👀 Scroll for parent-friendly business news, events + funding opportunities – but first...

A NOTE  FROM AMY

💌 TOMORROW – February 14th @ 12 pm (ET) – is our first virtual meetup of the year!

RSVP for the community and you’ll receive instant access to:

• our 30-minute Q1 meetup (via Zoom)
• private monthly podcasts – January is up, February loading soon (released on the 25th)
• monthly journal prompts, resources and rituals to support you
• private virtual community in 2025
• Q2 (May), Q3 (August) + Q4 (November) virtual meetup details

Who Is This For?

Founders, freelancers, fractional consultants, business owners and people in leadership positions who are also parents (moms AND dads, parents-to-be welcome too!) who want to mix babies and business.

You may be setting out to build a startup, launch a small business, freelancing, working flexibly or simply looking to meet other like-minded parents interested in making progress on their professional goals while also living life with young kids.

Spend time with the ones you love, while investing in yourself: Join us for $25 CAD in 2025

JOIN US IN 2025

Still not sure? Watch this video to get an overview and visual representation of what we’ll be covering.

📣🎙 Everyday Activism To Keep You Going

If you’re seeking to get more visible in 2025, hop online for weekly carpark livestream sessions with me (Amy), where I cover practical marketing, communications and business growth tips you can implement alongside your kids.

All are between 4-15 minutes and so far I’ve covered:

• Getting visible with livestreams
• Doing new brand/business photos (I’ve done it with our kids as babies/toddlers and without them during school hours)
• How I frame all my public speaking, presentations and pitches in 3 simple steps

Watch back the previous videos via:

YouTube // LinkedIn // IG @mixingbabiesandbusiness // FB Page

Next week: I’ll livestream about how I define my core messaging.

Q for you: Anything you'd like to learn about/ask?

🎊 Celebrating wins with you = progress for us 🚼📊

I’m participating in the current winter cohort of Advance Ontario, where I’m working remotely with two students to support the marketing for all six seasons of the Mixing Babies And Business™ Podcast to date.

Access funded support from students, on real-world employer projects:

If you’re a business based in Ontario, I’ve linked to the FREE program (details below) as they have an April cohort coming up. And I’ll do a future lifestream to cover my experience with it!

Access support from students worldwide via Riipen:

If you’re not based in Ontario, you can still create a business profile, outline work projects and search for university and college matches to bring your ideas, launches or other business goals to life through virtual internships.

 PARENT-FRIENDLY  BUSINESS NEWS / OPPORTUNITIES / EVENTS

Not sponsored or affiliate links ->>> simply spreading the word + business goodness for parents like you. I hope it helps! Feel free to forward to friends if you think they'd be interested.

POLICY: Australia is investinghalf a billion dollars in women’s health, covering contraceptives, menopause treatments and more accessible medical care. It’s a five-year investment after extensive consultation with women, healthcare providers, advocacy groups, the work of the National Women’s Health Advisory Council and the findings of two separate Senate inquiries.

POLICY: Hundreds of stories shared via The Dad Shift campaign have been submitted as official UK Parliamentary evidence this month! Congratulations to the campaigners who are working with the Women & Equalities Committee to shape recommendations to the government on the future of paternity leave.

I was someone who was at home after an emergency c-section in England, my husband went back to work after two weeks and Nana flew in from Canada to help with our newborn. I couldn’t lift my stroller on and off a bus or train platform alone, which is why I often did babywearing. I can’t wait to see how this changes the future of work and life for parents in the UK.

POLICY: White Ribbon Canada have launched a campaign to challenge hate and end gender-based violence, using a very impactful character to represent the misogyny fostered within some online communities at MyFriendMaxHate.ca – 49 per cent of parents are unaware of hateful and sexist content targeting boys – learn more, watch the campaign video and spread the word.

POLICY: Say it louder Flex Appeal! A post from movement founder, writer and activist, Anna Whitehouse, via LinkedIn: ‘A note to all employers wondering why there’s a gender pay gap More women hit the maternal wall before they hit the glass ceiling. Promote part time workers, stop making women redundant on maternity leave and offer flexible working.’

AND she visited UK Parliament with her newborn this week as part of the campaign to get companies to publish their flexible work policy. Almost one year after the new Flexible Working bill was introduced, learn more about the campaign mission: to ensure no one would have to leave their job because they needed some flexibility.

POLICY: Congratulations to the team at Kinship alongside Sophie Lucas and Celia Venables for their recent campaign which secured 260+ pieces of media coverage advocating for financial aid to support relatives who care for children to stop them going into the care system. Kinship carers are currently not supported financially within the UK, which means 1 in 8 people are likely to give up caring for their younger relatives due to lack of resources.

CAREER: Grow Remote’s released their February newsletter to help you land a remote job in Ireland, featuring a employers, job board, skills and tools and impact reports.

CAREER: Thanks to Ashley Couto via LinkedIn for this roundup of website list of 25 job boards for remote job seekers and advice to tailor your application to select positions…be human, be unique, think critically and get creative with your search.

CAREER: And it goes both ways people! Before you embark on your flexible work search or begin working with recruiters for perhaps the first time in your career, read this timely reminder from Shulin Lee via LinkedIn about 7 things which will guarantee you NEVER get helped again by a recruiter for your job search.

CAREER: A big snowstorm has been blowing through Canada and the US this week, school buses have been cancelled, plows can’t keep up with snowfall and thanks to this reminder from Allison Venditti via LinkedIn, you may get a chance to do some everyday activism with your RTO mandate! For those with employers who said remote work was not possible, keep the laptop off and don’t work from home because as she says ‘They don't get to have it both ways.'

CAREER: A new book out from Neha Ruch, a fellow parent, author and founder of Mother Untitled, is part of her mission to reframe stay-at-home motherhood, career shifts and parenthood as leadership training, through ‘The Power Pause’.

CAREER: I love this update from Kim Palmer via LinkedIn, a fellow parent, founder & CEO of Clementine, who took a whole month off LinkedIn and a four-week break from her family and kids to go visit her parents and what happened (the thriving, the backlash, the memories) as a result.

I did this for the first time out of country in 2024 and plan to do it more often, we usually travel as a family of five or split up adventures with kids but it is a great reset, part of maintaining your wellbeing and designing a life that works for you (and your family).

CONNECT: Love how the ‘Dad Chat’ has evolved in this post from Chance Marshall via LinkedIn, who took things into his own hands and left a flyer at a local coffee shop seeking connection through the brutiful (brutal and beautiful) moments of parenthood.

CONNECT: Sunshine Tenneco has launched an Indigenous Love Conference taking place TOMORROW, Friday, February 14th, at the Gatineau Friendship Centre, to focus on self-love, family love, relationship love, community love and nation love. RSVP online and if you miss it, follow the platform @findingyoursunshine_pathtolove

CONNECT: The StrikeUP 2025digital conference theme is ‘Resiliency Redefined’ and will take place on Thursday, February 27th – hear from Canada’s leading women entrepreneurs and industry leaders, network with other entrepreneurs and leaders and get inspired by stories of perseverance. 

CONNECT: With other leaders, entrepreneurs and visionaries and gain insights, tools and strategies through the Centre for Social Enterprise Development (CSED) upcoming social impact gathering ‘Unleashed 2025: Navigating the Future: Innovation and Opportunity in Uncertain Times’ on Thursday, March 6th.

SUPPORT: February marks Black History Month and Startup Canada has created a roundup of resources across the country to connect you with fundingopportunities, loans, mentorship programs, and networking tools to support Black entrepreneurs on their path to success.

The Startup Women Program has also been brought back for 2025, including FREE webinars, programming, networking and resources for women and nonbinary entrepreneurs and the Startup Women Advocacy Network (SWAN) is open for applications until Friday, February 21st.

SUPPORT: The Canadian Women’s Foundation has released a ‘Gendered Digital Hate, Harassment, and Violence Series’ to address the fact 1 in 5 women experience online harassment in Canada and digital spaces aren’t safe for everyone. Access audio, written transcripts and social media tips from influencers and experts.

SUPPORT:Black Moms Connection is celebrating their 10 year anniversary in 2025! Co-founded by Tanya Hayles, fellow parent, speaker, community builder, creative professional and previous guest from Season 1 of the Mixing Babies And Business Podcast, this community has grown from 12 moms in 2015 to a global village of nearly 40,000! Learn more, connect and celebrate with them @blackmomsconnection.

UPSKILL: Take a critical look at spaces and WHY you feel you don't belong there in this FREE virtual workshop from UPFRONT titled 'You Don’t Have Imposter Syndrome' on Tuesday, February 18th from 1pm-2pm (UK) featuring Lauren Currie, Winnie Annan Forson and Nishma Patel Robb – learn more and RSVP online. If you’re based in Europe, they’re also hiring a Client Engagement and Networking Facilitator(remote contract) for one day per week/£200 per day over the next 6-12 months with the intention to extend to a permanent position.

UPSKILL: Black Moms Connection is hosting their FinLit U National 4-week program, a virtual Financial Literacy program for Black Moms – Cohort 5 is March 2025 (Eastern Canada) and Cohort 6 is October 2025 (Western Canada) – apply via their Google Form today! 

FUNDING: Advance Ontario connects real-world employer projects for 2-8 weeks with up to four students per project – a total of up to 60 hours and $1,400 CAD per student – of Ontario Government funded programming for businesses. This connects students with hands-on experience and mentorship, while supporting businesses based in Ontario: Applications for the next Employer Project cohort close on Friday, March 14th for students to work with employers from March 31st to May 23rd, 2025.

FUNDING: The YSpace Technology Accelerator 2025 cohort supports market ready technology startups to execute their go-to-market strategies, acquire customers and prepare for fundraising. Access over $60k in startup support and up to $30K in cash awards – apply via a simple online form by Monday, March 3rd.

FUNDING:Futurpreneur offers flexible equity-free startup business loans of up to $75K for Canadian entrepreneurs ages 18-39, with up to $50K in additional financing opportunities from BDC. Learn more and register for an upcoming event.

FUNDING: It’s Tax Season in Canada AND the start of a new year which means, you get another chance to put money towards your tax-free savings accounts and plans. Here’s a handy graphic from Sukhamrit Singh Anand breaking down the 2025 $ contribution room amounts, Canadian Government grants and opportunities available for TFSA/FHSA/RRSP/RESP and information directly from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

WELLNESS: A reason why you may wish to travel more, continue to be present and create special moments with your loved ones, caught across two different posts highlighting ‘The 5 Types Of Wealth’ book as it relates to family, from Gonçalo Hall via LinkedIn, a fellow parent, speaker, community builder and previous guest from Season 6 of the Mixing Babies And Business Podcast and Jordan Schwarzenberger via Instagram, a fellow parent, entrepreneur, Manager of Sidemen and community builder.

WELLNESS: Parenthood (and life, work, you name it) are just as much about who you’re ‘being’ as what you’re ‘doing’. Thanks to Felix Koch (and his wise mum) via LinkedIn for the reminder to be present, playful and check your own energy in the moment before you jump into the rules.

WELLNESS: When your work affects your everything, it may be time for a change. A candid post from Yasmin Sampson - Da Rocha via LinkedIn about the differences her wife noticed in her, around their family and home life, once she quit her corporate career and became a solopreneur. She’s also hosting a FREE two-day virtual workshop for people seeking to hone in on their skills, USP and make a career change on Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th February.

WELLNESS: Thank you to Tamu Thomas via Instagram for speaking the truth – the feelings of not-enoughness are false and usually caused by…doing TOO MUCH. It’s not your fault, it’s the invisible labour, the mental load, the unpaid work, upheld by patriarchy.

As always, thank you for reading, supporting this work and advocating for the needs of parents in business settings!

💌 Last minute link + reminder before our first meetup tomorrow, Feb 14th ⬇️

 >>> JOIN US IN 2025 <<<

✨ Have a great week/end + stay scrappy 🐌

– Amy Lynch (+ Family)

Founder + Podcast Host

Mixing Babies And Business™

YouTube Subscribe // LinkedIn // IG @mixingbabiesandbusiness

P.S. Keep showing up (as and when you can). It all matters.

More from Mixing Babies And Business™:

• Join the Community in 2025
• Waitlist for the Changemaker Program in 2025
• Explore my digital resource hub
• Read my book 'Startup Blogging' about how it all began
• Tune into the podcast on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Website
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Book a call to chat about your journey mixing babies and business

**Thanks for reading, I hope it helps you (share with friends if you think they'd be interested). Please reply if you have feedback or questions about the above!

I aim to respond within 72 hours Tuesday–Friday**

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