In our fast-paced world where work-life balance and inclusivity are increasingly valued, it’s refreshing to meet someone like Margaret Ahearne, whose journey from Canada to Ireland ignited a passion for championing these causes. As a consultant and advocate, Margaret Ahearne shares insights into their experiences, challenges, and triumphs, shedding light on the importance of listening, setting boundaries, and embracing change in both business and life. Get ready to be inspired by their story of resilience, growth, and unwavering commitment to making a difference in the workplace and beyond.
What specific experiences or events inspired you to advocate for work-life balance and inclusivity in the workplace?
The biggest was moving home to Ireland from Canada. We were moving home to be closer to family but felt that a choice would have to be made between career and the family life we were moving for. I was extremely lucky to have a manager at the time who was willing to trust that I could make it work, but this is often not the case. Once I moved back I started getting involved in the remote working community, speaking with companies and at events.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in launching and growing your consulting business?
The biggest challenge has been prioritising my time. One of my favourite things to do is to build affordable, out of the box websites for solopreneurs that create a professional brand whilst managing and centralising their bookings or sales. People often say to me, why would they get you to do this when they could do it themselves. What my small business owners have taught me is that it’s about focus. Time is their most valuable commodity and learning how to use wix or wordpress is not a valuable use of their time. Paying someone to do that for them is the right thing to do.
Can you tell us about a particularly difficult moment or setback you encountered on your journey, and how you overcame it?
Before I set up my business a very smart person told me to stop doing things for free. I have learned the very hard lesson that if you undersell yourself or your service, the recipient will undervalue you. Be unapologetic in charging your worth.
What are some valuable lessons you’ve learned as an entrepreneur and advocate for inclusivity?
LISTEN! Being inclusive means you listen to the needs of your customers, your team members and those around you. Don’t try to have all the answers. If you go in with answers, when you haven’t asked the question, then you are already on the backfoot.
I often see managers scheduling 1:1’s with their team members where they talk at the person and don’t listen. If you want to build a long term relationship you need to listen and show them that you are there to support them. Trust is so key.
How do you stay motivated and inspired during challenging times?
I go back to basics and schedule out my week. I make sure to plan the gym for 2 days per week and plan to meet someone for coffee once a week. Creating a schedule and setting small time based goals keeps me on track. I also try to be self aware in terms of when I need to step away. I had a very rough experience of burn out a few years ago, so I try to check in regularly with myself. Go for walks during the day, meditate etc.
What advice would you give to other women who are navigating career aspirations while balancing family responsibilities?
Don’t be afraid to set boundaries. Be clear on your times of work, and don’t make it the norm to go outside of these. Of course you will need to be flexible with this from time to time, but make sure your team is aware of this.
Don’t be afraid to dream big, but plan it out. The best thing I did before I went out on my own was to talk to people who were doing what I wanted to do. In my experience most people are generous with their time and happy to give advice.
How do you envision the future of work-life balance and inclusivity in the corporate world, and what role do you hope to play in shaping that future?
People are less accepting of their time being wasted. Some companies have gone back to the old ways, but a lot of these companies are struggling to fill roles. I’m hoping the next evolution of inclusivity will look at flexible working as an umbrella, and not just remote working. I would love to see organisations who cannot work remotely create opportunities to be more inclusive and think outside the box looking at 4 day week, part time work etc. Again it goes back to listening to what your team needs or wants.
Organisations also need to have more inclusive board representation. Opening board seats for women and under represented groups is critical for inclusivity.
Can you share a success story or memorable achievement from your consulting work that highlights the impact of your efforts?
Working in big tech is such a bubble. Creating a website for a small business or bringing in a process that is second nature to me makes such a lasting impression. If I could bottle that feeling.
I say to every small business, if someone on your team is working on something that doesn’t align to your annual goals, then stop. Stay focussed!
Lastly, what message or motto do you live by, and how does it influence your approach to business and life?
Embrace change!! I have had so many ups and downs and I never say never. I’ve had so many adventures and I wouldn’t change a thing.
