As part of our Caregiving & Creativity theme, we speak with Kelly Mackenzie, founder of White Bear, about learning to delegate, redefining hustle, and how becoming a parent reshaped her relationship with work.
For Kelly Mackenzie, hustle isn’t something to be ashamed of. It’s part of what’s fuelled a decade-leading branding agency, White Bear. But becoming a mother forced her to rethink how she works, set clearer boundaries, and delegate with purpose.
In our latest Q&A for In Her Own Words, Kelly reflects on protecting creative headspace, finding balance (at least most of the time), and how parenthood sharpened her focus on what really matters at work and at home.
Have you ever struggled with setting boundaries in your career, and how did you handle it?
Yes, 100%. And I still struggle with it.
As a business owner, a mother, and a hopeless people-pleaser, it can be really difficult to protect your time. There are only 24 hours in a day, and when you’re juggling multiple responsibilities, you need to be laser-focused on where your time will add the most value.
Surprisingly, since having kids, I’ve actually become better at delegating. In the past, I was guilty of working all hours, turning up to the opening of an envelope, and saying yes to everything. Now? I just can’t do that anymore. I need firmer boundaries around my work hours because I want to be home for dinner.
I’ve become more efficient at delegation and daily triaging. I trust my team; we operate on a traffic light system. Everyone has clear responsibilities, and each week, we triage projects together. That gives the team a chance to raise any ‘amber light’ issues so we can solve them early before they escalate into ‘red lights’. It also stops me from getting too stuck in the weeds, which can slow everyone down.
I’m still working on getting better at saying ‘no’ and accepting that it’s completely okay to do so.
How do you protect your creative energy while managing deadlines and demands?
It’s definitely a challenge. We all know the best ideas don’t appear in a boardroom or a brainstorming session; that’s just where the brief starts. The best ideas come when you’re relaxed and have the mental space to daydream.
For me, they don’t show up at a gallery or an event either. They tend to arrive on a morning run while walking the dog or, most often, in the shower (probably because no one can pester me there!). It’s about protecting blocks of time each day that are free from deadlines, demands, and decision-making.
Have you ever felt pressure to constantly ‘hustle’, and how do you push back against that?
Oh yes. I am and always will be a hustler. It’s nearly my middle name (it’s not, but it could be!). Much like Samuel Johnson’s famous line, “Tired of London, tired of life,” I think the same applies to hustle when you run an agency. If you lose the drive, the love, or the hustle, it’s time to check out.
While I’ve learned to manage it better, I still sometimes find myself pitching in the middle of a holiday, texting clients late at night, or (embarrassingly) emailing a new lead from my hospital bed just hours after my son was born. If it’s in you, it’s in you. The hustle is part of what keeps me going and feeling alive.
What does a balanced life look like for you, and how do you work towards it?
Right now, just at this very moment, I’ve got the balance pretty right (remind me, I said that when I’m pulling my hair out in a few weeks!), but this changes month to month. I rarely work late, and I haven’t properly worked a weekend since the business started 10 years ago.
That said, when an exciting pitch lands or we’ve got a big creative presentation coming up, I’m there, reporting for duty, welcoming the heavy workload, and reminding myself why I love this job.
In the past, I’ve absolutely been guilty of neglecting friendships, missing family dinners, and getting far too obsessed with White Bear. But having kids has helped me reassess what matters and get my priorities in order.
White Bear was my first baby, but now it knows that my family comes first.
