As a new mom, I needed childcare, a coworking space, and a gym under one roof. So I created it.

• Britt Riley was overwhelmed balancing work and motherhood.
• She founded a location that combines childcare, a gym, and a coworking space.
• Building the community has empowered her and other parents, she says.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Britt Riley, founder of The Haven Collection. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Ten years ago, I was working as a remote chief marketing officer. I had always wanted a career and to be a mother. I pictured my baby in one hand and my briefcase in the other.

Having my daughter Harper, who is now 8, was a big reality check. I took 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave, withdrawing from my retirement account to finance it. When I returned to work, I felt like I was failing in all areas of my life. The situation got even more intense when my daughter Zoe was born just 21 months later.

During a late-night nursing session with Zoe, I thought about my needs. Most of all, I needed childcare. Then, I needed a co-working space and a place to exercise. Fitness had always been important to me, but I had gained 80 pounds through my pregnancies and the postpartum period, in part because I just couldn't find any time to work out.

I wanted to create a solution that cared for parents

After Zoe was born, I looked into nannies and put the girls in day care for a stint. But I was never fully comfortable with the environment they were in. I was frustrated by how outdated and ineffective our society's approach to day care was.

I wanted to create a solution that would care for children while also prioritizing their parents' physical, mental, and emotional health. After all, healthy, fulfilled parents will really benefit kids in the long run. That's where the idea for The Haven Collection came from. I spent the next two years planning my concept while still working at my marketing job.

Using Haven led to the happiest years of my life

In 2019, I found the perfect building for The Haven Collection and made the jump from idea to reality. I quit my job to work at Haven full time. I told my husband I might not be able to pay myself for a while, but pursuing this is going to make me feel whole.

And it did. I was able to drop the girls, who were 2 and 3, off at day care on the first floor. After that, I would go to the co-working space and have a cup of coffee or tea while watching them play. I knew they were in good hands, and they felt secure knowing I was nearby. While the kids were in childcare, I could work and exercise in the on-site gym.

Utilizing the Haven allowed me to actually enjoy motherhood. My first three years of parenting were incredibly hard because I had no solutions to help me. The next three were the best years of my life. The girls and I had a wonderful community that we're still friends with to this day.

Community is the most important aspect

Through The Haven Collection, I found my proverbial village, and I was able to help others find theirs. Once, another mom came in looking exhausted. Her infant had been up, feeding every 30 minutes during the night.

I remember being in almost the exact same situation one Christmas Eve. I was panicked, thinking that was the new normal, but it was just a night of cluster feeding. I was able to reassure the other mom, explaining cluster feeding to her and reminding her that she would get to sleep again — even if it didn't seem like that at the moment.

I hear conversations like that all the time. No matter what parenting or career stage a person is at, there's usually someone at the Haven who has been where they are.

The Haven lets parents prioritize themselves

Today The Haven Collection has three locations and more than 300 members. We're working to expand nationally with the backing of investors who are parents themselves. Our members are moms and dads, usually with babies or toddlers. We give them access to a day care, coworking space, and gym, plus perks like fitness classes, massage, and day-night babysitting.

Most importantly, we have a community that can combat the loneliness of parenthood. The Haven allows parents the time and space to process whatever phase they're in, prioritize themselves, and then confidently go home with their kids and be present with them. That's something we all deserve.