DALLAS — "You can have it all."
Working parents might roll their eyes when they read that phrase. Justine Sterling Converse, the founder of Brigade Events, certainly questioned her career path when contemplating having a family.
For years, she and her business partner, April Zorsky, watched colleagues quit high-level event planning positions following the birth of their children.
Now, these two moms are working to transform what it means to go “back to work” so women can be fulfilled on the job and at home.
"An underlying sense of grace, and flexibility. If someone can’t come, they can’t come and that’s why we have a team," said Sterling Converse.
Sterling Converse employs an army of working moms. She and Zorsky balance function sheets with school functions.
"Something we love, you should be able to keep doing it even when you have kids," said Sterling Converse.
Rather than give up a career, the duo pivoted like they would planning any high-profile event when dealt with an expected issue.
"We’re a little bit different from a lot of other companies out there, you don’t just have one planner on one large event, we always have two. Because their kids get sick, you always must have a backup," said Zorksy.
Team-based planning provides support. Sterling Converse and Zorksy hire full-time and contract employees, allowing their start up financial flexibility while accommodating moms.
"For any contactor, you are paid hourly. You’re set for an hourly fee, and we don’t require you to work anywhere or any specific time," said Sterling Converse.
But one year into their new business, five out of their six full-time employees at the time had babies within thirteen months, including both of Sterling Converse and Zorksy, they told WFAA.
They offered a generous amount of time for family leave.
"At twelve weeks, that is when the baby and the mom start to jive and get into a routine so, we extended it to sixteen. And it’s crazy how one extra month makes such a big difference," said Sterling Converse.
As a small business, they’re working toward offering fully-paid leave as soon as possible, in addition to a transition month already in place.
"It allows them to be coming back on their own terms in a way where you’re setting what works for you and your baby that first month," said Zorsky.
Every single new mom returned to Brigade Events.
"That’s been part of why we want to make this work as moms; we are very ambitious, but we also want to be there for our children," said Sterling Converse.
If there’s only one change you can make for your business, Sterling Converse and Zorsky recommend offering a transitional month. They did research and found most new moms quit during the first month back in the office. They added that, in order for employees to advocate for themselves, speak to your direct manager about managing expectations when you go back to work.