Quotes From Our Favorite Rockstar CEO Moms
Mother’s Day is this weekend, and we hope you’re taking time to celebrate. After all, none of us would be here if it weren’t for our loving mothers! It can be especially difficult for parents to balance a thriving career while raising their children, and this burden still often falls on the mother figure in the family. There are ways to keep everything in check, balance is often the key term you’ll hear. But finding that balance is often easier said than done. We gathered a few quotes from famous CEO and founder moms, who have managed to rock both a career and being a devoted mother.
Arianna Huffington
Arianna Huffington is the founder of the Huffington Post, and a devoted mother of two. She recently wrote a book, titled, The Sleep Revolution, about the importance of sleep and how we should be taking more time for ourselves. She believes from personal experience that devoting time to recharging and taking proper precautions for rest helps us perform better in every aspect of our lives.
“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions…understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.” – Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post (mother to Christina and Isabella)
Anita Roddick 
A huge activist campaigning for environmental and social issues, Anita Roddick started The Body Shop to promote her healthy lifestyle choices by providing products that aligned with her social expectations. After visiting Romanian orphanages while volunteering in 1990, she was inspired to found her own organization, Children on Edge, a charitable group for disadvantaged and at-risk children in Europe. In 2003 Queen Elizabeth II appointed Roddick Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. After her passing in 2007, all of Roddick’s estate was donated to charity, at her request.
“Whatever you do, be different – that was the advice my mother gave me, and I can’t think of better advice for an entrepreneur. If you’re different, you will stand out.” – Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop (mother to Sam)
Candice Carpenter
Candice is the founder of iVillage.com, but left the company in 2002. She now leads The Fullbridge Program, a system that prepares recent graduates for the modern workplace. With a combination of online courses and coaching, “Fullbridge works with schools, corporations, governments and international ministries, and has prepared thousands of students for the workplace”. The program is designed to eliminate the learning curve that comes immediately following graduation, and the system helps students land the right job once they receive a diploma.
“If you are committed to creating value and if you aren’t afraid of hard times; obstacles become utterly unimportant. A nuisance perhaps; but with no real power.” – Candice Carpenter, founder of iVillage.com (mother to Ellie and Michaela)
Mary Kay Ash
A Houston, Texas native, Mary Kay Ash doesn’t need much of an introduction. Ash was motivated to do something more with her career when she was, “passed over for a promotion in favor of a man that she had trained”. With only a $5,000 loan from her son, she started Mary Kay Cosmetics in Dallas. Her company thrived, but she always kept true to her motto, “God first, family second, career third”, and expressed her insistence that the women in her company keep their lives in good balance.
“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” – Mary Kay Ash, founder Mary Kay Cosmetics (mother to Ben, Marilyn and Richard)
Elizabeth Dukes
Our very own co-founder is the epitome of a successful working mother. Dukes has two daughters, whom she adores and truly understands the importance of teaching them a strong work ethic at a young age. In 2002, Dukes and our CEO, Don Traweek, joined forces to create iOFFICE, Inc. when they saw a need for workplace management solutions at the previous company they both worked for. Dukes has been a huge contributor to our company’s success, and her efforts have been such a wonderful example for us and her daughters as well.
“Being a working mother is good for your kids. By having dinner as a family and sparking discussion, it sets the expectation that you will be home but also sets achievement expectations for both girls and boys.” – Elizabeth Dukes, EVP and Co-founder of iOFFICE, Inc. (mother to Kate and Ellee).
Ara Katz 
A sunny Southern Californian, Katz started, Spring, a venture and LVMH-backed mobile marketplace, which launched in August 2014. She also serves as the company’s Chief Marketing Officer. A graduate of prestigious MIT, Katz is know for her various interests from startup guidance to producing and film-making. She is a new mother to a 13-month-old son, and has found that structuring a work-life integration thought process helps to keep everything in sync. Katz defines herself as a techie and says on her LinkedIn page that she is fascinated by, “the relationship between humans and the products, brands and experiences we make”.
“Too often we talk about work and life as separate and that’s why the word career never meant much – for me, it’s all the same road.” –Ara Katz, co-founder and CMO at SpringNYC (mother to a 2-year-old son)
We hope these quotes have inspired you to thank your wonderful mother, or someone who has made time for you in their life! Today’s modern demands often make time scarce for everyone, and it’s important to remember that balance doesn’t mean being perfect in every part of your life. We want to send a huge thank you to all the mothers out there, and we hope they all have a wonderful day!
