Balancing biz dev and bottles

It starts with checklists. Lots and lots of checklist.

Do I have my materials, outfits, and company credit card? What about the baby – does my spouse remember what time to give the baby her medicine? Do they have the number to the pediatrician? My flight info?

… Should I just stay home?

This is probably a familiar feeling to many parents in business development. The word “multi-tasker” seems inadequate to describe the grace that parents like TWO MEN AND A TRUCK?’s Taylor Kimichik operate with on a daily basis. Kimichik leads TWO MEN AND A TRUCK? ’s corporate relocation efforts and travels to dozens of events each year to build relationships with current and potential talent and mobility partners. She is also a new mom to her six-month-old daughter, Eliza Jade.

Balancing the demands of parenthood alongside the desire to build and maintain a career that requires travel and time away from home is no easy task. These high achievers create routines and systems that allow them to operate at elite levels at work and at home.

Kimichik and some of her peers within the demanding corporate relocation and mobility field have advice for parents in this rewarding industry who may be struggling with executing their roles at work, while minimizing tradeoffs in their personal lives.

“You have to have a strong support system from your significant other, and you have to evaluate if you really need to be at each particular event,” said Joe Dudek, CRP, GMS-T .

Dudek is a dad of two children and a Senior Relocation Account Manager for Rocket Mortgage . Joe has been with Rocket Mortgage for more than 18 years and knows more than most the kind of sacrifices that come with a role in the mobility space. Several years ago, after an evening flight landed, Dudek turned on his phone to listen to the jubilation of his family back home as his daughter took her first steps.

“I found an empty area in the airport, went behind a sign, and cried. That is when I knew something needed to change,” he recalled about the day.

Dudek wants parents in the mobility space to avoid his mistake. He always felt supported by Rocket Mortgage and never felt pressured to sacrifice personal time for the job but early on in his career, he put pressure on himself to attend everything under the sun.

“I don’t put that pressure on myself anymore,” he said. “What I try to do now is combine events if I am already traveling. I will look for other events that can become part of that travel time away from my family.”

Kate Reisinger, CRP , is the Executive VP of Member Services for Leading Real Estate Companies of the World . Reisinger is the mother of twin girls and has been an active figure in the relocation space for more than a decade. She wants parents who work in this space to know there are companies out there that support work-life balance.

“Leading RE fully supports me as a mother. Our team will trade responsibilities to accommodate schedules if needed, and there is never pressure to miss out on important events,” said Reisinger. “One thing I learned from the travel reductions caused by COVID is that you can still maintain great relationships and be ‘active’ in the community while being remote or virtual.”

Both Dudek and Reisinger recommend that companies evaluate how often they are requiring their Business Development team members to physically come into the office. Eliminating a few days of commuting and in-office time can add dozens of hours a week back into your team members’ home life.

Kimichik agrees that spousal support, flexible work options, and being virtually present at events are important tools needed to thrive as a parent in the relocation and mobility space. She advises anyone who is hesitant to work in this industry to know that finding a balance between a career that requires travel and being present as parent is possible. Learn to prioritize unplugging from work when you are with your family and recharge when you are away from them.

“I’m a better mom when I have a purpose and identity outside of our home,” Kimichik said. “I want my daughter to grow up knowing the value of working hard, so it’s my job to show her the importance of balancing a career and raising a family. At the end of the day, our goal is to raise future leaders. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.”

About:

Rocket Mortgage ? provides transferees with mortgage solutions through simplified technology and process to create an unparalleled experience.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World ??is the home of the world's market-leading independent residential brokerages in over 70 countries, with 550 firms and 136,000 sales associates producing 1.2 million global transactions.