Here at Bellmont Partners, we believe that “work-life balance” isn’t just a buzzword: it’s a central pillar to our culture. We know that we’re better communicators, creatives and people when we feel confident in taking time to care for ourselves and our loved ones. One of the core ways we support work-life balance is by ensuring that each of us is able to prioritize cheering on our kids’ soccer games, being able to be there for aging parents and building schedules that allow us to show up for our loved ones best.
We asked our team members to share about their experiences at Bellmont Partners that have helped them prioritize the people who mean the most to them – here are their answers.
“Grateful to the people who made it possible for me to earn the title of caregiver.”
Sara Grasmon, Account Supervisor
“When I started at Bellmont Partners, caregiver wasn’t a word I used to describe myself. Five and a half years later, that’s changed. I now see being a caregiver as part of my identity, something that’s shaped who I am today and how I see the world. And throughout the life events that led to this point, the team and leadership at Bellmont Partners has supported me. They stepped in when my mom unexpectedly needed open heart surgery just six months after I joined the team so I could be with her and my family as we navigated surgeries, complications and her rehabilitation journey. Then, they doubled down when we learned my mom’s second bout with cancer wasn’t going to be one she could win. Without hesitation, I was able to disappear from work for more than a month to provide hospice care, so she could spend her final chapter at home. These experiences have been some of the hardest yet most meaningful weeks of my life, and I can’t imagine getting through them and the subsequent months without the help of the team we have here. I’m forever grateful to the people who made it possible for me to earn the title of caregiver.”
“Bellmont has my back.”
Stacey Robertson, Account Strategist
“My mother-in-law, who resides in California, is living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. This progressive neurodegenerative disease affects her nerve cells and makes mobility difficult. Recently, she fell and broke her foot. My husband wanted to fly out that day as a surprise to cheer her up and also offer some relief to his sister and father who do most of her day-to-day caregiving. He was worried about leaving me so quickly without support for our own day-to-day demands, like driving our young kids to school and activities. As a Bellmont Partners employee, I appreciate the understanding that our lives extend beyond the office. We are granted the flexibility that allows us to adjust schedules as needed, to take care of ourselves and those we love. With BP’s culture, I don’t have to be stressed or worried about “doing it all” when I take on all of the primary responsibilities at home in addition to my work duties, because I know my co-workers will support me with my workload when I need it just as I will support them. My husband is planning more regular visits out west now, and I’m sure there will be additional last-minute trips as her disease progresses. But it’s truly a great comfort to know that Bellmont has my back, which allows me to encourage him to take these trips and enjoy the time he has with his mother.”
“I feel like my entire family is truly loved and cared for by my employer.”
Megan Derkey, Director
“I am so appreciative of Bellmont Partners’ flexible work policies that make me feel like a valued human and allow me to be both a professional and a loving parent. Bellmont has supported me through THREE(!) maternity leaves, allowed me to change my work hours to care for my kids how I wanted to, and through all that they’ve promoted me multiple times and allowed me to grow in my career rather than enforcing some invisible “motherhood penalty” on me that you hear about in a lot of corporate situations.
Several years ago I was quoted in a Forbes article about millennial moms in the workplace and I shared then that I never would have returned to the workplace after becoming a mom if it wasn’t for Bellmont Partners and the caring, flexible environment they’ve created.
From allowing me to adjust my hours to make it to school and doctor appointments, to literally passing down hand me down toys and books to my kids, I feel like my entire family is truly loved and cared for by my employer, and I think that’s a pretty amazing and unusual way to feel!
I’ve seen basically every other co-worker benefit from the policies and culture as well, whether they are caring for sick family members, parents, pets, etc. The leadership at Bellmont understands that we all have lives outside of the agency, and that we all perform best at work when the rest of our lives are in order and well taken care of.
There’s no easy button for raising kids of any age or dealing with aging parents and illnesses, but Bellmont Partners tries to make it as stress-free as possible from the work side of things. And I think it really pays off – people love working here! And we all continuously deliver amazing work for our clients, even while squeezing in the doctor appointments, field trip chaperoning, chauffeuring and everything else that lands on our plates outside of the office!”
“The compassion even extends to pets and animals.”
Sarah Schiltz, Digital Strategist
“I don’t have any caretaking stories, but even things as simple as a sick dog are supported here. One night our pup, Gail, had to go to the emergency vet and spend the night, so we were there from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m., and the team at BP was very quick to say ‘take the day, do what you need to take care of Gail,’ and we’ve seen the same with when we had to take her to the vet again recently when she was sick and injured. So the compassion even extends to pets and animals, which is huge – one less thing to worry about while in the animal ER!”
“Bellmont’s flexible and supportive.”
Katie Fitzpatrick, Director, Account Strategy
“I appreciate Bellmont’s flexibility and support of employees adjusting their schedules for caregiving needs. I work Monday – Thursday and stay home with my three-year-old son on Fridays. I also am using this day to see my aging parents more.”
“It’s not just talk!”
Breanna Welke, Vice President
“I would say Bellmont Partners’ focus on people and culture can be seen the most in how the agency allows time for people to care for their families, and how they truly believe in the importance of family and work/life balance. It’s not just talk!
For me, as a mom of two very active girls who are 12 and 10, I’m in what they like to call the ‘thick of it,’ when it comes to activities, both in school and sports. By allowing me to flex my time, I’m able to start work early most days and sign off when the kids get home from school so that I have time to shuffle them off to their next event. This not only allows me to be able to attend their games and in-school performances, but it also helps relieve a little bit of the stress in the afternoons by allowing me the time (and patience) to get them fed, keep them moving and get them where they need to be on time. While at times the work/life balance can be tough, my kids are only young once so having a team that allows me to be there for all of their moments is something that is so important and something that makes Bellmont Partners such a great place to work.
Bellmont Partners was also unbelievably supportive when a few years ago I needed time to care for my mom who was battling cancer. The entire team stepped up with no questions asked to help when I had to be out for last minute appointments, running errands or picking up prescriptions, and most importantly, so that I could spend time with my mom during her final weeks. That time was extremely difficult, and invaluable to me and my family, and the entire team made it so that work was one less thing that I had to worry about. For that, I am forever grateful.”
“I feel supported as a whole person.”
Maddie Michaud, Content Marketing Strategist
“One of the first things I noticed about Bellmont Partners was the openness. People weren’t afraid to say when they needed a mental health break or had to dip out to run their kids to sports practice. And it’s not just helping out when someone’s sick. People celebrate people taking vacation, and the team shows up to celebrate each other’s accomplishments, inside and outside of work. I feel supported as a whole person by my team and leaders and know they’ll be there to help me navigate work when life gets hectic.”
We take the “partners” in our name seriously. We’re partners to our clients and each other and are here to celebrate each other’s wins and lend each other a hand whenever needed. A culture of caring allows us to be happy at work and give our best to our clients – while also helping us create the lives we want outside of work.