Refelcting on Our Mompreneur Online Conference

The core of our work is to support women in developing skills and pursuing entrepreneurship. While women in general face a range of barriers when it comes to business and leadership, mothers who are also entrepreneurs (often called mompreneurs) carry an especially heavy load.

They are incredibly resourceful, committed, and innovative. But in both policy and the online space, they are still underrepresented and underserved. They balance sleepless nights, unpaid care work, and professional growth often without access to support systems that many others take for granted.

That’s why we hosted the Mompreneur Online Conference, an event designed to bring together women who are raising children and building something of their own.

The goal was simple: not to provide generic advice, but to create safe space for honest stories. The kind that too often go unheard.

 

Who Spoke

We were joined by three incredible women, each with different life paths:

• Gorana, who recently left her corporate career and started her own business, Simply Sorted, a life admin consultancy

• Sanja, a communications expert and founder of Outside Media & Knowledge, who spoke openly about the emotional cost of trying to “do it all”

• Esma, a web designer and co-founder of KiwiKiwi agency, building a business with her husband while raising two small kids without screen time

Each speaker brought something different, but the underlying message was shared: this work is meaningful, difficult, and deserves more recognition.

 

“Everything looked good. Until it wasn’t.”

Gorana spoke honestly about the moment she knew her corporate career could no longer continue. Despite years of hard work and rising through the ranks, she experienced a burnout that her body simply couldn’t ignore.

“It was going on for way too long. One day, my body just said no. And I had to listen.”

This moment led her to make a choice: to leave without a backup plan and build something of her own, something that aligned more with the life she wanted. We were all inspired by Gorana's passion, drive and contagious optimism.

 

“There are no supermoms. Something has to give.”

Sanja explored the pressure women feel to be perfect, both in business and at home. She spoke about how motivation and discipline aren’t just about pushing yourself, they’re also about caring for yourself.

“We always think we can just give, give, give... But our body gives us signs. If we don’t listen, we break.”

She also challenged the overly positive, productivity-focused messaging common in online spaces:

“You listen to motivational speakers and think, 'I’m doing everything they say, and it’s still not working. What’s wrong with me?' That’s not helpful. Real stories are.”

 

“If there’s no wind, row.”

Esma gave one of the most practical talks, sharing how she and her husband pivoted from a failed business into launching a successful agency. She emphasized that failure was not the end, it was the beginning.

“We couldn’t monetize our first business. But if that didn’t happen, I wouldn’t be doing what I love now.”

She also spoke about parenting young children at home with no screens and limited help.

“We had to make it work with what we had. I worked at the kitchen table while the kids played. Was it hard? Of course. But it was worth it.”

Her favorite quote, one that stuck with many attendees, was a Latin proverb:

“If there is no wind, row.”
A reminder that you don’t wait for the right moment — you create it.

 

“Let’s talk to each other more.”

At the close of the event, WISE co-founder Ena reflected on what made the conference different. It wasn’t about giving women a long to-do list or pushing them harder. It was about validating the complexity of their lives and giving them space to breathe, share, and be heard.

“The best motivation I’ve received has come from women just telling me what they’ve lived through. Not trying to impress me, just being honest.”

 

At WISE Austria, we will keep developing opportunities for women, whether they are mothers or not, to gain access to skills, support, and spaces where they are seen and valued.

Because building a business as a woman is hard. Doing it while raising kids is even harder. And yet, they are doing it. They deserve to be heard.