Building a Business With Three Kids at My Feet
I’m not the first woman to build a business with kids underfoot, and I won’t be the last. Plenty of trailblazers have done it before me, women who built empires while toddlers tugged at their leggings and babies cried in the background of Zoom calls. They’re the ones who remind me that even on the toughest days, this is possible.
But the honest truth? It’s not f*cking easy. Some days I don’t even want to.
There’s this invisible pressure to always be “on,” to squeeze every ounce of productivity out of the day, to prove you can juggle it all. And in the online world, where hustle culture is basically a religion, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind if you’re not sprinting.
I’ve been telling people for nearly a year that I’m launching soon. At this point, I’m pretty sure they think I’m full of absolute shit.
For me, balancing motherhood and business has been about resisting that narrative. I’ve chosen to build slowly, with intention. Because my babies will always come first. And my mental and physical wellbeing will always come first too. If this business demanded I sacrifice those things, then I’d be building something completely misaligned with my values.
So I created some non-negotiables; the guardrails that keep me in check when the juggle feels like too much.
My Non-Negotiables for Building a Business With Young Children
1. Prioritise physical and mental wellbeing.
Exercise is my anchor. I train six days a week: two lower body sessions, two upper/core sessions, one 60-minute zone 2 run, and one HIIT or sprint session. It’s not about punishment, it’s about sanity. To be totally honest, my tolerance for people’s bullshit plummets when I fall out of my training schedule, so let’s just call it a necessity. Moving my body is how I build stamina for business and motherhood. Pushing my body has taught me that when the going gets tough, I can get tougher. One of the simplest ‘mom entrepreneur’ tips I can share? Move your body, because it changes how you show up for everything else.
2. Protect sleep like it’s gold.
I aim for a minimum of 8 hours a night. Recently, my body has demanded more like 9+ hours, and yes, that means a later workout and less work done. But when I catch myself panicking about lost productivity, I remind myself: I’m a god damn human, not AI-generated. Good sleep is the cornerstone of work life balance in motherhood, without it, everything else falls apart. That said, my kids are older now, solid sleep is impossible with a baby so if that’s you right now, godspeed!
3. No work in the evenings.
Bedtime with my kids is slow and sacred. We read, we chat, we journal, we snuggle. By the time I leave their rooms, it’s often 8:30pm. If I try to dive back into work, I end up wired and sleepless. So evenings are strictly to read or Netflix and chill. It’s not always easy when you’re juggling family and business, but this is the line I’m trying to hold.
4. Prioritise joy and social connection.
Motherhood and business can both be consuming. To keep myself from feeling like I’m 92, I make adult-only plans 3–4 times a month: dinners, dancing with friends, date nights with my husband. Usually always involving too much tequila (plus I’ve figured out the best hangover protocol which actually works!). Fun isn’t a luxury, it’s fuel. This is how I keep sustainable entrepreneurship alive in my own life. Even if it leaves me a little tired the next morning, it fills my soul and reminds me that life is for living and making memories with your besties.
5. Nervous system rituals.
Building a business with kids in tow isn’t just about time management, it’s about nervous system resilience. Breathwork with legs up the wall, even just 3-4 minutes helps me reset when things get overwhelming. I used to cold plunge in ice baths, but a la Dr Stacy Sims, I now plunge in slightly warmer water to support my hormones, and I’ve added regular sauna sessions (especially on weight-training days). These practices keep me steady when life feels anything but. This is wellness for entrepreneurs in practice, not bubble baths (although I like those too), but tools that actually help to keep me regulated.
6. Low-tox living for energy.
I’ve learned that what I put on my skin, in my body, and in my home directly impacts my energy. Optimising my environment with low-tox swaps, nutrition, supplements, and skincare isn’t just a “wellness flex” — it’s how I show up clear-headed and energised for both work and my family. For me, it’s part of a holistic approach to business and motherhood, because how I live outside work affects how I lead inside it.
7. Step away when overwhelm hits.
If I can’t see clearly, I’m learning not to force it. Sometimes the most productive thing I can do is shut the laptop, take a walk, or just be with my kids. Clarity usually comes when I stop trying to strangle it into existence and actually heed my own god damn advice. And honestly? It’s one of the most underrated ‘mom entrepreneur’ tips there is.
Why This Matters
My kids see me working hard, but they also see me resting, moving, sleeping, saying no, and putting my health first. Those are the boundaries I want them to carry into their own lives one day.
And on the days when I feel behind, I close my eyes… and tell myself to shake a f*cking leg!! I’m kidding. What I actually remind myself is that I’d rather build something slowly and in alignment than chase growth at the cost of my values. I’m building a business while raising a family and movements aren’t built overnight.
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: the world doesn’t need more women who sacrifice themselves in the name of success. It needs more women who show that you can build something extraordinary without abandoning yourself in the process.
I’m not here to pretend this is effortless. It’s anything but. It’s messy, it’s hard, and sometimes it feels impossible. Some days I even wonder if I’m deluding myself and I’ll never get there. But I’d rather be real about the juggle than sell anyone the illusion that balance is a perfect spreadsheet.
At the end of the day, the idea of Tenth Moon was born out of my own messy, beautiful journey through motherhood. And I’ll keep building it with the same truth: slowly, intentionally, and always aligned with what matters most.
With love and truth,
Sophie.x