Rather than giving in to RTO, I took the leap and built my own business. It's better for my family and me.

After receiving an RTO mandate while pregnant with her second child, the author decided to leave her job and start her own business. She had always been ambitious and had a record-breaking performance at her marketing company, but the rigid five-day office requirement clashed with her desire to be present for her family. Balancing her work and personal life became increasingly challenging as her department focused on new goals and her boss's comments fueled doubts about her dedication.

She sought advice from other mompreneurs and marketing professionals and realized she could leverage her communication and storytelling skills to build a business in brand development, content strategy, and ghostwriting in higher education and law. With support from her LinkedIn community, she launched her business during her third trimester and quickly gained clients.

Now, she builds her own schedule and enjoys spending quality time with her children without the guilt of being tied to her work.