Insights From Moms in MFG Conference Speaker Julie Knisley
Balancing Work and Life
With Julie Knisley, Founder and CEO
We are honored to have Julie Knisley as a Moms in MFG Virtual Conference speaker. Her roundtable session focuses on balancing work and life. Julie Knisley is a designer of baby furniture with a palpable passion. She founded Milk Street Baby with a focus on child safety. As the only woman-owned and operated crib manufacturer in the USA, Milk Street Baby offers cribs made by moms for moms.
Why is having a community of working caregivers in the manufacturing industry important?
"Working caregivers have a pulse on what is most important to the everyday American. Moms are often the bridge between the younger generation which they take care of at home and the next generation which we cater to at work. With the investment in Moms, we see a financial and social growth in the community which we know directly benefits the children they take care of.
Every industry benefits when we employ caregivers. The conscientiousness and attention to detail that a person applies to our work is a desirable “soft skill.” Any industry that wants to move forward needs to include women at every step of the way. You know what? Our businesses need women who are caregivers."
How have you navigated a successful work-life balance?
"I don’t believe that I ever quite feel successful at work-life balance, yet I work hard at it. Every day, the demands on or time and attention grow and vary. There is not a month that goes by that leaves me feeling that something could have been handled better. But here I am as living proof that execution beats perfection. Women get burdened with the expectation of perfection both at home and at work. Shedding that expectation it allowed me a whole career of professional leadership."
What advice do you have for working caregivers?
"Be a good steward of your own health; mentally, physically, and emotionally. I think the grind gets a lot of praise. Do you want to be ground into powder though? I don’t recommend it. A lot came to a head during the pandemic, we saw how thin moms were being stretched. If possible, keep that buffer between ambition and exhaustion so you can adapt when life hits."
Want to see Julie in action? Register for our Moms in MFG Virtual Conference on August 11, 2022
