Rachel and I met on the Goldman Sachs 10KSB programme in February and instantly gravitated towards another. Both mums, both struggling with being away from family, but determined to grow our businesses, despite all the challenges that motherhood/founderhood bring.
My conversation with Rachel is almost excoriatingly honest about the impact of motherhood on her business, and herself. These are the conversations we need to have with women, founders, mums and would-be mums. Because the internet will tell you, you can have it all, but the reality isn't quite like that.
The economy, the strength of your team and your business plan, mum guilt, resilience, self-awareness as a business owner, and why you might be the obstacle to growth: it's a big conversation.
Takeaways:
- Rachel's career journey from hustling teenager to market stall to e-commerce
- The transition between young, "fun" business and becoming an authority figure
- The huge personal transition of becoming a mum in a wider context of huge economic uncertainty
- The struggle of being a founder-led brand when you're a mum, you're exhausted and you just don't want to be on camera!
- Running a business means managing people and their very real, not always business-related, problems
- How Rachel's business had been impacted by motherhood, and the team not being where/who she needed them to be
- How Rachel's experiences in business are shaping the growth (or not growth) of her family
- What needs to change to support mums in the workplace and into becoming a business owner
- The resilience Rachel's long-term health condition has given her
- Rachel's vision for the future, and why she might not be what the business needs
- Where she finds joy
Resources:
SuperScalers: https://www.superscalers.world/
Chapters:
00:30 Introduction to Rachel Hanretty and Mademoiselle Macaron
02:10 The Journey from Paris to Entrepreneurship
05:01 Building a Brand: From Market Stall to E-commerce
07:40 Navigating Leadership and Team Dynamics
10:00 The Impact of Motherhood on Business Identity
12:41 Challenges of Balancing Business and Parenting
15:07 The Cost of Living Crisis and Its Effects
17:22 The Pressure of Being a Founder Influencer
20:12 Realities of Managing a People Business
20:46 Navigating Maternity Challenges in Business
22:13 Balancing Motherhood and Business Ownership
24:48 The Emotional Toll of Motherhood on Business
27:31 Guilt and the Struggle for Balance
30:10 The Impact of Family Planning on Business
32:17 Gender Differences in Parenting and Business
34:41 Support Systems for Mothers in Business
37:37 Resilience Through Health Challenges
39:28 Vision for Future Growth
41:23 Finding Joy Amidst Chaos
Links:
Website: https://www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/
About Rachel Hanretty
Rachel Hanretty founder of Mademoiselle Macaron an Edinburgh based business inspired by her time living in Paris and known for producing up to 20,000 macarons each week. With high profile clients like MAC Cosmetics, Moet & Chandon, and even an order for the set of the Barbie movie, Rachel's handcrafted patisserie has become a go-to indulgence across the UK. But her macaron story is more about the beautiful product. It's about starting from scratch. It's about identity and it's about navigating the complexity of building a brand while becoming a mother. Rachel studied English and French at university and while living in Paris, fell in love with macarons. Trained at the Alain Ducasse Cookery School, she brought that Parisian perfectionism back to Scotland and started making macarons at home, eventually launching her business from a single market stall in 2013. And today is a thriving seven figure e-commerce brand.
Yet as her business grew, Rachel's personal life evolved too. Becoming a mother reshaped her relationship with her company and she has been refreshingly honest about how hard that shift has been, talking openly about guilt, identity loss and how parenting has impacted her business, both practically and emotionally. She's also navigated health challenges, including epilepsy while leading her team and brand.
Rachel Hanretty's Links:
Website: https://mademoisellemacaron.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelhanretty/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madmacaron/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mademoisellemacaron
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MademoiselleMacaronUk
Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/
