Navigating Motherhood while Climbing the Corporate Ladder with Blair Crawford

I recently had the opportunity to interview my friend, Blair Crawford, on Redefining Motherhood. She is the Executive Vice President of Leasing and Marketing at Vertical Bridge. She understands the true essence of navigating the boardroom in the corporate world and shares with us so many valuable insights from her career journey.

Blair's Path to Success

Blair took her first leap of faith working in a company after college when they offered her training. She said it's important early on to try new things and trust those who want to help you grow. After graduating, she found mentors while working at different companies who invested in teaching her a wide range of skills. Blair worked in sales and management roles and each new challenge helped her gain experience to advance. Blair said having the courage to take risks led her to keep growing in her career.

Balancing Motherhood and Career

Blair became a stepmom when she married her husband and after that, had her own son too. When she had her baby, Blair worked from home after maternity leave. She said being able to balance work and taking care of her newborn really helped her mental health. Even though others worried, she found a way to continue climbing the career ladder while being a mom. She wants other women to know you don't have to choose between family and your job.

Giving Back through Mentorship

Now that Blair has reached an executive level position, she enjoys mentoring others. Blair spends extra time coaching her team members. She wants them all to achieve their career goals just like her mentors helped her. She believes in investing back into people to help them succeed. Part of what defines Blair's success is seeing those around her grow too from her guidance and support.

Speaking Up for Yourself

One of Blair's most important pieces of advice in this episode, is advocating for yourself. She thinks it's not enough to just work hard - you need to clearly state your goals and desires. She suggests having career-focused conversations with your boss and seeking out mentors. Don't wait to be noticed for promotions - make sure the right people know your strengths and ambitions. Planning is also key to setting goals you can work towards each year.

Taking on Challenges

Throughout her career, Blair has faced many challenges but kept striving to learn more. She took initial risks which paid off. Even after becoming a Mom, she still pursued increasing responsibilities in her career. Blair's drive to continuously take on new roles has led her to her executive position where she helps many companies. Her story proves that you really CAN redefine motherhood.

I'm thankful Blair was willing to share her experiences on my podcast. Her journey shows other women we don't need to choose just one path - we can balance both career and family. Go ahead and listen to the full episode here.