Rebuilding a Business Through Motherhood, Messy Seasons, and Momentum
Jan 15, 2026
What It Really Looks Like to Rebuild When Life Changes Everything
On This Mother Means Business, we talk a lot about growth — but today’s conversation is about what happens when growth isn’t linear. When life hits hard, plans change, and you’re forced to rebuild instead of scale.
In this episode, I sat down with Ashley Wyatt, founder of Monarch Design Co., to talk about rebuilding a business through early motherhood, major pivots, financial pressure, and seasons where the timeline doesn’t move as fast as you want it to. Ashley’s story is raw, honest, and deeply relatable for any mom entrepreneur who’s ever felt like she was starting over — even when she already had years of experience behind her.
This conversation is a reminder that success doesn’t disappear just because life gets complicated. Sometimes, it just takes a different shape for a while.
The Reality of Pivoting, Scrappiness, and Starting Again
From Corporate Design to Entrepreneurship
Ashley didn’t stumble into entrepreneurship overnight. Before kids, she worked in corporate design, freelanced, taught calligraphy, and even ran a stationery business complete with a letterpress in her garage. Like many entrepreneurs, she learned early how to be resourceful — and when COVID wiped out her wedding industry work almost overnight, she pivoted again.
Instead of waiting for things to return to “normal,” Ashley leaned into her skill set and began helping fellow vendors rebuild their brands and websites. That pivot eventually became Monarch Design Co., where she now specializes in branding and web design for creative and service-based businesses.
Building a Business Around Family — Not the Other Way Around
One of the most important parts of Ashley’s story is that she always wanted her business to support her life — including her future family. She built a team early, navigated fertility challenges, and entered motherhood with intention.
But as many of us know, even the best plans can change.
After having two children 22 months apart, navigating maternity leave realities, buying and renovating a home, and suddenly becoming the primary breadwinner when her husband lost his job, Ashley found herself rebuilding — again. This wasn’t a clean restart. It was messy, emotional, and required recalibrating expectations around capacity, childcare, and income.
What Actually Moves the Needle When You’re Rebuilding
Visibility, Relationships, and Putting Yourself Out There
One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that rebuilding doesn’t happen in isolation. Ashley credits much of her momentum to getting into rooms — both in person and online — and talking about her business consistently.
That meant reaching out to past clients, sending “I’m back” messages, following up, and being visible even when the results weren’t immediate. Rebuilding required swallowing pride and trusting that planting seeds would eventually lead to growth — even when it felt like nothing was happening.
Trusting Timing When Results Feel Slow
This episode also touches on a truth many entrepreneurs don’t want to hear: sometimes, the work comes before the results — and the waiting is part of the process.
Ashley shared openly about months where it felt like she was doing everything right without seeing traction, only to have momentum suddenly return. Hitting a 10K month again after having a baby wasn’t the result of one tactic — it was the accumulation of showing up, staying visible, and trusting the work she was putting in.
Giving Yourself Grace Without Losing Momentum
Another powerful part of Ashley’s rebuild has been mindset and routine. From simple morning practices to future-self journaling and gratitude — often done in the Notes app while nursing — she found ways to ground herself without adding pressure.
This wasn’t about perfection or rigid routines. It was about creating internal stability in a season that was externally unpredictable.
Why Branding Matters When You’re Ready to Scale
The Confidence Shift That Comes With Professional Branding
Ashley’s passion for branding comes from seeing its real-world impact. She compares professional branding to putting on an outfit that fits — you show up differently, walk differently, and others perceive you differently.
Branding isn’t just about a logo. It’s about consistency, confidence, and being recognizable across every touchpoint of your business. When done well, it helps businesses become top of mind — especially when clients are discovering you for the first time.
The ROI of Investing in Your Brand
One of the most practical moments in this episode is the conversation around ROI. Ashley shared examples of clients who increased their rates significantly after investing in branding and websites — sometimes by over 100%.
This isn’t about spending tens of thousands of dollars early on. It’s about recognizing when DIY has taken you as far as it can — and when professional branding becomes a strategic tool for scaling, not just a visual upgrade.
Capacity, Support, and the Invisible Labour of Motherhood
You Can’t Do It All at Once — And That’s Okay
The episode also dives into capacity, childcare, and the invisible labour moms carry. From part-time daycare to nannies and household support, Ashley and I talk openly about the necessity of creating real separation between work and caregiving.
Trying to do both at the same time comes at a cost — and outsourcing support isn’t a failure. It’s often the thing that allows businesses to grow sustainably.
Getting Out of Your Own Way
Ashley’s closing advice is simple but powerful: put yourself out there. Get out of your own way. Whether it’s fear, comparison, or old stories about what’s possible, growth requires willingness more than readiness.
Rebuilding doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re still in the game.
And sometimes, the most resilient, aligned businesses are built not in the highlight-reel seasons — but in the ones that demand everything you’ve got.
