Episode 49: Working mama-is juggling it “ALL” even possible? Vega Coffee’s co-founder Noushin Ketabi
Episode Description
Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart, and being a mom preneur only makes things that much more challenging. This week’s guest is not only the Co-founder of Vega Coffee, the first online marketplace for farmer roasted coffee, is also a former lawyer and mama of a two year old named Sahar.
Noushin leads Vega’s operations, product development, and branding. She is also a certified coffee roaster and licensed Q Grader—a professionally trained cupper accredited by the Coffee Quality Institute to grade Arabica coffee.
Prior to Vega, Noushin served as a Senior Regulatory Analyst for the California Public Utilities Commission, and completed a Fulbright in Nicaragua on its renewable energy policy framework in 2011. She earned a joint J.D./M.A. in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University and a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, with honors.
Noushin absolutely loves coffee, and the people and places involved in creating it.The cool thing about Vega Coffee is it represents a totally new way to experience coffee by connecting the world’s coffee lovers more directly with the world’s coffee growers (specifically in Nicaragua and Columbia.)
This soul mamma shares with our listeners about being a mama, lawyer and co-founder of a company as well as the realities of carving out time for it “all.”
Take-Aways:
(4:30) Sometimes mamas feel like major failures and some days not- Noushin believes that’s just motherhood and that perfection is not attainable.
(09:26) Balance is a FANTASY. Juggling a personal, family and professional life as a working mom is never a “balance.”
(13:51) How sometime society assumes her work, because she’s a mom, is not as serious as her husbands, even though they are partners and co-founders.
(19:44) Turning guilt into gratitude and the importance of having a support system as a mom.
(27:45) As mamas we don’t get the immediate feedback from our kids that “we are doing something right” or “doing a good job” so Noushin says it’s been humbling having to give herself accolades instead.
(30:20) Noushin reflects on traveling alone across the world as a female for work and experiencing naysayers.
(44:26) Exemplifying a life where she doesn’t doubt herself in front of her daughter is of the utmost importance for Noushin. She admits it isn’t always easy though!
Memorable Quotes:
“I’ve heard people say ‘oh your work must not be as serious as your husband’s’, even though we’re literally co -founders doing the same thing, simply because I’m a woman and now I’ve chosen to start my family.”
” I’m trying to stop feeling guilt when I need my own time.”
“I really care about and love the work I do. And getting to travel and do this work I love and have a family, so it is like my dream.”
“I want to show my daughter that you don’t need to be like guilt ridden when you enjoy and care about something.”
“This world can be a beautiful place when we’ve got this community minded perspective on the world and we look and think outside of ourselves,”
