Toowoomba business woman and mum shares her juggling story

Mixing motherhood with a busy career has been a team effort for a Toowoomba mum who has had some heart-stopping and heartwarming moments along the way.

When it comes to juggling a career, a business and two teenage girls, Jennifer Rix says she has plenty of help from her daughters Samantha (left) and Allyssa. Picture: Kevin Farmer

You would be flat out meeting a mother with more balls in the air than Toowoomba mother, Jennifer Rix.

Between running her own business, being the CEO of a university guild and raising two rugby-mad teenage daughters, she’s got a fair bit on her plate.

Jennifer Rix says her daughters Samantha (left) and Allyssa are very independent. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“I have two very independent daughters, Allyssa is 14 and Samantha is 17, who are my world and have always been supportive of my husband and I pursuing our careers,” she said.

“This has meant a lot of moves over the years … My 17 year old’s ‘fun-fact’ for her senior year was that she has lived in 15 different houses across southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, while her parents chased their careers.”

Being a working mum has been a juggling act for the former regional bank manager.

“I once had to travel for work only to discover I had head lice from my kids in my hotel room just prior to an important client meeting,” she said.

She said another memorable escapade came when Allyssa broke free of her Moree daycare centre.

“(She) toddled across major roads all the way home on her own and is the reason why all New South Wales daycare centres now have Perspex on their pool gates,” Mrs Rix said.

Jennifer Rix relaxes with her daughters Allyssa (left) and Samantha. Picture: Kevin Farmer

When asked by colleagues about how she managed to do it all, Mrs Rix said she approached motherhood similar to the way she approached her businesses.

“I just get by in 24 hour cycles,” she said.

“I get through one day at a time.”

Mrs Rix said the support of male colleagues and her husband had been critical throughout her career.

“My husband David is a pilot and we have ‘tag teamed’ our careers over the years by both electing to work part time or taking career breaks at different stages to support each other during growth phases of our careers,” she said.

“There are times where I’ve been overwhelmed by mother’s guilt and wondered if I’ve given my girls enough mum time, enough of my time.”

But she said the best way to ensure quality family time was to know when to “let go of the little things”.

“Helping with the maths homework and assignments is not my forte, so I’ve learnt to delegate these things to others so that I can make the very most of the time with my girls whenever we can,” she said.

The Rix family (from left) Samantha, Jennifer, Allyssa and David. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mrs Rix is CEO of University of Southern Queensland Student Guild and the new owner and director of Ruthven St language school Bonjour Toowoomba.

She previously spent 20 years working her way up in banking and finance to manage large and geographically dispersed retail branch teams.

“Growth and development of people and championing diversity and inclusion have been central to my career and I’m so grateful to David and both of my girls for allowing me to take new opportunities like this and always backing me one hundred per cent,” she said.

She said motherhood had been a challenge.

“There’s been many tears, tantrums and triumphs and that’s just from me alone, but my independent daughters, their love and their savvy are my biggest achievement,” she said.

“I am so incredibly proud of the young women they are becoming and all I’ve ever hoped to do is set a fine example for them.”