Dominique Knöpfli

Until the birth of my son, I lived my career as an HR Leader both locally and globally. I travelled a lot for work and was actually working 24/7 with enthusiasm and passion.

 

I thought returning to work after maternity leave would be easy.

I was offered my last job as HR Business Partner after maternity leave with a 60% workload. I had already found a place in a daycare centre before the birth and a 6-month baby break was planned. So everything was easy, after the baby break it would be business as usual - or so I thought!

 

Then the little one was born and nothing was the same as before! Overwhelmed with happiness, totally in love every day anew and my new role as a mum fulfilled me completely.

 

Time was running out and I felt more and more under pressure when I thought about returning to work. I was well aware that the 60% at the job would certainly not be levelling off at 60%. 

It was more difficult than expected for me (not for the little one ;-) ) to familiarise myself with the KITA. How do I do it if I have to work longer, the KITA closes at 6.30 pm, what if he is ill, etc. etc.? My emotions went up and down, left and right and suddenly everything - but really everything - was upside down. What was absolutely clear and simple a few months ago was no longer so.

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After a lot of back and forth, I quit my job while I was still on maternity leave. There I was, with a little bundle in my arms, a dog, a cat, a house and my partner - but without a job.

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Do you recognise this? Your heart and stomach say ‘yes’ but your head says ‘you're crazy!’

I fully surrendered to my mum role. But at some point there was a silence. Despite all the happiness, fulfilment and a wonderful job, there was a longing for more self-determination. For my own identity.

A voice that grew stronger and stronger and wanted to be heard. 

 

So off I went: reactivating old contacts and writing job applications. I had enough experience, I had ‘only’ been out of the picture for a year. And after all, my motto is ‘there's no such thing as can't’. So it will work out.

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But things turned out differently than expected. Every time I applied for a job, something inside me resisted. After 5 months of several successful job interviews, I cancelled the process and concluded that the door back was closed! Not because I had given notice and not because I had stopped applying after 5 months. But because I had to realise that my ‘former career path’ simply no longer fitted into my current life. 

 

Nevertheless, I wanted and needed to work. But what?

In my ‘distress’, I decided to become self-employed as an HR consultant. 

It worked out very quickly and I got my first jobs. Yes, I thought, and I was proud! However, I was soon working many more hours than planned per week and very quickly found myself back at my laptop in the evenings and at weekends. I was grateful for the jobs and thoroughly enjoyed my work. But I was in a constant balancing act with my new life as a mum and how I had actually imagined it, and so I continued to search for the perfect solution for me.

 

I looked for all kinds of support. It was a long process with lots of ups and downs and also quite expensive.

 

Looking back, I probably could have realised this earlier and more easily. But when I started out as a mum, I had no idea what was involved and even less idea what I actually needed, let alone what I could do!

 

Long story short.

I have travelled exactly the same path that you are probably travelling right now. Today, I have found a job that fulfils me and gives me energy and suits me and my family life.

 

And that's exactly why I started Mom2MomBusiness. Because I have often wished on my way here that there was ONE platform where you could get support as a working mum - or a mum who wants to get back into the world of work. 

 

Here you can also benefit from my experience and that of many other mums. Take advantage of the offer! 

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Because ... together it's easy!