Today we’d like to introduce you to Audrey Hutnick

Hi Audrey, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

After spending a transformative year working and traveling through Australia, I joined the marketing department of a non-profit dedicated to promoting cultural exchange programs. When COVID-19 brought travel to a halt, I utilized my marketing skills to enter the small business world and co-found Smallwave Marketing. Our agency focused on serving mission-driven small businesses. We then organically found ourselves working with women business owners, often in their 20s to 40s.

During this time, we recognized a significant gap: there were no resources or support to help small business owners navigate maternity leave. In response, Smallwave Marketing evolved into Smallwave Consulting, where we now specialize in parental leave consulting for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

One of the main struggles I encountered along the way was being located in Illinois, which is not one of the 13 states or Washington D.C. that has a paid family leave program. This meant that there was no financial support available to me or my fellow small business owners when it came to taking time off for family needs. This lack of support posed a significant challenge as we had to navigate the complexities of parental leave without any external assistance.

Another major struggle was the dual role I found myself in. Not only was I working to support other small business owners in planning and implementing their parental leave, but I was also a small business owner myself, trying to figure out my own paid maternity leave. Balancing the demands of running a business while ensuring I had a plan in place for my own leave was incredibly challenging.

Once I had my son, everything changed. My priorities shifted, bringing new challenges to my business. Managing a business while adjusting to the demands of motherhood required a reevaluation of my work-life balance and the structure of my business. These personal experiences further underscored the importance of our mission at Smallwave Consulting, driving us to create better resources and support systems for small business owners navigating parental leave.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Smallwave Consulting?

At Smallwave Consulting, we specialize in helping small business owners plan for and navigate parental leave. We know how tough it can be to balance growing a business and your family. This is why we’re here to provide support during this big life change.

Together, we create ways to plan, budget, automate, and delegate parts of your business so you can take the parental leave you deserve. We believe you shouldn’t have to choose between growing your business and growing your family.

Our services include:

Plan and Prepare: With our downloadable planning guide and resources we help you create a comprehensive parental leave plan, so you can feel prepared and confident.

Custom Assessment: In just two hours, we learn about your needs and develop a parental leave plan that works for you. After that, we’ll provide you with all the customized details so you have an actionable game plan.

We’ve been through the same challenges and understand what it takes to grow your business while growing your family. We’re proud of our commitment to helping small business owners thrive both personally and professionally.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?

One piece of advice that’s worked well for me is to find the right networking group. For instance, joining a group like Women Belong was a game changer for me. This is a group of intentional women business owners that meets twice a month. Being part of a group like this that meets regularly is crucial because it helps ensure your name gets mentioned even when you’re not in the room. This kind of consistent presence can open doors to new opportunities and become especially helpful when taking time off for a parental leave.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.smallwaveconsulting.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallwaveconsulting/