How This Freelancer Balances Business, Parenting, and Full-Time Work

Chisom Okwulehie is a real-life superwoman. That’s not just exaggerated fan-girl speak. It’s truly what you think of her once you learn more about her. Based in New York, Chisom Okwulehie is a mother of one (with one more on the way), works as a Senior Architect for a U.S. government organization, and runs a highly successful design and technology firm, Juntero.

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We recently spoke with Chisom about her origin story and how she juggles full-time work alongside her business while also remaining present as a parent.

An interest in art turned into a career

Chisom’s career in architecture started out with an interest in and talent for art.

In her own words: “When I was in high school, I got accepted to the San Francisco High School of the Arts as a Visual Artist. So I was drawing, painting, and sculpting two hours a day. I hosted several art shows and sold most of my work on campus. I remember my dad asked the principal, “I know that she's doing well in art, but what can she do with this art? I don't want her to be a starving artist.”

The principal mentioned architecture. I didn't know what architecture was until they put me into an after-school program in high school, which was basically an internship at an architecture and interior design firm. I really enjoyed it and it kicked off my love for the work.”

Following her high school experience, Chisom pursued a bachelor of architecture as well as bachelor of science in public policy, management, and planning at University of Southern California. She followed this up with a master of science in advanced architectural design at Columbia University.

During school and after graduation, she worked at various public and private architectural and interior design firms before landing her current role as an architect for a government organization. She credits this role with giving her the flexibility she needed as a new mom while also providing opportunities for her to gain technical and managerial experience.

The year that changed everything

Chisom excelled at her full-time job, but always wanted to run her own business. When the pandemic hit and the world came to a near standstill, she decided to take the plunge. However, she wanted to start small by taking on freelance projects on the side.

That was when she found Upwork. “I decided to join Upwork as it allowed me to have more client-facing opportunities. I honestly thought it was going to be just a few little one-off projects. I didn't realize my portfolio would attract so many people!” said Chisom.

As a creative person, Chisom has many skills. She started out on Upwork offering architecture, interior design, graphic and web design as well as photo-editing services to clients. As the business grew and Chisom analyzed her numbers, she realized her best clients were drawn to her architecture and interior design skills. These days that’s where her focus lies.

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Finding balance in growth

What Chisom didn’t expect was for her business to outpace her full-time job so quickly!

“2021 was actually really fun but also stressful, in a good way. I was receiving a lot of requests and projects that I was doing on my own. It was tough because I was also taking care of my daughter and working a nine-to-five.”

In the early days, Chisom worked her government job from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Then, she switched gears and worked on client projects from four to seven at night or early mornings on the weekends. She admits this was really hard at times while having a little child to care for.

While it was a lot of after-hours work, Chisom had to learn to prioritize better and manage her time with precision to make sure she was getting everything done. She also credits her husband for being a fully supportive co-parent, which allowed her to truly grow Juntero in its first year.

“My husband is a huge part of my success. He’s very hands-on so it’s not like I’m doing it on my own.”

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“As things started getting busier, I set a goal for myself. In 2022, I wanted to double the income and then hire some help. Once I achieved that, I was able to hire people to do at least fifty percent of the work, while I took care of the other half. Now, I have more people working for me. I train and supervise them and quality check the work before the client receives it. It’s helped me free up so much time!”

Chisom has hired a variety of independent professionals from around the world to help her continue to grow the business. Going from solopreneur to a firm with a number of skilled professionals has allowed her to continue to say yes to new and exciting projects without sacrificing her personal work-life balance.

The extra help has allowed her to cut down her own hours. In 2023, she only works a few hours per day on the business. The extra time now allows her to be more present with her daughter. She’s also expecting a new baby any day now. Chisom quipped that she has “too much time now” so she also sees it as an opportunity to pursue further professional development goals.

Time management is the secret behind doing it all

Chisom’s company—Juntero—today makes six times her six-figure government salary. In just over two years, her business has become a runaway success—all while she still remained dedicated to her full-time role.

How does she do it all? Her answer is deceptively simple. Time management.

Working a full-time job and running a business at the same time isn’t easy. It often leads to burnout. Having a good work-life balance helps you excel professionally and stay energized. “My big advice for those who want to keep a nine-to-five and work for themselves is learning to manage your time. Balancing full-time work and a business isn’t easy, so you have to be highly organized and confident in your skill set and know how to manage your time so you can get it all done,” said Chisom.

The future looks bright

“It’s funny. Upwork used to be my side gig and now my nine-to-five almost feels like a side hustle,” joked Chisom. “I learn so much from both my roles—an employee and a business owner—so I’m very happy to continue doing both.”

Chisom’s initial projects on Upwork started out with individuals and families. These days she works with high-profile builders and developers on residential and commercial projects. Business is booming and she has big plans for Juntero. One of her new initiatives include recurring subscription packages. This will help simplify Juntero’s offerings and create more consistent income streams.

Does she still have a dream project or dream client?

“I'm hoping to design and build a local single-family home because most of the services that I provide are e-design. So it gives me an opportunity to work with people outside of New York. At the moment, I have to fly out to different states to see my work come to life. But I'm hoping that one day I can work with someone local and actually see my designs get built on a day-to-day basis. ”

If you have an architecture or interior design project in mind, please get in touch with Chisom.