Goh Ai Ching, CEO of Piktochart, shares her experiences on balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, highlighting the challenges and rewards of both
Being a parent is challenging, but running a company on top of that takes it to a whole new level. It can be daunting to manage both roles at the same time, but for some, parenting and running a company share similarities.
For Goh Ai Ching, the rewards and lessons of balancing both roles outweigh the challenges.
In 2012, Goh and her husband founded Piktochart to create an accessible tool for data visualisation. They now oversee 30-plus employees working across different timezones and serve more than 300,000 users a month worldwide. They also have two young children.
Goh shares more about her experience as a parent and entrepreneur.
Read more: Parenting and startup life are basically the same thing. Here's why
Has becoming a mother changed your approach to running Piktochart?
Goh Ai Ching (AC): Yes it has. I’m thinking more long-term and how to ensure the company can continue running for many years. I realised there are no shortcuts in growing a company and I had to learn how to manage my time better with the added responsibilities.
What was your approach during the early years of the business?
AC: During the first five years, I viewed the company as a family and strongly emphasised building the people and culture. I eventually realised I needed to be a more results-driven CEO. As a business, we must prioritise profits, growth and other metrics. I am also responsible for ensuring that our employees are growing professionally and delivering results for the company. I still aspire for Piktochart to be a place where people can develop professionally and eventually go on to achieve even greater things, whether that means becoming entrepreneurs themselves or joining other companies.
Read more: Edamama founder, Bela Gupta D'Souza on what it's like to be a mother today