In our How She Does It column, we speak to inspirational mothers about work-life balance, their favourite travel destinations, travelling with children, and how they really do it all.
This month, we catch up with Lyndsay Mason, mum-of-one plus founder and CEO of maternity wear rental service, For The Creators. She tells us how motherhood inspired her business, why women deserve better maternity wardrobe options and the ways in which she is supporting other mums in the workplace.
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I’m Lyndsay Mason, Founder and CEO of For The Creators, a maternity wear rental service. I live in Winchester with my three-year-old son Hamish and husband Jake. We moved to Winchester four years ago and I absolutely love it. It’s such a brilliant place to raise kids and, serendipitously, a lot of my friends have also ended up here, so it very much feels like home.
And tell us about your work?
I started the business during my maternity leave when Hamish was six months old and he’s now nearly four. As a result, the way we work is very much rooted in a need for flexibility and to be as present as possible for him. As a motherhood brand, it’s really important to me that our team work the hours that suit them and that family comes first. We work core hours 10AM-4PM and the team can make up the other hours when it suits them best. I work from home most days, travelling into London regularly for meetings and alignment sessions with our team.
What inspires you in your career?
I have a big pin board behind my desk that is filled with thank you cards from our customers. Looking at that every morning and knowing that we’re helping women feel the best versions of themselves is what puts a fire under me. I strongly believe that pregnant women and new mums deserve so much more and, knowing that we can shift the needle in the right direction, even slightly, is what propels me and the team forward.
I launched FTC in 2020 because I was frustrated and shocked at the lack of postnatal ranges that suited my personal style. Instead of having to invest in expensive ‘maternity’ styles that ordinarily would never be in my wardrobe, or resorting to buying poor quality fast-fashion items that just ‘did the job’, I wanted to create a rental service with cool, beautiful, well-made outfits from brands I loved whilst being safe in the knowledge that I was doing my bit for the planet.
We carry cult favourites such as Whistles, Desmond & Dempsey, With Nothing Underneath and Reformation to name a few, making the coolest brands accessible to expectant and post-partum mothers on a rental basis. FTC started with just a fashion offering but we have now expanded into beauty and wellness launching ‘mama must haves’ including belly bump oil care, pregnancy safe supplements and more.
Which three items help you juggle everything?
You’ll find me with a pen in my hair most of the time! If I don’t write it down, it’s forgotten, so I leave lists everywhere. Whether it’s on my phone, or on random bits of paper scattered around the house. My son has always been a tricky sleeper, so keeping my brain fog free and my energy levels high has been a real challenge. I recently discovered ARTAH Cellular Hydration which I’ve started drinking every morning first thing and it’s honestly been a game changer. I have so much more energy.
If you could give your past self one piece of advice about being a working mother what would it be?
Not everything has to be perfect. I used to spend so much time and energy trying to be the picture-perfect mum, wife, friend, founder, but all I ended up doing was running myself into the ground. I came last and I was burnt out. I was constantly tense and wasn’t doing anything well. Over the past six months, I’ve really tried to slow down, be more mindful and be in the moment. Not everything has to be done right now and not everything has to always be perfect.
Have your career goals and aspirations altered since becoming a working mum?
Having Hamish was the impetus behind For The Creators and without him it wouldn’t exist. When I became a mother the climate crisis suddenly felt even more urgent. I wanted to do everything I could to drive positive change in the world and building a business that has a positive impact for Hamish, his generation, and generations to come is our guiding light. I want my son to be proud of the business he inspired and all the good that it’s doing. I hope I can inspire him to bring his dreams and ideas to life one day too.
If you had the power to change one thing for working mothers, what would you change?
Flexible working without judgement. I feel fortunate that I had the ability to work when I wanted or needed to during Hamish’s early years, but I know how rare that is and I wanted to build a culture for my team that echoed that. I trust my team to work when suits them best; as long as they’re online for some core hours throughout the day for meetings the rest of the day is up to them.
Favourite hotel with or without children?
We go to Cameron House on Loch Lomond every summer. It balances luxury and child-friendly beautifully and the staff are incredible with Hamish. Ayada in the Maldives was truly one of a kind. It had a cheese island where all there was to do was drink wine and eat cheese. As if the Maldives wasn’t heavenly enough.
How do you think travel benefits your child?
For me travel is freedom and I really want my son to feel that too. A chance to explore and be free from everyday routine. A good holiday is one that’s filled with laughter and trying new things together. One of my trips was to the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia which is such a fascinating, different experience. I look forward to having adventures with Hamish. I would love to take him on safari and I love the look of Melozhori Game Reserve on the Western Cape in South Africa: serene, secluded, and with luxurious child-friendly lodgings.
Travel essentials with kids?
Magic water colouring books, sun cream, hat, iPad and snacks… all the snacks.
Your own travel essentials?
Earpods for podcasts and playlists, Desmond and Dempsy linen night dress as it can be worn as a nightie or as a sundress, and Weleda Skin Food.
If you have a day to yourself, what do you do?
Fill it with food and friends.
Heading ‘out out’ – where is your favourite spot?
Winchester is overflowing with amazing pubs. I’ve always been more of a pub than a club kinda girl so it suits me down to the ground. My favourite pub has to be The Wykeham Arms. Incredible food, brilliant atmosphere. I also love sitting outside one of Winchester’s nicest cafés, the General Store, on a warm summer evening with my mates and a bottle of rosé.
The best advice you would give to other mothers?
Be kind to yourself. Mum guilt is very real and I think we all punish ourselves, often unintentionally, for the smallest of things. Take time for yourself, fill up your cup doing what makes you happy and you’ll have more to give your child.
How do you do it?
With a lot of help, an incredible team and a lot of planning!
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Any Questions or Tips to add?