Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
It has been a blessing running Smart Stork from my home office. It’s given me the freedom to work when I like and as long as there’s internet, I can work from anywhere in the world. Over the last 20 years I was lucky enough to raise my children as if I was a stay at home mum, being fully present through their schooling, going on school camps and excursions and supporting them through sporting and musical achievements.
The Drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Smart Stork was one of four original gender selection websites on the internet and was doing extremely well, with clients from over 55 countries worldwide – until a cyber attack from a rival gender selection company in Canada brought it to a grinding halt. I took on my attackers and offered my services and gender selection program for free for several years to ensure that I could continue to help people conceive babies.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The pros far outweigh the cons.
Cons: The only con is that I am the eternal procrastinator… I will bake, clean, garden or pretty much anything before getting around to marketing, advertising, writing, researching or paperwork. Office work is definitely not my strength, however when I set myself a deadline I generally am able to pull it together and get on with it.
Pros: The nature of my business – helping couples to conceive babies naturally – is truly rewarding and incredibly satisfying on an emotional level. The joy I experience when I receive photos and news of little babies being born that I know I had a small part in helping to create is hard to believe. Many a tear of happiness has been shed, especially for those couples who came to me after years and years of trying to conceive without success, often at great expense, and getting word that they have successfully conceived is really incredible.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
My eBook on how to conceive twins is almost ready to send to publishers for the print version – and over the next 12 months I’ll embark on a second book: a complete natural fertility/pregnancy/and birth guide along with tips and advice for postpartum and early parenting. It will include every piece of wisdom I’ve gathered over the past 30 years, all the important things that women often wish they knew before falling pregnant, before labour, before enduring many sleepless nights with screaming babies.
I want to help make pregnancy and parenting the wonderful, joyous experience it is supposed to be, sharing which foods help you to fall pregnant easily, lessen morning sickness, reduce the chances of stretch marks, advice on making labour as painless and problem free as possible and how to reduce the risk of developing post natal depression and so much more…
For more information please visit www.smartstork.com
