“My parents were serial entrepreneurs,” says Goldman, who lives in New York City, as a way of explaining how she was able to have not one but two very successful clothing brands. Both brands stemmed from needs she felt deeply—one, for her bridesmaids at her wedding in 2007, and the other for her own pregnancy. “I got pregnant with my first daughter Charlie in 2010, and I was going out looking for [clothing] to make me feel better about [being pregnant],” she says. “I was totally blown away that there was nothing out there except antiquated, old-school, ‘let’s put you in a muumuu and forget about you for 10 months of your womanhood’ clothing.” She felt few brands were really talking to her and celebrating her pregnant body. With the confidence of having successfully started her bridesmaid line, she founded HATCH as a direct-to-consumer maternity and pregnancy clothing collection. “I started with 12 key pieces that I thought every woman could use,” she explains. “The premise is that you could wear it before, during, and after your pregnancy. You’re investing in pieces that go the distance as your body changes.” Since starting HATCH over a decade ago, the brand has evolved to include many more facets, including HATCH Mama, a non-toxic beauty line started in 2018; The Fourth Trimester, postpartum-specific clothing that launched in 2020; and three bi-coastal retail stores. There is a diffusion line with Target (The Nines by Hatch), and there have been collaborations with brands like J.Crew. HATCH also hosts in-person and virtual events, an area in which Goldman believes the brand can shine. Community is how the brand has sustained itself, and she believes in the power of mothers talking to other mothers. There is even a community section on the website called Babe, which features everything from postpartum recovery plans to interviews with moms-to-be. It’s safe to say that Goldman truly changed the maternity clothing game. Not only are the styles chic and flattering, but there is value in every piece you buy, which can last you beyond pregnancy. She considers herself a smart shopper who wants beautiful things but doesn’t want to spend a lot of money, and that’s what she’s created. “I said, ‘let’s create something that allows you to be who you want to be when you see that garment,’” she says. “It’s not about being disposable or having a finite period of time. We’re smarter now. We have less time on our hands, and I think products should go the distance and be functional throughout stages, not just for one moment,” she says. HATCH has been like her third child. “There’s a little guilt that accompanies it. I got my inspiration when Charlie was in my belly. I’m a doer and a maker and creator, and it just so happened that when my brain and gusto were at their highest, my baby was the youngest. But I was really motivated,” she says. “I really built the brand with Charlie at my side.” Her second daughter Georgie was born four years later in 2014. Much like many of us, parenting in the last few years has been tough. “Fortunately, my kids are a little bit older and are in school, but there have been lots of times we’ve been quarantined at home,” she says. “I’ve literally locked myself in the bedroom while one of them is doing school in their bedroom and the other one is in the living room.” She says they’re doing the best they can as a New York City family, trying to get privacy without tons of space. Goldman is proud of what she’s accomplished and incorporates her daughters into the business. “They’ve been a part of it since I started,” she says. “Having them come to the office or having mommy work while they’re doing their own thing at my side is just kind of part of our nature and our family DNA.” As is grace for her team and her family. Goldman’s children often show up on screen during meetings, but she’s non-plussed by it. “The beautiful thing about this moment is that…we’ve watched all these wonderful women work from home with their kids in the background, and it’s totally acceptable. It’s part of the game now, and it’s part of our future.” She notes that it can be a struggle to balance it, but at the end of the day, to her, it’s the best of both worlds. That’s not to say parenting is easy-breezy for her. In their household, the rules come down to trusting your gut and making sure there’s always quality time as a family. “I still find myself to be a little girl at heart in many ways, and all of a sudden now I’m coaching my little girls through life. I look around like, ‘does anyone have advice?’” she laughs. “I don’t have all the answers, and this is going to sound super cheesy, but the one thing that we’ve got is a lot of love. “ Goldman is adamant that women can have it all—but with a caveat. “It depends on what you define as ‘all,’” she says. “I want it all. I’m a thirsty, thirsty person…define what your all is, and then narrow it down to something reasonable.” For her, that means family and inspiration, the latter of which she learned during the pandemic is extremely important to her. As long as those two buckets are filled, she feels satisfied. “Do I think [balance] exists? I think it’s really hard, but attainable if you sit with your expectations and simplify.” Here’s how tackles her days. Tuesday 6:27 a.m. The alarm goes off. Total darkness. 6:30 a.m. My first attempt at waking up my girls, Charlie, 11, and Georgie, 7. Clearly, they’re going to need another few minutes. 6:33 a.m. My second attempt at waking up the girls. They finally (begrudgingly) get up. I go get breakfast going. 6:33 a.m. to 7 a.m. A pure purgatory of the day. We start the process of shoveling breakfast. I wish I could say I’m that Pinterest mom who’s serving up scrambled eggs in the shape of smiley faces, but the reality is it’s usually a frozen waffle with some banana on the side and a yogurt smoothie. Then we’re filling water bottles, brushing teeth, packing snacks and backpacks, and tying sneakers. By 6:58 a.m. the coats are on. I try to keep a bin of cold-weather items right by the door but for some reason, we’re still running around fetching spare gloves and earmuffs from the day before. 7 a.m. The bus comes outside of our building in the West Village. I send them down and happily wave to them from our second-floor window. I am a free woman. 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. I get back in bed, go through emails and watch the morning shows while I start chugging coffee. I might be the last person on earth who still takes half-and-half in my coffee, but it’s just better and everyone knows it. 8 a.m. I do some yoga with the Down Dog app. Depending on the day, I’ll take a bath or shower. And coffee, always coffee. My beauty regimen is fast in the morning. I’ll spritz some Oribe dry shampoo in my hair and throw it back. I wash with cold water in the morning, slap on some Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum and SPF by Supergoop. I love Gucci Westman’s makeup products. She really nails the no-makeup makeup. The Westman Atelier Vital Stick is my saving grace. I use Baby Cheeks blush stick for those pale, pasty winter mornings. I’m starting to move my skincare products over to clean offerings, but it’s a process. I smack my lips with HATCH Mama Nipple + Lip Rescue Balm and I’m done. 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. I run through approvals over email before the morning meetings that start my day. I’ll roll my calls to my cell phone so I can walk to our office in SoHo. I’ll pick up a green juice either at Joe and the Juice or Dr. Zmood. Lately, working in the office has been peaceful and quiet since only 20% of our team works there. The silence is lovely, but I miss the crazy. I’ll take various meetings throughout the morning while finishing my third cup of coffee. 1 pm. I’ll meet a fellow entrepreneur for lunch at La Mercerie in SoHo. We talk about everything from the triumphs and stresses of maintaining a business in year two (or is it three? I’ve lost count) of a global pandemic, as well as how we organize our days to fit everything in. We trade industry secrets and hacks because we’re all on the journey together. 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Back to the office for more meetings on Zoom and in-person. We are actively planning our denim launch so it’s all hands on deck. I’ll meet with the design, marketing, and product teams. It’s a total cross-functional initiative. But that’s another reason I like to be in the office: to touch and feel the fabric and approve the quality and details. 4 p.m. I head back to my apartment to finish my day so that I can be home by the time my kids get home and give them a hug and kiss. I’ll hit the home office (a.k.a., our living room alcove) and end the day with meetings. 6:30 p.m. Dinner with the kids. I’ll prep something quick and easy while we talk about our days. We like to play “Rose and Thorn,” where we go over the highlights and low moments of our day. I’ll either eat with them or meet friends for a quick dinner and drink at a restaurant downtown. 7 p.m. It’s family time after homework. We lay in bed, talk about our day, and hang out before 8:30 p.m. lights out. 9 p.m. Husband time, hang time, TV time. I’ll hop in the bath with HATCH Mama’s Mama Calm Bath Soak, light a few candles, and zen out. Then back to bed in the HATCH Cashmere Robe for some mindless television. Right now we’re watching the LuLaRich documentary. Obsessed.
