Jenny Luckett of January Moon

Patience is a virtue that we moms tend to indiscriminately extend to one another, in life as well as in business. Thankfully, Jenny Luckett--lifelong creative, glowing wife and mother, tireless go-getter, and founder of January Moon--proved to possess such patience.

When Jenny and I were originally scheduled to chat on a Thursday morning a few weeks back, we had a mix-up in time zones (Tennessee vs. New York) and had to push our call back an hour. Normally, I would be anxious about such a miscommunication, fearing that this error would reflect poorly on me. But when Jenny and I finally connected, we had a good laugh over it.

To say a mother's life is incredibly busy would be to state the obvious. Juggling career, children, the responsibilities of home, and the pursuit of one's own enjoyment leave little margin for error. Yet all too often a mother's inability to be "perfect" (being late to a meeting, having to take a personal day, needing flexibility in her schedule) is viewed as a lack of professionalism. That is the kind of misconception that Jenny and other female entrepreneurs are helping to discredit by successfully navigating family and career.

Jenny was motivated to start January Moon during her first born's teething journey. Having worked in the jewelry industry for years, she was disappointed in the lack of options for wearable pieces that could double as entertainment for baby. She knew that she could fill the niche. Named for the month in which her son was born and inspired by the sleepless nights of early motherhood, January Moon was launched in 2017 to great reception. Jenny took care in designing, safety-testing and planning for the launch of her business, and she had the opportunity to collaborate with many talented, dedicated and professional mamas along the way.

"I work with so many creatives who are also moms," said Jenny of her extended January Moon family of photographers and branding specialists. "We all meet our deadlines and enjoy our families."

Although Jenny embodies the supermom grit that many of us strive to achieve, she doesn't pretend to do it all on her own. She speaks affectionately of her supportive husband, Mike, whom she credits as being an encouraging partner in life and a collaborative partner in their shared creativity. They constantly bounce ideas off of each other, help one another carry the immense responsibility of balancing children and careers, and bring their unique, professional skill-sets to aid each other in work.

"Mike is an incredibly skilled craftsman. He can always turn my messy sketches into beautiful displays, craft booths and signage. I am just as proud of the displays that he makes as I am of the jewelry."

To recap: Jenny has two beautiful children, a loving husband with whom she can share not only life but a creative passion, and a career that challenges, engages and fulfills her.

But before you mistakenly conclude that Jenny's story is somehow inauthentic or unattainable for "real" mothers, consider that her business demands constant over-scheduling, intense deadlines and frequent late nights. Lack of sleep and virtually no time for regular, prioritized "me-time" can be trying for anyone, let alone a person who focuses so much on what she could be doing better or differently. To combat this she employs her own unique brand of self-care grounded in self-acceptance. Instead of beating herself up over beating herself up, she is choosing to focus on all that she loves about life. Although being a mother and business owner means that she will always come second, Jenny couldn't be happier with the life she has created for herself.

So what is Jenny's advice for finding balance when life stretches you thin?

"Take walks. Always take walks. When the baby doesn't sleep, when the toddler has boundless energy, when you hit a creative wall, when you haven't had a good conversation with your husband. The walk is essential to my life and Mike and I make the strongest connections when we're walking outdoors with the family."

Read more about Jenny Luckett and discover her beautiful line of teething jewelry and accessories here: www.JanuaryMoon.com

Photo credits in order of appearance:

Amy Miller

Brooke Dainty

Amy Miller

Amy Hobbs

Amy Hobbs

Amy Hobbs