HEALTHY HABITS
BECOMING AND BEING A MOM WHILE BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS
CASSANDRA SANFORD, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF KELLYMITCHELL, THOUGHT SHE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT HOW TO MASTER THE JUGGLE OF BUSINESS OWNER AND MOM. SIX WEEKS BEFORE HER DUE DATE WITH HER SON MAX, HER THIRD CHILD, SHE WAS NEEDED IN CHICAGO FOR A FORTUNE 500 PITCH—AND DECIDED SHE COULD RISK THE FLIGHT.
“T
hirty minutes before this huge pitch, as we were doing our pre-
and her leadership team work toward better work-life integration for all
brief team meeting, I felt myself go into labor,” says Sanford.
120 employees across several national offices. Part of their maternity plan
“Of course, I quickly excused myself and called my doctor.
for employees advises against traveling—no matter the stakes—for third
She was calm, and advised to do the pitch and proceed directly home to St.
trimester pregnant employees, parents going through adoption, and for
Louis. We pitched to the client; it was fantastic, and my team gathered for the
partners who may have someone expecting.
debrief meeting and celebration. I quickly said, ‘I’m sorry everyone but we have to go home right now—I’m in labor.’”
A believer in the fact that work-life integration is possible and that you can have it all (minus third-trimester flights), Sanford attributes her four children
Sanford laughs with her colleagues about the situation now, but she is
Jonathon, Ava, Max, and Chase with having made her a better entrepreneur
also quick to admit it was a learning opportunity. At KellyMitchell, Sanford
and leader.
Cassandra Sanford holds the name plates of her four children.
Sanford’s children from left to right: Jonathon, Ava, Max, and Chase
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PRESIDENT’S REPORT
// RESOURCES