision and my needs. It was through this experience that I truly understood my mission and ultimately created Hey Boss Mama.

Before my son, I already knew I wanted to transition into marketing coaching and consulting because that’s my zone of genius, but I didn’t know I would completely reinvent my business.

Fast forward to today, I transitioned a lot of my old marketing agency into my new business, but with a major upgrade. My time is more limited than ever, so I don’t have a choice but to be strategic and nurture my own business like it’s my second baby.

Oh wait, it actually is.

So that’s why in this episode I’m sharing what I wish I had done differently before my maternity break, the things I actually got right, and practical tips for mompreneurs planning a break of any kind.

So if you want to avoid my mistakes and set your business up for success while you step away, this episode is for you. So quit multitasking for a minute and listen up, because I’m about to get very personal and give it to you straight.

Manouchka: Okay, let’s start with the things I wish I had done differently, because hindsight is 20/20, right?

Even though I rebranded my business and got crystal clear on my mission, a lot of the people I’m serving today are the same people I worked with in my marketing agency. And if I had done these things better, launching Hey Boss Mama would have been a lot smoother and a lot less nerve-racking.

The number one thing I should have done better was being consistent with promoting my business.

When I launched my marketing agency in 2020, I was lucky that my clients came my way through word of mouth. From natural cosmetics entrepreneurs to influencers, even Amazon Fashion came knocking. Truthfully, I was at capacity and I didn’t have to work hard to book clients. And that’s why I made my first big mistake.

I didn’t actively promote myself. I wasn’t thinking long term and I didn’t have a bigger vision.

Even if you take a break, you need to nurture a pipeline of leads who will be eager to work with you when you return. Had I built a stronger online presence before my maternity leave, things would have been so much easier when I returned.

What’s the lesson here?

Well, first, if people don’t know about you, they can’t work with you. I always told my clients, people buy from people, but I wasn’t taking my own advice.

Second, visibility before a major life event is crucial. You want leads and sales coming in, even if you’re stepping away.

The second mistake I made was building really awesome mailing lists for clients while neglecting my own.

I cannot stress this enough. If you don’t have an email list, start one today. Why? Social media algorithms are unpredictable, but your email list is yours. Plus, you can stay connected with potential clients even if you’re not actively marketing. And when you’re ready to come back, you have an audience waiting to hear from you.

To this day, I love funnels and always remind my mastermind members to build and nurture their email lists. Email lists are so valuable, they’re literally part of the assets sold when a business changes hands.

Hear me out. I wasn’t starting from scratch. I had a small email list and it did help me warm up my audience when I returned to work and launched this podcast. But just imagine how much more impactful it could have been if I had actually been strategic and nurtured my email list for the previous three years.

There’s only one lesson here: treat your email list as a precious asset. And if you don’t have an email strategy to support your business, then get started right now.

My third mistake is one that will resonate with a lot of you, and that was being scared of putting myself out there on social media.

If you follow me on Instagram, you might find this funny because now I show up. But a few months ago, I was overthinking everything before posting. I was stuck in perfectionism, worried about what people would think, wanting my content to look just right.

But you know what? Perfection doesn’t grow your business. Imperfect action does.

Now, I don’t care if I might look silly, I just show up. I don’t care if I make a typo. Nobody cares. I use cringe videos on purpose, not just to free myself from my own fears, but to be relatable for other mompreneurs just like me.

So the lessons I’ve learned here: One, ditch the fear of judgment. People relate more to real, raw, and relatable content than to perfection. And frankly, the lifespan of an Instagram or Facebook post is so short, you’re the only one still thinking about your hair looking funny.

And second, you must show up before you feel ready. Visibility isn’t about followers, it’s about building trust with the people who resonate with your message.

Had I just pushed myself to get over my fears and self-judgment sooner, I would’ve had a lot more fun with social media and used it to serve my business better.

Oh, and if you want to dig deeper on this topic, check out episode 009, Imperfect Action Equals Real Progress, to learn how to get over your fears and move forward.

Okay. Now here’s a bonus mistake I’d like to share with you. And this one isn’t strictly about business. I’m getting personal here because, as a business owner and a woman, I know you will relate.

To give you some context, I became a mom at 38. After years of living on my own terms, I could travel spontaneously, spend all day binge-watching TV shows, indulge in long, luxurious showers because why not, and treat myself to fancy dinners without checking in with anyone.

As an entrepreneur, I was financially independent. Life was, let’s say, comfortable. And when my partner and I moved in together, it made perfect sense to split everything 50/50.

But what I didn’t anticipate was how much my maternity leave would impact my finances.

For months, I was secretly convinced I should keep paying my full share of everything. After all, becoming a mom didn’t mean I wasn’t a strong, independent woman anymore, right? The idea of relying on my partner didn’t even cross my mind.

Big mistake.

For six months, I silently drained my savings to keep up. And when my partner finally realized what was happening and why my stress level was skyrocketing, we had the money talk we should have had before my maternity break even started.

Lesson learned here, and if you’re planning a maternity break, don’t skip the financial conversation.

Maybe for you this isn’t even a question, but for me it was a major mindset shift. I had to accept that I couldn’t be 100 percent a stay-at-home mom and still bring in the same revenue, especially with a business that relied on trading time for money.

So before you step away from your business, sit down with your partner and make a plan. Figure out how your finances will work during your time off.

Had I communicated better with my partner ahead of time, I would have saved myself months of stress and been able to enjoy those early months with my baby even more.

Okay. I didn’t get everything wrong before and during my maternity leave. There were a few things I’m really glad I did, such as slowing down before baby arrived.

It was August. It was hot. My legs were swelling. And I knew I needed to give myself permission to take it easy before my baby was here. Honestly, by this point I had very little brainpower left anyway, but allowing myself to slow down removed so much anxiety around my business. Looking back, it was exactly what I needed.

Another thing I did right was taking a real maternity break.

When my son was born, I made the decision to step away completely from work for the first three months, and I don’t regret it for a second. Let’s be real. Those early months are a blur of feedings, sleepless nights, and learning how to function as a new mom. Trying to juggle work in the middle of that? No thank you.

Being fully present for my baby, resting, and allowing myself to recover were my top priorities.

Which brings me to the next point. I’m happy I gradually got back to work instead of just diving in.

By the time my son was four months old, I started working again, but only a few hours a week and only with my favorite clients. Instead of rushing back full force, I eased in slowly.

I have to add that for my partner and me, it was clear from the start that we wanted to spend as much time with our son as possible in his first year. Formal childcare wasn’t an option we wanted to pursue, at least not yet. Thankfully, my mom stepped in to help, giving me those necessary breaks. But for the most part, my son was with me all the time, even at networking events, and it was awesome.

Of course, I know this setup is impossible for every mom. Depending on where you live, your job, or your financial situation, you might not have much choice about how long you can take off. But for me, this was the time freedom I had built as an entrepreneur, and putting my ambitions on the back burner for a little while was 100 percent worth it.

Okay. Now to tie things together, here are my final tips.

One, plan ahead. Depending on how long you’re taking off, start preparing your business three to six months before your break.

Two, build a support system, not just for your baby, but for your business. Surround yourself with other mompreneurs who have been in your shoes and will be able to guide and support you. And frankly, it doesn’t hurt if you also have freelancers or a VA on your side.

Number three, stay flexible. Things will not go according to plan, and that’s okay.

And number four, prioritize you. Your health and wellbeing matter more than your business.

So there you have it, Boss Mama. If you’re planning a maternity leave or any extended break, I hope this episode helps you prepare for your transition.

And if you loved this episode, follow the show and share it with another mompreneur who needs to hear this.

Until next time, Boss Mama, you’ve got this.