We recently connected with Kimberly O’Neal and have shared our conversation below.

Kimberly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea for Modern Working Moms didn’t come from a business plan—it came from real life.

After becoming a mom myself—and especially walking through the postpartum season—I experienced firsthand just how drastically the workforce changes for women after having a child. Postpartum is such a vulnerable, identity-shifting time. You’re recovering physically, navigating emotions, learning your new role as a mom… and at the same time, there’s this underlying pressure about your career—What’s next? Can I go back? Do I even want to go back to what I was doing before?

I started having more and more conversations with other moms in that same season. Women who were incredibly talented—degrees, years of experience, leadership backgrounds—but felt completely stuck. They didn’t lack ambition. They lacked options that actually fit their lives now.

At the same time, I was hearing the opposite from companies: “We can’t find good talent.”

That disconnect didn’t sit right with me.

I remember thinking… how can both of these things be true at the same time?

That’s when it really clicked—this wasn’t a talent problem. It was a system problem.

The hiring process is built for linear careers and rigid schedules. It doesn’t account for real life—especially something as transformative as postpartum. Moms were being filtered out before they ever had a chance to show their value. Career gaps, shifting priorities, or the need for flexibility were being seen as limitations instead of what they really are—strength, resilience, and adaptability.

That realization is what sparked Modern Working Moms.

What got me most excited was the opportunity to do it differently. I didn’t want to create another job board where moms submit hundreds of applications and never hear back. I wanted to build something more intentional—where moms are actually seen, supported, and advocated for—especially during seasons like postpartum when confidence can feel shaken.

On the flip side, I knew companies didn’t need more resumes—they needed better, more aligned candidates. So we built a model where we pre-screen and truly get to know each mom—her experience, her strengths, her availability—so when we present candidates, they’re choosing from a small group of highly qualified, verified talent.

That’s where the logic really made sense to me.
We weren’t just helping moms—we were solving a real hiring inefficiency for companies too.

Are there other platforms that help people find jobs? Of course.
But what makes us different is the level of care and curation on both sides. We’re not trying to be the biggest—we’re trying to be the most effective.

At the core of it, this business is deeply personal to me. It’s about creating opportunities for moms to continue building careers without having to choose between their families and their professional identity—especially in seasons like postpartum, where support matters most.

And once I saw how real that need was—on both sides—I knew this wasn’t just a good idea.

It was something that had to exist.

Kimberly, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Kimberly O’Neal, and I’m the Founder and CEO of Modern Working Moms.

At my core, I’m a builder, a connector, and most importantly—a mom. My journey into this space wasn’t traditional recruiting or HR. It came from lived experience. After becoming a mom and walking through postpartum, I saw how quickly the professional world can shift for women. You go from being confident and established in your career to suddenly questioning how—or if—you fit back into it.

I started noticing something bigger than just my own experience. I was surrounded by incredibly talented moms—women with strong resumes, leadership experience, specialized skills—who wanted to work, but needed flexibility. At the same time, I kept hearing companies say they couldn’t find qualified candidates.

That gap is what pulled me into this work.

I didn’t set out to build “another job platform.” I set out to fix a disconnect.

Today, Modern Working Moms is a curated hiring platform and community designed specifically to connect experienced moms with flexible, remote, and hybrid opportunities. But what we do goes much deeper than job matching.

On the candidate side, we don’t just let moms create a profile and hope for the best. We pre-screen, get to know them personally, understand their experience, their strengths, and their availability. We help them rebuild confidence—especially for those coming out of career gaps or postpartum transitions—and position them in a way that reflects their true value.

On the employer side, we simplify hiring in a way that’s efficient and intentional. Instead of sorting through hundreds of resumes, companies receive a small, curated group of highly qualified, pre-vetted candidates—typically three—who are aligned not just on skills, but on expectations and availability.

We’re solving two major problems at once:

For moms, we’re solving the lack of accessible, flexible opportunities that respect both their professional capabilities and their role at home.

For companies, we’re solving the inefficiency of traditional hiring—helping them access an overlooked, highly capable talent pool without the noise.

What truly sets us apart is our level of care and curation. We’re not a volume-based platform. We’re relationship-driven. Every mom on our platform is there for a reason, and every company we partner with is vetted as well. That balance creates better outcomes on both sides.

I’m especially proud of the community we’ve built. We have thousands of moms who have chosen to be part of Modern Working Moms—not because they were marketed to, but because they felt seen. Many of them were personally accepted into our network, and that intentionality has created a level of trust that you don’t often see in this space.

I’m also incredibly proud of the real-life impact. Every time a mom gets hired, it’s not just a job placement—it’s confidence restored, financial support for her family, and a reminder that her career didn’t end when motherhood began.

What I want people to know about me and this brand is that this is deeply personal. This isn’t just business—it’s purpose-driven work.

We’re not trying to be the biggest platform out there. We’re focused on being the most effective, the most trusted, and the most human.

Modern Working Moms exists to prove that when you rethink how work is structured, you don’t have to choose between being a present parent and a successful professional.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing our clientele has been relationship-driven growth combined with proof of results.

In the early stages, I didn’t focus on scaling quickly—I focused on getting really close to both sides of the marketplace. I spent a lot of time having real conversations with moms and with employers, understanding their pain points, and making intentional connections. That hands-on approach allowed me to refine our process and deliver strong early outcomes.

From there, everything started to compound.

Our biggest growth driver today is word-of-mouth and referrals—especially from companies who have hired through us. When an employer experiences the difference between sorting through hundreds of resumes versus receiving a small group of highly vetted, aligned candidates, it stands out. We’ve had clients come back with additional roles or refer us to other departments and companies simply because the process was easier and more effective.

On the candidate side, growth has been fueled by community trust. Our mom network has grown organically because women feel genuinely supported here. Many of them invite others in, share opportunities, and advocate for the platform because they’ve either benefited directly or see the value in how intentional the process is.

Another key strategy has been targeted, relationship-first outreach. Instead of mass emailing or taking a high-volume sales approach, I focus on connecting with specific companies—especially in industries where flexible work is realistic—and starting conversations. Whether it’s through LinkedIn, local partnerships, or warm introductions, the goal is always to build a relationship first, not push a transaction.

We’ve also leaned into credibility through storytelling. Sharing real placement stories, testimonials, and behind-the-scenes insight into how we work has been incredibly powerful. It helps both moms and companies understand that this isn’t just an idea—it’s something that’s actively working.

What makes this strategy effective is that it aligns with how we operate as a business. We’re not trying to be transactional or high-volume—we’re focused on quality, trust, and long-term partnerships.

And in this space, that’s what truly drives sustainable growth.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I believe my reputation has been built on a combination of consistency, transparency, and genuinely caring about the outcomes for both sides.

From the very beginning, I’ve been extremely hands-on. I didn’t just launch a platform and step back—I was personally involved in conversations with moms, vetting candidates, communicating with employers, and making sure the experience actually delivered what I said it would. That level of involvement built trust early on.

Another big factor has been doing what I say I’m going to do. In recruiting, timelines slip, communication drops, and expectations aren’t always clear. I made it a priority to be different. If I tell a company I’m going to send candidates, I do. If a mom is in our process, she’s not left wondering what’s next. That consistency has gone a long way.

Transparency has also played a huge role. I’m very open with both moms and employers about how our process works—what to expect, where they stand, and why decisions are being made. That clarity builds confidence and removes a lot of the frustration people typically feel in hiring.

I also think our level of curation has helped shape our reputation. We’re not sending over large volumes of candidates—we’re sending a small number of highly aligned, pre-screened moms. When companies see that the candidates are not only qualified but prepared and confident, it reflects back on our brand immediately.

On top of that, I’ve been intentional about showing up and telling the story—whether that’s on LinkedIn, in conversations, or through partnerships. Sharing real results, real placements, and real experiences has helped people understand that this isn’t just a concept—it’s something that works.

And honestly, a big part of it comes down to care. This isn’t transactional for me. Every placement matters. Every mom matters. Every company relationship matters. People can feel that—and I think that’s what has really set us apart and helped build a strong, trusted reputation in our market.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.modernworkingmoms.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1034126771346525/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyonealmwm/

Image Credits

865 Fest Photography