Forever Postpartum
A reflective series exploring the tender, transformative seasons of motherhood, nourishment, and what it means to care for ourselves and others.
This month we feature Gabby Billing, mother to two girls and co-founder of FORM, a boutique communication agency she built alongside business partner Satori Saskia. After five years of growing the business from the ground up, Gabby recently made the difficult decision to step away, choosing to create more space for family and herself.
In this new season, Gabby is reflecting on what success means to her now, the changing nature of ambition, and the importance of being present for the fleeting years of motherhood. She shares honestly on choosing a slower pace, making room for the things that matter, and learning that stepping away can sometimes be the most intentional choice of all.
You’ve built a successful business and career, and you’ve recently chosen to step away and create more space for your family and your own wellbeing. Was there a moment when you realised you were ready for something different, and what did it take to trust that feeling and make the decision?
Leaving FORM was an incredibly hard decision. It was something I had built from the ground up, and it was our fifth year in business, so there was a huge amount of emotion attached to stepping away. But I think I had slowly realised that I had been trying to do everything for a very long time.
Having two little girls is full-on, and I hadn't really given myself a proper pause through pregnancy, maternity leave or those early years of motherhood. I had reached a point where I knew I couldn't keep running at the same pace and still feel like the person and mum I wanted to be.
For me, I wanted to be the best version of myself for my girls. Motherhood is the biggest blessing in the world, and I want to really cherish and enjoy this time with them. There will always be time to build another business, but raising little humans is fleeting. You only get this small window of time while they are little, and I think it is one of the most incredible and pivotal chapters of a mother's life.
Stepping away wasn't about giving something up as much as it was making space for something I really needed at this stage of my life. I've realised that sometimes putting yourself first is actually one of the best things you can do for your children. When you're happy and fulfilled, they feel that too.
Looking back on the years you’ve spent shaping FORM, what are you most grateful for from that chapter, and what will you carry with you into what comes next?
I'm incredibly grateful for everything FORM gave me. I learnt so much over those five years, both personally and professionally, and I'm really proud of what we built alongside Satori. Building a business from the ground up together, watching it grow and reaching our fifth year is something I'll always be incredibly proud of.
I'm especially grateful for the opportunity to work alongside so many incredible brands and people, helping businesses grow, bringing ideas to life and watching them evolve from an initial concept into something much bigger. Those experiences, relationships and lessons have shaped me in so many ways.
What I'll carry with me most is the belief in myself and my ability to create something from nothing. FORM taught me to take risks, trust my instincts and back myself, and I know those lessons will stay with me well beyond this chapter.
After years of helping brands find their voice and tell their story, has motherhood changed the way you think about the kind of life you want to build- and what you want your children to see you prioritising?
Motherhood has made me much more conscious of what I want our life to actually feel like, rather than just what it looks like from the outside.
I want my girls to see that you can work hard and be ambitious, but that your priorities can also change throughout your life. I want them to see me prioritising relationships, experiences, fun and being present, not just being busy.
I think there is so much emphasis on achievement and doing more, particularly for women. I want my girls to understand that success isn't measured by how much you achieve or how much you manage to fit in. It's about building a life that feels meaningful to you, whatever that looks like in your own circumstances and at different stages of your life.
Right now, I want to build a life that feels full, happy and connected, and I want my girls to see me enjoying it too.
Has becoming a mother changed your relationship with ambition or success? If so, what does success look like to you now?
It definitely has. I don't think I've become any less ambitious, but what I'm ambitious for has changed.
For a long time, success was very much tied to work, building FORM, growing it, achieving things and always having something to work towards. Now success feels much more personal.
To me, it is about having the freedom to be present with my girls. It's having the energy to enjoy them. It's having time for our family, our home, our friendships and experiences. It's feeling happy and fulfilled in my own life.
I still have goals and things I want to achieve, but I don't feel the same pressure to achieve everything at once. I think I'm learning that you can have different seasons in life, and this season is really about my family and myself.
There will always be time to build another business, take on another challenge or chase another goal. This season with my girls is fleeting, and I want to be present for it, soak it up and not look back wishing I had slowed down more.
What are you dreaming about for yourself now? Are there goals or aspirations that have been sitting quietly in the background that you’re finally giving some space to?
Right now, I'm really dreaming about creating a lifestyle that feels full of fun, happiness and adventure with my girls.
I've spent a lot of my life prioritising work and other people, so I'm finally giving myself some space too. That doesn't mean suddenly having loads of time for myself, most of my time is still very much about the kids but I'm learning to make room for the things that make me feel like me.
I want to travel, have adventures with the girls, be more present at home, look after myself and really enjoy this stage of their childhood rather than constantly feeling like I'm rushing towards the next thing.
And I think there are definitely still goals and ideas sitting quietly in the background. I'm excited to see what comes from having the space to actually listen to them.
The idea behind Forever Postpartum is that becoming a mother changes us well beyond those early months. What do you feel you’re still learning about yourself through motherhood?
Motherhood has taught me so much about myself, and I think I'm still very much in the middle of figuring it all out.
Patience is a big one. I'm learning to slow down, not rush through every stage and accept that not everything needs to happen immediately. I'm also learning to appreciate the everyday moments with my girls and how much joy there is in simply being present for them.
I'm learning that looking after myself isn't selfish. I've struggled to prioritise myself in the past, but I understand now that when I take care of myself, I am able to show up more fully for my family.
Motherhood has changed me in so many ways, and I don't think that process ever really stops. I'm learning to embrace this season for what it is, rather than constantly thinking about what comes next. The girls will only be this little once, and I want to be present for it and make the most of this fleeting chapter.