Natalie says “Thanks, ponies.”

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across this article featuring an apology to working moms from a female executive. The story is basically a promotion for a new company, created by the aforementioned female executive (now a working mom), guised as an apology letter for her previous actions towards working mothers. Questioning a mother about how she’ll manage workload in a job interview because she has kids, spitefully scheduling meetings at 4:30 p.m. knowing full well a colleague has to leave for pick-up duty, agreeing someone should be fired before they get pregnant — the list goes on. Reading through the article, I couldn’t help but think how truly awful it would be to work in an environment where that sort of behavior was tolerated.

It’s hard enough as it is for a working mom – trying to be the very best employee, a gold-star mom and the perfect wife, not to mention pushing aside those feelings of guilt when you leave your kid every day. Being in an unsupportive environment would just amplify all of that.

Thankfully for me, that is not the case. So, a year and some change overdue, I owe all the ponies a heartfelt thank you for making Fast Horse the place it is today. I’ve always said that I work with the most talented and creative group of individuals, but what is often left unsaid is how supportive each and every pony is in the Fast Horse stable. Never once have I felt judged for having to deal with an emergency case of pinkeye or leave to make an on-time daycare pick-up.

Thank you to all the ponies past and present – for lending me the Bauer Room (RIP) without question, never judging my commitment to the team and serving as role models for how to get it done like a boss.

Power to the ponies.