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Going Through Pregnancy While Running a Business

September 29, 2021

On this week’s “From the Tap” KBB podcast, we spoke to Ariana Lovato, owner of California-based Honeycomb Home Design, about what it’s like to be pregnant while running your own business at the same time. This is a topic the designer feels should be shared more in our industry.

She said before she got pregnant, her business was really her first “baby” – putting effort and energy into something for which she cares and great deal and watching it grow. She was slightly overwhelmed when she first became pregnant, knowing she would have to instill more responsibility with her team and manage client expectations. She admits to being a Type A personality who likes to have a plan in place for everything.

Lovato was worried about letting her clients down at first, but she has worked extensively with her team to figure out how they will fill in for her when she takes her maternity leave. She did stop taking on new projects a month or so ago and has set up a waitlist for those when she returns to work in eight weeks. She plans to touch base with her team on a regular basis while she out so she is as prepared as possible when she comes back.

The designer admits that the biggest thing she failed to do early on in her pregnancy was to set proper boundaries with her clients. She no longer takes calls or texts (within reason) on the weekends or after 5pm on weekdays. So her advice for pregnant moms running your own business is to manage those client expectations and have a plan in place for what your team will be taking on while you are away.

Lovato was at 36 weeks when we spoke, so she was pretty close to popping. As far as returning to the office, she says it will most likely start out as a hybrid plan, and she has carved out an area for her son to hang out while she works. We also talked about the day she found out she was pregnant, what her plans for the nursery are (a showstopping space if you follow her Insta) and what she and her husband plan to name their new son.

Watch the full video above or listen to the podcast on SpotifyGoogle PodcastsApple Podcasts, Pandora and other outlets.