Meet Erin Penberthy Crystal Mikes | Moms & Co-Founders

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Penberthy Crystal Mikes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin Penberthy, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
For us, both as working moms, the idea of work life balance has changed drastically. Before becoming parents having a job that allowed for flexibility was less of a priority. However, now it is top of mind. Working for an organization that values you as a holistic person instead of only as an employee is key. We want to work for an employer who recognizes that kids get sick, need to go to appointments and have school and social commitments. I, Erin, had my first child one month into the COVID pandemic. The crossroads of becoming a mom and this historical event really redefined my priorities around work and solidified my desire to find a career that allowed me the flexibility to be at home. I recognize this comes with a great deal privilege. As working from home became much more a norm in COVID the boundary between work and home became blurred. Kids were walking in on Zoom meetings and parents got much more of a firsthand glimpse into their children’s schooling. In a way this experience humanized work more. We both have two kids now and would both say, as many other parents would, that there is no such thing as a perfect work life “balance”. There are times when work gets busy and we feel immense guilt at not spending as much time with our children. And there are times when work becomes less of a focus and we may feel guilt around that too. There’s never been another mother we’ve spoken to who feels like everything is in this perfect equilibrium and striving towards that is thus futile and causes unnecessary stress and anxiety. Recognize first and foremost that if you are a parent struggling with supporting your kids and having a career that you are not alone. We also like to think of it as seasons of life. There may be seasons (whether it be months or even years) in which you career takes less precedence as you serve as a caregiver and there may be seasons when you your kids experience more independence in which you are able to invest more energy into work. There’s no one “right” way that people should consider the integration of parenting and work. At MomWorks, we seek to support our clients where they are at regardless of what that season entails.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We are a full-service career consultancy that partners with women in all aspects of professional development including: career exploration/discovery/pivoting, resumes and cover letters, job search, networking, interviewing skills, and salary negotiation.

Our biggest challenge has been marketing our business. In this challenge we go back to networking and the power of human connection. Our tagline is “Empower Moms. Igniting Careers” and we are both fully committed to this in our work. We seek to meet clients at all stages of life and support them in determining what works best for their themselves and their families and how to get there. Our company is for moms, by moms and we are proud to partner with women in their aspirations and goals.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We both live in Boulder County and are lucky to be surround by many wonderful spots! Favorite coffee shops that come to mind are East Simpson Coffee, South Street Market, the Brewing Market and Cristo’s. Erin attended CU Boulder for her undergraduate degree and is Buff through and through. There is nothing quite like attending a game at Folsom field. There are many great spots to hike in the area as well. Several good ones with kids are Mud Lake and Caribou Ranch in Nederland.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We’d like to thank our partners, parents, friends and neighbors who have all played a role in making the possibility of being working moms who also started a business more feasible. Having your support and encouragement are instrumental to our business and our wellbeing. We’d also like to thank our kiddos for inspiring us to follow our professional aspirations so that they may do so as well one day.

Website: https://momworksconsulting.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/momworksconsulting/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/momworksconsulting/