We are extremely proud that IBM Z has chosen to work with Mom Relaunch, to provide opportunities in enterprise computing, to people looking to get back to work after career breaks, people who are transitioning or looking for a career path. 

When Sudharsana Srinivasan from IBM Z reached out to us to collaborate  with them, I saw this as a great opportunity to join hands with IBM to further their culture of inclusiveness, to tap into the unrecognized talent of women, BIPOC and transitioners into their workforce. 

Launch to IBM Z event is just the beginning. I am really looking forward to taking this collaboration  to the next level. It’s truly going to be an amazing place where more companies like IBM come forward to support workplace diversity. They recognize what it means and they are willing to take the necessary steps to help us get there, as a community, as a nation, and around the world. 

From even before I started Mom Relaunch, I have been working hard to create an environment where it becomes easier for companies to be able to increase diversity in their workforce. This is a humbling moment for me. Bringing women and BIPOC into the forefront will enable us to bridge the divide that’s keeping them behind financially.

Now without further ado, here are the two winners of the website design contest. They will be given the opportunity to be a part of Mom Relaunch, learn the IBM Z platform, and relaunch themselves. They will get an education grant to cover Mom Relaunch program fees for 6 months.

Jayashree Harsha & Belen Garcia  

It’s never too late – if you missed our event, come join us, catch the Replay Here to get started on your IBM Z journey. The Fans of IBM Z hub is a great place to get started with networking, hearing from your peers, sharing your journey and more! 

I invite everyone to come join our mission, to help us get to a world where another Mom Relaunch will not be needed! 

Reena Gupta, CEO, Mom Relaunch

It was a pleasure to have Adrianne Nelson, Senior Director, Staffing Industry Analyst, on our webinar held on June 30th, 2020. Her message to job seekers who are currently transitioning into new careers or looking to re-enter the work- force after a break  was simple, yet reassuring; skill, re-skill and re-invent. 

In spite of the gloom and doom around us, we at Mom Relaunch believe that her message has a refreshingly positive ring to it.  

Even as the pandemic rages through the world and leaves behind tragedies of unimaginable proportions, including the loss of jobs and income, it is indeed heartening to learn from Adrianne that there is, surprisingly, hope!  

Hope in the form of companies that continue to hire, even in the crisis,  which means renewed efforts from job seekers to rebuild lives, and to continue to use this time to prepare for the day when it’s all over. Difficult though it is, to imagine a world that will be free from Covid -19, the hardship is going to end. Question is, are you ready?  

As Adrianne rightly said, this is a good time to skill, re-skill and re-invent for better opportunities that will present themselves when things start looking up on the employment front. In particular, jobs in the tech sector will have openings for tele-working, tech- support, remote support, in essential services such as pharmacies, grocery stores, healthcare , logistics to name  a few. 

Fedex, Amazon, Zoom, Slack, Udacity are just a few of the companies that are hiring even now.  Contract, permanent, gigs, temporary, and now work -from -home and remote jobs will completely change the way we look at work. In fact, new opportunities will open up that never existed before the pandemic! 

Adrianne also advises that soft skills, such as teamwork, negotiation and persuasion skills, leadership, problem solving, perseverance and confidence help to secure a job sooner than you think.  So some tips there for job seekers to read up and brush up on that front.

Since Work From Home (let’s coin a new word WFH-ing) will be the new mantra, at least till the foreseeable future, it would be a great idea to arm yourself with the knowledge of the most current and future trends in technology. If, as a job seeker, you have shied away from this before, now is the perfect time to shed all those fears and any  mental barriers that have prevented you from taking on new challenges and rising up to face them.  

Adrianne, we thank you for bringing us the latest updates on employment and skills. That is what we do at Mom Relaunch. We help job seekers by giving them access to the right training, and set them on their way to a better future. 

With the right skills, securing a great job should be every job seeker’s dream and not just that of a chosen few.

For any organization, hiring employees or, even engaging a contractor for short/long term projects, is an expensive undertaking – in terms of time and money. However, hiring a wrong candidate is several fold more so! According to Harrispoll, the cost of a bad hire is roughly between $25K to $50K depending on the position and industry – Oouch!

In light of this fact, let us explore factors, that if available, would minimize the risk of hiring. ‘Try before you buy’ is one of the proven sales strategies that minimizes risk of buying. You lament – why is there no such option for hiring an employee?! Now there is! Mom Relaunch has been very successful in building, and promoting, just such an approach! Let me explain!

LaunchPad is Mom Relaunch’s signature program. It offers extended hands-on-training to career returners and transitioners. The Program’s participants work on internal/external projects of varied lengths – either on a paid or pro bono basis. Each participant’s contribution on the projects is closely monitored, reported and recorded. Once participants gain sufficient experience and confidence, Mom Relaunch taps into its network of companies and recruiting firms to place ‘ready-to-market’ candidates. Companies that are familiar with the program post their projects, or jobs, on the Mom Relaunch’s website!

Interested in giving it a try? You wonder – ‘what types of internal/external projects are completed on Launchpad’? Well, Programs on LaunchPad span from Systems and Third-Party Apps Integration, Project Management, QA, Data Science and Management to Designing and Building Communities on the Salesforce Platform. Participants on the LaunchPad program form teams and are supported and guided by Industry expert(s) during and after projects completion.

Alternatively, we can discuss what projects you have and would like to take them off your plate! Based on your requirements, we can curte a team! Our team can design a solution that aligns with your priorities and business use cases. In other words, we are flexible and will work with you with the best of our abilities and knowledge!

Before COVID-19, almost all participants at Mom Relaunch were moms wanting to re-enter the workforce after a career break. Since the onset of COVID-19 – and exponentially rising unemployment – Mom Relaunch has expanded its reach and scope by inviting Career Transitioners irrespective of gender!

Days of ‘buyer beware’ are long gone! Since the high cost of a bad hire is unsustainable, ‘Try before you Hire’ is picking up steam!

If you have been burnt by a bad hire or, you want to take a smarter approach to hiring by learning from others’ costly mistakes, giving Mom Relaunch’s talent pool a try is worth your effort and time. To learn more about the opportunity to build a robust team of dedicated, experienced, versatile and highly skilled candidates reach out to us – like others have, you too will thank yourself for doing so!

Recent statistics and studies have shown that there is a huge skilled talent shortage, some would even say talent drainage, with 7 in 10 employers reporting talent shortages and nearly 60 percent of employers having jobs that stay vacant for 12 weeks or longer. Unemployment rate is also at its lowest since 2000. There are significant opportunities abound with the current employment climate but many career transitioners still face an uphill challenge to return to the workforce.

To prepare to transition your career, upskilling is pivotal and should be given utmost priority as it enables you to fill the much needed skill gap. It is important to choose a skillset that is in demand to ease back into the new career. In consideration of these two important factors, enable workforce development and provide a platform for upskilling, Mom Relaunch and Career Circle have partnered to offer an opportunity to upskill in one of the fastest growing technology arenas – Salesforce Administration.

The Salesforce Proficiency Pack for Administrators is a 6-week virtual training course that offers a career pathway:

Huge Demand for Salesforce Skills

If you haven’t already heard the buzz around Salesforce, you may well have been living in a silo! Even if you may not have first hand experience with the platform, you might be aware that it is one of the fastest growing technological ecosystems. With the Salesforce economy predicted to create 3.3 million jobs by 2022, now is the time to take hold of your career by upskilling and working towards obtaining a Salesforce role.

Structured Learning With Flexibility

The Salesforce Administrator course is conducted virtually over 6 weeks. Classes meet twice a week at 4pm PST / 7pm EST, with all sessions recorded for review or in case a class is missed. The bulk of the learning is self paced modules through Salesforce Trailhead. While the structure of the course is provided, you learn at your own time, with full flexibility on the time of the day you choose to study. The course is conducted by Salesforce , with a certified trainer, so you know you are getting the best! 

You Are Not Alone

Trying to tackle a difficult section but unsure of what to do? Need some moral support to get through the exam? The Salesforce trainer is there to answer your questions but it doesn’t stop there! The partnership between Career Circle and Mom Relaunch offers support groups that ensure you will always have the help and support that you need. With a private Facebook group, a collaborative Trailblazer Community group and Skype chat, you will have the support you need at your fingertips.

Pathway to A Salesforce Career

Once you have passed the Salesforce Administrator examination (yay!), Career Circle and Mom Relaunch will take it a step further by helping you to get into the Salesforce ecosystem for you to relaunch your career.

The Salesforce Proficiency Pack for Administrators course is offered at a highly discounted rate of $99, which includes a free examination voucher worth $200. The next course starts March 9 and concludes April 13. To find out if you qualify for the course, contact us now!

I started Mom Relaunch based on a specific belief, mission and vision – to provide a platform for moms to skill up and get ready and relevant to reenter the workforce. And, what a journey it has been thus far! Plenty of bumps mixed with oodles of support, and encouragement, from expected and unexpected sources alike.

Being in the Tech and Recruiting landscape for years, I know this first hand! In light of my experience, my strong conviction is that, given an opportunity to showcase their skills – THE first step – returning moms can not only exceed their own expectations but that of the hiring companies as well!

Mom Relaunch’s experience and achievements, in the year 2019, speaks volumes about that!

• We ensured our business model was viable! 
• Achieved brand visibility beyond our expectations!
• Partnered with companies like CareerCircle  https://www.careercircle.com/, BayOne Solutions https://bayonesolutions.com/ and Pyxeda.ai https://www.pyxeda.ai/ to provide training and placement support to moms.
• Expanded our ability to place moms at highly sought after companies.
• To keep the last for the best, our team of moms were one of the Finalists of the Student Contest @Dreamforce 2019!! They developed, and presented @Dreamforce, one of the best solutions to American Heart Association’s need to encourage heart health awareness among highschoolers! This achievement is difficult, if not impossible, to overstate! 

Mom Relaunch has become a talent rich ecosystem. Many thanks to our partners – including CareerCircle, Pyxeda and BayOne – for contributing towards this feat. For instance, as a result of our partnerships with CareerCircle, Mom Relaunch is able to offer Salesforce Administrator Certification Training – that covers Certification Exam fees – for less than $100 – here, it is worth noting that the Certification Exam fees alone is $200! Similarly, since Data is everywhere, due to our partnerships with Pyxeda, Mom Relaunch is able to offer, Full Stack Data Science Online Training Program, for less than $200. Last but not least, BayOne Solutions has been graciously providing free Data Science training to skill up moms! Now, this is what the power of collaboration and cooperation – among various organizations to build a talent rich ecosystem of returning moms to the workforce – looks like!

Wait! This is not all! For, at Mom Relaunch, even moms are on the act! By joining Mom Relaunch, moms took the first step to take charge of their professional life! Moms are peer mentoring – from sharing Certification study tips to setting up mock interviews. While working on Mom Relaunch’s signature Launchpad program – that offers hands-on experience on internal or external projects – moms are skilling up and, while at it, building their confidence and self-esteem.

The results are palpable indeed! However, despite a very good start, we are the last ones to ‘rest on our laurels’! For the Year 2020, Mom Relaunch’s top three priorities are:

• Educating companies about presence of a diverse and hidden talent pool in their midst
• Eliciting support from communities at-large to prioritize the needs of moms by providing support and opportunities to reenter workforce
• Striving to achieve lucrative job placements for moms commensurate with their education, past experience and skills

Companies have started to partner with us because they recognize Mom Relaunch’s value proposition! As far as Laggers, when they see how companies, that have taken the first step in tapping into the hidden goldmine of talents, have resolved the problem of talent shortage and reduced attrition rates, are bound to follow the footsteps of early adopters! Their hindsight will ‘convince’ them what a no-brainer – hiring reentering to workforce moms – is, in improving their bottom-line!

This is not worth stressing out about!; and, fortunately, you don’t need to anymore!

Leverage Mom Relaunch’s talent pool at a fraction of the cost!

Our talented pool of moms demonstrated that they are problem solvers by becoming a Finalist of the American Heart Association Student Contest and presenting their solution at #DF19!! Come watch them live to get a taste of the talent on November 21st at 11:30 am – https://trailheadstudents.secure.force.com/DF19_CaseCompetition

Mom Relaunch’s Salesforce Certified talent pool can provide Admin or Developer support on small to medium size projects. That is not all! Our team of moms are assigned an industry experts who provides guidance and mentorship on a project from start to finish. Yes, we too agree – what a bargain!

So let us help you overcome that nagging feeling of unattended projects languishing on the back burner. Imagine the feeling of lightness and relief after having off-loaded the projects off your plate. And, in the hands of skilled and problem solver team of moms. While at it, know that by giving opportunities to moms, you are being an ally in supporting financial independence of moms.

Please Sign Up on MomRelaunch as an Employer and post your jobs and projects! We will follow-up earnestly!!

Ready?

This is not worth stressing out about!; and, fortunately, you don’t need to anymore!

Leverage Mom Relaunch’s talent pool at a fraction of the cost!

Our talented pool of moms demonstrated that they are problem solvers by becoming a Finalist of the American Heart Association Student Contest and presenting their solution at #DF19!! Come watch them live to get a taste of the talent on November 21st at 11:30 am – https://trailheadstudents.secure.force.com/DF19_CaseCompetition

Mom Relaunch’s Salesforce Certified talent pool can provide Admin or Developer support on small to medium size projects. That is not all! Our team of moms are assigned an industry experts who provides guidance and mentorship on a project from start to finish. Yes, we too agree – what a bargain!

So let us help you overcome that nagging feeling of unattended projects languishing on the back burner. Imagine the feeling of lightness and relief after having off-loaded the projects off your plate. And, in the hands of skilled and problem solver team of moms. While at it, know that by giving opportunities to moms, you are being an ally in supporting financial independence of moms.

Please Sign Up on MomRelaunch as an Employer and post your jobs and projects! We will follow-up earnestly!!

Ready?

This is not worth stressing out about!; and, fortunately, you don’t need to anymore!

Leverage Mom Relaunch’s talent pool at a fraction of the cost!

Our talented pool of moms demonstrated that they are problem solvers by becoming a Finalist of the American Heart Association Student Contest and presenting their solution at #DF19!! Come watch them live to get a taste of the talent on November 21st at 11:30 am – https://trailheadstudents.secure.force.com/DF19_CaseCompetition

Mom Relaunch’s Salesforce Certified talent pool can provide Admin or Developer support on small to medium size projects. That is not all! Our team of moms are assigned an industry experts who provides guidance and mentorship on a project from start to finish. Yes, we too agree – what a bargain!

So let us help you overcome that nagging feeling of unattended projects languishing on the back burner. Imagine the feeling of lightness and relief after having off-loaded the projects off your plate. And, in the hands of skilled and problem solver team of moms. While at it, know that by giving opportunities to moms, you are being an ally in supporting financial independence of moms.

Please Sign Up on MomRelaunch as an Employer and post your jobs and projects! We will follow-up earnestly!!

Ready?

Justice and Balance
Justice, the word itself brings just thoughts in your mind. Once one decides to take a step further, one is not done with it. The dilemma of whether I can do it or not still remains imbibed. It is a challenge well accepted and expected. One needs to judge oneself each and every day selflessly with a smile and take a step to begin a new day with pride. One needs to be careful not to be too involved in any front and draw a clear cut line between family and professional. Here comes the role of balancing. One needs to balance without neglecting either. One has to see that one does not overdo or compress. Balancing will minimize ones stress and help in achieving success in what one wants to do. It is a key to lead a blissful life.
Being all said, the strongest back has to be of a family. Without their support, it is out of the question to come out of dilemma.

Quality Support
Justice along with balance soon looks for quality support. They otherwise dangle on a weak rope. We all are aware that without a good support system, the dilemma to be successful in family as well as professional front gives way to number of doubts. Having a support system is not suffice. Sometimes we do hesitate or neglect this fact unknowingly. We, as a mom want to inculcate moral values, teach and ensure that quality time is spent with our little one. How do we ensure to pass it on without hurting the members in the support system? This is a basic necessity to ensure smooth working at both fronts. After all, it is a major responsibility to groom a child with pleasing personality. Quality support by family and colleagues secures a peaceful environment. This definitely results in good output.
Only a happy and contented life at any front will safeguard ones child’s future. It’s the choice that matters. Even after making a choice, one needs to come out of the dilemma and guarantee to pass on the traits one wants to see in ones child.
One faces many challenges to keep up the momentum going. These challenges can be financial, personal or professional. The growth curve of every family member including oneself has to be monitored from time to time. The decision one takes today may stand true at present but one may switch to the other after some time. After all, one looks for a contented life, growth, happiness and of not only oneself but all the family members.

Shalini Vaishnav is a Technical writer by profession and creative writer by heart. She lives in Noida with her family. In her free time, she loves writing and reading blogs, scribbling a few poetic lines, reading books and does little bit of gardening. She has been in the technical writing field for the past 26 years and started working as a freelancer for almost 8 years back. Her work as a freelancer includes writing both technical as well as creative article and editing write-ups.

Justice and Balance
Justice, the word itself brings just thoughts in your mind. Once one decides to take a step further, one is not done with it. The dilemma of whether I can do it or not still remains imbibed. It is a challenge well accepted and expected. One needs to judge oneself each and every day selflessly with a smile and take a step to begin a new day with pride. One needs to be careful not to be too involved in any front and draw a clear cut line between family and professional. Here comes the role of balancing. One needs to balance without neglecting either. One has to see that one does not overdo or compress. Balancing will minimize ones stress and help in achieving success in what one wants to do. It is a key to lead a blissful life.
Being all said, the strongest back has to be of a family. Without their support, it is out of the question to come out of dilemma.

Quality Support
Justice along with balance soon looks for quality support. They otherwise dangle on a weak rope. We all are aware that without a good support system, the dilemma to be successful in family as well as professional front gives way to number of doubts. Having a support system is not suffice. Sometimes we do hesitate or neglect this fact unknowingly. We, as a mom want to inculcate moral values, teach and ensure that quality time is spent with our little one. How do we ensure to pass it on without hurting the members in the support system? This is a basic necessity to ensure smooth working at both fronts. After all, it is a major responsibility to groom a child with pleasing personality. Quality support by family and colleagues secures a peaceful environment. This definitely results in good output.
Only a happy and contented life at any front will safeguard ones child’s future. It’s the choice that matters. Even after making a choice, one needs to come out of the dilemma and guarantee to pass on the traits one wants to see in ones child.
One faces many challenges to keep up the momentum going. These challenges can be financial, personal or professional. The growth curve of every family member including oneself has to be monitored from time to time. The decision one takes today may stand true at present but one may switch to the other after some time. After all, one looks for a contented life, growth, happiness and of not only oneself but all the family members.

Shalini Vaishnav is a Technical writer by profession and creative writer by heart. She lives in Noida with her family. In her free time, she loves writing and reading blogs, scribbling a few poetic lines, reading books and does little bit of gardening. She has been in the technical writing field for the past 26 years and started working as a freelancer for almost 8 years back. Her work as a freelancer includes writing both technical as well as creative article and editing write-ups.

1. Time-Management:

The first and foremost thing to take care is time management. Everything starts flowing smoothly once time is managed properly. Time simply slips out and cannot be brought back. To manage it requires swift planning, balancing, prioritizing and a lot more. When it comes to be a stay-at-home mom, one not only has to take care of kids but also manage the house chores, balance time between kids, family members and oneself. Prioritizing the tasks in hand helps a lot. By prioritizing, one does not aim to handle all the jobs in the same order. Classification of jobs as must, not important, can be postponed, assigned or scrapped will lessen the burden.  Once the work is classified, it can be done on a priority basis. We all can be more productive if we learn to say no when we have to. For example, the time wasted on phone calls and unexpected visitors can be planned more cautiously. Dedicating time-frame to a work, without sailing in two boats helps one to be more efficient. To ease it a bit, one is not answerable to everyone and everything. You are your boss and manager too and already have the expertise to handle the time. Step into your shoes and get going. After all, it is all about how one enjoys doing what one does in the specific time period. Getting over with planning and prioritizing, it is time to peep into your skill sets.

2. Working on Skill Set:

We all possess valuable skills that have worth in the job market. While staying at home, one only needs to squeeze out time and work on their skill set. These skill-set can be re-visited, learned and put into efficient use. For example, if one’s skill set is teaching, Part time job is an excellent option. It is great if one manages to take out few hours daily or weekly. This will surely strengthen and channelize the energy to work.  

Another good option can be Volunteering to work in the field that suits ones’ skill set. This is how the skill-set is re-visited. While volunteering, one not only contributes but learns a lot too while gaining experience. More than that, sharing work experience keeps the morale high and also benefits others. One may not get paid or get only a token amount. This opportunity for sure will pay in your future aspects.

Earning a higher degree in ones’ subject is also a terrific option. Get enrolled in a course or look for online learning sites. Enhancing your skill set will definitely help in your career progression. The first step should be to identify or figure out the needs. Identify what you really enjoy while staying competent. Analyse, how much knowledge and ability you possess at present and what all needs to be worked on to perform the required job. Begin with setting small goals. Accomplishing small goals becomes easier when done systematically. This will also build more confidence and give a bigger picture of what one wants to achieve. Tools and techniques help in efficient handling of your skill-set. If required, get a hands-on experience.  

3. Stay Connected:

Opting to be a stay-at-home mom and being outside the workforce does not stop one from staying connected. Stay connected with friends who are working. They can guide you on how to get back to the working mode while being at home. In-fact, they can flood number of options and be the best advisors. Social media has presented many options to get connected. Use LinkedIn to stay connected to the professional world. Other options can be WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter to name some. It is  good to connect friends/colleagues through calls, emails, attend professional meetups if one can or talk over a cup of coffee. This live connection can help in getting into the workforce somewhere in the near future. Staying connected also keeps you updated. Awareness about what all is going in the industry or field is an add on.

Remember, you are the driving force behind what all you want to achieve. It is all up there in your mind. You only need to gear up systematically.

1. Time-Management:

The first and foremost thing to take care is time management. Everything starts flowing smoothly once time is managed properly. Time simply slips out and cannot be brought back. To manage it requires swift planning, balancing, prioritizing and a lot more. When it comes to be a stay-at-home mom, one not only has to take care of kids but also manage the house chores, balance time between kids, family members and oneself. Prioritizing the tasks in hand helps a lot. By prioritizing, one does not aim to handle all the jobs in the same order. Classification of jobs as must, not important, can be postponed, assigned or scrapped will lessen the burden.  Once the work is classified, it can be done on a priority basis. We all can be more productive if we learn to say no when we have to. For example, the time wasted on phone calls and unexpected visitors can be planned more cautiously. Dedicating time-frame to a work, without sailing in two boats helps one to be more efficient. To ease it a bit, one is not answerable to everyone and everything. You are your boss and manager too and already have the expertise to handle the time. Step into your shoes and get going. After all, it is all about how one enjoys doing what one does in the specific time period. Getting over with planning and prioritizing, it is time to peep into your skill sets.

2. Working on Skill Set:

We all possess valuable skills that have worth in the job market. While staying at home, one only needs to squeeze out time and work on their skill set. These skill-set can be re-visited, learned and put into efficient use. For example, if one’s skill set is teaching, Part time job is an excellent option. It is great if one manages to take out few hours daily or weekly. This will surely strengthen and channelize the energy to work.  

Another good option can be Volunteering to work in the field that suits ones’ skill set. This is how the skill-set is re-visited. While volunteering, one not only contributes but learns a lot too while gaining experience. More than that, sharing work experience keeps the morale high and also benefits others. One may not get paid or get only a token amount. This opportunity for sure will pay in your future aspects.

Earning a higher degree in ones’ subject is also a terrific option. Get enrolled in a course or look for online learning sites. Enhancing your skill set will definitely help in your career progression. The first step should be to identify or figure out the needs. Identify what you really enjoy while staying competent. Analyse, how much knowledge and ability you possess at present and what all needs to be worked on to perform the required job. Begin with setting small goals. Accomplishing small goals becomes easier when done systematically. This will also build more confidence and give a bigger picture of what one wants to achieve. Tools and techniques help in efficient handling of your skill-set. If required, get a hands-on experience.  

3. Stay Connected:

Opting to be a stay-at-home mom and being outside the workforce does not stop one from staying connected. Stay connected with friends who are working. They can guide you on how to get back to the working mode while being at home. In-fact, they can flood number of options and be the best advisors. Social media has presented many options to get connected. Use LinkedIn to stay connected to the professional world. Other options can be WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter to name some. It is  good to connect friends/colleagues through calls, emails, attend professional meetups if one can or talk over a cup of coffee. This live connection can help in getting into the workforce somewhere in the near future. Staying connected also keeps you updated. Awareness about what all is going in the industry or field is an add on.

Remember, you are the driving force behind what all you want to achieve. It is all up there in your mind. You only need to gear up systematically.

This precious medley is bestowed upon us one by one, starting the very first day of our being. We cannot survive in a vacuum nor can we live our entire life alone on an island. Our bundle of attachment grows in size as we move along and often engulfs us in its entirety. Somewhere along this path, in trying to do the right thing in the most responsible way, WE forget ME.

If I was asked to sift through and decide which one of these is an all pervasive, all consuming role – I’d choose that of a mother. They say life changes as soon as you step into motherhood. It’s a 24/7 role. Overnight you transform yourself into a light sleeper, a worrier, a protector. The slightest change in your child’s voice is enough to alert you that something is amiss.

There is no escape and mothers are looking for none. Often between important meetings the busy working mom is thinking – “will I be able to make the after school doctors appointment?” OR “did I do the right thing by saying yes to the sleepover this close to exam time?”. The questions are warring right alongside business decisions, fading in and out depending on how busy the day is. I want to know, just out of curiosity- are fathers also bitten by the same worry bug??? Or are they better at compartmentalizing their day and channeling their energies?

Then there is the stay at home mother who has pretty much woven her life around her child/children’s activities. Wake up before the alarm, think of breakfast, pack the herd off to school and college, make sure they reach all activities in time, think of what to make for dinner to please her brood. The pressure she puts on herself is immense and all consuming, sometimes at the cost of unraveling several other threads in the fabric of her life. How many dads are willing to admit they forgot to pick the kids up from school, bus stop or a friends place? It’s not a competition, I’m just curious.

One day the kids grow up. They get busy in their own lives. This is the day we prepared them for – to be able to stand on their own feet, take their own decisions. By now the real ME is almost completely lost. If one is alert and smart enough and has managed to keep ME alive, it could very well be on a ventilator and barely breathing.

This is when we have to choose to embark upon a journey and find the real ME. To try new things, make room in life to savor new experiences. For some, it may turn out to be a complete departure from their usual self, invoking a sarcasm filled response from bystanders- “this is just mid-life crisis.” Well, this is no crisis, mid-life or otherwise, it’s a new journey, a new page which needs to be added to the journal of life. Most times such sarcasm comes from society, always ready with questions, challenging every new step ME is trying to take. If we are lucky, we get the unconditional support of family and friends who push us in the right direction. If not, I’m sorry for them, not us, because they have myopic vision and can’t see beyond their own nose.

Why not give this new journey a try. Let today be the start of the search of ME. Pull the plug on the ventilator, learn to breathe under your own steam. Look in unexpected places, do something out of the ordinary, find joy in the ordinary. Be your own kind of beautiful. And do not let anyone tell you – “it’s probably just mid-life crisis.”

An avid reader, volunteer, mother of a child in college, Priyanka works with elementary level students. Connect with her on Twitter https://twitter.com/priyankatan

This precious medley is bestowed upon us one by one, starting the very first day of our being. We cannot survive in a vacuum nor can we live our entire life alone on an island. Our bundle of attachment grows in size as we move along and often engulfs us in its entirety. Somewhere along this path, in trying to do the right thing in the most responsible way, WE forget ME.

If I was asked to sift through and decide which one of these is an all pervasive, all consuming role – I’d choose that of a mother. They say life changes as soon as you step into motherhood. It’s a 24/7 role. Overnight you transform yourself into a light sleeper, a worrier, a protector. The slightest change in your child’s voice is enough to alert you that something is amiss.

There is no escape and mothers are looking for none. Often between important meetings the busy working mom is thinking – “will I be able to make the after school doctors appointment?” OR “did I do the right thing by saying yes to the sleepover this close to exam time?”. The questions are warring right alongside business decisions, fading in and out depending on how busy the day is. I want to know, just out of curiosity- are fathers also bitten by the same worry bug??? Or are they better at compartmentalizing their day and channeling their energies?

Then there is the stay at home mother who has pretty much woven her life around her child/children’s activities. Wake up before the alarm, think of breakfast, pack the herd off to school and college, make sure they reach all activities in time, think of what to make for dinner to please her brood. The pressure she puts on herself is immense and all consuming, sometimes at the cost of unraveling several other threads in the fabric of her life. How many dads are willing to admit they forgot to pick the kids up from school, bus stop or a friends place? It’s not a competition, I’m just curious.

One day the kids grow up. They get busy in their own lives. This is the day we prepared them for – to be able to stand on their own feet, take their own decisions. By now the real ME is almost completely lost. If one is alert and smart enough and has managed to keep ME alive, it could very well be on a ventilator and barely breathing.

This is when we have to choose to embark upon a journey and find the real ME. To try new things, make room in life to savor new experiences. For some, it may turn out to be a complete departure from their usual self, invoking a sarcasm filled response from bystanders- “this is just mid-life crisis.” Well, this is no crisis, mid-life or otherwise, it’s a new journey, a new page which needs to be added to the journal of life. Most times such sarcasm comes from society, always ready with questions, challenging every new step ME is trying to take. If we are lucky, we get the unconditional support of family and friends who push us in the right direction. If not, I’m sorry for them, not us, because they have myopic vision and can’t see beyond their own nose.

Why not give this new journey a try. Let today be the start of the search of ME. Pull the plug on the ventilator, learn to breathe under your own steam. Look in unexpected places, do something out of the ordinary, find joy in the ordinary. Be your own kind of beautiful. And do not let anyone tell you – “it’s probably just mid-life crisis.”

An avid reader, volunteer, mother of a child in college, Priyanka works with elementary level students. Connect with her on Twitter https://twitter.com/priyankatan

However, something inside me changed a few months ago. Professionally, I felt that I have made an impact and have accomplished much. Personally, I have made concerted efforts to pay-it-forward by helping other women through Mom Relaunch. So why was I still stressed out? The simple answer is I felt a prevalent sense of unfulfillment and monotony. An emptiness. A void. A chasm. Especially with my two kids being grown and increasingly becoming more independent, I needed to fill the empty space with something positive that can make a change and difference in my life, to break out of the same routine.

I started thinking about a friend of mine who, like me, disliked and was afraid of dogs but ended up getting one. The sense of wondrous marvel in her voice as she spoke about the difference that her dog made in her life made me think that maybe getting a dog was the answer. As a person who prides herself in efficiency, I got down to business quickly once I decided that, yes, I will get a dog. Turns out that despite my past reluctance to get a dog, my daughter never gave up on her dream and was amply prepared with all the information we needed to acquire one. Within ten days of my life-changing decision, we came home with Rocky, a tiny cavapoo of twelve weeks, in our arms.

It wasn’t love at first sight for me, I will admit, although my kids’ faces beamed alternately between happiness and disbelief that their dream finally came true. It was their version of winning the lottery! When I first met Rocky, I was afraid of even touching him but within a week of having him home, I cannot imagine a life without him. When I looked into his puppy eyes, I felt a connection, my heart melted, and all my worries and discontent melted along with it.   

The difference that Rocky has made to my life has been nothing short of remarkable. I would even go as far to say that it was miraculous. My personality has changed – I am more patient, feel a lot less stressed – and the biggest change of all is that I am much happier and contented. As a family, we are also bonding more than ever with the advent of Rocky. Rocky’s trainer told me that looking into a dog’s eyes secretes Oxytocin, also known as the ‘love drug’, which promotes the feeling of love and well-being. I can certainly attest to that; before we got Rocky, the ground rules for my kids are that they will need to take care of all the dog’s needs. Fast-forward to today, I voluntarily take on all Rocky’s care as I do not view it as a chore, rather, it is a healing process for me and brings me great joy to be able to take care of one that I love.

My family and friends who have seen me with Rocky have commented about how different a person I am now. Indeed, I feel extremely fortunate to have found pet therapy at a time when I needed it most. Having such positive change in my life, I would also like to hear your story about your pet and the impact it has made. Do share your joy about your pets with me!

Reena is the founder of Mom Relaunch and a mom of two teenage kids who are still over the moon that their doggy dream came true. Connect with Reena on https://www.linkedin.com/in/regupta/

However, something inside me changed a few months ago. Professionally, I felt that I have made an impact and have accomplished much. Personally, I have made concerted efforts to pay-it-forward by helping other women through Mom Relaunch. So why was I still stressed out? The simple answer is I felt a prevalent sense of unfulfillment and monotony. An emptiness. A void. A chasm. Especially with my two kids being grown and increasingly becoming more independent, I needed to fill the empty space with something positive that can make a change and difference in my life, to break out of the same routine.

I started thinking about a friend of mine who, like me, disliked and was afraid of dogs but ended up getting one. The sense of wondrous marvel in her voice as she spoke about the difference that her dog made in her life made me think that maybe getting a dog was the answer. As a person who prides herself in efficiency, I got down to business quickly once I decided that, yes, I will get a dog. Turns out that despite my past reluctance to get a dog, my daughter never gave up on her dream and was amply prepared with all the information we needed to acquire one. Within ten days of my life-changing decision, we came home with Rocky, a tiny cavapoo of twelve weeks, in our arms.

It wasn’t love at first sight for me, I will admit, although my kids’ faces beamed alternately between happiness and disbelief that their dream finally came true. It was their version of winning the lottery! When I first met Rocky, I was afraid of even touching him but within a week of having him home, I cannot imagine a life without him. When I looked into his puppy eyes, I felt a connection, my heart melted, and all my worries and discontent melted along with it.   

The difference that Rocky has made to my life has been nothing short of remarkable. I would even go as far to say that it was miraculous. My personality has changed – I am more patient, feel a lot less stressed – and the biggest change of all is that I am much happier and contented. As a family, we are also bonding more than ever with the advent of Rocky. Rocky’s trainer told me that looking into a dog’s eyes secretes Oxytocin, also known as the ‘love drug’, which promotes the feeling of love and well-being. I can certainly attest to that; before we got Rocky, the ground rules for my kids are that they will need to take care of all the dog’s needs. Fast-forward to today, I voluntarily take on all Rocky’s care as I do not view it as a chore, rather, it is a healing process for me and brings me great joy to be able to take care of one that I love.

My family and friends who have seen me with Rocky have commented about how different a person I am now. Indeed, I feel extremely fortunate to have found pet therapy at a time when I needed it most. Having such positive change in my life, I would also like to hear your story about your pet and the impact it has made. Do share your joy about your pets with me!

Reena is the founder of Mom Relaunch and a mom of two teenage kids who are still over the moon that their doggy dream came true. Connect with Reena on https://www.linkedin.com/in/regupta/

I started Mom Relaunch as I felt the time was right for me to channel my energies into helping other women gain financial independence. This has always been something close to my heart – growing up in a time and place where a woman’s role was confined to the kitchen, I was able to cross the barrier (with much support from my husband), not only to grow my career but also to discover and realize my zeal for entrepreneurship – and I wanted to pay it forward. With so many talented women out there who want to return to work but face the various barriers to returnship, I took the step of removing, or at least chipping away, some of those barriers by providing a platform and support system for those in need of one.

When 2018 came to an end, I took a look back at the steps I had taken to provide that platform. Was it hard? Yes. Was it frustrating at times? Yes. Was it all worth it? A resounding yes. Last year was all about experimenting for Mom Relaunch. My team and I spent time exploring various business models to make it work. And while I am proud to say that we have helped several women relaunch their careers, our key challenge was how to scale our business model to build a sustainable path that is successful in the long-term. I feel we have learnt more than we have managed to achieve and it is with these learnings that we approach 2019.

From the learnings, we have tightened up our business model in a myriad of ways. Two of the key changes are that we will focus more on projects and that we will have a streamlined and selective approach for women who want to join our program, ensuring that aptitude and attitude take precedence.  If 2018 was a year of experimenting and learning, 2019 will be a year of focus and achievement.

Kudos to companies who have changed or created new policies in making work culture more suitable for moms and career returners. I hope to work with you on making positive change and impact to further traverse the diversity gap.

As I watched the latest Pixar blockbuster, Incredibles 2, it hit a deep resonance within me as it was spot on with showcasing the challenges (and fulfilment!) of what it takes to be a working mom. The movie sends a deep message that parenting is one of the most heroic acts that anyone can do, if done well, and makes us consider the changing role of women and the often thankless job of parenting.

While Helen is saving the world by being a crime fighting superhero again, Bob struggles with staying at home and not being in the limelight. While Elastigirl is showered with praises; Mr. Incredible is covered with dirty diapers. Parenting is tough, but he does his best and never fails to find happiness and hold fort at home so she can save the forts outside! “I’ve got to succeed so she can succeed so we can succeed,” he says.

And when Violet sees how hard her father’s been working for the family’s sake and to support mom who is returning to work, she offers to help too. Once again, the real message is that to win the world, moms need support from home and when kids watch their parents support and help each other, they learn to do that as well.

A working paper for Harvard Business Review has shown that working moms are more likely to raise successful daughters and have caring, empathetic sons. In a world where working mom guilt is all too real, I hope that the movie and the study will help moms assuage the guilt they feel so that they stop being so hard on themselves.

As a working mom myself, I applaud Pixar’s decision to bring a superhero mom to the forefront of the movie. Not only did they manage to realistically portray the trials and triumphs of a working mom, they have also sent home the all important message that a family needs to work together to succeed.

And if Hollywood says it, it must be true. But when the public loves what Hollywood is saying, it’s because it IS true!

Sounds bizarre right?

Well, it happened to me. I went to SIA Executive Forum 2018 in Miami few days back and I not only witnessed it, but experienced it first hand. The catch here is that I was standing in front of Mom Relaunch banner and it made all the difference. No, I am not trying to promote my initiative, rather I want to thank all those people who stopped, by without me even asking them to.

I want to thank all those people, who made me experience the goodness in each one of us, that just needs a right trigger to come out.

Leaders who appreciated the model

Talking about SIA, its an event beaming with bright and important people of the industry, filled with talks about technological advancements, upcoming trends of the staffing industry and much more. Staffing industry is where jobs are filled and people in the industry understand the supply-demand equation of talent very well. Yet, I had the wittiest of the people telling me that this Mom Relaunch model is so simple yet it hits the sweet spot. The idea of “The Goldmine of Hidden Talent” (we use this term for women on a career break) impressed many out there and they wanted to join us as mentors and advisors.

Competitors for cooperating

Another set of people/ companies, who would be easily classified as our competition are welcoming our ideas and want to work together. Even competitors of my other companies- Avankia and TargetRecruit have come forward. This is not industry consolidation nor Coopetition. The intent is that since we are all working towards the same objective, we would rather work hand-in-hand to create a larger impact. Only in a society, which is not totally impacted by capitalism and people believe in equitable growth, is where this is possible.

Those who want to extend this further

Interestingly, I even met those who suggested or want to extend this initiative to support autistic children, prisoners who have been released, differently-abled community as well. To me, these are great thoughts and I am ready to help if anyone is interested in setting it up. As of now, Mom Relaunch focuses on HR & IT industry and if anyone wants to extend it to other industries, I am willing to support.

While writing this post I not only feel proud, but extremely satisfied as well. Community support is all an initiative like Mom Relaunch needs to create an impact. This may sound childlike, but I will end my post by saying,“The world is full of good people.”

I left the corporate world for the unknown.

In the past, in order to secure work at home positions, I’ve jumped from contract to contract and job to job to find the right work life balance as a mom of twins. Lately, I found stability in the most unlikely of places.

Had you told me I’d be working as a communications liaison for an Ecosystem of cloud based staffing Apps build on SalesForce (I had to google that to be sure I was saying it right), I wouldn’t have believed it. 

In a world of computer scientists, coding geniuses, and those implementing systems I can’t pronounce, my unique talents came in handy. That’s what I do. I help to establish, repair, and clarify the relationships among our clients, the support team and bridge any gaps that may come up between the various departments and our clients in the US, while planning ways to stay more in touch with our very valued client base through means such as webinars, newsletters and regular contact. I’m learning the system slowly but surely, but have been able to increase renewal rates and retention rates just by delivering in the area of relationship building and giving a listening ear to our clients.

Let me backtrack a little. When Reena Gupta, the CEO of TargetRecruit found me, I was working tirelessly to build my health and fitness coaching practice, while working as a Clinical Researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. With a strong benefits package and mediocre compensation, I’d been searching for a work at home opportunity with great difficulty. I still needed stability as I’m the primary breadwinner in our family, but craved the flexibility of no commute so I could use all my extra hours to build my passion!

Communication has always been my strength. Listening, writing, relationship building and gathering others around a cause. Studying at the Manhattan College, MaryMount and working in Multi-Media prepared me for a variety of diverse work environments. I’ve gone from being a writer, journalist, photojournalist, transcriber, Opthalmic surgical assistant and clinical researcher at a University (that was when I never saw my family) and somehow all of the skills I’ve gathered in those arenas has somehow prepared me for the work I do with TargetRecruit.

Quite an unlikely match and a chance meeting of two professional women has come to be rewarding in many ways for all parties involved. What I’ve learned in sales, business, technology, patience, diligence, accountability and more will surely come with me wherever I go and I hope to grow with the core mission of TargetRecruit more and more each day, as much as they have all helped me to grow. It’s provided stability for my family and an opportunity to live a fulfilling life and pursue my dream at the same time. Furthermore, with a simple social media post a slew of educated, talented women flocked to the idea of doing the same as Surabhi and I have done. Our economy needs help and so do a lot of mothers, who are sitting at home with talent that could bolster our economy and your bottom line. Who’s coming on board?

With the challenge of settling in from a foreign country and my top priority being that of homemaker, wife and mom, my career and ambitions took a back stage. It was more important to be there for my family, to be there for my kids, attending to all the needs of motherhood and home maker. I spent several years running art classes from my home and actually enjoyed the satisfaction and the relaxation I got from this experience. After 5-6 years of doing art on the side, and with the kids growing up, I began to feel there should be more moms active in the workforce. I always ended up with the debate of “study this”, “do this online course”, “ join this college to get your degree”, but I still didn’t find my way into the workforce without compromising the needs of my family. Sometimes it was the lack of technical know how, at other times physical location of the work place was a challenge and more than ever I started loosing my confidence. I didn’t think could do it anymore. I thought I had missed the boat. There were younger people entering the workforce, technology was evolving at an unimaginable pace, and I was feeling left out. My options of joining the active workforce were limited to teaching or an entry level recruiter job. Both of which were not satisfying in any way for me!

I guess God had different plans for me. I met Reena Gupta, CEO of Avankia. She was introduced to me through a common friend as a person looking to move into Pleasanton. We met a few times and she became interested in sending her daughter to my art classes. She would often come over and watch as the kids painted. One fine day she comes to me and says, “Why don’t you learn TargetRecruit!” I agreed and that’s when it all began. I never actually thought she had meant it in all sincerity, but maybe just in passing. She soon started asking me regularly if I had actually taken a look at the system and was interested. Honestly I had not even given it a serious thought. Suddenly she came up with the idea that she can place me as a user of TargetRecruit with a current Client, if I was willing to train and learn. I still didn’t quite take it seriously enough, but she was true to her word and soon she set up meetings with clients for me. My first reaction was to hide away and find a reason to skip it. I was full of self doubts and was very skeptical of succeeding after all these years of being out of regular work.

She would not take no for an answer. She encouraged me as a friend and mentored me to learn step by step at my pace. I finally felt ready to work for that Client as a user of TargetRecruit (an end to end Recruitment System) in their staffing business. Within a few weeks, I had become an avid user of TargetRecruit. I worked for that client for about a year and half before they decided to move their business to another location. Once again Reena came to my rescue and asked me if I was ready to work on the other side of the table. This was the turning point for me. I became involved in the product from the back-end side and learned one step at a time. It was like drinking from a firehouse because there was so much to learn for me. It was uncharted territory and even simple tasks were challenging at times simply because of my non technical background. I didn’t let that come in my way!  With the team’s active help, mentoring and guidance I realized that if I was willing to learn, put that into action, and work hard, there was nothing I could not achieve.

I was partnered with some of the most competent folks in the company and shadowed them on several projects and tasks. Each day was a learning leap for me. My willingness to learn and the team’s ability to drive into me the confidence that I can do it brought me to this juncture of my life.

That’s some of my story, but this is not just my story. There are so many stay at home moms who are willing to get back into the active workforce. All they need is a little guidance and an opportunity. With so much talent hidden all around us, and such a high demand for dedicated workers, the stay at home moms need to be channelled back into the workforce. Employers willing to train this hidden pool of talent, have a lot to gain in the long run.

Relaunching moms back into different professions has undeniably proven a home run for all employers. If TargetRecruit can do it so can you. We as moms can help mentor, or coach one on one, or in groups more mom to continue this journey just as we have. We need employers to take the initiative and help moms train and get back into the workforce. We all need to do our part in helping to tap into this amazing talent pool.

Today I am working full time from the comfort of my home, in a fast paced, competitive and high tech environment. Currently I am working on several projects in the role of a Project Manager which was almost a dream just a few months back. The long years where I craved to work and put my education and skills to use are now a thing of the past. The work is crazy and even at times chaotic, challenging in terms of learning new concepts, and applying them on the job as I learn, but it’s so worth it. I find it very stimulating, satisfying and at the end of the day I feel fulfilled and like I’ve made a difference. It feels great to be able to work from home while being an important part of the work force. My journey has just begun and there are so  many more to begin their journey just like me.

Organizations are questioned for few women in leadership positions as well as the right diversity mix in their workforce. Such issues are not only getting higher weight-age and but are also taking competitive toll on organizations, with millennials choosing diverse organizations and diverse organizations performing better than those that are not.

A Credit Suisse survey found that large-cap companies with at least one woman on their boards performed 26% better than their counterparts with with all-male boards. However, only 12% of CEOs recognize poor retention of female talent as a key business challenge and only 11% have a policy change in mind to address the issue.

Although, since 1860 the ratio of working moms has increased 800%, this generation considers gender diversity as a prime factor and seeks out employers with strong record on diversity/ equality- specially female millennials. It’s because this matter is of grave importance- 43% of women with children leave their jobs. 93% of them want to return, but face odds.

Mom’s serve a pivotal role as part of the family unit and in society as a whole. Strengthening the family structure has an impact on future generations, our economic outcomes and the future of our society. It’s this thought that has always pushed me to do more and more towards this mission. In my previous post dedicated to 15 years of my entrepreneurial journey, I briefly talked about Mom Relaunch and how passionately a team of moms have joined me in this mission to harness this gold mine of talent. We plan to build stronger families with financially independent moms, which in turn will lead to a stronger economy.

However, the point I want to address in this post is “Why moms need a little more leeway?”. I will not be saying anything new, but I do want to nudge all the executives to think hard about facilitating moms better at their organizations.

• If you look at the career path of women, things are perfectly ok till they get married and then follows pregnancy, kids. Their priorities change and the career starts to go on back burner. Once they stabilize and are ready to come back, they do not feel very welcomed at their workplaces. We are all aware of salary differences between male and females. 3 in 5 returning professional could end up in lower skilled job.
• Women still do most of the household work. Mens’ share has definitely increased as compared to olden times, but a major portion lies with the women only. With so much on their shoulders, pursuing career after children can be challenging. They will need support, recommendations and a trustworthy environment to be able to manage it.
• 2017 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey said that 39% of women says their gender will make it hard to get a promotion. After becoming a mom, it dwindles even more. Their is subtle bias in organizations that men perform better in managerial roles than women. Women constantly fight these biases and when they become moms their confidence goes for a toss. Organizations should be more conducive to encourage and restore this confidence.
• Lastly, I read a PWC study (UK) on women returners and it said that fully utilizing the potential of female professionals could generate additional earnings of £1.1 billion and economic output of £1.7 billion. So, the economic gains for organizations and economy in general are undeniable.

I believe, it’s time for organizations to open up and many more initiatives like Mom Relaunch are needed. If you have any thoughts, please feel free.

While I celebrate this 15th anniversary, I am remembering everyone who was part of this journey- current team, former employees, partners, customers, family, advisors, friends. My belief that “No one wins on his or her own” is reinforced when I think of the contribution you all have made to my life.

I was someone who was as next door as one can get. My life story is neither of a genius nor of a rebel. I was and I still am someone who is discovering things as they come. However, what was different about me was the spirit “To do more than just usual”. Whatever I do in life, I try to rise above normalcy. On this day, I am reminiscing what I did differently that sets my journey apart:

# Where you are born doesn’t define where you will be

I was born in Danapur city in Patna district of Bihar, India. Most people, even in India would not have heard of this place. Back then, when I was studying, most of the families did not support girl’s education beyond a certain point. But I never gave up and played around the limitations I had.

# There is always another way out

I wanted to do engineering and I tried really hard for 2 years. But, aspirations and reality are two different things and I could not get into engineering. So, I decided to take an alternate path to my aspiration- a bachelors in science, followed by a master in computer application.

# Inspiration and support can take you places

My father has been the most inspirational person in my life. I have inherited most of my traits from him. He is a great example of how someone can rise against all odds. Every time I am faced with a failure, his memories always push me to come out of it. I am blessed to have a supporting husband, who always encouraged me to pursue what I always wanted to. I can’t thank enough my in-laws, my mother and my children for where I am right now.

# Losing a job is not the end of the world

During my initial days in US, I was working for a startup that was run by the ex-mayor of Tennessee. It was later bought over by McGraw-Hill and I lost my job in the process. But that was the best thing that ever happened to me. McGraw-Hill called me back within a month, but I was pregnant. At a time when most women take a career break, I established Avankia as a sole proprietor and joined McGraw-Hill as a part-time consultant.

# What matters is how fast you act when an opportunity comes

In the first few years, Avankia grew tenfold and we added many more clients. While I was running Avankia, one of my clients said, “We just purchased Salesforce.com and we don’t know what to do with it.” I instantly fell in love with the platform and specialized my company to be the first SF partner in Tennessee. When the Force.com platform was launched, I thought of building an integrated platform for CRM and ATS. After that, there was no looking back, and I started TargetRecruit in 2008, an end-to-end talent management platform.

# All is good when customers are happy

I believe, “Happy customers are loud and unhappy ones are louder.” My team and I exclusively focus on getting good reviews from our customers and ensure that we have enduring relationships with them. That’s the reason our business grew and continues to grow.

# You have to let go

Biggest lesson of my life is “To let go at the right time”. I have learned it the hard way. It is very tricky to understand when to let go of people who are unproductive, products that are obsolete, strategies that are not working out etc. But if you keep clinging onto things and refrain from making decisions, it can be disastrous for your business.

I can go on and on since my trail of thoughts are going everywhere, but I would like to end at a note saying, “Success is beyond setting up a profitable business”. It is being able to give back to the community and adding value to the society.

Since the time I started my entrepreneurial journey, I could relate to difficulties women face while managing career and family. I always keep looking for stay-at-home moms who are looking to get back to the workforce. I have decided to pursue this in an organized manner through Mom Relaunch, a digital engagement platform to facilitate and support the reskilling of moms to give their career another chance.

I, with a group of moms at TargetRecruit have started this to harness this gold mine of talent sitting at home. Mom Relaunch will enable corporates to build a diversified workforce and increase employee retention.

Initial response that I have got for Mom Relaunch is overwhelming and my hopes are high. I seek blessings and support from each one of you.

While I celebrate this 15th anniversary, I am remembering everyone who was part of this journey- current team, former employees, partners, customers, family, advisors, friends. My belief that “No one wins on his or her own” is reinforced when I think of the contribution you all have made to my life.

I was someone who was as next door as one can get. My life story is neither of a genius nor of a rebel. I was and I still am someone who is discovering things as they come. However, what was different about me was the spirit “To do more than just usual”. Whatever I do in life, I try to rise above normalcy. On this day, I am reminiscing what I did differently that sets my journey apart:

# Where you are born doesn’t define where you will be

I was born in Danapur city in Patna district of Bihar, India. Most people, even in India would not have heard of this place. Back then, when I was studying, most of the families did not support girl’s education beyond a certain point. But I never gave up and played around the limitations I had.

# There is always another way out

I wanted to do engineering and I tried really hard for 2 years. But, aspirations and reality are two different things and I could not get into engineering. So, I decided to take an alternate path to my aspiration- a bachelors in science, followed by a master in computer application.

# Inspiration and support can take you places

My father has been the most inspirational person in my life. I have inherited most of my traits from him. He is a great example of how someone can rise against all odds. Every time I am faced with a failure, his memories always push me to come out of it. I am blessed to have a supporting husband, who always encouraged me to pursue what I always wanted to. I can’t thank enough my in-laws, my mother and my children for where I am right now.

# Losing a job is not the end of the world

During my initial days in US, I was working for a startup that was run by the ex-mayor of Tennessee. It was later bought over by McGraw-Hill and I lost my job in the process. But that was the best thing that ever happened to me. McGraw-Hill called me back within a month, but I was pregnant. At a time when most women take a career break, I established Avankia as a sole proprietor and joined McGraw-Hill as a part-time consultant.

# What matters is how fast you act when an opportunity comes

In the first few years, Avankia grew tenfold and we added many more clients. While I was running Avankia, one of my clients said, “We just purchased Salesforce.com and we don’t know what to do with it.” I instantly fell in love with the platform and specialized my company to be the first SF partner in Tennessee. When the Force.com platform was launched, I thought of building an integrated platform for CRM and ATS. After that, there was no looking back, and I started TargetRecruit in 2008, an end-to-end talent management platform.

# All is good when customers are happy

I believe, “Happy customers are loud and unhappy ones are louder.” My team and I exclusively focus on getting good reviews from our customers and ensure that we have enduring relationships with them. That’s the reason our business grew and continues to grow.

# You have to let go

Biggest lesson of my life is “To let go at the right time”. I have learned it the hard way. It is very tricky to understand when to let go of people who are unproductive, products that are obsolete, strategies that are not working out etc. But if you keep clinging onto things and refrain from making decisions, it can be disastrous for your business.

I can go on and on since my trail of thoughts are going everywhere, but I would like to end at a note saying, “Success is beyond setting up a profitable business”. It is being able to give back to the community and adding value to the society.

Since the time I started my entrepreneurial journey, I could relate to difficulties women face while managing career and family. I always keep looking for stay-at-home moms who are looking to get back to the workforce. I have decided to pursue this in an organized manner through Mom Relaunch, a digital engagement platform to facilitate and support the reskilling of moms to give their career another chance.

I, with a group of moms at TargetRecruit have started this to harness this gold mine of talent sitting at home. Mom Relaunch will enable corporates to build a diversified workforce and increase employee retention.

Initial response that I have got for Mom Relaunch is overwhelming and my hopes are high. I seek blessings and support from each one of you.

After I married and moved to the United States, I was able to focus on starting my career with a small IT staffing company. I worked there for three years as an IT consultant in different roles––from developer to project manager. I then joined as a chief technical architect for a startup company, but the company was later acquired and eliminated my position. Interestingly enough, the newly merged company reached out to me within a month of eliminating my position and asked if I would come back. The opportunity to rejoin gave me motivation to start consulting on my own, allowing more time and flexibility to manage my work hours after just having my son.

With my own experience in mind, remote work does give you the flexibility, but requires excellent time management skills to juggle both work and family. In my consulting role, I saw the need to add more resources and grow the company, but was able to at a pace I could handle. The key in building a foundation for my career was to identify opportunity, take advantage when it presented itself, and then start building on that. My career only evolved from there.

There are many benefits to remote roles––you can work completely online, create your own work environment, manage a full schedule, and maintain your involvement at home. There’s a larger group of exceptional talent out there who have the skills to telecommute and carry on as a mother. The challenge is motivating this group of talented women to continue to build their career, and not give up on it after they start a family. Take a different approach to growing your career and family, and understand the value you have to offer to any business.

Some may lack the confidence or drive to excel in both roles simultaneously. No matter what is thrown our way, we must be open and adapt to change. To boost these mompreneurs’ confidence and motivation, resources should be available to help guide them in the right direction so they can work effectively and efficiently while also running a busy household. Such supportive resources could include, but not limited to educational materials, a mentorship platform, or even a community group which allows them to participate with other mompreneurs via the web or at a local meeting spot. You can even outsource help in the home to allow more time with kids and work, and less time on laundry and other day-to-day tasks.

Mompreneurs should learn how to delegate effectively and decisively. If one can master the art of time management, only then will they be able to build a career remotely, and in turn find self fulfillment and long-term success. With my own years of experience in Tech, HR, running a business remotely and being a mother of two, I’d like to offer my guidance to anyone interested in learning more about telecommuting roles and how to leverage technology and time management to build on their career. If interested in learning more about this opportunity, please reach out to techmentor@targetrecruit.net.

After I married and moved to the United States, I was able to focus on starting my career with a small IT staffing company. I worked there for three years as an IT consultant in different roles––from developer to project manager. I then joined as a chief technical architect for a startup company, but the company was later acquired and eliminated my position. Interestingly enough, the newly merged company reached out to me within a month of eliminating my position and asked if I would come back. The opportunity to rejoin gave me motivation to start consulting on my own, allowing more time and flexibility to manage my work hours after just having my son.

With my own experience in mind, remote work does give you the flexibility, but requires excellent time management skills to juggle both work and family. In my consulting role, I saw the need to add more resources and grow the company, but was able to at a pace I could handle. The key in building a foundation for my career was to identify opportunity, take advantage when it presented itself, and then start building on that. My career only evolved from there.

There are many benefits to remote roles––you can work completely online, create your own work environment, manage a full schedule, and maintain your involvement at home. There’s a larger group of exceptional talent out there who have the skills to telecommute and carry on as a mother. The challenge is motivating this group of talented women to continue to build their career, and not give up on it after they start a family. Take a different approach to growing your career and family, and understand the value you have to offer to any business.

Some may lack the confidence or drive to excel in both roles simultaneously. No matter what is thrown our way, we must be open and adapt to change. To boost these mompreneurs’ confidence and motivation, resources should be available to help guide them in the right direction so they can work effectively and efficiently while also running a busy household. Such supportive resources could include, but not limited to educational materials, a mentorship platform, or even a community group which allows them to participate with other mompreneurs via the web or at a local meeting spot. You can even outsource help in the home to allow more time with kids and work, and less time on laundry and other day-to-day tasks.

Mompreneurs should learn how to delegate effectively and decisively. If one can master the art of time management, only then will they be able to build a career remotely, and in turn find self fulfillment and long-term success. With my own years of experience in Tech, HR, running a business remotely and being a mother of two, I’d like to offer my guidance to anyone interested in learning more about telecommuting roles and how to leverage technology and time management to build on their career. If interested in learning more about this opportunity, please reach out to techmentor@targetrecruit.net.