Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
I’ll be honest – the work/life balance is a constant challenge! Being a parent is my number one priority and sometimes life as a working mum can be difficult. Being in a flexible job is important. Being my own boss means I can move things around if my kids need me. Having a supportive husband makes things easier too. We have both had to rearrange our hours to make things work. It’s a constant learning curve but as long as my family is happy, I am happy.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Finances have been tight sometimes. I have had to really work hard to pay for the things needed for the business. We have had to go without. Not seeing a lot of my kids some weeks, working 6/7 days a week and then studying when the kids are in bed has also been challenging. There have been sacrifices. But getting my child through Tourette’s and seeing him healthy and happy again has made EVERYTHING worthwhile. I think us parents would walk over hot coals to see our kids happy. Nothing else is hard compared to seeing your kid in pain and not knowing what to do.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The pros are the freedom to choose your own path, being able to choose your own working hours and choosing your own business ethos. Being in control of your own life is amazing.
The cons are that finances can be tight, having no holiday pay or sick pay sucks and having all the responsibility can be daunting. Also, landlords can be difficult!
Hopes and dreams: What next?
The goal is to add more NZ retailers stocking our range and get these products in front of more people. We are working on adding new products to the range (I am working on a rich night cream now). When NZ finally catches up with the rest of the world, we want to add CBD to our products. That will be a game changer. Hemp is amazing.
The big dream is to scale up and run a dedicated skincare business that showcases NZ ingredients and products to the world. NZ has a lot to offer.
Find out more by heading to the Happy Happy NZ website. You can also follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram.
