From Carpool to Conference Calls: Women of Flexo on Finding That Work/Life Balance
The school year is in full swing, the holiday season is rapidly approaching, and your free time (and sanity) is slowly slipping away. But don’t panic (yet), you’re not alone! The Women of Flexo Community exists to support and encourage women in the flexo industry in all stages of life and career, and sometimes those work/life lines get blurry.
We sat down with WoF members Allison Toles, Vice President of Fine Line Graphics, and Katie Graham, Regional Marketing Manager for BOBST North America, to talk about how they balance that work/life tightrope and their best practices on how they overcome challenges. They also get candid about the areas they’re not so confident in and share common feelings that we all experience as mothers and professionals.
Introductions
Q: To start, could you both introduce yourselves?
Allison Toles: I’m the Vice President of Fine Line Graphics, a company my dad started back in 1991. We specialize in prepress graphics and printing plates for flexographic printers and brand owners, and I’ve been part of this business since I was a teenager—literally, I started at 15. My dad is slowly stepping back, and I’ve been stepping into leadership, so it’s been both exciting and challenging to carry the family legacy forward. On the home front, my husband and I have an 11-year-old son, Evan. He just started fifth grade, which feels like a huge milestone. He’s at that funny stage where he thinks he’s a grown-up already, he’s 11 going on 21 it feels like!
Katie Graham: I’ve been in this industry for 17 years, which is wild to say out loud! I’m Regional Marketing and Communications Manager for Bobst North America and outside of work, I’m a mom of three, with my kids spread across middle school and high school. And this is the stage of life that’s really busy because it’s sports, practices, school projects, and let’s be honest, the dreaded middle school math. Nobody likes middle school math! It’s a stage of life that keeps you running from one thing to the next.
From Summer to Fall: The Schedule Shift
Q: Summer break and the fall holiday season are both hectic, but in very different ways. How does your daily schedule shift from summer into fall?
Allison: My son plays year-round tackle football, so even though there’s no school, the schedule fills up with extra practices and workouts. Honestly, the hardest part is dragging myself out of bed at 6 a.m. while everyone else in the house is still asleep. My husband has a little more flexibility to work from home, so I’m usually the one up and moving first. Once fall starts, mornings take on a different kind of chaos. Now it’s not just football, it’s packing lunches, homework checks, making sure he’s dressed on time, and has everything he needs. We’re still in that stage where I’m double-checking everything, but he’s also edging into those pre-teen years where he wants independence. It’s a balancing act between letting him figure things out and still doing the “mom checks.”
Katie: We’re kind of the opposite. Sports slow down for us in the summer, which is a blessing because it gives us a break from the constant running around. But once August hits, it’s like a switch flips. From fall all the way through spring, it’s practices, games, and events; basically until May, our lives are scheduled around kids’ activities. I saw a meme the other day that said, “Where are all the moms of middle schoolers?” and the answer was, “We’re in our cars, driving our kids around.” That’s my life. If I’m not at work, I’m driving someone somewhere. It’s a lot of carpooling and coordinating.
Strategies for Managing the Chaos
Q: What strategies help you transition from the slower pace of summer to the fast pace of fall?
Allison: In our house, the golden rule is: if it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t exist. That family calendar keeps us sane. Beyond that, meal prep is a lifesaver. Every Sunday, my son and I plan meals together. He helps decide what’s on the menu, which not only keeps him more invested but also makes him more likely to eat healthier options during the week. We pre-plan breakfasts, lunches, and dinners so that we’re not staring at each other at 5 p.m. asking, “What’s for dinner?” I joke that if I ever start another business, I’m going to open a restaurant called I Don’t Know, because that’s always the answer to “What’s for dinner?”
Katie: I love that. For me, it’s all about planning ahead and not waiting until two weeks before school starts to think about what the kids need. Especially in middle and high school, the ramp-up is intense. It’s not just clothes and shoes anymore, it’s sports uniforms, special calculators for math, and a whole set of new expectations. I learned quickly that you can’t just coast through summer and then suddenly prepare overnight. It takes time to get organized. And honestly, part of the chaos is the social side. Now the kids care more about what they’re wearing, how they look, what brands they’re in. That becomes part of the back-to-school preparation too. Planning early keeps me from feeling like I’ve missed the mark when life gets busy.
Work-Life Balance (Or Lack Thereof)
Q: How do you adjust your work schedules during this busy time of year?
Allison: For me, work and life are completely blurred. Working in a family business means that when I talk to my dad, we might be discussing a client one minute and something personal the next. It’s just all intertwined. I also feel the constant pull of email and client needs; if a customer on the west coast needs something, they usually call in the evenings my-time. That said, I try to create little moments of balance. On Fridays, I leave early to pick up my son in the car rider line. I’ll happily sit there for 30 minutes just so he sees me at the end of his day. I also work from home when I can so I can do things like have lunch with him at school. This year is his last year of elementary school, and I know once he’s in middle school, that chance is gone. So I’m soaking up those little moments while I can.
Katie: I agree—it’s never really a clean balance. I work remotely, which I love because it gives me flexibility. But the trade-off is that I’m always connected. It’s hard to draw the line. My phone is always there, emails are always coming through, and sometimes you feel like you should respond no matter what time it is. But like Allison, I focus on being present when I can. If I’m with my kids, I try to give them undivided attention. The great thing is that as they get older, they understand more. They know when I’m working and they give me space. That’s been a relief compared to when they were little and the “mom guilt” was heavier.
Boundaries
Q: What boundaries do you set to protect your time and energy?
Allison: I’m in a unique situation because I’m in Central time and I have different clients across the country. I have East Coast clients emailing me at 5 a.m. and West Coast clients pinging me until 9 p.m. It feels impossible to “turn off.” What’s helped is starting small, like putting my phone on silent during a coffee run or leaving it in my purse during breakfast with my son. That one hour without checking emails can feel revolutionary. It’s about retraining myself to connect with people instead of my device.
Katie: For us, one big boundary is no phones at dinner. It seems small, but it ensures we get at least one tech-free moment together as a family each day. I also try to be really open with my husband and kids about my schedule. If I’m traveling more than usual, I communicate that with them and check in with them and ask, how is this impacting you? Do you feel like you’re missing anything? Is there something I could be doing better? It gives them space to share and reminds them that I’m still prioritizing them even when I’m busy. It’s not a “hard line” boundary, but it’s a boundary rooted in communication.
Support Systems
Q: Who makes up your support system, and how do you lean on them?
Allison: My husband is my biggest support. He sold his business last year and is working on a new start-up, which gives him more flexibility at home. It took us time to adjust to that shift, figuring out how we can support each other in our changing roles and busy schedules, but it’s been such a blessing. I’ve also learned to delegate, even the small things, and not try to do it all myself.
Katie: I relate to that. My husband also owns his own business with flexible hours, and then I have my mom, my sister, and even friends who help with carpools or pick-ups. I also have a few friends with college-aged kids who are great at stepping in. Knowing I have a “village” gives me peace of mind. And it works both ways, I’ll do the same for them when I can. That kind of support is everything.
Inspiration from Women in Flexo
Q: Have you found inspiration from other women in the industry?
Allison: Definitely. Because flexo is so male-dominated, when I meet a woman, I immediately ask if she has kids. It’s such a natural way to connect. Seeing women balancing newborns or toddlers while also excelling in their careers is inspiring. It makes me realize we’re all figuring it out in our own way.
Katie: Same. I lean heavily on my Women of Flexo peers. Even when our life stages don’t match exactly, we can still relate. Sometimes it’s venting, sometimes it’s encouragement, sometimes it’s just laughing at the craziness of it all. And even if motherhood isn’t the shared experience, there’s always something to connect over. Those conversations stick with you.
Self-Care
Q: With everything going on, how do you make time for yourself?
Allison: For me, it’s about starting small and setting a good example. I read alongside my son during his required reading time, and I’ve been working out at home more consistently. I also love pedicures, even better when I can take my son along after football practice. It’s our little routine. I’ve also turned my commute into a little personal time and I listen to audio books on my way to and from work.
Katie: I do puzzles. It sounds simple, but it’s the one activity that turns my brain off completely. We almost always have a puzzle on a table somewhere in the house, and it’s something I can do alone or with my kids. And getting my nails done too!
Advice for Other Moms
Q: What advice would you give to other working moms trying to juggle it all?
Allison: Lean on your support system, and let go of the guilt of “missing out.” You may not be there for every single moment, but you’ll still share in the big wins, like when my husband called me after helping our son with homework, excited because he got 100% on a spelling test for the first time. You’re still part of it, just in a different way.
Katie: Give yourself grace. Nobody is a perfect parent, and nobody should expect to be. As moms, we tend to beat ourselves up over small mistakes. But other moms will always tell you, “It’s OK, you’re doing a great job.” We just need to start telling that to ourselves, too.
Why It’s Worth It
Q: Finally, what recent moment reminded you why all of this is worth it?
Allison: It’s the little things. When I surprise my son at lunch and he runs down the hall to hug me. When he’s sweaty from football practice but still runs over during a water break to say, “Mom, I’m so happy you’re here.” Those moments remind me that being present, even in small ways, matters.
Katie: I have three examples. My oldest daughter made homecoming court this year, which was so exciting! My middle daughter did a painting for a friend who was struggling, and it was so lovely to watch her show such kindness and empathy. And my youngest son; at a pep rally recently I was standing off to the side and he came over to stand by me and said, “I don’t like you standing alone.” and it just touched my heart! Those little acts of love make all the chaos worth it.
Allison and Katie’s stories remind us that balance isn’t about doing it all perfectly, it’s about flexibility, support, and grace. From family calendars to carpool coordination, from puzzles to pedicures, they’ve learned to carve out moments of connection amid the chaos. And as both of them said, the juggling act is worth it when those small, heartfelt moments remind you why you’re doing it all in the first place.
