They told me I was too distracted to keep my job just months after maternity leave. But what they called a weakness became the foundation of something bigger. I had been with the company five years, worked nights to earn certifications, and was once praised as a “dream employee.” Then I became a mom. I logged on early, stayed late, bounced my son in one arm while typing with the other. But soon the tone shifted—comments about me looking tired, late-night meetings scheduled without warning, and then a paycheck that came three days late. When I asked, my manager smirked: “It’s not like you’re the breadwinner.”

The breaking point came in a meeting with HR. My manager leaned forward and said, “We need someone without distractions.” He didn’t mean distractions. He meant my son. I stood, thanked them for their honesty, and walked out. That night, after putting my baby to bed, I turned on my laptop and recorded a video: “Today I was fired. Not because I wasn’t good at my job—but because I became a mom.” I ended with one line: “They called me a distraction.” Then I hit post.

By morning, the video had two million views. Messages flooded in: “This happened to me too.” “Thank you for saying what we’re all feeling.” One comment stood out: “If you ever start something, I’m in.” That was the spark. Within a week, I filed paperwork, bought a domain, and launched The Naptime Agency.

We worked during naps, after bedtime, with babies on our laps. Three months in, we signed clients—including one who left my old company. Within a year, we grew to 30 moms: designers, writers, coders. Every win felt like rebellion.

They thought motherhood made me weaker. But it made me unstoppable.