Meet Linzay: From Leaving a Dream Job to Founding a Maternity Leave Company

The Crossroads

Linzay landed her dream job when she was eight months pregnant.

“I applied and even completed my interview assignment while I was in labor. Two weeks after my daughter was born, they offered me the job and I accepted. I loved my job. I truly thought I’d work there forever.”

She worked through the early months of motherhood with one child, believing she had found the perfect balance.

But things shifted after her second baby.

“Two years later, I got pregnant again. When my second daughter was born, I went on parental leave with every intention of returning. But a newborn, a toddler, postpartum depression, and a global pandemic was just too much.”

Six weeks after returning to work, Linzay made the hardest call: she quit.

“And then I got mad. I felt like I had failed at being a working mom.”

The Turning Point

BUT - Linzay didn’t just stew in her anger. She turned it into action.

“I started researching. I listened to every podcast, watched every TED Talk, read every book I could find on how to be a successful working mom. I realized I wasn’t alone. So many other moms were struggling too.”

And in her search for answers, she uncovered a painful truth:

“I learned I had missed out on three months of paid leave because I didn’t know to apply. That was my tipping point.”

But, she recognized, finally - that not knowing her leave options wasn't a reflection of her, rather the system.

“I realized I didn’t fail. The system failed me. And I wasn’t going to let another mom go through what I did.”

The Shift

Linzay took all that knowledge and frustration and built something new.

“I started a parental leave consulting agency to help parents fully understand their benefits and maximize their paid leave so they can take the time off they need to recover physically and emotionally before returning to work.”

Now, she’s running her own business, and while she's working more hours than ever before — she is doing it on her own terms.

“I work more hours than I did in that job I once loved, but I’m the boss. I set the schedule. I make the deadlines. I set my goals. And yesterday, when my girls got home from school, we went to the beach. And it felt so, so good.”

The Challenges

Still, Linzay is honest about the emotional toll of that initial transition.

“The childcare logistics made so much more sense. It was in the middle of the pandemic and working with kids at home was impossible. Once I quit, I didn't have to worry about that anymore. But I felt like a failure.”

That sense of failure wasn’t rooted in truth — it was rooted in a system not built to support new parents.

What I Wish I’d Known

“There are so many other ways to have a successful career other than climbing the traditional corporate ladder.”

What Helped

“The Mom Project really inspired me to see that you didn't have to work full time, in office, 9-5 every day to have a career.”

Advice for Other Parents

Linzay’s advice is simple, yet a good reminder that you don't know until you try!

“If the finances make sense, just try. It doesn't have to be forever.”

Why This Story Matters

Because too many new parents still believe it’s their fault when they can’t “do it all.”

Because many still don’t know their rights when it comes to paid leave.

Because turning frustration into action can not only build your own future — it can change someone else’s too.

Want to connect with Linzay?
💼 Founder of Hello Bundle
📧 linzay@hello-bundle.com

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