A Sad Past Few Weeks & My New Mission

So, I won't go into much detail with specifics just YET but I've been witness to and a main subject in something quite heart-wrenching, unbelievable and out-right WRONG! 

And I've realized that I'm not going to let this issue go because honestly, I think I've realized the real PURPOSE behind my starting of Kookie Karma and the arrival of my two, {unplanned} beautiful children!

The issue, and I will be talking about it more in the next few weeks, is about the following:

a) women in business / discrimination

b) a female owned small business and our rights to bear children

c) verbal abuse & manipulation & scare tactics used by large companies in the business world

d) unethical business practices {bribery, threats & manipulation} by companies that claim to be vegan and passion-driven 

e) and the idea that we've lost ALL sense of what {supporting} small businesses is really about

Sounds like a lot, right? Well, it all goes hand in hand for me right now and I'm so glad to be in the middle of this debacle right now. I'm glad it's me and not somebody else who won't speak their minds.

If you asked me about being a CEO, what I would have told you last month is "you can't have a family and own a business"! Not because we as women can't do it {we all know we can, right?}, but because there is too much risk - what if you are throwing up and in the hospital for the first three months of pregnancy? what if you are on bedrest? what about the last month when you can barely walk without having to rest? what about that month you're not allowed to fly? what about breast-feeding and having to get up at night to feed the baby? what about post-pardum, God forbid you have that? How are you effectively to run a small business? After doing this 2 years in a row, and after going through what I've been through these past two weeks, I will now tell you that it's not ok that we have to choose between having a baby and having a company: we have a RIGHT to bear children and have our small businesses not suffer greatly because we choose to do so! 

I've had my business since I was 24 years old. I think 6 years later I deserve to start thinking about a family. I wish Wes could bear the child, but that's not humanly possible. Not to mention the idea that if you DON'T to plan a family with your husband, you should have to CHOOSE abortion in order to keep your business?

My pro-life CHOICE to have a child {not have an abortion} has literally KILLED my small business. It's NOT right or fair! If large companies that claim they are family-friendly, community-centered are going to not support female CEOs who have children, then they are falsely advertising their "mission" as a company! Am I wrong? They will take money from families but won't support their own vendors choice to have a family? 

If a male CEO announces that he is having a baby - EVERYBODY cheers and is excited, right? He can still run his business. He isn't falling asleep at his desk or worrying about how to solve a million problems while he's throwing up! He isn't getting super emotional every time something goes wrong! He isn't being threatened that if he doesn't show up via plane to a meeting that his company will no longer be supported by his client? NO! 

Where is that "team" spirit and support we should be offering our co-workers, our vendors and suppliers and distributors during time of need? Everything is about money, especially in the food world. Everything. People are SO afraid of losing money or profits. It's not about good food anymore, it's about what SELLS a TON! 

{Duh, right? Well, not duh to me. I want to trust that the claims being made by any company is true. I hate to think people are preaching something just to get your money! Why do you think the FDA has to mandate food safety and health regulations - because companies need to be monitored.}

Some may say that I'm not a some strong, powerful, crazy business woman that will drive sales and push product in your face! That's okay! If my company grows and expands that's success because that means MORE people are learning about healthy veg food and making better choices. That's what motivates me. Slow sales doesn't mean I don't work my ass off. I spend time with people talking about health. I spend more time on grass-roots projects helping others learn about raw foods, veg foods, etc. than I do yelling at you in the store to come try our stuff and talking you into buying it!

Any ethical business {owner}, needs to remind themselves that sometimes we need to say no to a few dollars {I know, sounds crazy if you know anything about business} in order to stand by your ethics and mission statement. 

Again, I will fill you in later, but I hope in the next few months we can find a solution to this and come together as women, as mothers and as honest people to to stand up for what is right and to educate people who don't have to babies what it is like for us moms day in and day out! Otherwise, it's one more issue forgotten about and we LOSE...once again!

I want to bring women together because it's time we find a way to not go bankrupt just because we choose LIFE and/or we plan to have a family at age 30! 

Any female CEOs are welcome to share their stories and thoughts! Any women business owners or mothers who want to share their support. PLEASE DO! Please pass this on. I think we can all come together and make sure not just women, but MOTHERS, too, are welcome in the businesses world!