HAVE REALISTIC

EXPECTATIONS.“ Up until the day of delivery I was hauling boxes and running around the country on business while telling myself,‘ a newborn sleeps all the time, I will have all kinds of time to work on the business and still be a good mom,’” remembers Kate Fish, founder of Katari Skin Care, a natural skin-care company that sources directly from the families of Mediterranean artisans.“ I took three days off during hospital stay and was ready to jump back right in only to realize that the 17 hours of sleep pediatric books were promising were a complete hoax. I was lucky to have one hour to do anything at all.”

WAR ON

MOTHERHOOD.“ Work or stay home, breastfeed or bottlefeed, co-sleep or crib, there’ s criticism everywhere and other moms can be the biggest playground bullies,” notes Diane Hibbard, vice president of treatments and developments at Burke Williams.“ I believe every parent is doing the very best they can for their children. I do not believe that working diminishes my ability to teach and foster amazing gifts in my own children.”

TO SWITCH UP

THE ROLES.“ I started my company before I met my husband and he had a career of his own,” recalls Noel Asmar, founder of the Noel Asmar Group of Companies.“ Once we got married and decided to have children,

Noel Asmar, founder and creative director of Noel Asmar Group of Companies, prioritizes family for both herself and her employees.

Diane Hibbard, vice president of treatments and developments at Burke Williams with her husband Dave and sons Hudson and Vonn. he started working in the company, and when Hunter, our first born, arrived, we made the decision that he would be a stay-at-home daddy so that our children felt the stability of a parent at home at all times, and I could be mommy and continue to grow the businesses. I am so proud that our children get to live in a household where dad is the stay-at-home dad and mom is running her own company. The children only know equality, and they have a huge respect for the way we work together as a family.”

DON’ T FEEL GUILTY.“ Do not feel guilty for wanting to work, be successful and have a family, it’ s completely manageable,” says Kim DeOrsey, spa director at the Salamander Spa at the Henderson Beach Resort in Destin, Florida.“ If you are happy and successful, it will show in your kids.”

OWN FORM

OF BALANCE.“ Finding balance between work and home was very difficult in the beginning,” remembers Morgan Farrah, owner of Spa Revolution of Ocala, a full-service day spa in Ocala, Florida.“ I felt like I was stretching myself too thin and I was either neglecting the spa when I wasn’ t there or neglecting my boys, Jax and Jett, when I wasn’ t at home. Still to this day I continue to remind myself that I am doing this, not only for myself, but for my husband and my babies. More than anything, I want my kids and my husband to be proud of me; be proud of the strong, motivated, independent woman that I am and strive to be.”

As for Asmar, she has always felt very passionate about the importance of a balanced lifestyle, even before she had children.“ I want my team to engage with the work they do at the office and value

March / April 2017 ■ PULSE 49