Balancing work and motherhood continues to be a challenge for many women. It is a demanding double workload that often seems impossible to balance. The challenge is even greater for those who are entrepreneurs, as caring for the business becomes symbolically maternal, and relaxation time is even shorter. Those living in this reality recognize that it is impossible to get it right all the time, yet normalizing failures remains a dilemma.
This is because self-criticism and societal expectations regarding motherhood remain intense. There is a cultural expectation for women to naturally be multitasking, always available, and emotionally stable, even when facing extreme exhaustion and daily dilemmas. This constant pressure contributes to feelings of anxiety, guilt, and physical and mental exhaustion. For many, the feeling is guilt: ‘when I was working, I felt guilty for not being a mother, and when I was being a mother, I felt guilty for not working,’ shares the businesswoman and co-founder of Capital Concreto, Mariana Menezes.
Mother of 4-year-old Lara, Mariana reflects on balancing occupations. “It’s a process of self-discovery. It requires calmness, organization, and flexibility to meet all demands and understand that despite all efforts, failures will occur at times. And these failures do not define us neither as professionals nor as mothers.” Heading one of the leading real estate and financial developers, the businesswoman also emphasizes that, although she values work, her daughter’s well-being always comes first.
She recalls that when Lara was born, the company was experiencing significant growth, requiring her full-time presence. “Capital Concreto was in a growth phase, while Lara was less than a year old. Many times, I truly felt and believed it was a limitation. This is still true today, there are moments when I cannot be there because she needs me. This has made me have a much lighter relationship today, not that it’s easy. What I’ve learned being a businesswoman and a mother is that today I know my priority, I know where other people can do what I do, and where they cannot.”
The life of a mother and the journey of a businesswoman intersect especially when it comes to responsibility, leadership, and resilience. In both realms, important decisions are made daily, unforeseen events are managed, the development of others is taken care of, and emotional presence is maintained, even in times of exhaustion. Being a mother is, in many ways, entrepreneurship – investing time, love, and energy into a project one wishes to see grow securely and independently.
Similarly, leading a business requires dedication, planning, and constant adaptation, values also essential in motherhood. This overlap of roles shows that, despite the challenges, there is a unique strength in women who take on both roles, creating bridges between affection and strategy, between care and management.
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