I left my job at J.Crew after having my first baby. It was the best career move I ever made.

Seri Kertzner left her corporate job to become a party planner. Courtesy of Seri Kertzner Seri Kertzner left J.Crew after her first son was born. She founded Little Miss Party and later expanded to three brands. She says entrepreneurship gave her more flexibility to prioritize her children. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Seri Kertzner, 47, who lives in Florida. She spent a decade working in the corporate fashion industry in New York before founding a trio of event-planning brands: Little Miss Party, The Social Society, and Rev New York. She is also the mother of two teenage boys, ages 16 and 14. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. My love for fashion began with a childhood shopping addiction . I loved clothes, and I dreamed of having a lot of money so I could shop to my heart's content.