Hello, Ladies,
My name is Stefanie, and I had dreamed for years of writing a book about combining a successful career in management with growing and raising a family. Now that my 5th child is on the way, and I’m already well into my 3rd trimester, I’m finally carving out the time and going all in. This blog is the companion to my book where I can expand on topics, interact with you, build a community, get your feedback and thoughts, and yes, also get my writing mojo up.
The main intention of my book and this blog is to show women that they don’t have to choose between a career and kids, but that it is possible to have a career WITH kids. Actually, not only this, but I strongly believe, from my own experience, that motherhood and management have a lot in common and that these skills make us great leaders. Why is it that at least half of the graduates with a business degree are female, but only about 30% of the management roles are held by women? I would like to see more women and particularly mothers in management roles to initiate a change from the bottom up. Not because a quota of female leaders is politically enforced, but because we are the best candidates for the job. If more women feel empowered to take on management roles, the corporate world will change, and we will make our way up through all levels of management. If more women start a business and hire more women in leadership positions, this will have a tremendous impact, and we will get what we deserve in appreciation, a flexible lifestyle, and monetary compensation, because we know we are worth it and we know how to negotiate for it.
I’m originally from Germany, the daughter of a teacher and an architect, so I started far removed from the corporate world. My dream was always to travel the world and live abroad. I now live in Sweden, am a mother of four (soon to be five wonderful kids), and wife to an amazing husband. I have been a successful entrepreneur and am now a manager in Germany’s biggest software company, leading a global team, working remotely, and enjoying every day of my professional and family life.
What truly inspired me to start this book and blog project was the idea to leave a legacy in the form of the written word to my daughters for them to read when they are old enough to understand. However, also comments from co-workers and business associates kept this idea aflame that I want to act as an example and inspire other women and mothers to do the same. Especially when one business associate of mine called me before she left on maternity leave and thanked me for being a role model for her, making her believe she can also have a career and a family. At that point, I just had my second child, and my daughter was with me all day for the first year while I continued in my job after a 3-month leave. She was first snuggled up to me in a baby wrap, and when she grew older, she played in her crib in my office, crawled around the floor, or attended meetings on my lap.
Well, ladies, my parting words are as always words of empowerment because we truly are the change we have been waiting for!