Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
The million dollar question. Ha, if anyone has the formula, please share it!
I’ve tentatively started this venture. I still work in the public sector and am passionate to keep it this way. I gain so much by working in such a specialist team and get to work with so many different types of families. This also means I still have a steady income while I feel my way through. There is nothing hanging in the balance as it were: no financial pressure or burden (over and above the typical pressures of life anyway!).
I try to keep things separate and allocate time to different aspects of work so that I can be 100% present with my family. Weekends and my day off with my baby are sacred. This leaves very little time to work on growth of the business. I wish I had more, as so many exciting doors seem to be on the horizon, but such is life. My dream would be to have enough of a financial float from Milk to Mealtime to comfortably do both more regularly and keep those sacred times with my family exactly that!
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Getting the word out has been such a learning curve. Hitting the right tone and notes that are going to drum up the interest without putting pressure on potential clients has been difficult to get my head around.
I think the frustrating thing is that I know just how many families are sitting on impossibly long waiting lists or don’t even know this type of practice exists, so don’t know what they need to access to improve their feeding journey. Some parents and carers also feel having a baby who’s finding it difficult to latch or a fussy toddler is par for the course of parenting, and it isn’t. With the right help, at the right time, anything is possible, and improvement is always achievable.
I am also not sure what I should be expecting in terms of business goals and what the rate of ‘success’ is. This is a challenge I continue to face and guess I’d benefit from understanding how to manage my expectations in business.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The pros… the flexibility definitely is a big one. Doing things on my own terms is so refreshing and something I would love more of. This also means I can support families in a way I was actually trained to do, we can do therapy for as long as it’s needed, and I have the time to listen and absorb all the information to provide a beautifully crafted offer for them.
The cons… not switching off. I have come to terms with the idea that my business is likely to grow slower than others because I just don’t have the time investment to hand and prioritise the clinical practice above all else. I am trying to remind myself that this is only supposed to be fun as a passion project so any stress I feel or projects that aren’t working, I am trying to cut out as much as possible.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I want to keep spreading the word and try to reach as many parents and carers or other professionals involved in rearing babies and children so they are aware of this type of support.
I hope to grow my client list to a consistent and sustainable point that allows me opportunity to relieve some time to work on the venture more than I can do currently.
I am also working on some online therapy programmes so parents and carers can access these on their own terms and in their own time, in an affordable way. Fingers crossed I can find some time to finish these off and add them to the website soon.
I would LOVE to work on bigger projects in getting the word out with collaborations and talks on a wider scale and to a wider audience. That would be really cool!
Visit the Milk to Mealtime website to find out more about the services Laura offers, as well as accessing her blog, which provides lots of insights on different topics and aspects of feeding challenges. Her clinical time is bookable on their too. You can also connect with @milktomealtime on Instagram and Facebook where you will find accessible and quick-to-implement strategies, as well as occasional exclusive offers. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch through any of the platforms above, or via email at info.milktomealtime@gmail.com.
