Professional daily life is changing: the rise of teleworking, attraction for business creation (+ 4% between 2019 and 2020) or even the development of coworking spaces to fight against the isolation of independent entrepreneurs. However, the personal / professional life balance remains a challenge for many of us, especially when we have one or more young children: we must succeed in stalling everything in the day without being late, without too encumber your mental load … Not to mention the type of childcare to find, which must be adapted to our schedules …
It is from this observation that the idea of Marine Alari, founder of Mother Work Community, to join a micro-crèche was born.The Small Takers”Within a coworking space. This project, which she has been carrying out for two years, was made possible thanks to the partnership formed with a collective of agencies and independents who acquired the Villa Maria: the Cosa Vostra agency, the Bordeaux hotel group Victoria Garden and the start -up Kymono.
We met Marine Alari to discuss this great initiative.
Hello Marine,
Are you today a successful mother entrepreneur?
MA: Absolutely, I am the mother of a 3 year old little boy and 7 months pregnant. Professionally, I have always been close to the themes around the creation and management of companies since I started my career in an audit firm on merger / acquisition files, before creating the network of women entrepreneurs “Mother Work Community ”when I arrived in Bordeaux two years ago.
Why this change from employee status to that of entrepreneur?
MA: In the audit, the hourly volume is very important, and I was aware that with motherhood, this rhythm would not be sustainable for very long. However, very early on, as soon as I returned to work after the birth of my little boy, I had to face very high expectations from my superiors, to maintain the same rhythm without a period of adaptation. This is why I made the decision to continue my freelance activity. But a new obstacle arose in my quest for personal / professional life balance: I did not find a place in a nursery or an alternative childcare system. By exchanging with other mothers who were in the same situation, I then wanted to create a place where these women could both work on their professional projects while being serene about the care of their child. The Les Petits Preneurs crèche now allows this, since it is a few meters from the coworking space.
How does the micro-crèche work?
MA: Located in Bordeaux Caudéran (33200), the nursery can accommodate up to 10 children from 15 months to 3 years old during the day, and from 3 to 6 years old in extracurricular care on Wednesdays and during school holidays. Four people are employed full time to care for young children. Parents can book from one to five days per week, in complete freedom, to facilitate the organization of their daily life.
What support have you received in this entrepreneurial adventure?
MA: The first challenge was to find a place, then to succeed in obtaining the approvals from the public actors, and finally to find the financing. For this, I did not hesitate to contact the local elected officials to have their agreement and support, but I also spoke with women who have created an identical initiative abroad, in Germany and in England in particular. Finally, joining the Réseau Entreprendre Aquitaine, which I won this year, was for me a great support opportunity that I recommend to all entrepreneurs!
What advice would you like to share with (future) entrepreneurial parents?
MA: The mental load is more important than ever, in a hectic daily life and loaded all the more by this pandemic context. My first word will therefore be guilt-free: as a parent, we do what we can above all and that is already very good. Then, in this quest for balance between personal and professional life that many of us lead, I think that we must avoid getting lost in too important extremes and not focusing too much on our career or vice versa. on his family and his children, at the risk of forgetting himself.
What are the feedback from the first coworker parents, and your prospects for 2022?
MA: The mothers who have integrated both coworking and the micro-crèche for their child are won over. What they particularly appreciate: a place where they can work in peace, the proximity with their child so as not to have to run in the morning or at the end of the day to drop or pick it up, the bond and especially the exchanges between them. They feel supported both on their issues related to their parenthood, as well as on their professional activities. Requests are currently on average 2 to 4 days a week, proof of a need for flexibility and freedom in their weekly agenda.
For my part, this end of the year will be devoted to the arrival of my second baby, to create a new personal balance for four, as well as to stabilize daily life at Villa Maria. Then I have a few projects under discussion for 2022, such as duplicating the model in other cities and developing franchises. I also want to continue to support women through individual training, in their project to create or develop their business. My goal: to help more and more women create the life they want.