Be the change you want to see – I used to find that phrase both empowering and empty. My goal was to bring about change in the workplace. I wanted to see competent and capable women being promoted based on their merit rather than to fulfill a quota. I wanted women to be paid properly for the job they were doing. My goal was to empower working moms to stay in the workforce, knowing that they can have a rewarding career and raise a family. I wanted equality for people of all genders, races, religions, and sexual preferences. Unfortunately, I had no clue how to bring about change.

Working moms – Success is not easy

I worked very hard to make it to the top 10% of our North American entity. One would think change comes easy when you are that close to the top. I can assure you it is not. There is always a mental hurdle you have to overcome, especially as a female working in a male-dominated environment. I have helped manage multi-million dollar projects and have led a team of anywhere from two to twenty people – that was before I went on maternity leave. When I returned, I was promoted twice within six months.

One would think change comes easy when you are that close to the top, but I can assure you it is not. There is always a mental hurdle you have to overcome, especially as a female working in a male-dominated environment.

Britt Cycholl

Despite those accomplishments, I still struggle to write the words, “I am a boss and I am here to make change”. But the words hold true: My name is Britt Cycholl and I am a wife, mother, and boss – and I am going to bring about change. Today, is my first step in trying to overcome that mental hurdle.

Working moms with supportive husbands

It took years of me telling myself that I want to help women in the workplace for me to find something that I believed in and was passionate enough to pursue. It took an unbelievably supportive husband and my first born baby to generate the idea. Numerous late night discussions led us to a decision that was best for our family, and that was for my husband to stay at home to raise our child. The decision sparked creativity. It took many scrunched noses, baffled looks, and inappropriate responses from people regarding our lifestyle choices for me to realize that we need to do a better job of educating. 

My name is Britt and I am a working mom, a boss, and I have a stay-at-home husband who fully supports me. I turned my frustration into passion and found a fun way to educate the world about the difficulties of being a stay-at-home parent and that a stay-at-home dad is a real job. I believe the best way to curb this judgement is to educate, why is why I decided to write a children’s book. 

Stay-at-Home Dads

A Stay-at-Home Dad? is the first-ever children’s book about a stay-at-home dad. This is a fun way to show kids that it shouldn’t matter who stays at home with them. Whether a child goes to daycare or a family member watches them, all that matters is they are safe and loved. I hope to teach people that being a working mom and pursuing a career doesn’t make you a bad mom. Oh yea, and being a stay-at-home dad isn’t an emasculating role. 

My Instagram page @pregnanttopromoted and blog supplement my overall mission of keeping women in the workforce by talking about our struggles and successes within the business world. I hope to show women that their careers aren’t over just because they had a baby. In my blog I talk about the struggles that I, a working mom boss, have endured. My goal is to show women that they can expect, fight, hope, and dream for more. Why? If you work hard and are passionate, you can move up the corporate ladder at any point of your motherhood journey. I want women to recognize that we are in this together. There is room for more than one female at the top.

Working mom gives back

Whether you choose to go back to work or have to because that’s what makes most financial sense for your family, it is always tough to leave your littles with someone else. I want you to know that you can have both, which is why I want to help you get there. How, you ask? I gift 20% of the profits from my book to working moms. Check out my Instagram page @pregnanttopromoted for more information.

I am going to encourage women to stay in the workforce.

I will strive to empower the women I work with.

Most importantly, I will give back.