Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
This is my biggest battle and something that I still really struggle with to be honest! Being a stay-at-home mama with three young children has made it really difficult to be fully present for them while trying to grow my business, so I have mostly worked in the evenings once they went to bed. But as they have grown, my business has grown too, so I now get a few hours a week while the girls are at school and preschool so I can be fully focused on crafting orders and working on my business. It still means I work in the evenings but at least I don’t have to stay up as late as I used to and am slowly getting a better balance as we all learn and grow.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Staying motivated and surviving on very little sleep when my daughter woke every hour to feed was a really hard time. I remember feeling so frustrated wanting the best for my baby, while still trying to maintain a professional business and create beautiful keepsakes. It felt like I was always running between work and babies without a break in between! Now she is a determined little two-year-old and the sleep situation is much better, so once the kids are in bed, I can switch over to work mode and dive straight in to crafting and letting my creative juices flow. Those sleepless nights don’t last forever (thanks goodness!)
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
It was important for me to be a stay-at-home mum and be around for all my kids in their early years, so we made lots of sacrifices to make it a reality for our family. I loved being home with my girls but missed being creative and having something for me to focus on that wasn’t just about the next feed or nappy change. Starting up my own business allowed me to pursue my own dreams and give me a purpose and identity outside of being a mum. The biggest pro is definitely choosing my own hours so I can work around all the pickups, activities and appointments, but that’s also the con as sometimes it can feel like a constant juggle between work life and mum life and worrying about getting the balance right. Although it would be nice to relax in the evenings instead of jump straight into work, I know that all the hard work now is driving me closer to my goals, which keeps me super excited and motivated.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
Having more jewellery options and a wider range of styles is something I would love to have available! I am really particular about what I make and want to have it all available in different sizes and metals, so pulling together a big collection while raising the girls and fulfilling orders does take a long time to happen. But the dreams and ideas are all there written down and waiting to be developed for the next 6 product launches, which excites me for the future of The Spilt Milk Co.!
To find out more, visit The Spilt Milk Co. website and follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram.
