When I was pregnant with my first child, I was a venture partner at a VC firm, working three days a week. I really gave myself the space to focus on having a baby – both my husband and I took eight months off. Now that I am running a business with a five-year-old, I know I can do it: I can be a mother and run a company. It's given me confidence. But it's very, very different. When I was an employee, I felt like I could take parental leave more freely.
This baby was IVF so I was planning for it, but when I got pregnant I still felt dread and panic about telling my board and co-founder. Having spoken to a lot of women – not just founders or CEOs – I’ve learned that they often feel worried about letting people down. That emotional experience makes me so angry. I'm the CEO and founder of this business. I raise money for the company. Why do I feel scared to tell my board? Because there's a choice that women feel they have to make between their career and being a parent. And it’s a choice men don’t have to make.
I'm the CEO of this business. Why do I feel scared to tell my board I'm pregnant?