Balancing work and motherhood continues to be a challenge for many women. It is a demanding double shift that often feels impossible to balance. The challenge is even greater for those who run their own businesses, as caring for the business becomes symbolically maternal and rest time is even less. Those living in this reality acknowledge that it’s impossible to get it right all the time; however, normalizing mistakes remains a dilemma.
This is because self-pressure and societal pressure regarding motherhood remain intense. There is a cultural expectation for women to naturally multitask, always be available, and emotionally stable, even in the face of extreme exhaustion and daily dilemmas. This constant pressure contributes to anxiety, guilt, and physical and mental exhaustion. For many, the feeling is one of 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 entrepreneur and co-founder of Capital Concreto, Mariana Menezes.
Mother to 4-year-old Lara, Mariana reflects on balancing her roles. ‘It’s a process of self-awareness. It takes patience, organization, and flexibility to meet all demands and understand that despite all efforts, mistakes will happen at times. And these mistakes do not define us as professionals or mothers.’ Heading one of the leading real estate and financial developers, the entrepreneur also emphasizes that, while valuing work, her priority is always her daughter.
She recalls that when Lara was born, the company was experiencing significant expansion, which required her full-time presence. “Capital Concreto was in a growth phase, and Lara was less than a year old. Many times, I really felt and believed it was a limitation. This is true even today, at times I really cannot be present because she needs my presence. This has made me have a much lighter relationship today, not that it is easy. What I have learned as an entrepreneur and mother is that today I know what my priority is, I know where other people can do what I do, and other places where they cannot.”
A mother’s life and an entrepreneur’s journey intersect especially when it comes to responsibility, leadership, and resilience. In both spheres, important decisions need to be made daily, dealing with unforeseen circumstances, caring for the development of others, and staying emotionally present even in exhaustion. Being a mother is, in many ways, to undertake — investing time, love, and energy in a project that one wishes to see grow safely and autonomously. Similarly, leading a business requires dedication, planning, and constant adaptation, also essential values in motherhood. This overlap of roles shows that, despite the challenges, there is a unique strength in women who take on both functions, creating bridges between affection and strategy, between care and management.
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