The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
In the early stages of creating Mama & Bell, I had a clear vision: custom luxury gift boxes made here in New Zealand to hold all the beautiful products inside. I spent countless hours searching for a local company that could bring that vision to life, but came up short every time. It was a huge hurdle – so many dead ends, so many “almosts”. Eventually, I had to look overseas, which brought its own challenges. After many, many samples (and just as many setbacks), I finally created the box that felt perfect in my eyes.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
A big pro is that I truly love what I do. There’s nothing better than sending off a beautifully packed gift box, knowing it’s about to make someone’s day a little brighter. Being part of those special moments brings me so much happiness.
As for cons, the flip side of running your own business is that the work never really ends. While I’m not chained to a desk, there are never quite enough hours in the day. There’s always something new to learn, and so much you have to figure out yourself along the way.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I want Mama & Bell to continue growing – becoming more well known here in New Zealand and, eventually, reaching overseas. Since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of having my own store, a beautiful space filled with carefully chosen, luxurious New Zealand-made pieces. For now, Mama & Bell is an online store, but the vision of creating a physical space one day is still very much alive.
Visit the Mama & Bell website to find out more, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
