Claire Molyneaux | Finding Room For Motherhood In Entrepreneurship
by Neha Ruch
You know when you meet someone who makes you feel 100% comfortable within moments of meeting? All while doing so in an effortlessly styled outfit and with skin you’d give up coffee for? That’s how meeting Claire Molyneaux goes. Which makes sense when you learn she lives with her husband and son Everett less than a mile from the beach in San Diego and is the founder of The Clean Beauty Box, a curated subscription service bringing conscious, clean beauty products to your doorstep.
But Claire is the first person to admit that the picturesque life she’s created is also full of sleepless nights, insecurities about motherhood, and Postmates deliveries.
Read on for Claire’s honest conversation in which she shares how she made room for motherhood among business and the wonderful way of checking in with herself daily. Just imagine you’re walking along the sunny beach or doing a face mask with her while doing so.
How did you change after becoming a mother?
I trust myself and my choices more. I apologize (unnecessarily) a whole lot less.
What choices did you make to accommodate motherhood? Would you make them again?
I grew my company’s team to take some things off my plate and to be able to focus on the parts of the business where I excel instead of spreading myself thin across the board. I’ve also been mindful about not piling everything on my plate at once. I’m coming to terms that I can’t immediately execute every great idea or opportunity that pops up. I simply don’t have the time or bandwidth to make it all happen. I’ve done a lot of ‘purging and pruning’ as Mario Forleo would say.
I would do it all again (and then some) in a heartbeat. During the first six months, I beat myself up a lot about not being able to do everything I “should” be doing. If I was working I felt guilty for not being with my son and if I was with my son I was thinking about unanswered emails. Don’t even get me started on my relationship with my husband. We were ships passing in the night. If the house was a disaster, I would feel overwhelmed by the visual mess.
I’m making a conscious effort to be present in whatever role I am currently in. Emails aren’t going anywhere and my son gets to see that his mom works hard. As for our home... well I guess the unmade bed and scattered toys just mean we are living a full life.
Describe yourself as a mother in 3 words. What kind of mother would you like to be?
Loving, silly, creative.
I’d love to incorporate a little more of a go-with-the-flow mindset into it all. I hope to be the kind of mom that guides my son without directing him or letting my own fears or ego get in the way. Though I grew him, it’s important to remember that he is not me and he’ll make his own choices. He’ll stumble and fall, but it’s my job to be there to hug him and remind him to keep going.
I feel the enormous responsibility to raise a son that is kind first and foremost. My goal is to foster an environment where he feels safe and can be vulnerable and brave enough to be exactly who he is.
How do you take care of yourself outside of motherhood?
I’m practicing patience with myself as a form of self-care. When it comes to juggling business and motherhood I’m still figuring it out on a daily basis. Some days we knock it out of the park and some days I brush my teeth and put a bra on at 4pm.
Skin care after the bub is asleep at night is my physical self care. Cleansing, masking, misting are my form of meditation . No matter how tired I am, I try to slow down and give myself the opportunity to connect with myself through the ritual.
If I find myself reaching for a blemish serum, I’ve probably been drinking too much wine or eating too much sugar (probably both...). If I need a heavier moisturizing mask, I probably need to drink more water. It’s like a full body check in.
Every mother needs help to find balance. What does your village look like?
I’d be lost at sea without my husband. He’s an amazing, hands-on dad and partner, while also running his own business. Both of our families are long-distance so we rely a lot on each other and our local friend-family. Our close friendships with other parents keep us sane and we have a part-time nanny that adores our son and gives us the ability to run our businesses.
I’d also like to thank the Postmates food delivery team...
What are you working on improving about yourself as a woman & a mother?
Just living in the season we’re in. One day he’ll sleep through the night and I’ll miss our midnight cuddle. There will come a time when he doesn’t cry for me when I leave the room or fall asleep in my arms. Things are constantly shifting and evolving. Everything passes, both the easier times and the hard, so I’m trying not to get distracted by what was or what will be.
But seriously, he will sleep through the night…right?
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