Meet WAHM Jillian Leslie of MiloTree and Catch My Party

Jillian and I met when I was signing up for her business MiloTree (that cool popup you may have seen when you came to my site). We instantly clicked when I found out she was also a WAHM.

I’ve been a fan of her other business Catchy My Party for many years and was super impressed that Jillian is a Momtrepreneur of not one but two businesses!

When Jillian agreed to be interviewed for my blog I was so excited to be able to share her story…

Tell us about your business
I have two business, both of which I run with my husband, David.

My first business is called Catch My Party. It is the largest party ideas site on the web.

My second business is called MiloTree. We offer a smart pop-up tool for bloggers to convert their traffic into email subscribers and social media followers.

Did you always plan to be a WAHM? If not, what made you decide to work from home?
Before starting the two companies, I was a screenwriter in Hollywood and worked at home. I like the freedom it offers me, plus since I’m an introvert, it really works for me. Going to an office everyday used to exhaust me!

How long have you been a WAHM?
I’ve been a WAHM since my daughter was born. When she was a baby, I had a babysitter look after her for a few hours each day so I could get some work done.

How many children do you have and what are their ages?
I have one daughter, Lainey, who is ten.

What is your workstation setup like? (ie. In the kitchen, room to room, in an office/study, etc.)
I have an office in our house that I share with my husband. It’s actually our garage, that was converted into a room. Our desks are very close together, but it still works. We do different things for our businesses — he handles the tech, I handle the marketing and content creation — so we aren’t up in each other’s businesses.

What days/hours do you typically work?
I typically start my day around 8:30am, after I drop my daughter off at school. She comes home around 3:00pm and I take a break to be with her. Then while she does her homework, I try to sneak in some work. Afternoons and early evenings are fluid. I work when I can, but my priority is always Lainey. Since I do have deadlines, I try to get ahead so I’m not rushed at the end.

How does being a WAHM affect your husband/partner?
We have been working at home together in the same office for eight years. We are actually a very good team, good friends, and get along well. I would say our biggest struggle is to be constantly switching gears from work partners, to parents, to life partners.

What are some of your frustrations with being a WAHM?
My biggest frustration is balancing it all, since it all the parts of my life run into each other and the boundaries can get blurred. When you are a WAHM you are constantly switching hats.

What is the single most gratifying part of being a WAHM?
The freedom and the flexibility are what’s most gratifying. If my daughter has something at school in the middle of the day, I can be there! I can also exercise when I want to. Plus, I have no boss breathing down my neck. If you are a people person being a WAHM might not be for you (because it can get lonely), but I love it.

Describe a typical day in the life for you as a WAHM.
I work from 8:30am – 3:00pm. Then I’m with my daughter for an hour or two after school. I take her to all her activities. When we get home, I do a little more work, while my husband cooks dinner (he’s the cook in the family). We all eat together. Then I will do about an hour of work before getting my daughter ready for bed. I try to go to sleep on the early side, so my most productive time is in the early morning.

How do you think being a WAHM has helped you and your family?
It’s given us the flexibility we need as a family and has definitely reduced our stress. My husband and I work A LOT, but because we are working for ourselves, it’s feels manageable. Plus, I love that our daughter sees everything we do, and now she wants to be an entrepreneur when she grows up.

What sacrifices have you had to make in order to be a WAHM?
I wouldn’t say I’ve made sacrifices. I would say I’ve made tradeoffs. I probably could be making a lot more money in a job where I was gone all day, but that’s not worth it to me. I’m seeing how fast my daughter is growing up and I just don’t want to miss it!

My biggest WAHM fail moment was…
Walking my daughter to school in my ripped sweatpants with a hole in the butt.

As a WAHM I can’t live without…
My green oolong tea.

My go to dinner on my busiest day is…
Cereal or scrambled eggs.

My WAHM uniform consists of…
Sweatpants and a non-matching sweatshirt

If I could have one free day to myself I would…
Take a yoga class and take a nap and get a massage.

Thanks for sharing your story Jillian! Be sure to check out her websites, MiloTree and Catch My Party and follow Jillian on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

See my other interviews with work at home mothers.