My mother never managed a team or led client pitches, but she ran a full-time operation every single day: our home. She did everything—raised two kids, balanced the household budget down to the last rupee, mediated family disputes like a seasoned diplomat, and stitched my school uniform when I outgrew it overnight. She had no title, no vacations, and definitely no weekends off. But somehow, it never looked like work.
Now, working in media, I realize that the soft skills I prize—listening well, understanding people, being meticulous—she mastered decades ago. No media training. No management jargon. Just pure instinct, empathy, and unshakable follow-through.
If she were in my job, she’d probably bring homemade food to interviews, offer emotional clarity where I deliver questions, and end every conversation with a reminder to hydrate. She’d be brilliant at this—and honestly, better.
Because if she had what I had—access, education, opportunity—she’d have soared. But like so many women of her generation, she made the silent trade. She pressed pause on her own dreams so we could chase ours.
And we’re still seeing the cost: 48% of working women in India don’t return to their jobs after maternity leave. Not for lack of will, but because the system isn’t designed for their return. The “motherhood penalty” still shrinks careers and silences potential.
So, we asked some agency founders: What if your mom ran your business?
Here’s what they had to say.
Aalap Desai, CCO & Co-Founder, tgthr
“If my mom ran our agency, things would be more efficient, less fluffy, and we’d all be well-fed. She has this incredible ability to make people feel comfortable while addressing uncomfortable truths. Her leadership would be a rare blend of empathy and effectiveness. Honestly, she’d probably run tgthr better than I do.”
Rashi Ray, Director, Response India
Devika Ray – better known as Hashi, mother of Rashi!
“My mother, Devika Ray—also known as Hashi—is Response’s spiritual founder. She supported my father when he started the agency and now she’s my biggest cheerleader. If she ran the agency, we’d be more creative, more inclusive, and definitely more fun. Our pantry would be a highlight, and our staff would span ages 8 to 80. She’d run it all with warmth, wisdom, and a side of one-liner gems.”
Samir Asher, Founder & COO, Tonic Worldwide
“If my mom ran Tonic, we’d all be tight around the waist and way ahead of deadlines. Emotional intelligence? She’s got it in spades. She can read tension like a book and smooth things over with food, a hug, or a perfectly timed look. She’s been running a high-performance unit for decades—we just called it home.”
Shriya Seshadri, Founder & Creative Director, SummerOwl Studio
“If my mom ran Summer Owl, we’d be ruthlessly efficient and ridiculously well-fed. She’d balance empathy with execution, bring warmth to every brainstorm, and end every pitch with a prayer and a pep talk that doubles as life advice. She wouldn’t just run the company; she’d elevate it with instinct, strength, and hugs on demand.”
Sushant Sadamate, COO & Co-founder, Buzzlab
“If my mom took over Buzzlab, our agency would be powered by empathy and mutton rassa. Clients would sign just to stay for lunch. Deadlines? Met with the discipline of a temple bell. Team morale? Sky high with sheera and sol kadhi on the side. And she’d crush indecision in one glance—no fluff, just facts, and food.”
Tamanna Gupta, Founder, Umanshi Marketing
“If my mom ran Umanshi? Casual culture would be extinct. Meetings would start on time, led by someone in a designer saree with a laser focus on budgets, follow-ups, and spotless desks. She’d adopt martech tools faster than the interns, chase invoices like a debt collector, and still manage a rotating menu of global cuisine. More empathetic? Maybe. More efficient? Absolutely. More chilled out? Not a chance.”
Viren Sean Noronha, Co-founder & CEO, The New Thing
“If my mum ran TNT, we’d operate with the precision of a space launch and the emotional range of a therapy session. Every campaign would start with a passive-aggressive pep talk and end with brutally honest feedback. She’s the queen of radical honesty and the master of emotional care. Dictator energy, therapist heart.”
The Leadership We’ve Always Had
Behind every campaign, every pitch, and every win, there’s often a mother who traded her time and dreams so we could chase ours. Long before we had CCOs or COOs, we had moms—quietly running high-performance teams without credit, weekends, or applause.
They’ve always known how to lead. The world just didn’t always let them.
This Mother’s Day, we celebrate the women who built the backbone of our ambition.
And maybe, just maybe, it’s time we ran our companies a little more like they ran our homes: with more empathy, more snacks, and a lot more realness.
Because if our moms ran our businesses, we’d probably be better at business—and better human beings too.
