May 21, 2019

Life and Work with Courtney Donaldson

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Donaldson.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was starting my senior year of college at Georgia State University when I found out that I was pregnant with my daughter. My family primarily lives on the West Coast, so I was really missing that sense of community & family as I started my motherhood journey, and that’s when Young Cool Moms was born. I wanted to create an online community, where mom’s like me could connect because it truly takes a village. I work on growing my business every day, and I do that through leveraging social media, tapping into my network of friends and putting together monthly events. My next event is May 11th, 2019 at the Gathering Spot in Atlanta, GA. I have the pleasure of teaming up with my amazing mother and her company MIDC LLC. to produce a intergenerational Women’s Empowerment Event.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

I think motherhood is its own special kind of obstacle to achieving your dreams. Don’t get me wrong, my daughter is my absolute world; but when you are a parent, your focus is different. The number one priority is your child, so it can become super difficult to stay on track with your personal objectives. For all the young mother’s out there, trying to get to the next level in life, remember to make your needs a priority in your life as well. You are important (many of us are the nucleus of our families) and your health, happiness and well-being matter. Take the time out for self-care, schedule a girls night, take that class you’ve been eyeing that’s going level up your career. Reclaim your time!

Please tell us about Young Cool Moms.
Above all else, the mission of Young Cool Moms is to create a community, network and sisterhood for mothers tackling life’s challenges while excelling in their careers. We strive to achieve this through our networking events and blog. We host both kid-friendly and Mommy Only events where moms can get together to share their career and motherhood expertise. Young Cool Moms embodies a space where moms come together as a village to propel one another onward and upward through life.

What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
When it comes to life’s challenges, the best advice I have received has been not to give up on yourself when things get tough.

My sister and I were living in LA together a few years back, and I was getting my first few PR gigs we had a saying that we would tell each other to stay motivated; it was “no one cares, try harder”. That always resounded with me because it was a reminder that I was not owed anything by the world, there was no entitlement that would be handed down. I was going to have to work hard to achieve my goals. The choice has always been, struggle for something or struggle for nothing – because truthfully life is hard regardless of whether or not you put your energy into obtaining your goals.

Also, educate yourself! You never want to be the smartest person in the room, network and associate with positive individuals that are consistently striving and crushing their goals. Having a group of motivated, driven peers in your circle will push you further than working alone.

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