Who Runs the World? MOMS!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the hardworking Moms out there!

Whether you’re a stay at home Mom, work fulltime…or somewhere in-between, being a Mother is hard work!  But oh so rewarding!  As event planners, we often get asked how we juggle it all, including motherhood. Event planning lands on the most stressful job list almost every year --- and we can tell you, it’s all true.  Take this stressful job and couple it with raising kids…whether they’re infants, tweens, or off to college…it’s a difficult balance however you spin it!  

Our Founder and President, Michelle Issing, has raised her two children while building this business over the past 20 years and has never shied away from hiring other Moms. While Michelle’s kids aren’t quite kids anymore, Meeting Manager, Erin Highlander has a toddler and a newborn on her hands. Her great adventure is only just beginning. 

We decided to ask both amazing mothers just how they do it all. 

What changed in your approach to work after you became a Mom? 
Michelle: I stopped looking at my life as work during certain hours and home during certain hours.  I do what I have to do and I’m happy with that. I try to be flexible.  Convincing myself that I’m not going to work beyond 5 or on weekends just causes me stress.  

Erin: After having my second child, I really changed my approach to work. I started realizing more that I’m one person and can only do so much. I still strive to give 100% at work and at being a mom, wife, daughter, friend, etc.. but that sometimes certain things take priority over the other. 

What has been the greatest challenge of working as a Meeting Planner and being a Mom?
Michelle: There is guilt that goes along with having to travel and leave your kids.  I’ve balanced this with including them in some of the trips, and because of that, they’ve seen places and have had amazing experiences that they likely wouldn’t have had. I also jump through hoops to not miss the big moments.  

Erin: It’s a daily struggle, of going over my to-do’s and making sure I am doing everything I can as a mom but also as an employee. My brain is going constantly but I wouldn’t change it for anything. This career path has given me a lot of great skills, especially when it comes to time management. 

How do you think being a Meeting Planner makes you a better Mom or vice versa?
Michelle: In planning meetings…we see a lot.  We handle details all day long.  We have to stay calm during crisis and know how to bring the energy level up when it’s fading.  We’re always “on”.  At home as a mom…I have those same skills but I’m much more relaxed.  

Erin: I have more patience with my children. When I get home from work. I noticed when I was on maternity leave I felt like I worried so much about cleaning the house, doing laundry, fixing dinner, that it took away from time with my kids. Since I am back at work, I worry less about those things and more about having that time with my kids.

What’s the secret to making your schedule work for yourself and everyone else?
Michelle: Know your abilities and maximize your strengths.  I used to be a night person.  During busy times, I would come home from work, spend time with the kids, and work again when they went to sleep.  That’s changed.  I realize that I can now get more accomplished in a quicker amount of time if I wake up early to work.  Now I plan for this.  So the secret is to find out what works for you and leverage it.

Erin: I don’t know if it’s a secret, but I think being flexible works well for me and my family. Sometimes things don’t go as planned (shocking, since I “plan” for a living 😉) but things happen, and we have to be able to work around those things.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to tackle a career in events and have a family?
Michelle: I would tell them that the work-life balance is difficult every day, and to accept that it will be a challenge from the beginning.  Embrace it!  If you don’t love events enough to work at this balance and learn to find your way (which is HARD), find a different career. This isn’t for everyone.  Once you decide that you LOVE event planning, then keep an open mind about working some off hours in exchange for needing some extra time at home during the week because of things happening with the kids.  There will be times just before events that are CRAZY busy…accept that.  This is the business you’re in.  I find that accepting the situation is the first step in handling the stress of events.  

Erin: Go for it but take care of yourself too. Being both a mom and an event planner is very stressful but also super fun! Both jobs are super rewarding. Both jobs show great accomplishments, just in different ways. The sense of accomplishment I get from planning an event is amazing. Seeing everything come to life after planning for countless hours, months, and sometimes even YEARS -- it’s unreal. Having a child is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a human being, you create these little beings and you watch them learn how to crawl, walk, talk, and become successful human beings. It’s MAGICAL! BUT while doing all this, you also need to take care of yourself, relax, sleep when you can, and have some time for yourself. Celebrate your accomplishments 😊

As Moms who work as event planners the biggest thing we’ve learned is the last thing you might expect, that things rarely go according to plan. Be adaptable, and soak in the moments of joy amidst the chaos.