How Becoming a Mother Made Me Redefine How I Think About Work
- Jun 16
- 3 min read
By Fiona Wylie, Founder of Brand Champions
Before I became a mother, I was fully immersed in a senior marketing role at a well-known FMCG brand. Like many women in similar positions, I had spent years climbing the ladder — delivering high-impact campaigns, leading teams, and putting in the hours. But when I returned from maternity leave and asked to come back part-time, the response was blunt: "We can’t accommodate that."
I still remember the recruiter who told me, without hesitation, “You’ll have to choose - a senior marketing career or being a mum.” That moment stayed with me. Not because I believed it, but because I realised how many others probably did. That false choice - career or motherhood - is something I fundamentally reject. I was determined to prove there’s another way.
That belief led me to start my own agency, Brand Champions. I created a business that puts family, flexibility and people at its core – and guess what? It works. In fact, it thrives.
Building a Business That Works With Life, Not Against It
Brand Champions was born out of necessity, but has grown into a business with purpose. We’re known for our “fifth emergency service” approach to marketing - parachuting in when companies face capacity issues or marketing gaps. Our clients come to us in a moment of crisis, and we deliver calm, clarity, and results.
Ironically, many of the skills I’ve honed as a mother - resilience, juggling a million things, remaining calm under pressure – are the same ones I now use to lead my business. Parenthood doesn’t diminish our professional value; it enhances it.
And that’s why flexibility isn’t just a “perk” we offer. It’s baked into our business model. It’s what allows talented, experienced professionals - many of them parents - to stay in the game and deliver outstanding work.
The Working World Still Has a Long Way to Go
While flexible and hybrid working have gained traction, the reality is that the world of work still isn’t built for working mothers. It’s not just about policies - it’s about mindset.
There’s still an undercurrent in many industries that says: “Be in the office to be taken seriously.”
This rigidity forces talented women out of roles they’re more than capable of doing. It limits leadership pipelines. And, ultimately, it creates a business environment that doesn’t reflect or serve the real world.
The "return to office" narrative worries me. Yes, we all value in-person collaboration. But expecting four or five days a week in-office, without factoring in school runs or childcare logistics, is simply out of touch with how modern families function. It excludes. And that exclusion shows up in gender pay gaps, career stagnation, and a lack of diversity at the top.
We Need to Rethink What Leadership Looks Like
If we want real change, we need to reshape not just where and when we work, but how we define leadership itself. Leaders don’t need to be first in and last out to prove their worth. They need to create environments where people feel safe, respected, and empowered to do their best work - whether that’s from a home office, a co-working space, or the kitchen table at 9pm after bedtime.
At Brand Champions, we embrace hybrid working not just because it’s convenient, but because it builds trust. Our team is the most driven, reliable group I’ve ever worked with. Why? Because they’re motivated by autonomy, balance, and the opportunity to work in a way that supports their life, not competes with it.
A recent in-person team session reminded me of this. Over three days, we aligned on strategy, values, and product goals. It was intense, focused, and incredibly energising. But it also reminded us that not every meeting needs to be face-to-face. What matters is purpose - and respecting people’s time, energy and circumstances.
It’s Time to Design Workplaces That Actually Work
If we’re serious about inclusion, we need to stop forcing square pegs into round holes.
That means designing workspaces and systems with women in mind. It means removing the stigma around flexible working. And it means calling out outdated views that assume being visible means being valuable.
But perhaps most of all, it means listening - to working mothers, to carers, to anyone who’s ever felt like they had to choose between their personal and professional lives.
I didn’t want to choose. I wanted both. So I built something that gave me both.
And in doing so, I’ve discovered that when you prioritise people, they show up, they deliver, and they stick around. That’s the kind of workplace I want to champion - and the one I believe the future of marketing, and hospitality, desperately needs.
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