Flexible working is Mighty Fine for dads too!
At The Daisy Chain, we tend to emphasise issues many working mums face, but we don’t want to exclude dads (or grandparents, or anyone who cares for kids and works!). So, to celebrate the dads, we spoke to Kit Tomlinson, Owner of Mighty Fine (one of our fantastic family-friendly employers!) and working parent. Here he talks about how he balances family and work life, and how you can do the same!
What are your biggest challenges as a working parent?
Spending enough time with the kids and helping out at home can be hard. When Mighty Fine first started we had a shop in Camden market that was ALWAYS open. There was always something to do. So I had to make sure that my business did not become the only important thing in the household. Fortunately, my wife is an amazing teacher and has her own very successful career. But it is very easy to get wrapped up in what you are doing at the expense of other people’s ambitions.
How did you overcome these challenges?
By recognising that as long as you get jobs done effectively you’ll be fine. It mostly doesn’t matter about location!
My previous career involved long office hours and lots of meetings. Now my business partner and I are as likely to make decisions whilst talking on the phone and cooking Sunday lunch at our respective houses as we are in the office on Tuesday morning.
I also think that embracing technology is crucial. Cloud based services mean we can have our whole office set up wherever we are!
And finally, I make sure time with the kids is an immovable part of my week in the same way they are for my wife. I get the kids ready for school and childcare, and pick them up, two days per week whilst my wife cracks on with her work. These are non-negotiables. It gives me slightly shorter days but the time is easy to make up with a couple of early mornings. These times are some of the highlights of my week!
I won’t try and pretend that we are in always in control and on time but it means I am always honing my negotiation skills as we try and get out the door on time. Going to the office is far easier.
How has being a parent has influenced your working practices?
At Mighty Fine, we recognise the skill set that parents can bring to the table. There is more of a focus on
getting things done, and we trust great people to achieve brilliant things without constant input and
monitoring.
There is no point working long hours for the sake of it – our business is in great shape if we are working sensible hours and enjoying it!
