The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Well, there have been a few, that goes without saying, in every business across every industry. Each time we have a challenge, I’ve taken a step back, a deep breath, then addressed the challenge with clarity (sometimes that breath has lasted a few days with stock that I’m not happy with sat on my dining room table and me refusing to look at it or discuss it **inserting a giggle here as I think of how upset I sometimes get before I actually deal with it.. I just don’t use the table for a few days Lol).
When we were setting up this business, creating something that hadn’t existed before, there were lots of hurdles. Manufacturing delays, materials, supply issues, communication breakdowns, cultural differences, timelines, shipping… the list goes on. We faced every one of these at one point or another and that was well before we launched the actual business online. I have had to educate myself in the cultures we manufacture with, understand their style of business practice, work out best forms of communication when English is not their first language, and do this all while making sure we bring the best quality to the marketplace and source our materials to produce our products in an ethical way.
Last year, I travelled to one of our suppliers in Vietnam – it was a wonderful experience. Knowing how our business with them would positively impact the local village communities made it extremely worthwhile. We were able to source ethically, develop long-term relationships and bring beautiful well-made products to our marketplace.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The pros: Oh, I love the development opportunities, the creative license we can have with what we do, freedom around work/life, I can still be a grandmother and Sam, my daughter in-law that works with me, an attentive mum. The financial opportunities, problem solving, creating legacy for our family, I mean the list goes on; I absolutely love business!
The Cons: For me particularly, there aren’t too many, which is great, right?
No matter the size of any business, we would all love more sales, higher returns, greater reach and a marketing genie that we can pull out and put to work every time we have to even think of marketing **insert face palm Lol.
These are the everyday challenges that all business owners face so we do need a thick skin at times and the ability to grind when needed, which can put pressure on a household. We have to constantly keep in mind these are seasons and seasons change.
I try to keep at the forefront my analogy of business being the ebb and flow of the tide. At one moment it’s coming in and in a matter of hours it’s going out again and we just have to ride with its flow because trying to control it is impossible and can leave you breathless and exhausted.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
Our immediate dream is to continue to build brand and sales, having as many families as possible experience our beautiful products. We plan to increase on our current ranges and have a couple of new products we would love to see in the store within the next year.
We just turned one year old on the 1st of July 2024 so this a celebratory month for us and we can’t wait to see what the next year holds.
Visit the JUDASH & Co website to find out more, and connect with them on Facebook and Instagram.
