New York City — Every working mother feels the crushing weight of juggling professional obligations with the demands of raising a family. American corporate culture has long been defined by its inflexibility and lack of acknowledgment for workers’ responsibilities outside the workplace. This leaves many of the 85 million mothers in the United States in a difficult position. As more women reevaluate their career choices, the logical answer for some has been to start their own business. But where to begin?
Enter MOTHER / FOUNDER: 68 Women on the Trials and Triumphs of Starting a Business and Raising a Family (Artisan Books; October 29, 2024; $35) by self-employed moms Amanda Jane Jones—co-creator and founding designer of Kinfolk—and former magazine and digital editor Jennifer Fernandez. An empowering celebration of women who are dedicated mothers and successful entrepreneurs, it reveals how each founder pursued their entrepreneurial dreams, overcame obstacles, and found professional contentment, all while providing for their families and parenting their children. The book’s variety is powerful: it features farmers, lawyers, midwives, pastry chefs, authors, multihyphenate brand-builders (like Jungalow’s Justina Blakeney)—and more.
Some readers will enjoy MOTHER / FOUNDER as a daily burst of inspiration; others, curious about what it would take to make the leap, can use it as a practical roadmap for considering their next steps. It’s a gift of encouragement both for women at the beginning of their careers and for those feeling stale, stuck, and ready for something new.
Jones and Fernandez are refreshingly open about their own struggles and triumphs with balancing motherhood and creative ambition. To quote Brené Brown, who is featured in the book’s introduction, “It is a terrible myth to believe that once we have children, our journey ends and theirs begins. For many of us, the most interesting and productive times in our lives come after we have children.” MOTHER / FOUNDER aims to help mothers feel seen and to give them advice that sparks their imagination and helps them take ownership of their dreams.
ALSO FROM AMANDA JANE JONES
From award-winning Kinfolk founding art director, HOMEBODY: 12 DIY Posters to Decorate Your Happy Place (Workman Publishing; October 22, 2024; $19.99) is a curated collection of DIY typographic posters offers affordable, unique artwork celebrates the joyful coziness of home. Complete with 12 perforated foldout posters, each speaks directly to the homebody lifestyle: eggs & bacon, sweatpants, cat nap, book club, fuzzy socks, and more. The posters feature large vintage block letter typography and a black-and-white palette, inviting the reader to decorate them however they choose—with colored pencils, tissue paper, markers, ink pens, watercolor, collage paper. Once you’re finished decorating your poster, hang it up on your wall as a unique display of art, creativity, and decoration.
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Amanda Jane Jones was the co-creator and founding designer of Kinfolk, and is now a freelance graphic designer, illustrator, and children’s book author. She has been featured by Architectural Digest, The New York Times, and Martha Stewart Living, as well as online publications that include Mother Mag, Cup of Jo, Domino, Wit & Delight, Oh Joy!, VSCO, Gap, and Click Magazine. Her product collaborations include Opinel, Revival Rugs, Solly Baby, and Schoolhouse Electric. She is a recent transplant to the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, after having all of her children (Jane, Miles, and Wes) on the south side of Chicago. Her kids were the inspiration for her books Yum Yummy Yuck, The Hair Book, Fuzzy Furry Ouch, and Decorate the Tree. Find her at amandajanejones.com and @amandajanejones.
Jennifer Fernandez is a former magazine and digital editor who has written about design, travel, and food for nationwide publications that include The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Travel + Leisure, Esquire, Departures, House Beautiful, Elle Décor, Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes & Gardens, and Domino. She currently resides in New Jersey with her husband and two young daughters, Sophie and Maren.
ABOUT THE BOOK
MOTHER / FOUNDER: 68 Women on the Trials and Triumphs of Starting a Business and Raising a Family by Amanda Jane Jones & Jennifer Fernandez
On Sale: October 29, 2024
ISBN: 9781648293450 (Hardcover) | Price: $35.00 US
ABOUT THE DIY POSTERS
HOMEBODY: 12 DIY Posters to Decorate Your Happy Place by Amanda Jane Jones
On Sale: October 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781523529452 (Paperback) | Price: $19.99 US
For more information, please contact:
Diana Griffin / Assistant Director of Publicity & Marketing / diana.griffin@hbgusa.com / (212) 614-7775
PRAISE FOR MOTHER / FOUNDER
“As any mother knows, the balance between finding gratification in your work and spending quality time with your kids, all while avoiding mom guilt, is a constant challenge. And it’s compounded when you see social media highlight reels showing mothers seemingly doing it all, having it all, looking great, and feeling great. The stories in Mother / Founder peel back the curtain in a way that is truly relatable, helpful, and inspiring. It will get you dreaming in a new, exciting way.”
–Molly Yeh, New York Times bestselling author and Food Network host
“I wish this book existed when I was raising my three boys and building my first beauty brand! The stories of these mother/founders are so inspirational and remind any woman who is starting a business and juggling the demands of a family that they’re not alone. We see you. We’ve got you. Now go build your support system and crush it.”
–Bobbi Brown, makeup artist and founder, Jones Road Beauty
“A true companion for anyone weathering that seemingly impossible distance between making lunches and making launch day, this book is equal parts a whisper to keep going and a thunderclap to start today. These are the stories we need more than ever.”
–Katie Thurmes Gloeckler, cofounder of Artifact Uprising
“Full of stories and practical advice from a diverse group of mother entrepreneurs that is sure to inspire you like it inspired me.”
–Aran Goyoaga, James Beard–nominated author of Cannelle et Vanille cookbooks
“How did this book not exist until now? Reading these working moms’ stories, their advice, and the brass tacks of their daily routines gave me much-needed affirmation as I navigate life with my new baby while going after my professional dreams. It’s hard! But as one contributor aptly put it, my work makes me who I am, and it makes me a better mother. This book was like chicken soup for my tired-mom soul.”
–Hopie Stockman Hill, co-founder and CEO of Block Shop Textiles
“Mother / Founder shines a much-needed light on the complex and profound journey of being a mom entrepreneur. Amanda and Jennifer have created within the pages of this book a community for those of us holding up economies, families, and dreams, and reminded us: we’ve got this.”
–Karen Chan, author, lawyer, and founder of Gloo Books
“Reading this book is like being invited into a circle of wise and brilliant mothers who generously share their experience and advice on creating fulfilling careers on their own terms. An empowering reminder that there is no one perfect blueprint to motherhood and successful entrepreneurship.”
–Erin Jang, illustrator and founder of the Indigo Bunting
For more information, please contact:
Allison McGeehon / Executive Director, Publicity, Marketing, & Publishing Strategy / allison.mcgeehon@hbgusa.com / (212) 614-7705