This Mother’s Day, we’re reflecting on what it’s meant to grow The Social Agency as mothers. From our early days founding this business, when we were living off of sleepless nights and creative breakthroughs, motherhood has shaped not only who we are but also how we do business.
Looking back to the very beginning, it’s clear that our role as moms would shape our company. In fact, the day after we made the decision to pool our talents and start a marketing agency together, Monica went into labour with her first child, Noah. Four children and sixteen years later, and the rest is history!
The power of a flexible culture
In those early days, when we were landing some of our biggest new clients and deals, we were timing everything around breastfeeding and limited childcare. Was it exhausting some days? Of course. But as a result, we’ve ended up creating a company culture that actually works for the parents on our team. And this has helped us attract and keep an incredibly talented team of marketers, several of which have stayed with us for more than ten years! In a high turnover industry, this is remarkable.
The data shows that working moms are stronger leaders.
While our experience speaks volumes, there’s now plenty of data showing that women make stronger leaders.
- A study by BCG found that women-led startups deliver twice as much revenue per dollar invested than male-led ones.
- Fidelity Charitable reports that women are more likely to give to charity, invest based on values, and focus on long-term impact.
- According to Harvard Business Review, women consistently score higher than men in key leadership competencies—from emotional intelligence to collaboration and initiative.
We often hear the phrase “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” But we’d argue that…
At The Social Agency, our culture is the strategy.
In a recent episode of the Business of Fashion podcast, designer and entrepreneur Tory Burch explained it beautifully:
“Empathy, collaboration, vulnerability—those are not soft skills. Those are essential business strategies.” —Tory Burch, BOF Podcast: Global Branding
At The Social Agency, our culture has helped us attract a roster of incredible clients, and an uber talented team. Since day we’ve prioritized working with other parents and freelancers who have needed the same level of autonomy and balance that we have. And we bring a spirit of flexibility and care to the client teams we support, also. So, no, we’re not surprised by the data above, which demonstrates that both motherhood and being a woman are assets in business.
The ‘expanders’ we love
Being a woman—and a mother—in leadership isn’t a limitation. It’s an edge. But it may not always seem this way. Which is why, as business owners, we need to be around ‘expanders’ – people who’ve reached great heights and can show us what is possible. Here at TSA, we’re endlessly inspired by trailblazing women who’ve built purpose-driven businesses while lifting others. A few of these include:
- Tory Burch – Founder of the Tory Burch Foundation, which has supported over 5,500 women entrepreneurs.
- Sara Blakely – Founder of Spanx and creator of The Red Backpack Fund, which gave $5,000 grants to hundreds of women-led small businesses during the pandemic.
- Jessica Jackley – Co-founder of Kiva, which has helped millions of entrepreneurs worldwide through micro-loans.
Working mothers, we see you!
Feeling pulled in many directions isn’t easy, and finding balance is always a journey. This Mother’s Day, we’re raising a coffee (or a glass of wine, depending on the hour) to all the mothers redefining what leadership looks like!Want to work with a team that leads with heart and delivers with strategy? Let’s connect.
