Allison Robinson | The Mom Project
Allison Robinson
Co-Founder and CEO of The Mom Project, a digital talent marketplace that helps women remain active in the workforce.
What Is The Mom Project?
The Mom Project is a digital talent marketplace that seamlessly connects talented women with companies eager for their skills and experience. By supporting a range of work types - part-time, freelance, full-time, contract, contingent - with companies that understand the critical nature of the mission, we ensure parents, careers (and companies) can all thrive simultaneously. Our mission is to build a better workplace for the future by connecting incredible talent with rewarding opportunities, serving as the career destination for moms. We believe women shouldn’t be forced to choose between their careers and families and we’re proud to work with some of the best companies and business leaders to make this vision a reality.
What Is Your Background? What Inspired You To Start The Mom Project?
The Mom Project has been in the market for over 4 years, founded in 2016. I started the company while I was on maternity leave with my eldest son, Asher. While out, I came across a stat from Harvard Business Review I’ll never forget: 43% of American women leave the workforce after having children. I started to imagine a future where women wouldn’t have to make a choice between their families and careers, and couldn’t stop thinking about what a real solution might look like. So I decided to leave my job at P&G and started working on The Mom Project.
What Have Been Both Your Favorite And Least-Liked Parts Of Your Entrepreneurial Journey? What Have Been Your Most Challenging And Most Exciting Moments For You And The Company?
I’d have to say the best and most rewarding part of this journey is every time we impact the lives of our talent community. Getting to hear from moms who are now in their dream roles with the flexibility they need for their families makes me so proud to be building The Mom Project.
As far as challenges, raising venture capital would be at the top of the list.
What Was The Fundraising Process Like For You? Tell Us What You Can About The Money You’ve Raised.
Raising venture funding is really hard, honestly one of the most challenging experiences for me professionally, but proved to be the most effective path for us to scale the business to the size where we could have the most impact.
Can You Walk Us Through A Work Day? What Does A Typical Day For You Look Like From When You Wake Up Till You Go To Sleep?
As CEO, I am responsible for delivering on the company’s mission while supporting our customers through innovative talent solutions that help them attract and retain the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives they need to propel their businesses forward. As for my typical day, it varies but when I’m not spending time with my family, I am usually either meeting with my team, customers or plotting out our long-term roadmap.
Just A Few Months Ago, Serena Williams Joined The Mom Project As A Strategic Advisor. How Did That Come About And What Has It Been Like Working With Serena?
Serena has been a long-time inspiration of mine. She’s an absolute powerhouse in her many fields, an amazing mother, and a vocal advocate supporting women in the workplace. Having her join the team as an advisor was such a perfect alignment to our mission and her strength and presence in the market. We’re so thrilled to be backed by her.
Employment Has Taken Quite A Hit This Year With COVID-19. How Has The Mom Project Adapted To The Market Shifts? Also Do You Think This WFH Movement Is Here To Stay?
Definitely. We’ve always focused on remote and flexible jobs for our community but the acceleration of the workplace shifts are good for everyone.
How Do You Think Your Industry (Or The World In General) Will Change Post-COVID?
When it comes to the future of our industry , undoubtedly there will be more companies embracing remote work. Through these uncertain times, The Mom Project remains a leader in the remote work landscape. Flexibility in the workplace is in high demand. I believe what flex means will change as the workplace evolves. And that all work types (contingent, freelance) will be looked at -- and embraced -- by companies as they strive to improve employee sentiment and retention.
Can You Tell Us About Some Of Your Numbers? How Has Growth Been Over The Past Couple Of Years? Anything Exciting That Will Be Launching Soon?
In just four years, The Mom Project has grown tremendously. We now have over 100 employees across the country, 275K professionals in our community network and 2,000+ partner companies signed on to hire with us. We’ve connected talented professionals to over $50M in economic opportunity since our inception in 2016. To date, we’ve raised $36M in funding. We have a lot of exciting things in the works,(talent clouds, new platforms) so stay tuned!
What Are The Top Three Most Important Skills A Modern Day Entrepreneur Needs In Order To Be Successful? What Advice Do You Have For Entrepreneurs Who Are Just Starting Out?
I’d say that finding a group of mentors and advisors is one of the most important things I’ve done. As a first time entrepreneur, there’s a lot I was learning everyday, and am still learning. Having a group of trusted people I could lean on for support and advice when at any crossroads, gave me the confidence and guidance I needed.
Tell Us A Story Of Something That Happened To You, Something You Heard, Or Something You Saw, That Either Made You Laugh Or Taught You An Important Lesson.
Earlier this year I was in Boston with a prospective investor for an all day meeting. The meeting ran long and I missed every flight, train, and bus from Boston to New York, where I had a meeting the next morning I could not miss. After running through every possible scenario with my amazing executive assistant we decided I'd take a 3-hour Uber ride from Boston to New York that evening. Looking back on the night (and after catching up on sleep) I was able to laugh at the lengths taken to make these meetings happen, but it also reaffirmed something for me - when you get creative to solve a problem, there is always a way.
What Is Your Favorite Quote And Why Does It Resonate With You?
Work Hard and Be Nice. This quote has stuck with me since I was young, and it now embodies the core values we hold at The Mom Project.
If You Can Have A One-Hour Meeting With Someone Famous Who Is Alive, Who Would It Be And Why?
Melinda Gates - She’s such a strong and intelligent mom, and we share so many goals in closing the gender gap for women, I think I could learn so much from her that would support my journey personally, and really help expand the breadth of The Mom Project. But I will say, I hope for more than an hour with her one day.
If You Could Change The World By Focusing On Just One Cause, What Would It Be And Why?
I honestly feel like I am doing that already. Being able to help close the gender gap and help moms get connected with employers who respect and value them feels like I get to change the world everyday.
What Does Success Mean To You?
Isn’t it funny how definitions of success change as you unlock more and more of your potential. For me, and The Mom Project as a whole, success looks like a world where no one has to choose between a career that ignites them and the family they love. We work daily to bring change to society’s current understanding of the workplace and to create workplaces that support & value all employees holistically. And while we know there is much to be done, even more evidently now in the wake of this pandemic and with the staggering number of moms and parents leaving the workforce, every step we take in the direction of equity is another layer of success we can celebrate.
