Elavare

I'm a workaholic. I'm also proud of it. 💪 As a working mother of five kids, I never get a day off. Four-day work week? What's that?! I've been a workaholic for so many years (28 to be exact - my son in the photo is now grown up), I don't really know anything different. And, I wouldn't have it any other way. When my kids were young, my jobs included: • Chef...I’d get up early to get the kids ready for school, fix lunches (or make sure they had a fruit in the ones they made for themselves). I'd put small notes written on napkins to remind them to have a great day, and I was proud of them. • Project Manager...I'd make sure they met deadlines for their school reports, coordinated check-ins with their teachers, and made sure they had all the materials and resources they need to complete their science fair project on time. • Conflict Negotiator...I would have made Christopher Voss proud with my mad negotiation skills. No one can negotiate with a 4 foot terrorist who doesn't want to eat their vegetables like I can. • Financial Planner...Making sure the bills were paid on time, invoices were filed, and budget was forecasted for family vacation. As a working mother (there are no Stay At Home Moms), there were no days off, no “clocking out,” and no vacations. But despite the long hours and the constant balancing act, I wouldn’t change it. I’m proud of the work I do, both in my career at Spinnaker Support and at home. It’s exhausting, sure—but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Because being a workaholic as a mother means: • I’m shaping the lives of my children and giving them the best I can. • I’m setting an example of hard work, dedication, and resilience. • I’m contributing to my family’s future, both financially and emotionally. So yes, I’m a workaholic. But it’s not about being consumed by work—it’s about loving the work I do for my family and my career, and being proud of the impact it has. For all the working moms (and dads) out there—keep going. Your hard work is seen, appreciated, and absolutely worth it. Wishing you happiness in your 7-day work week! #workingmom #happiness #negotiation

I was scared to death. I was sure I was going to throw up and wanted to call in sick. But I couldn't. I had just started my new job as a marketing coordinator for KT Tape after being a SAHM (stay at home mom) for almost 20 years, and I had bills to pay and needed my job. Along with feeling sick, I was "feeling scared to death and sad to have to work full time and be away from my kids." At least that's what I wrote in my journal on December 5, 2014. A month later, on January 17, 2015, my entry reads: "I'm sad that I have to work full time. I'm sad that I can't be home when the kids are home. I'm tired and unable to keep the house clean. It always feels like a mess and that is hard." Up until today, I thought I had lost this journal. Turns out, I had only hidden it. I think it's because I didn't want to be reminded of how hard it was back then. I wonder if everyone who returns to the workforce after a career break feels this same way. Or is it just SAHMs? Mothers in the workforce (or mothers who are paid to work) are often torn with guilt for being away from their children. Some mothers may also feel guilty for enjoying their jobs more than the thankless work (yet very rewarding) they do at home. There is an emotional roller coaster always at play, and it isn't easy. Yet, these same mothers often bring incredible dedication and multitasking skills to their jobs. Their ability to manage time, prioritize tasks, and navigate complex situations makes them some of the best employees in any organization. I'm now on a mission to help other moms who are trying to return to the workforce, lacking confidence and not knowing where to start. I want to be the SAHM cheerleader (and sharing what I know), encouraging mothers who are returning to the workforce, because I've been there. If you know someone who could use a guide to help them navigate this challenging process, tell them about Elavare. #returntowork #goals #sharing

Back in January, I did the unthinkable. I got out of my comfort zone and launched an 8-week evening workshop designed to help mothers return to the workforce. I hadn't planned on doing this, but I kept getting asked by mothers (and some husbands) how I could help them get back into the workforce 💪. Realizing the growing demand, I knew I needed to scale my efforts. With my background in events, creating a workshop series seemed like the perfect solution. However, when it came closer to the event launch, I lost confidence. Despite my marketing experience, I hesitated to promote it because I worried no one would attend. If that happened, it would mean I had nothing valuable to offer these mothers—who I genuinely wanted to support—and that my marketing skills were lacking 😕. So, I just hung up posters in some local church buildings and sent out some emails, hoping a few mothers would come. I kept expectations low so I wouldn't be disappointed 😬. Surprisingly, more mothers attended than I had expected. It felt like a success, and it also confirmed that I was on the right path. I'm now figuring out how to continue to scale Elavare and help more mothers return to the workforce with confidence. As I continue working on this passion project, I'd love your help. What should I be offering? How can I help the mothers/wives/friends in your life? If you're a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom) thinking about returning to the workforce, what challenges are you facing? Thank you for helping me help the moms in your life ❤️. Trina L., Jacob Hong, Katie Bunnell, Carrie H., Chazzie Carr, Shay Baker Cynthia Gambill #helpneeded #communitysupport #startup

After college, I worked for 18 years and never saw a paycheck, never got a raise, never had a paid vacation day, never received a promotion, never got a lunch break, never had an uninterrupted phone call, and never took a sick day. A lot of the days were hard. I threatened to quit more times than I can count. I worked weekends and holidays. I continued to give it everything I had, and for whatever reason, I never gave up. After some years had passed, I received my first written performance review. It read as follows: "I Hate Mom" I hate you. I'm tired of you acting like I'm a peace of crap. You don't care how I feal. Why don't you care! I hate you and I'll always hate you. You are a mean, selfish, careless, hypocrit, a loser, jerk, and you are retarted. You are the worst mom in the world. I wish I was born in to Eliza's family. They never yell! I'll never forgive you. I love dad. You can't make me do anething. I Hate you, Catherine P.S. dad, if you pick this up leavit. Dad, I love you! After I read the review, I was crushed. I knew I had blown my job. I was really disappointed in myself. But, I was determined to do better. As a result, I developed perseverance. Over time, I also developed patience, grit, and empathy. I learned project management skills, multi-tasking skills, negotiation skills, time-management skills, budgeting skills, and communication skills. I learned crisis management, conflict resolution, how to problem-solve, and how to work with difficult people. Ten years ago, when I became a single mom, I had to leave my job as a SAHM (Stay at Home Mom) and return to the workforce. At the time, I didn't think anyone would hire me. Luckily, I found a company that valued the mom skills I had acquired and overlooked the career gap. The reality is, Moms returning to the workforce make the best employees. They bring a wealth of life experience and wisdom, sharpened from managing countless simultaneous responsibilities. More importantly, when you hire them, you have their loyalty because they value the trust you've placed in them. Even though it's been a while, I will never forget those who took a chance on me. I will also hire a Mom every chance I can get. Amy Grilli ⛵ Niki Frank Trina L. Nate Randle Andrea Clarke Jim Jenson Robin Huling Kristin Wright Shannan Smith Chelsey Storrs Jess Toolson Susan Petersen Vanessa Quigley Crystalee Beck #womeninbusiness #hiring #loyalty

I'm cutting diamonds 💎. Towards the end of 2023, I came up with a passion project, Elavare, to help mothers return to the workforce with confidence. I decided to launch this project because over the years, I've had a lot of mothers ask me how I did it. How did I return to the workforce after being out of it for 18 years and still find "success"? Well, it wasn't easy. It took time. It was hard. I didn't get a lot of sleep. I still don't 😂. Over time, Google became my best friend (I didn't know any marketing acronyms). I learned by doing 💪 . And, I've had lots of amazing mentors and others guide me along the way (James Clarke, Dan Campbell, Martin Baron, Michael K. Simpson, Jim Jenson, Ryan Westwood, Camille Caron, Daniel Snow, Blaine Sundrud, Ashley Swanson, Duffy Pingree, and Ross Elliott to name a few). And people were patient with me 🙏 . I guess this is why I love interns ❤️. This is why I'm completely patient with them. This is why I love teaching them. Because I, too, once had to start at square one. This is Elavare's internship team through the Brigham Young University Marriott School of Business OCI (On-Campus Internship) program. When they joined, they were rough, uncut diamonds. Now, they are shiny and brilliant. They are my team (Mary Allred, Whitney Sheffield, Grace Rampton, Katie Bell, and Megan Fishburn) ! After meeting over the lunch hour (and remotely), I'm sad the semester is over. Even though their internship has ended, they will go on to be diamonds at future companies and continue to shine. 💎 We should all be in the diamond cutting business.💎 #passionproject #interns #careercoachingformoms