Being a parent is a full-time job. And if you’re also running a business, leading a team, or just trying to keep your head above water, it can feel like there’s never a break. In this episode of Behind the Brand, the Moxie Creative team—Taylor, Kelly, and Mo—get real about working parenthood. From sick days and daycare pickups to late-night emails and small wins, they open up about what it’s actually like to juggle family and career in today’s world.
This isn’t a how-to guide or a list of parenting hacks. It’s an honest, funny, and relatable conversation about what it takes to keep both your business and your family thriving.
Finding Balance (or Trying To)
The episode kicks off with Taylor sharing what inspired the topic: a hectic day when her son was sick, and she had an important client meeting she couldn’t miss. With no family nearby, she turned to her Moxie teammates for help—Mo and Kelly quickly stepped in so she could make the meeting.
“It’s really hard to be a working parent,” Taylor says, “and I just wouldn’t be able to do it without a support system. You guys are part of that.”
That moment sparked a bigger realization. For many parents, balancing work and home life isn’t just a scheduling challenge—it’s an emotional one. It can feel isolating, and without a supportive team or flexible workplace, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly falling short on both sides.
How It’s Changed Over Time
Kelly’s perspective goes back a bit further. As a mom of now-grown kids, she’s seen firsthand how the expectations around working parents—especially mothers—have evolved.
“When I first had kids,” she recalls, “I had a male boss who told me, ‘Don’t make your pregnancy my problem.’”
At the time, flexibility was rare. There were no remote setups or hybrid schedules. Kelly remembers battling morning sickness, strict start times, and the guilt that came with trying to prove she could still perform at work while caring for herself and her growing family.
But she also had one thing that was ahead of its time: a boss who let her work part-time from home on an old iMac desktop—long before that was the norm. Even though it caused some resentment from coworkers, that flexibility allowed her to show up for her kids and her clients, even if it meant working late into the night after bedtime.
“I had to pick up my kids, make dinner, get them to bed—and then start working again,” she says. “It was hard, but we made it work.”
The Modern Juggle
Fast forward to today, and things look different—but not necessarily easier. Taylor and Mo both have young kids, and while hybrid work and flexible schedules are more common, the daily logistics are still a grind.
Between early school drop-offs, wraparound care, long commutes, and full workdays, parents often feel like they’ve already worked a full shift before they even open their laptops.
For Taylor, it’s an hour-long morning routine that includes multiple drop-offs before heading into the office. For Mo and his wife Missy, it’s about tag-teaming the daily routine to keep things manageable.
“Missy works from home,” Mo explains, “and we take turns on drop-offs and pickups. She’s been able to adjust her schedule so the kids don’t have to stay at school late, which helps a lot.”
That kind of teamwork is crucial. And while moms still often carry more of the mental load, having dads who step up and share responsibility makes a huge difference. As Taylor points out, “It might seem small, but when my husband offers to do the pickup without me asking, it means everything.”
When “Your Village” Is Your Workplace
One recurring theme in this episode is how important it is to have a support system—especially when family isn’t nearby.
Not everyone has grandparents who can help with after-school care or sick days. Many of today’s parents are raising kids far from extended family, which means coworkers and friends often step in as the “village.”
Kelly, now a grandmother herself, laughs about the idea that grandparents can just drop everything to help. “We’re still working!” she says. “Even if you have family close, they’re busy too. Everyone’s juggling something.”
That’s why having an empathetic workplace matters. When parents are supported—whether it’s through flexible hours, understanding teammates, or leaders who encourage real time off—it not only eases the load but builds loyalty and trust.
Kelly has always tried to lead with that mindset. “If work is more important than your family, then what are we working for?” she says.
Empathy and Leadership
Throughout the conversation, Kelly shares examples of how empathy has shaped Moxie’s culture. She recalls telling employees to go home when their kids were sick, or encouraging team members to take real recovery time when dealing with tough personal situations.
“It’s about asking, ‘Are you resting or working from home?’” she says. “Sometimes you just need to rest—and that’s okay.”
The Moxie team has made it a point to plan ahead for life’s inevitable curveballs, like maternity leaves or family emergencies. When Brittany went on maternity leave, they hired extra help so she could truly disconnect and focus on her new baby.
“She shouldn’t have to think about work at all,” Kelly says. “That’s what real support looks like.”
Why Family Comes First
As the episode goes on, the group circles back to a core truth: family has to come first. But that doesn’t mean careers come second.
“I need to have a career to be a better mom,” Taylor says. “And I need to have my kids to be better at my career. I’m a better person because I have both.”
That mindset resonates with a lot of working parents—especially moms who face criticism online for pursuing careers. The team agrees that the balance isn’t perfect, but the example it sets for kids is powerful.
Kelly sees that now that her children are grown. “My kids were incredibly proud that I worked,” she says. “They saw me build a business, they saw our first Moxie billboard, and they were so excited. It taught them independence and that everyone contributes to the family.”
Building a Culture That Understands
Being a working parent means constantly switching gears—from client meetings to school pickups, from presentations to bedtime stories. It’s messy, unpredictable, and often exhausting. But it’s also rewarding.
What makes it work, the Moxie team says, is communication, flexibility, and grace—for yourself and for each other.
At the end of the day, it’s not about doing it all perfectly—it’s about showing up where you can, leaning on your people when you need to, and remembering that both your work and your family matter deeply.
As Taylor wraps up the episode, she reminds listeners: “It’s important for other working parents to hear from people who are in it. It can feel lonely, and it’s easy to think you’re failing. But you’re not—you’re just doing your best.”
Tune In and Get Inspired
Tune into the full episode of Behind the Brand to hear more real talk from Taylor, Kelly, and Mo on what it means to balance business and parenthood—and how empathy, teamwork, and a little humor can make all the difference.
