I have some exciting news to share with you. My husband and I are expecting our second child at the end of July! We are very excited to welcome our baby girl in just a few months. 💗
On a personal level, I truly cannot wait. Professionally, it’s been both challenging and empowering to navigate the many decisions that come with being both a business owner and a stay-at-home mom. I am so very, very proud of this business and all that EightySeven Web has grown into. I am immensely honored by the trust, loyalty, and friendship of my clients and collaborators. Being a small business owner has been one of the greatest honors and blessings of my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.
I’ve considered a million different ways for EightySeven Web to move forward once baby #2 is here in July/August — from carrying on full steam ahead to going part time. Clarity will likely come with time, and I expect some pivoting along the way as we adjust to this new season of life. However, as I’ve worked through these decisions, one phrase has returned to my mind over and over again: “they’re only little once.”
“You will never look back on life and think to yourself, ‘I spent too much time with my kids.’”
— Kimberly McEod
One thing I know for sure is that motherhood will come first and will become my most important job, bar none. This has always been a foundational value for me, and it’s one of the reasons I chose to build my own business — for such a time as this. I have the great power (and responsibility) to chart my own course and bend my business around my family’s needs, rather than the other way around. That is a gift I do not take for granted.
With that in mind, here is the current plan:
PREPARING FOR MATERNITY LEAVE
- All projects will need to be wrapped up by July 15. If we are currently working on something together, I’ve already planned for this in our timeline. However, this makes it EXTRA important that we stay on track and do not allow the schedule to derail. I want to make sure you have everything you need before I go on leave.
- If you’ve had a small project you’ve been meaning to schedule, now is the time! While it’s probably too late for a big project, we still have time to knock out smaller collateral items, website updates, etc. Post these requests in Basecamp ASAP!
- If you’re an existing website management client, don’t worry — your website will continue to be supported. That is the one service I plan to continue throughout maternity leave. I just ask that you save anything non-urgent for after I return, and we stick to essential software updates and emergency needs during my leave. (If you’re an existing EightySeven Web client that’s NOT on a website care plan and would like regular support and software updates during my leave, now is the time to sign up! You can learn more HERE.)
MATERNITY LEAVE
- I plan to take maternity leave from July 15, 2024 through November 1, 2024. This will give me a couple weeks to relax and prep, and then a few months to soak in the baby cuddles (and recover from the sleepless nights) after his arrival.
- During this time, the only client work that will continue is active website management plans. If you are not on a website management plan and need urgent design assistance during my leave, I will provide the contact information for a couple of amazing designers I have personally worked with and trust. If they need design files from me to complete your request, they will get in touch with me and I will get them everything they need.
- I don’t plan to check my email with any sort of regularity, and I obviously won’t be taking any meetings or calls. Current website management clients can post in Basecamp to get in touch with me during this time.
POST MATERNITY LEAVE:
- After I return from maternity leave, I plan to start taking on big projects starting in November. This includes new websites or other projects for both new and current clients.
- My communication and deliverable turnaround times will be more generous. While I’ve loved serving my clients with timeliness and accommodating tight deadlines over the years, I don’t have any illusions about the demands of motherhood and the needs of a little one who depends on me to sustain her life and another toddler. They will come first. 🙂 If your design needs tend to be fairly laid back and you can work around my limited availability, great! However, if you find yourself on tight deadlines and in need of a lot of last-minute design support, you may be happier with another designer who has the time and capacity to accommodate that. In that case, I am more than happy to give you a trusted referral and help with the transition. As I mentioned earlier, my main concern is that you are happy and well taken care of. 🙂
Whew! I believe that covers most of the details surrounding this big life change — but please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have lingering questions or want to discuss things one-on-one.
I cannot say emphatically enough how honored I have been by your trust and enthusiastic support over the years. Many of you have become dear friends and I look forward to continuing that bond, even if our professional relationship shifts over time. I feel like I work with some of the best humans around and I never cease to be inspired by you. Thank you for all you do!
Alisha Thomas
CEO | EightySeven Web, LLC
