This post is a part of a blog series of stories of the working mother. I’m excited to share 13 stories from real working moms. I also really would like to hear YOUR story and I’d love to hear it. Keep the conversation going in the comments & on social media using #wellcraftedworkingmoms. A huge thank you to the women who volunteered to share their stories, Mary Boyden of Mamma Bear Magazine for her photography and Madeline Roosevelt for hair and makeup!
Missy Maki is a force of nature. I met her about two and a half years ago this month at a blogger brunch at a local restaurant. New mother to twins she was seriously just rocking life. I remember being in awe of her… and then she amazed me even more by being so kind and genuine.
Her story resonates with me because I identify with her ambition and drive. I’m very excited to get to introduce her to you today!
Meet Missy, a working mom
Missy Maki is an Advance Maternal Age mommy. She and her husband, a high school teacher and basketball coach, welcomed her 2 1/2 year old twins (boy & girl) into this world after a five year battle with infertility. She was 42 at the time. She worked before, during and after pregnancy.
Nailing down a single title for Missy would pretty much be impossible. She has several careers. Monday through Friday she is the regional sales director in the hospitality industry where she oversees seven properties, 14 sales people and over 200 employees. She has worked in her field for over twenty years. In addition to her sales director career she is a radio host for KPAM AM 860. “Simple Kitchen with Missy Maki” is a local food and lifestyle show that has been on the air for over four years and is currently one of the top downloaded podcasts in Portland. In addition to her regional sales director career and her radio host career Missy writes a blog (check out her website Mrs. Maki Cooks), emcees and stage hosts events and has been on several panel discussions in the food industry.
She puts her many careers into simple terms, “I love food. I love people. I love being a progressive employer.”
A typical work day in the life of a regional sales director, radio host and mother of twins
A typical work day for Missy isn’t so much typical as in the same thing every day. However, she makes efforts to abide by a schedule when possible and sets in family time.
“Every day is different,”she says.
On Mondays Missy tries to focus on projects at home if possible, while Tuesday through Friday she tries to be downtown by 9 a.m. She has an office in her home, in downtown Portland and a studio in Milwaukee for her radio show. She often attends new restaurant openings, host food related events and attend meetings. After 8 PM and weekends, other than Sunday mornings when she is live on the air, are family time.
When my kids are adults and look back at their childhood, I want them to know…
“This is an old one, and you hear it a lot. But I want my children to see that women do not have to walk away from their dreams, goals, and position in the marketplace to become a mother,” Missy explains.
” Yes, you CAN do and have it all. But you have to wake up every day with intention. Clear and focused intention.”
Maternity Leave, Childcare & Mom Guilt… oh MY!
I absolutely had to ask a few questions about some of the topics that often come up for the working mom such as maternity leave, childcare, and the challenges & joys of working. I love the answers so much that I felt it was best to just put it in their own words. Read on to learn about the ups, downs, ins and outs of Erin’s working mom experience!
Q&A:
When did you go back to work after having your children?
I worked up until I got Preeclampsia and worked at the hospital and from home during my 4 month maternity leave (lightly, I was unable to walk the last couple weeks before I got sick and had the kids 8 weeks early). But afterwards I had my office up and running form home and when the kids napped, I pumped and banged out emails and took conference calls right up until I came back. I never missed a beat. Now I work in the city and from home based on the sales needs of the businesses I oversee.
What type of childcare solutions do you use in order to work?
I employ 2 nannies so that my children have consistent care and get one on one attention. It is not for everyone and I can literally feel people roll their eyes when I discuss child care, but I think everyone does what works for THEM. To be frank, I am fairly successful and the cost of childcare does not impact our lives too much, but I decided to wait until I was able to give the kids the childhood that I wanted to give them before I started a family. I believe that kids only need love and safety and food, I do, but not worrying about bills means we are carefree in our time as a family. Life is about decisions. Because I waited, the struggle was getting pregnant. There is no right way, only the way that is right for you.
What challenges do you have as a working mother?
What joys do you have as a working mother?
How do you fulfill the other needs in your life (going back to school, working on a dream business, seeing friends, being creative, etc.) while working and being a mom?
How do you prioritize your family and children as a working mom?
We basically plan every day to be together. We are together from after work until bed time. If I have more work then it doesn’t get touched until the kids go down. When I come home, it is all family, all the time. We eat dinner every night together, we walk to the park, we jump on the trampoline, we are “us”. My husband and I agree that the 4 of us are the priority in every decision we make.
Thank you! A huge thank you to Missy for sharing her story as a working mom and participating in this series. Does her story resonate with you? Share in the comments below or on social media with #wellcraftedworkingmoms !
Check out Momma Bear Magazine for more articles on motherhood and to check out the great momma swag!
15 Comments
What a nice series!! While I am not there yet, I have the utmost respect for both of my parents . My mom returned to the traditional workplace when I was about 18 months, this is after being home for about 8 years with my sisters. It is an incredible cocktail of love, time management and building a village of loving people. Sounds like Missy is doing just that as well.
What a hard transition for your mom! That is amazing though. I would have loved to also get some women for the series that did just that… decided to stay home and then go back to work at some point. You mom sounds like an amazing example.
This is a great series and I’m excited to read more! I’m a full time working mama to a 2 year old daughter with a little boy due in June. I am constantly torn between my desire to be home with her more and my desire for my daughter to be a kick-ass strong woman, looking up to me as her example. Let me know if you ever need more mamas for your series 🙂
Congrats on your new addition! I completely feel you on the struggle between the two… I just had my second son in November and there have been ups and downs. It is important to me to note that whether a woman chooses to stay at home with her kids or chooses to work (from home or outside the home) each woman who makes the best choice for her family is a kick-ass strong woman. It isn’t often an easy decision. I’ll be looking for more quotes for a follow up post on Mother’s Day. I’ll send you an email soon!
Series like these warm my heart and also make me miss the mom-owned businesses organization I ran for five years. There are so many stories to tell, and everyone’s needs, wants, struggles and triumphs are so different. Missy Maki is a powerhouse and I love her honest, positive attitude about working motherhood. Awesome profile!!
Marlynn @ UrbanBlissLife recently posted…Food Bliss: St. Jack Restaurant and Bar
You yourself are an amazing example of a working mom. Thank you for following along with the series!
After a three month maternity leave with my first born, I went back to work as a full time financial accountant, but it only lasted for about two months before I became a SAHM. The choice is hard for every mom. We’re all different and need different.
Looks likes she’s got it figured out!
I love this comment. I really wanted to make sure that this series didn’t make people think that this was THE WAY to do things. Working in motherhood is SUCH a complicated decision. There so many ups and downs with it. Personally I worked for the first year of my first son’s life as at a part time position in a job that I didn’t love and just really hated every moment of it. I quit when my son was 1 and worked for about a year at home. I mostly was a stay-at-home mom but did a few freelance gigs to help ends meet. I didn’t go back to work until the kiddo was 2 and it was a job that I LOVED. I’m excited about the rest of the series because we really do have mommas from a variety of walks of life. We have some freelance writers that work from home coming up too!
I love your story! I loved when you said there is no right way, just the way that works for you. So true!
So true. I think mothers in general need to be more open to that statement. Just because I do things differently doesn’t mean that it is the only way to do things right.
Miss Maki sounds like an amazing woman! I can’t imagine juggling so many important tasks every day.
Right!? She seriously kicks-ass.
Awesome series Jenni!! I’ve yet to meet her in person but I love Missy and her radio show, I have trouble taking care of a husband and a dog so she totally blows my mind!
Sounds like a powerhouse! I feel burnt out just reading about her day. What an amazing amount of energy. I’ve learned that for myself I prefer to focus on a few key things continuously and allow space for quiet and ease where I can as well. But people with so much daily output always impress me!
Pingback: A Well Crafted Party » Blog Archive Working Moms: Changing the World – A Well Crafted Party