Interior designer Stephanie Ferrara on embracing the mess of motherhood

As a young professional, interior designer Stephanie Ferrara was lucky to be surrounded by good role models when it came to mixing family with business. But, it didn't mean that she could quiet the inner monologue that so many hopeful mothers play on repeat inside of their minds: how is this going to affect my career? How on earth am I going to tell my boss I'm pregnant? Like me and so many others, she felt apologetic, stressed, just thinking about it.

Fast forward to when she became pregnant, and, something clicked. While it wouldn't always look as beautiful as the spaces that she designs, she knew she could find a way to navigate life in business and in motherhood.

From employee to employer, from mother of one to mother of two, from an international work trip at eight weeks' postpartum to learning to delegate so that the team could succeed without her, she's been making things click ever since. And she's learned a lot about how best to navigate her business baby with her real life babies along the way.

Here, we talk about how Steph has set up her team and her business so that she can do both, the importance of the village and how she found it in both expected and unexpected places, and why becoming a mum has made Steph the best version of herself.

--

Shop the Ready or Not Go To Guides now, for $29 each or $69 for the trio:

• Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
• Childcare 101
• Postpartum and Return to Work Planning

---

Thanks for listening to Ready or Not! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review. You can also find us on Instagram at readyornot.pod

This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

We Pay The Rent and you can too here.

This month, Ready or Not is proudly brought to you by Yoto. Use our discount Code: READYORNOT15 for 15% off your Yoto device [not to be used with any other offer, valid from 1st May - 5th June.]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.