Brooke Markevicius
Illustration by Margarita Babina
We talked to Brooke Markevicius, mom and mastermind behind Allobee, a brilliant platform for busy entrepreneurs and small business owners:
What are the main challenges mothers face when starting companies?
The pandemic really illuminated the issues that mothers face with unpaid labor on a daily basis, as well as allowed companies to see that there needs to be more flexibility and support for working mothers. I quit my 9 to 5 job in a tech company when I had my daughter because I needed more flexibility, and that was 6 years ago. I found it was easier to start my own company versus work within a company; there was more flexibility to grow sustainably, and on my own timeline. I believe that when we become moms we gain a superpower called, MOMentum. It is the ability to show up daily and take small actions that add up and gain momentum over time. As a mom we can run into many opposing forces or walls, yet we keep going because we must, we have kids to take care of. I have built 3 businesses over the last 6 years and they all have been successful in their own ways. It was not overnight success, it was long term sustainable growth, and that aligns much better with motherhood. Raising babies and businesses is possible. MOMentum!
What gets you through a tough week?
Coffee chats with my husband on our back porch, a hot bath, and focusing on my mission without allowing myself to get too attached to the outcomes.
What’s the key to successful fundraising?
Planning, quick iteration, and persistence. We spent months making sure we had all our ducks in a row. We spent a month talking to people that were warm to us, who weren't potential investors, just to get their valuable feedback and perspective. We then quickly iterated and edited our pitch deck with the feedback. By the time we started talking to our potential investors we were ready. Even when it got hard we kept showing up and being persistent. Soon after the money came in and we closed the round.
You have small kids. Have your little ones imparted their wisdom on your business?
I think they help me the most in keeping a good perspective on boundaries and mindset. My daughter asked me the other day if I was going to spend the day with her or with Allobee. That will put you into perspective real quick. They also are very much a part of my mission. I want more moms and parents to be able to have the flexibility of working from home. My children need my attention and I pick them up from school still most days, so they make me set time for family.
What do you miss about the West Coast and what do you appreciate about the East?
The summers are amazing in the Pacific Northwest, so I do miss those when it is humid as can be here. I always loved North Carolina and wanted to return, and so did my husband. We love the green, the laid back nature, the SUN! I also knew I wanted to start a company here in Durham because I loved how it went from tobacco to tech over the years, while maintaining this awesome charm and community. In 2018 we were visiting trying to decide if we were going to attempt the move back East and I stood at American Tobacco campus and said I would have an office here and build my company there. 3 years later I am doing just that. I cannot imagine building a company anywhere else.
