“New mothers don’t just want to talk about nappies and nipple cream – especially if they come from a creative background and love fashion, culture and design” This is how comms and events agency Mothers Meeting introduce themselves, describing themselves as where the world’s “coolest mums come together. Founded in London by Jenny Scott in 2011, Mothers Meeting is a group for mums from a creative background who find it difficult to meet these like-minded mums.
Jenny came from Wales to study Graphic Design at Camberwell College of Arts, working later in the world of branding and advertising. She didn’t enjoy the lack of personal interaction and creativity in this world, however so started holding her own exhibitions, which caught the attention of some huge brands. From there she added art director and stylist to her resume, designing everything from exhibitions to books for people and brands like Gareth Pugh and Coca Cola.
Things changed when Jenny had her son Sonny and she found herself suddenly thrust into motherhood with no one to talk to. There was nothing around online or off that inspired her as a creative new mother – none of her friends had babies and she wanted to create something she would be excited about it if she stumbled across it. In her own words, “I wasn’t going to let being a mum change what I loved and created.”
Mothersmeeting in full session at Townhall Hotel
Mothers Meeting was born gradually, first out of sheer necessity to get out of the house and meet like minded mothers, Jenny started posting invites on social media about exhibitions she was going to. She would design a poster and invite the world to join her. On her first attempt, only one mum showed up. Now she has a waiting list for her regular events such as the Business Club led by the incredible business guru Yvonne Fuchs (Click on link to see the video of its success for yourself). Mothers Meeting has gone from strength to strength. Meetings take place in different locations, from Shoreditch House to the Ace Hotel, mothers get to listen to inspiring speakers from all sorts of industries, meet a fresh batch of creative strong women and immerse themselves in their shared interests over a tasty cup of tea or coffee. Just glancing at MM’ website or Instagram account will show you a glimpse into the MM world and the many workshops‘ Mothers Meeting’ put on – Business Club for entrepreneurs and women who want to change their career paths after becoming mothers, Netwalking for networking while walking among London’s beautiful parks and workout sessions with Equinox gym to stay fit with kids in tow to name a few.
Jenny with her daughter Sky in their home in Broadstairs
It doesn’t stop there – the meetings also see elements of Jenny’s professional life thrown in and they work with brands like Nike, J Crew and Mothercare to bring these mothers together and make them feel great about themselves (and each other) in inspiring environments. The website also features articles on coping with depression, alerts for jobs and advice on social media – all in all it’s a pretty amazing resource and everything you could need as a creative mum in business or just navigating the motherhood landscape. In a nutshell “it’s about mums meeting friends and having fun.“
And it’s worked – Jenny regularly gets emails from women telling her how she how has changed their life by introducing them to like-minded women who they have gone on to be best friends with or those who have just been inspired and excited by the website. The feeling is mutual and Jenny says the network of mums in Mothers Meeting inspire her in return – being a mum is tough so getting these women out of their houses with their babies is her inspiration. She says seeing these women “makes all the hard work worthwhile… having happy clients and happy mums is the best feeling ever.” Jenny’s ultimate dream would be to have a community centre where Mothers Meeting could run workshops and activities for mums [which now exists in Broadstairs, editor note Aug 2022].
Mothersmeeting Badass Academy
Jenny’s success seems to be based on trusting her instincts and knowing her strengths, her passion for bringing people together, for channelling who she is into the brand she has created for others. When she was first setting up Mothers Meeting her natural go-to was to organize an exciting place to meet with a fresh, bold poster which she then put on social media – these skills fuelled by passion derived from her professional experience designing graphics and curating events. For Jenny, Mothers Meeting is a mash up of all her career experiences; “I still design everything and thrive on bringing people together.“
Last year, Jenny took on a monster task and finally published a bible for fresh creative new mums, namely a book titled How To Be A Hip Mama Without Losing Your Cool. The book is a physical representation of the brand – Jenny and her hip mama friends share their knowledge on everything from make up and school-run fashion to stories about childbirth and tips for starting your own business.
When it comes to business, Jenny advises:
“Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Do it at your own pace and really believe in what you do, because being your own boss is bloody hard and it takes a lot of time and patience. Remember, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
This could be applied to her experience of motherhood too, especially when it comes to deciding what’s right for you as a mother. Jenny says that every single aspect of motherhood has surprised her – some things changed drastically overnight, but some gradually too. Like many of the other mums we’ve profiled, one of her biggest challenges is the work/life/baby balance – when she’s working she feels guilty that she’s not spending that time with her son and daughter, but her reason for setting up Mothers Meeting was because she hadn’t had a personality transplant just because she became a mother.
However, she admits many things have changed – “your outlook on life, relationships with friend and family, priorities, it’s all very different when you become a mum. I never thought motherhood would be lonely and exhausting, I got that wrong!” Jenny now appreciates some other things – staying in bed for longer, hanging out and just being a family together. She says she used to think you constantly had to be doing things to have fun, but now finds joy in staying local, eating and spending time with those she loves.
Jenny has redefined motherhood for a whole new generation of young, professional women by cutting out the nonsense. We love how she’s stayed true to herself, but she inspires us most because she’s provided an important outlet for creative mothers, helping them keep their identity and define themselves as themselves, not just as mum.
