A conversation with the mums of Who Gives A Crap

I think mums are amazing. There is a special place in my heart for one particular kind of mum – the working mum. Probably because that’s the kind of mum I have. I actually come from a long line of working mums - a lawyer, school secretary, department store pianist. It’s something that I’ve always been really proud of.

I am not a mother (unless you count my dog, but he’s more of a flatmate), but I work with some truly outstanding ones. My name is Lori, by the way. My favourite things are pickles and talking to women I admire. But enough about me! Let’s meet (some of) the mums of Who Gives A Crap.

Ok, first things first. Who are all of you and what do you do?

Jam: Hi, I’m Jam. I manage a team of wonderful ladies who take care of customers who contact us to ask about our products.

Kate: I’m Kate, the Legal Beagle here at Who Gives A Crap.

Van: I’m Vanessa and I’m the Head of Creative and Brand.

Ellie: Ellie, I’m the VP of People & Culture

Jule: I am Jule. Most of the time, I answer customer emails as part of the Customer Happiness Team. Other times, I answer questions from our wide-eyed, curious new teammates as their trainer.

Jenna: Hi hi, I’m Jenna and I am Head of Growth Marketing at Who Gives a Crap.

Irish: My name is Irish! I’m from the Customer Happiness Team.

Lolyn: Hi, I’m Lolyn. I’m also with the Customer Happiness Team.

Jean: Hey! I’m Jean and I am a Customer Happiness Champion.

If you ask me, you’re all champions. Tell me, what does it mean to you to be a working mum?

Irish: Being a working mum is playing two different roles as one person (at the same time!). But it’s definitely a privilege. It makes me feel Iike can still be me and pursue my career goals.

Jenna: For me, I find such deep satisfaction around the work I do at Who Gives a Crap and being able to hold space for the person I am outside of a mum helps me to be a better mum.

Kate: Working absolutely makes me a better mum. I’m the sort of person who always needs a challenge, and while I love my kids more than anything, if I didn’t have something else to do, I think I’d go a little nuts!

Jule: Honestly, I think the phrase ‘working mum’ is redundant. It’s just double the mess, double the juggling, double the physical and mental exhaustion, but it’s twice the fulfilment in life.

Jam: Yeah, it’s a very difficult role, to be honest, but seeing my child getting all their needs makes me feel empowered and fulfilled.

Jean: Managing everything is a never ending trial and error process. OMG WHY AM I CRYING LOL.

Van: I think it means everything and nothing at the same time. Everything in the fact that I can satisfy my ambition and raise a human. But, also nothing, because yeah, I work and I’m a mum. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Kate: I love that it shows my kids that you can do anything that you want to do. I always wanted to be an in house lawyer, and I worked really hard to get here, to a job that I absolutely love. I also really wanted to be a mum, and I’ve managed to (mostly) find a way to make them work together!

What are the biggest challenges?

Irish: One of the biggest challenges is reminding myself that whatever I do, whatever decision I need to make affects the little ones.

Jam: I think the biggest challenge is not being able to attend to your child’s minute-by-minute requests. It can be annoying to some but for me, it’s a blessing that my son can say what he wants and is capable of sharing what he thinks, and so it’s heart-breaking that I need to ignore him sometimes to finish my work.

Kate: To me, the hardest part is that I’m not always available - both for my colleagues or for my kids. I’ve had to learn to be fully present, wherever I am. When I am working - I am working. And when I’m with my kids - it’s family time.

Ellie: Totally. Sometimes I feel torn, like I’m not doing either job to the best of my abilities. I get frustrated. And sleepy.

Jean: Yes, the frustration of trying to do it all!

““I’ve had to learn to be fully present, wherever I am. When I am working - I am working. And when I’m with my kids - it’s family time.””

What are the best ways to overcome these challenges?

Jean: I try to be kind to myself and to let go. I try my best to accept the fact that I can’t do everything and that it’s okay. I remind myself that I may not be able to be all that, but to my children, I will always be enough.

Lolyn: I’m just really grateful to work here because the company really does give a crap about their employees and their families. Having a flexible schedule and also planning my day ahead helps me juggle things well… I think? Haha.

Ellie: I try to turn my phone off when I’m in mum mode and shut my door when I’m in work mode. It’s not 100% successful but it’s been helpful so far. And hydrating (with water, coffee and wine)!

Jenna: You have to turn into an efficiency queen. I have a hard stop in my work day and the same, if not more work, to get done.

Ellie: I also think talking about it is huge. I’ve opened up and shared my struggle with friends, family and my colleagues. I tend to be an optimist, so sometimes just the act of sharing is enough to get me looking for the silver lining, giggling at myself and remembering how grateful I am for all the good stuff.

Great segway! What are the most rewarding parts of being a working mum?

Kate: When I do manage to nail that balance! I don’t always get it right, but on those days when I’ve been on fire at work, and then manage to get through readers/bath/bedtime with no tears and a few extra cuddles, I feel invincible!

Jenna: Yes, it’s feeling like a superhero. I can simultaneously nurse my baby and conduct a meeting. I can grow a human AND close big deals.

Jam: I think it’s all about the small things, really. After a tiring and busy day, watching TV with my son and partner while eating snacks is something I always look forward to!

Lolyn: Nothing beats being present in my kids’ lives while providing for them. Ok, now I’m crying.

Jule: I love having the resources to take my family on a fun vacation every year on our son’s birthday.

What’s something that no one told you about being a working mum?

Ellie: I had some very helpful, honest, and open friends and colleagues fill me in on some of their struggles and also the positives of being a working parent. I’m really grateful for this as I felt like I jumped into my new role with pretty open eyes. Something no one told me, though, was how much the weekends would end up meaning to me. Like, duh, obviously, but I had never really taken the time to appreciate those lovely laptop-free days.

Van: No one tells you that when your child plays house, he’ll always want to be the mum and that’s a pretty great feeling. But, the storyline is that she works and can’t play with her child, and that will break your heart five times over while filling it with a teeny bit of feminist pride.

Jule: You’ll have two bosses – one at home and one at work. And a good pair of leggings is a legit corporate attire if worn with the right blouse. This is not up for debate.

Jenna: One poorly timed nap or meeting can throw everything off. Everything!

Jam: And sleep is a luxury!

I don’t know, Jam. I think most people would know that.

Jam: I didn’t!

Haha ok, ok. As you all know, I’m super interested in these kinds of conversations because of my own mother. Do you take any inspiration from your mum?

Jean: YES. My mum is such a resilient person. She’s the most patient and forgiving woman I know. She’s the best cook, too. But what I love about her the most is that she takes care of herself too. I think that’s what I – we – often forget when we become mothers. The importance of how we take care of ourselves. And it’s something that I try to remind myself when things become overwhelming.

Kate: My mum is my best friend. She worked my whole childhood and seemed to manage it with ease. I know that she made sacrifices for me when I was growing up, but she never made it seem like a burden. The relationship I have with my mum is what I hope I have with my kids when they are older.

Van: My mum raised me on her own and always emphasised the importance of work and being able to support yourself. I’ve always taken that lesson to heart. She also refused to wear trousers to work because she thought it was unprofessional. As a result, I have a large array of work trouser wear because I am also a rebel.

Jule: Unfortunately, my mum and I did not have a good relationship. Looking at the bright side though, I was inspired to be a better mum to my son. I was reminded to always be there when he needed me most. To be strong for him.

Jam: You’re a pillar for your children so you have to keep being strong for them.

I’m curious, do your kids know about your job? What do they think you do?

Kate: They know I work for a toilet paper company that has a swear word in it and we always have toilet paper wrappers to make cool crafts with! When I asked them, they said I gave toilet paper to people (which to be fair, during this pandemic, we have been giving a lot away!) They’re still a bit young to really understand what I do.

Lolyn: They know we care about trees and that we hate plastic waste. They also know that we donate our profits. I always tell them how passionate the Who Gives A Crap team is about our advocacy.

Irish: My son says that I talk to people who need loo roll haha.

Van: This is the 3 year old explainer – I help sell toilet paper because lots of people in the world don’t have a toilet and that’s a really bad thing.

Jean: My 13 year old thinks I answer emails, solve problems and make sure that customers are happy. My 6 year old thinks I just do meetings with Auntie Jam.

Jam: Aww!

Jean: And my 4 year old thinks I cook and listen to her sing Frozen 2. LOL.

And what would you want them to know?

Van: I’ve made a point to explain that I work for enjoyment, a challenge and to help people rather than let Leo grow up to believe that you work solely to pay the bills. Of course, knowing that you need to work to support yourself is important, but I don’t want the emphasis to be that work is a drag and I’m only doing it to support his love of baked goods (although this is also true).

Jule: I want my son to know that my work as part of the Customer Happiness Team is not just about answering customer enquiries. It’s about human interaction – showing kindness and compassion, sharing happiness and good vibes, educating them where needed and helping them to the best of my ability. The possibilities are endless if you really want to help.

““I just want them to know that I work with amazing people who are doing something to make a difference in the world.””

Ellie: I want Theo to know how much more rewarding it is to work in a role and for a business that you’re truly passionate about and believe in. I’d love for her to aspire to do the most good that she can with her intelligence, time and energy. It’s possible to combine drive with making a positive difference and I’ve got my fingers crossed I can be a good example of that.

Jean: I agree. I want my children to know that it’s possible to work with a company that is in line with your values, inspires you to make a difference in the world, with people who celebrate you and encourage you to become a better version of yourself in every aspect.

Kate: Yes! It’s important to know that you can genuinely love the work that you do, and the company you work for! It is incredibly rewarding working as part of a team that is working towards something bigger, and I hope they find their passion like I have found mine.

Jam: I just want them to know that I work with amazing people who are doing something to make a difference in the world.