Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
It can definitely feel like a juggle at times! For me, it is important to give my focus and energy to what is in front of me in the present moment. There are these different parts of my life, and I look to experience them in harmony. I try to be intentional with my time; if I am with my son, we are spending time together and my attention is with him. If I am working, then that’s what I am doing, and my energy goes towards that. I try not to do both at once! Routine and schedule help. Allowing spontaneity works too. Giving permission to take the day and spend time with my family in nature on a gorgeous day; and also knowing there will be times with the business where there seems more take than give. Having said all that, it doesn’t always go to plan. I am so fortunate to be supported by my husband, who had left his job and became the parent at home, which afforded me the ability to fully focus on my career and eventually launch Youha Australia. Also, it is worth mentioning breathing, mediation and yoga are incredible supports for me to keep in the present moment.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Even though I fortunately had a wealth of experience to draw on, launching my own business was undoubtably a steep learning curve. At times, it felt outrageously steep and out of my depth. Challenges have seemed insurmountable. I was told things were not possible but I kept going and sure enough, they became possible. Becoming familiar with and confident in an environment presenting new challenges of various sizes on what seems like a daily basis – to me, that is more important than how challenges are overcome. My networks have been so important. I don’t have all the answers, so it is so valuable to have people on my side who have the answers that I don’t, or know what questions to ask to help you find them! I’m super grateful to have some world-class, beyond incredible businesswomen in my life. They have shown me that the impossible is actually possible if I persist.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
To be honest, pretty much every aspect of the business can be a pro or a con, depending on my outlook on any particular day! From the number or orders that come in, to having the freedom to manage my own time and workflow, to being ultimately responsible for the success of the business, they all have positive and negative aspects. I would say, it’s been important to surround myself with great people to ensure more better than worse days. They are a source of wisdom and perspective to draw upon, and they are there for me if I have a setback.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I think big and dream big. My hopes for Youha Australia are to become more than a place to purchase our game-changing breast pumps. I wish to be able to actively build, enrich and connect parents together to ensure they have access to “the village” and the support that we all need as parents as we make our way through the joy, mess and challenges we all face. What that looks like is yet to come. It is a sense of something at this stage. And yes! We will continue to work with breastfeeding parents and our engineers to design even better and more convenient ways to express breast milk.
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