Clarins USA’s Pamela Lipkin, Director of Accounting, shares on being a working mom

As told by Co-Founder, Bradi Nathan:

I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I do not believe that I would fare well on the hit television show, “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?” As I assist my son with his math homework each night I wonder, “Am I Smarter Than A Third Grader?” Mode? Range? Who remembers anymore? English. English is a subject that I excel in. Nouns, pronouns and adjectives are much more my speed.

Pamela Lipkin is not only “Smarter Than A Fifth Grader,” she is the Director of Accounting for Clarins USA in Manhattan. As such, she is able to help her boys do their math homework with ease. In an exclusive interview with Butterfly, Pam shares her secrets for balancing ball games, beauty, exercise and excel sheets:

BN: What did you do before you had your boys?

PL: After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, I worked at Coopers and Lybrand for approximately six (6) years and then went to work at Clarins USA. I had been at Clarins for two (2) years before I had my first son, Zackary. I have now been with the company for almost 15 years.

BN: How did your work schedule at Clarins change to meet the demands of being a mother?

PL: Well, at first it didn't. For years I had live-in sitters (Sunday night to Friday night type arrangement). This worked well for approximately six (6) years, until I got to a point where I was simply not happy with the quality of care my kids were receiving. We had tried several women, but just could not find the "right" one. I was lucky enough to have been with Clarins for eight (8) years by that point and had developed a niche for myself, along with an outstanding relationship with my boss. I was able to work out a part-time arrangement whereby I was in the office Monday through Friday from 9-2:30p.m. Along the way I had been promoted to Vice-President of Accounting, but had to relinquish this title and become Director of Accounting in order to accommodate a part-time position. Frankly, the title was not what was important to me. I really love what I do and I feel thankful that I am being given the opportunity to continue with the company in a different capacity. A couple of years ago, I was really feeling like I was being pulled in too many directions and not doing an outstanding job at any of them. As such, I was prepared to "retire". Luckily, my boss and I are close enough that he realized this was a really hard thing for me to do and offered me an amazing opportunity to stay with the company; working one day in the office and checking emails the other days from home. This lasted about one year before I started yearning for more work. I actually found myself getting annoyed when I did not know of things going on in the company. I definitely had the best of both worlds, but needed more involvement at work to feel "whole". I now work two days in the office and the other days vary. If there is a lot going on, I am on my computer all day. If it is slower, I take advantage of being home.

BN: How long was your maternity leave and did you continue to work through it?

PL: I was given a 12 week maternity leave, but worked almost immediately from home, and was back at the office before the 12 weeks were over.

BN: Did you wrestle with any emotions in returning to work after having babies?

PL: I would be lying if I said there was no guilt in returning to work and leaving my child with someone else. However, I do believe working strikes a good balance for me. I am a better mom when I know my timing is more limited with my boys. I try to give them as much of my undivided attention as possible when I am with them.

BN: What advice do you have for women returning back to work after a typical three-month leave?

PL: It’s a tough transition, but if you can find really good care for your child, I would encourage at-home care if possible because getting a child out early in the morning to drop off at day care is not fun, and it makes it a lot easier. Believe it or not, while you feel like no one else can care for your baby, this is probably the easiest stage of a child's life to get the help. As they get older, I have found my boys need me more. Homework, girls, sports, setting a good example, the 10 minute conversation when they first walk in the door from school- these are all things that I did not want someone else doing.

BN: How might you suggest that moms go about asking their employer for a more flexible schedule?

PL: The more valuable you are to the company and your boss, the easier it will be. If your boss understands you as a person, and not just an employee, he/she might be more willing to keep you at any level. There is no denying times are tough now and companies are looking to cut spending/staff. If you can afford a slight cut in pay for less hours/flexible schedule, this may be very appealing to your boss - particularly if you can accomplish a similar amount of work as you did full time in the office.

BN: Do you believe that working makes you a better wife/mother?

PL: Absolutely. Everyone is different and has different needs/goals. For me, I absolutely adore my boys and would prefer nothing more than to spend time with them. However, I need to be really busy and responsible for a lot of things. Both of my boys are in school all day and I try really hard to only "work" during that time. Sometimes I stray a bit, but I try to make it up to them with my undivided attention after. If someone were to describe me, I would hope "great mom" comes first, and then "great at her job- pleasure to work with" comes second.

BN: What have you gained from never having left corporate?

PL: I still feel connected with the corporate world and have the advantage of being "up-to-speed" on issues directly related to my industry.

BN: Are you in charge of paying the bills at home?

PL: Yes.

BN: When do you spend quality time with your boys?

PL: When they get home from school, they are always starving. So we talk while they eat. They then get about an hour to do whatever they want followed by homework time. I usually sit in the room with them while they do their homework. I may be doing work, or reading a magazine, but they know I am there to help them. On the weekends, it’s all about them. Sports keeps us pretty busy, but even when there is nothing going on, I always want to just be with them.

BN: What are some challenges you face in working from home?

PL: For the most part, it is great! I do think I am more productive if I have no interruptions. The only "challenge" I have is making sure that when I leave the office, I take everything I could possibly need until I will be there next. I want to feel like I can immediately respond to anyone who has a question. I have gotten quite the reputation of a being a "bag lady" at my office!

BN: How has your job helped you to manage your families’ budget?

PL: It’s nice to feel like I contribute to everything we do and buy for the boys. I would feel inadequate if my kids were always thanking their dad for buying them stuff and not feeling like I was part of the purchase, as well.

BN: Who has inspired you on your journey?

PL: My dad has always been my biggest fan. He has encouraged me to be my best and has supported me in all my career decisions. He is an incredible success story on his own, but has always found the time to manage a family life.

BN: How do you think a site like Butterfly can help women who are looking to return to work on a part-time basis?

PL: Obviously, job postings are key. It would give them an opportunity to find things locally that they might not otherwise have access to. Also, having the ability to speak with other women going through the same thing always makes life more reasonable.

BN: Any words of wisdom you’d like to share?

PL: First and foremost, if you are considering going back to work, find something you like to do. I am so passionate about what I do, the company I work for and my friends there. I do not view it as "working", but rather I see it as fulfilling myself. In addition, I think it is really important to take care of oneself. I run every morning (at some crazy hour) and this starts my day off feeling energized. I also bring my lunch to work so I don't need to leave my desk (since I am only there from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.). Sleep is also very important. If you can get at least seven (7) hours, you will be so much better to handle 12 balls flying all at once!


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