How do you juggle the demands of being a new parent and running a startup?

Joan Low (JL): As a mum to a toddler, the efficiency that you need to juggle all the different hats is next level. That hyper-efficiency becomes almost second nature. It kicks in because of necessity.

Whether as a founder or a mum, I’ve learnt that there are things you can delegate and others you cannot. For example, in the household, tasks like washing milk bottles and changing diapers can be done by someone else. Breastfeeding, on the other hand, can obviously only be done by the mother. The same goes for running a company. There are things that you can delegate to your leadership team or the wider team, and others only the founder or CEO can do.

When you have to manage both being a parent and a leader, operational efficiency becomes top of mind. I cannot unlearn this. I had this muscle strengthened when I lived in Hong Kong. Every time I look at a task, I think about the steps that need to be taken and figure out the shortest and fastest way to get the work done.

To be efficient, don’t spend time on tasks that aren’t urgent. 

Read more: Front & Female Asks: Does the term ‘mompreneur’ advance or hinder gender equality?

What were the challenges you faced embracing motherhood with being a startup founder?

JL: The challenge started when I first found out I was pregnant. It was figuring out how to navigate this pregnancy while fundraising. I wanted to know how other female founders did it, so I spoke to several of them privately. Some of their stories were amusing but revealing. Some had successfully secured term sheets but when they shared with the investor that they were expecting, they were ghosted and the deal fell through.

Whether it’s conscious or unconscious bias, these prejudices towards a founder being pregnant do exist. They can detract from an objective view of our proven track records or ability to run a business, regardless of pregnancy. At the time, my challenge was knowing where I stood in that game.

Has your leadership style changed since becoming a mum?

JL: Over time, I realised I have more patience than I initially gave myself credit for. Having a baby taught me that even amid constant chaos, I can stay calm and focus on what needs to be done. This trait was not unlocked previously. This newfound patience has benefitted my work environment, especially when everything is constantly in flux and it feels like the roof is always on fire or we’re building a plane mid-flight. Being level-headed and focused is crucial.

I now recognise that I’m not just interacting with employees but with people who have lives and challenges outside of work. While maintaining healthy boundaries, it’s important to be aware of this and incorporate the knowledge into our interactions. Understanding and empathy in the workplace can make a significant difference in how they show up at work.

Read more: How to talk to someone struggling with their mental health

Feeling imposter syndrome is more common among leaders than we expected. Have you felt it before? 

JL: I often receive feedback that I undersell what we’re doing. I sometimes forget to appreciate how far we’ve come and the hard work that has gone into building our success. Instead, I often focus on what’s not yet ready or sufficient, which is a common mindset especially when fundraising.

The demands and pressures of our roles are continuously increasing and the need for speed is greater than ever. We are constantly operating under time constraints. But we have more tools and awareness than ever before to help us navigate these challenges.

I actively address impostor syndrome through my coaching and therapy sessions. Understanding and managing our roles as parents, CEOs and evolving leaders require self-awareness and support. Don’t handle these challenges alone; leveraging your community and the available tools can help you thrive personally and professionally as you evolve in your career.

How do you ensure that your professional and personal lives complement each other?

JL: Work takes up a big part of my life. If I were to break down the fundamental items into a portfolio, there’s work and there’s family.

In the family category, I have my roles as a spouse, mother and daughter. Then, there are my roles as a friend and a role model to myself, which includes sacred things such as maintaining one’s physical, mental and emotional well-being.

To integrate these aspects practically, I use time blocks. I allocate specific times and spaces for each role to ensure nothing is overlooked. I put everything on my calendar and colour-code them. I also started running calendar audits with my mental well-being coach to review how well my time distribution aligns with my overall goals. It will never be a perfect split but the goal is to integrate everything I need to undulate according to what’s needed at that time.

Read more: ‘Proud bar Dad’ Jay Gray of Sago House talks stepping back and prioritising himself

For your last fundraising round, what type of investor were you seeking?

JL: Similar to my approach in building ThoughtFull, I was looking for investors who were aligned in terms of mission and philosophy. We were sure we wanted someone who knew healthcare. I say this with a bit of tongue-in-cheek because the investment landscape has evolved in the last couple of years. If you think about the themes of investments and investor experience in the last eight to ten years, it’s in areas like logistics, e-commerce, fintech and consumer goods. We don’t yet have that for healthcare, but we’re at this juncture where things are shifting, where the needs of tomorrow are essentially going to be anchored in things like healthcare. 

When I spoke to Shears, they had just concluded their first exit in the US. They invest across the globe and have an extensive portfolio. The kind of experience and expertise that they had was different compared to the other investors we were talking to. That is not to say that healthcare was the most important thing. It’s like building a portfolio of expertise. We needed to think about what we needed to grow the company.

You mentioned the changing investment landscape. How do you think it can evolve to better support expecting or working parents, particularly women?

JL: I hope that there will be more representation. It’s one of those things where the more you see or hear about it, the more normalised it becomes. Eventually, recounts of pregnant women leading fundraising rounds will not be out of the ordinary. People running companies while raising a family will not be incredulous anymore.

Read more: Health apps have potential to empower women—are they doing the opposite?

Aside from ThoughtFull’s track record, what other factors do you think helped it secure the latest funding?

JL: Many factors come into play, but I have this framework that I used when I was in finance. It is a “five-P” model.

One is philosophy, two is people, three is product, four is performance and five is the process you’re building. It all kind of trickles down. For example, the process could be different depending on the people and the philosophy that’s driving it. The kind of process they put in place will determine if it’s growth at all costs or geared towards responsible or sustainable growth. The product will then turn up differently depending on what is being prioritised.

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