Mums in Tech ft. Natalie Millen
As part of our ‘Mums in Tech’ series, we caught up with Natalie Millen, Senior Marketing Manager at Loqate, GBG.
The purpose of our 'MotherBoard’ content series is to highlight incredible working mums within tech & data, as well as individuals and businesses that are supportive and progressive within their approach to creating more inclusive tech & data teams for women.
Firstly, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your current role?
I’m Natalie Millen, a mum of two (ages 5 and 2) and Senior Marketing Manager for Loqate – the world’s leading provider of address validation technology. I’ve worked in the tech industry for over a decade now. It’s a challenging, fast-paced industry, but one that’s never boring!
If you could sum up what it’s like being a working mum in tech in one sentence, what would it be?
Being a working mum and working in tech are actually pretty similar. Juggling multiple dependencies, shifting priorities, the unexpected bugs and the satisfaction of when it all comes together.
“There’s always that little voice saying ‘you’re not doing enough’”
How do you find the balance between your career and motherhood?
I think it’s about setting boundaries and sticking to them as much as possible. For instance, I block off specific hours for school runs and make sure my colleagues know my working schedule. This alignment helps me manage my time and focus on what’s in front of me without feeling guilty about it. When I’m with my children it’s important I’m fully present and not checking in on emails – as tempting as it is sometimes! That said flexibility is just as important. I’ve had to host a company-wide meeting before with a poorly child next to me, knowing full well they could make a surprise appearance at any given moment! Perfection isn’t the goal – balance is. The key is finding a rhythm that works for you and just embracing the chaos when it inevitably happens.
What has been your greatest challenge as a working mother in tech?
Imposter syndrome, hands down. There’s always that little voice saying ‘you’re not doing enough’ – at work, at home, anywhere. Particularly in tech where things move fast it’s easy to feel like you need to prove yourself constantly. But as Suzy Kassem says: "Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will." Overcoming imposter syndrome is recognising your worth, leaning on your support systems and remembering that growth comes from embracing challenges – not avoiding them.
“Overcoming imposter syndrome is recognising your worth, leaning on your support systems and remembering that growth comes from embracing challenges”
What skills have you developed as a mother that have helped your work life?
Motherhood is basically a crash course in leadership, crisis management and extreme multitasking. Nothing teaches you about time management than trying to navigate a 5-year-old’s social calendar with a toddler’s nap schedule that changes daily. It also teaches you how to focus on what truly matters and the most of every minute. I’ve also had to try and master prioritisation, negotiation (ever tried convincing a toddler to wear a hat?) and efficiency.
When you were returning to work, what one thing helped you / would have helped you the most?
The one thing that helped me the most was having a clear and flexible transition plan. At Loqate, we’re fortunate to have a flexible return-to-work policy, which really helped ease the pressure of returning to work.
Having a solid support network both at work and at home is also crucial. Listening to people who have been through it all before is so reassuring. Other parents who can assure you that the guilt, the exhaustion and constant juggling is all normal! Just hearing the ‘I’ve been there, and it gets easier’ gave me the perspective I needed on those tough days.
“Tech evolves fast, but childhood moves even faster and the struggles you’re facing now won’t last forever”
What do you feel should be the top priority for employers who want to support working mothers better?
For employers who want to support mums, flexibility should absolutely be top of the list. But not just for mums but for all parents and caregivers. I think there’s still a way to go when it comes to gender quality in the workplace. Too often the default assumption is that mums will be the ones to adjusting their schedule or requesting time off when a child’s sick or needs a doctor’s appointment etc.
I am fortunate that my employer is great and understands this. Supporting working parents means offering equal parental leave, flexible working options and a culture that encourages dads to take on those caregiver responsibilities too.
Any final words of advice for other mothers in the Tech Industry?
When the balancing act feels overwhelming, remind yourself how quickly things can change. Tech evolves fast, but childhood moves even faster and the struggles you’re facing now won’t last forever. Balancing motherhood and career will look different for each of us, as well as now or in three years which is why it’s also so important not to compare yourself to others. Some of my friends and colleagues work less days than I do and some work more - do what works for you and your family.
And lastly to remember that being a great mum and career-driven aren’t mutually exclusive.
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