My story looked a lot different five years ago. I hustled for 20 years to go from Junior Art Director to Chief Creative Officer and gained the bio of my dreams. A BFA from the School of Visual Arts. A resume decorated with big agencies (Havas, BBDO, Publicis, SpikeDDB, McCann, Jack Morton), global clients (Airbnb, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Colgate, Dove, GE, Ford, HBO, IBM, Google, Match, MARS, Pepsi, P&G, Target) and international awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Grand Clios, D&AD, Telly, One Show, London International Award The Creative Floor, MM+M, Shortlisted for Cannes Glass Lion for Change ). I also had Delta Diamond Medallion status, a waterfront apt in Williamsburg, BK, and a social life to die for.

Then at 39 weeks pregnant in December of 2019, I raised my first $50k to bring my patent to life, and launched a menstrual health startup, MOONS. I very naively thought it would make for a good maternity leave project (as if even taking a shower is possible on mat leave). I thought I would simply make the product, build the brand, gain proof of concept, and sell it to P&G Ventures before returning back to my duties as Chief Creative Officer of ARTHOUSE. 

Little did I know that in less than 3 months I would become a first time mom via emergency c-section, the entire world would lock down due to a global pandemic, and with a backpack in one hand and a newborn in another I would abruptly leave the city that I’d been thriving in for 25 years, to head upstate to quarantine in a cabin. 

I worked 14 hour days (for free), trying to fundraise millions of dollars to manufacture an FDA compliant product during a global supply chain shutdown, from my bedroom. I had no sleep, no childcare, and no idea what I was doing. (While also trying to master the art of gentle parenting and breastfeeding 1,800 hours on demand.)

Five years, and multiple identity crises later, I have my Founder story. Although my 5-year plan of selling the company for millions of dollars didn’t come true, MOONS changed a little corner of the world and ended on a high note. I was named one of Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneurs.  CURE CUP, in partnership with 21 Grams, came in with ten international creativity awards including a Grand CLIO and Shortlisted for Cannes Glass Lion for Change. We made an abundant donation to I Support the Girls. And MOONS duets™ can be purchased at TJ Maxx stores across the country. 

MOONS taught me more than I thought possible. Not just in my role as CEO, but in my role as a human. It taught me to bet on myself, that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself, and that even though 90% of startups fail, no Founder is a failure.

I’ve since had another beautiful son, fulfilled one of my creative dreams of designing and building a custom home with my husband (wildly on the same street I grew up on), and started a creative consultancy, Really Kind Creative, my MOONS co-founder, Kaity Potak.

Lastly, I’m celebrating that motherhood requires extreme patience, planning, emotional intelligence, creativity, strategic thinking and strength, and though it doesn’t gain the same flashy status as a corner office in the sky, it is equally, if not more, admirable.

So, its pencils down at pick up.