Balancing a flourishing career with the demands of raising a family, Katie Rausch discovered a shared struggle among fellow mothers in the construction industry, sparking a deeper connection and dialogue within the community.
“There are a lot of us that wear multiple hats in this industry,” said Rausch, Business Development Director with Deutsch Architecture Group. “I saw a need to be able to go to an early happy hour, go to a later coffee event … sometimes there are events that we moms just simply can’t go to after hours and on the weekends. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an option where we could bring our kids?”
Nearly two years ago Rausch formed Moms in Business (MIBs), an independent group tailored towards tackling the dichotomy between the personal and professional lives of moms in the architecture, engineering, and construction community across Metro Phoenix.
Moms in Business totals more than 120 members since it was founded, all of whom are working moms throughout the Valley. The group is designed to foster and build relationships between members through shared experiences, Rausch said.
“There’s a unique rawness about our connections that I haven’t found anywhere else and I’m truly thankful for it,” Rausch said. “I think our group is more than just people trying to do business with each other. I think it’s people trying to do life with each other.”
MORE NEWS: Vote for the best places to work for women in Arizona
Krista Dossey, Business Development Manager at Canyon State Electric and mom of three, said there are two sides to the group’s business model: One that aims to create networking events that involve members’ children and one that focuses on professional development.
“We want events catered to everyone in the industry that focus on how we can be better at our careers while being moms,” Dossey said.
Types of events can range from summer days at the splash pad and the Phoenix Children’s Museum where all the kids can attend, to career-focused events for moms such as creating inspiration boards and participating in panels with other mom industry leaders.
Wespac Construction Business Development specialist Cassie Van Ess said Moms in Business has inspired her to advocate for herself and find ways to shift her focus between personal and professional life.
“When you’re in a male dominated industry like we are, it’s easy to kind of just get sucked into the work life. When you’re able to connect with other moms and be able to speak up for yourself and advocate, I think that’s huge,” Van Ess said.
Dossey and Rausch expressed that an imperative aspect of the group’s design is that members can join and attend events for free. The primary focus is to obtain sponsorships so that everyone can participate, Dossey added.
The group has been able to obtain event sponsors through member connections and companies. Despite this, convincing big sponsors that the group is worth investing in can be challenging, said Vanessa Cruz, Business Development Coordinator with Danson Construction and a member since the beginning.
“It’s about 75 percent willing and 25 percent that just feel like maybe it’s just another thing,” Cruz said. “When it comes to a big sponsorship … it’s trying to let them understand that we’re not just doing playdates.”
“We really are a serious professional networking group, not just a bunch of moms who want to get together and gab,” Rausch said.
Rausch emphasized that the group’s biggest challenge by far is getting all members to attend the events. It’s tough to find a time that works for everyone, she said.
“I want to be able to really get more people out to each event; one of the ways we’re doing that is to put out this ‘save the date’ so people can have it on their radar,” Rausch said. “I (also) think somehow, some way, I really should put out a member list because maybe if they see the quality of our membership, they would be more likely to attend.”
Events are held about once every month; there are at least 10 lined up for the remainder of 2025. For more information on Moms in Business, contact Katie Rausch at (480) 452-8734 or krausch@2929.com.
