Motherhood changes everything. It pushes women beyond their limits, forces them to find strength in unexpected places, and demands a level of resilience that often goes unseen. Add a career into the mix, and the challenge multiplies. Yet, every day, working moms around the world prove that it can be done.
This International Women’s Day, we spoke with three incredible women who are not only excelling in their careers but also raising the next generation. Iwalola Sobowale, who leads Customer Experience Research at Moniepoint, Julianne Ojo-Awo, Head of Content Strategy at GTCO, and Cynthia Orji, Content Marketing Lead at Raenest, opened up about their journeys, sharing the struggles, the lessons, and the wins that keep them going.
These are their stories.
“Once my kids are asleep, I finally feel like I can breathe.” - Iwalola
For over five years, Iwalola has lived the dual demands of motherhood and career. Before kids, she had time to plan and go with the flow. Now, every minute counts.
Mornings are a blur of school prep, breakfast, and last-minute bag packing. Once drop-off is done, work takes over from meetings, and deadlines, to deep focus. But no matter how packed her schedule gets, 2:30 p.m. is non-negotiable. School pickup is her moment to reconnect with her kids, even if it means taking calls in the car. Whenever they are back from school, she always asks them three questions: How was school today? What did you learn? What made you laugh? These little check-ins are some of the best moments of her day as she gets to learn more about her children.
As evening turns in, she's caught in a balancing act of wrapping up work, checking homework, enforcing outdoor play, and making dinner sometimes even with a laptop open. By 8 p.m., when bedtime finally arrives, she’s exhausted. But she still lingers for bedtime hugs, stories, and their daily recap. If the kids still have energy, they do a 10-minute dance party to shake off the day. Then, when the house finally goes quiet, she exhales.
“The first few years are really, really hard,” she admits. The exhaustion, the juggling, it can feel like too much. But she’s learned that asking for help doesn’t mean weakness. Iwalola, who loves socializing but also craves solitude, has had to find balance in new ways. She’s learned to set boundaries, plan ahead, and most importantly, let go of the need to control everything. Delegating has been a great tool for her, both at work and at home.
Motherhood has also made her a better leader. She’s more intentional with her time, clearer in communication, and more in tune with the people around her. Her kids are her biggest motivation and in nurturing them, she has realized, that success isn’t about having all the answers but about having a good vision, determination, and showing up every day. In her words, "I used to think that being successful required some extra special sauce (and maybe it does lol), but since having my kids, I’ve realised the importance of vision + determination.". In that same vein, her advice to other working moms is to "Let your support system support you - be it squashing your mum guilt and sending off your kids to their grandparents for a week, or taking that $100 gift from your nice uncle. Leverage their support"
“I used to equate success with constant hustle, but now I see success as balance.” - Julianne
Julianne has been a working mom for three years, and in that time, she’s undergone a deep shift. Patience, intentionality, and self-awareness have become second nature. She doesn’t have it all figured out, but she’s learning every single day.
Her mornings start in the dark at 4:30 a.m. The early rise is necessary to beat Lagos traffic and get to work with a clear mind. As a content strategist, she thrives on structure and creativity, all while juggling the realities of motherhood. But she’s not doing it alone. Her support system which entails her partner, her big sister, her nanny, and, on some days, a strong cup of coffee, keeps her grounded. Her nanny, in particular, is a lifeline, ensuring her son is cared for while she and her husband are at work.
Weekends are sacred. She tries to be present, to soak in the moments with her son. But there are days when exhaustion wins, and she just needs rest. Managing her energy is her biggest challenge. The constant pull between work and motherhood is real, but she’s learning to be okay with outsourcing chores and accepting help.
Before motherhood, Julianne could disappear into work for hours. Now, she strives for balance "which is easier said than done" she adds. She wants to build a better life for her son, but she also wants to be there for him. So she listens more. She lets go of perfection. She adapts quickly when things don’t go as planned. Her biggest lesson? Success isn’t just about work. It’s about meaningful work, being present with family, and finding fulfilment in both. For other working moms, she has one piece of advice: Don’t try to do it all. Lean on your support system. Be kind to yourself. You’re doing your best and that’s enough.
“I’d be lying if I told you I had it all figured out” - Cynthia
Before motherhood, Cynthia never asked for help. She didn’t want to feel like a burden. She thought she could do it all. Then her son was born, and everything changed. Suddenly, she wasn’t just responsible for herself. She had a tiny, beautiful life depending on her. Her workdays used to be predictable: 9 to 5, structured and neat. Now, they start earlier and sometimes stretch past 6 p.m. to keep up with responsibilities. But she tries to unplug during the weekends, soaking in the fleeting moments of motherhood. Because no matter how much she loves her work, nothing compares to her son’s tiny arms wrapped around her.
Like Iwalola and Julianne, motherhood also taught Cynthia the power of asking for help. If she wanted to be the best mother to her son, she had to take care of herself, too. Thankfully, she has a solid support system (her husband, sister, friends, and in-laws) who make the journey easier. In her words, "I now understand why people say it takes a village to raise a child." Cynthia has always believed we can be more than one thing. We can be moms, wives, daughters, sisters, friends, employees, employers, creators, leaders, dreamers. And if someone chooses just one, that’s okay too. But she's choosing all of it and though it can be overwhelming and messy. It is also beautiful and she wouldn't trade it for the world.
Motherhood and career are two full-time jobs, each demanding love, patience, and resilience. Iwalola, Julianne, and Cynthia remind us that while the journey is tough, it is also filled with profound moments of joy, growth, and self-discovery. They don’t have all the answers, but they show up every day with vision, determination, and the courage to ask for help. So to every working mom balancing deadlines with bedtime stories, meetings with school runs, and ambition with presence, you are seen, you are valued, and you are doing an incredible job.
Happy International Women’s Day to you and all the women making the world better, one step at a time.
