I Am Brit Morin, Founder of Brit + Co, and I Am a Parent.
Brit Maureen is the founder and CEO of Brit + Co , a lifestyle website full of tips and ideas for everything from organizing a royal wedding party to cleaning your mattress . Through her brand of over 175 million every month, she wants women to know they can do it all and helps them learn how to do it through online classes, a pop-up event in New York called #CreateGood, and informative summits (the company recently held a seminar on investing in cryptocurrency ). She is the mother of two boys, Ansel and Austin. That’s how her parents are.
Name: Brit Maureen Location: San Francisco Job: Founder and CEO of Brit + Co Family: Husband Dave and children Ansel (3.5) and Austin (2)
Tell us a little about your family and your career. Was life mostly according to plan or were there any surprises?
My husband Dave and I met 12 years ago when we both worked at Apple. I was 20 years old, and I definitely did not expect that I would find a husband so early, but such are life and love! In 2011, after doing a little work at Google, I decided to take a vacation to get married and consider a career change. It was during this period that I saw an opportunity for a media company that inspired and empowered women, so at the end of that year I founded Brit + Co. Fast forward and we have two wonderful boys, Ansel and Austin, who are three and a half and two years old.
With my first child, time didn’t go as planned. I expected to have babies after we increased our Series B funding for the company, but I got pregnant earlier than expected and by the time we needed to raise the money, I was approaching my third trimester. In the end, we were able to merge the company, so I didn’t have to raise funds until after I had a baby, but it was definitely a bumpy road. It was a little chaotic to combine the pressure from the CEO, wife, and mom, and I came to the conclusion that I can never expect “normalcy” because it just doesn’t exist in the universe I chose for myself.
Tell us about your morning routine.
I start the day with quiet thoughts before jumping out of bed. I scan my phone quickly for important news that could happen overnight. This is followed by a quick run or yoga session followed by time with my kids. After school I jump into the shower, grab breakfast and hit the road. My best way to walk out the door is simple! I experimented with different ways of doing this, from giving up makeup to using dry shampoo instead of washing my hair all the time, to even signing up for Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg’s requirement to wear the same thing every day.
How much outside help do you get as a parent? What gadgets, apps, charts, or tools do you rely on?
All this cannot be done without outside help! I have a variety of childcare assistance, from babysitting to more consistent babysitting, and of course grandparents who love to come to the rescue too. On the app side, my husband and I use a shared Google Calendar for everything from preschool education to doctor visits. Another app I’ve used for years that helps me stay sane is Life360 . This allows my immediate family and family members to share our locations with each other and keep up with our daily routines. For example, I know if my daughter-in-law is trail running in Montana or what my parents are up to in Texas. I can also know if my husband is late for work in the evening or on his way home.
How do you share home / childcare responsibilities with your partner?
It’s all about division and victory! He washes dishes better; I am better at putting away toys and preparing food for children. But sometimes we cannot be at home at the same time, and therefore many responsibilities must fall on one person.
Has the way you work changed the way you become a parent?
Believe it or not, parenting has made me more productive. As a parent, you must continually evaluate how you spend your time, because it’s not just about you anymore. I prioritize relentlessly and recently joined the philosophy that if it’s not “damn yes,” then it isn’t. I no longer find it rude to refuse an invitation. My children and my family come first.
What does your evening routine look like?
As soon as I come home from work, it’s time for mom. I drop my phone, play with children, take a bath and before bed. Then dinner and meeting with Dave, and then finishing work for the day. I’m a complete content addict, so I always record my favorite talk shows and watch them while I finish my emails in the evening.
How do you unpack?
Exercise has always helped. I have historically been a jogger, but I have recently started doing yoga. It is incredibly relaxing and soothing, not to mention exercise. Yoga is something Dave and I do together, so it’s an enjoyable activity to bond!
What are you most proud of as a parent?
My kids are so kind. Wherever we go, they wave to strangers and sing “Good morning!” them or tell them: “Have a great day!” My heart melts when I learn that we are raising our little boys to be kind to all people. I truly believe that this is the most important quality of a person.
What moment are you least proud of?
Oh my god, this must be the moment I completely forgot about the diaper bag and my youngest, Austin, decided to publicly suck the poop. It was smelly and filthy and I was incredibly embarrassed.
What do you want your children to learn from your example?
I want my kids to be fearless and follow their passions. I also want them to see that women and girls are as fearless as men and boys. Last year I had the opportunity to fly an Air Force fighter. I dressed in uniform and kissed my boys goodbye before getting on the plane. They watched me fly in the sky doing tricks for an hour. I want my boys to grow up knowing that gender is unlimited and that men and women can do anything.
Do you have any funny / weird / special family rituals?
I am a cake decorating botanist and have gotten into the habit of making a very intricately decorated cake for every children’s birthday every year. The problem is, I feel like I have to surpass myself every time my children (and my husband) are looking forward to it. The last one I worked on took five hours! And this should continue until each of them becomes at least a teenager? What have I started ?!
What’s your best parenting technique?
If I allow my children to spend some time in front of the screen, it is always towards the end of the day and only if they feel good during the day. Plus, I demand that they be sensible in the bath, brushing their teeth, and dressing in pajamas. The trade-off of a faster and happier bedtime in exchange for a 12 minute cartoon episode is totally worth it to me! Otherwise, it can be an hour of downtime and negotiations with two babies.
Has anyone ever given you parenting advice that you really liked?
As a working mom, I have a tremendous sense of “mom’s guilt” – the feeling that I’m never with my kids as often as I should. But at some point, one of the housekeepers said to me: “Brit, I am with my children all day, and even I think that I never have enough of them.” It was so good to hear that and to think that we women are biologically trained to spend more time with our children. However, we will never fill this gap, so we must learn to be proud of the quality of our time compared to its quantity.
What’s the hardest part about being a parent?
I’m a perfectionist, so not being able to control everything can be challenging. Children are unpredictable and most of the time you just have to go with the flow, struggling to cope with tantrums, stops, and accidents. If you set a lower bar for yourself, you will feel better.
What’s your favorite part of the day?
I wake up and see my children! They are so cozy and cute in the morning, fresh out of bed with disheveled hair. While juggling is sometimes difficult, there is nothing happier or more humiliating than raising these two amazing people. I am grateful for every day I spent with my family.
One thing I would say to other working parents:
I will repeat the same advice that was given to me: quality is more important than quantity! No parent (working or not) can be close to every moment in their children’s lives. There are different ways to show love, and sometimes it means staying at home and sometimes it means going out and working to create a future that your family can be proud of. Instead of feeling guilty about what you are missing out on, be present when you are there.