Zoe Williams on Rebuilding a Business While Raising a Baby
Aegle’s began with a simple but powerful idea: to help women clear their skin and regain confidence after my own struggles with acne. That vision grew into a trusted brand with steadily climbing sales, and on New Year’s Eve 2023, my journey took on even greater meaning with the birth of my baby — a new beginning for both me and Aegle’s.
I suddenly found myself learning how to be a mother and a founder at the same time. With no childcare, minimal sleep, and a baby who needed me around the clock, I had to cut back to working just one day a week. Unsurprisingly, sales dropped by half.
But I also learned some powerful lessons during that time — lessons I think any woman balancing business and family can take encouragement from.
- Sometimes Survival Is Enough
In those early months of motherhood, my goal wasn’t growth; it was survival. I worked in nap windows, squeezed in emails between feeds, and did just enough to keep the lights on.
If you’re in a season of overwhelm, it’s okay to shift your expectations. You don’t always need to be scaling. Sometimes keeping things afloat is the win.
- Listen to Your Customers
Even when sales slowed, one thing never stopped: the incredible feedback from our community. Women were sharing how Aegle’s had transformed their skin and, more importantly, their confidence.
That feedback reminded me why I started and gave me the fuel to keep going. Your customers can often be your biggest source of motivation — and your best advocates.
- Focus on the Few Things That Matter
When you only have one day a week to work, you learn to cut the noise. I stopped trying to do everything and focused on the highest-impact tasks. For me, that meant encouraging our customers to share authentic before-and-after stories. Word-of-mouth turned into a growth engine that no marketing budget could match.
Sometimes less really is more.
- Get Support and Mentorship
I wouldn’t have turned things around without working with my mentor, who helped me prioritise and gave me the accountability I needed. We often feel like we should be able to do it all alone, but seeking support — whether from a mentor, coach, or community of peers — can make the difference between burnout and breakthrough.
- Redefine Success on Your Own Terms
By summer 2025, our revenue had more than tripled. But for me, the biggest success isn’t the numbers. It’s proving that you don’t have to choose between growing a business and being present as a mum.
Success looks different for everyone. For me, it’s being able to work one day a week while raising my son — and still building a thriving brand.
Looking Ahead
Aegle’s continues to help women feel confident in their skin. At its heart, this business is a reminder that women don’t need to sacrifice one part of their identity to succeed in another.
If you’re a woman building something while raising a family, I want you to know, it’s possible. Not easy, but possible. The key is focus, support, and redefining what success means for you.
So tell me — what would success look like for you, on your terms?
By Zoe Williams
About the Author
Zoe Williams is the founder of Aegle’s, a fast-growing skincare supplement brand designed to help women feel confident in their own skin. Just three years after launch, Zoe rebuilt the business to over £150,000 in monthly revenue while raising her baby and working only one day a week. Passionate about female entrepreneurship and redefining success for working mothers, Zoe is building Aegle’s to prove that balance and growth can go hand in hand
