Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Working a daytime job (3 days a week) as a medical scientist and then balancing family with a home-based business is an everyday challenge, especially as I wear all the hats and manage most aspects of the business myself. I certainly have had my fair share of very early mornings and late nights. I’m fortunate enough to have amazing support from my husband, and he happily dives in whenever things get too overwhelming. Don’t worry, my house is never super clean but there’s always food on the table for my kids – 7 or 8 meals a day! I do have a cleaner who helps me out every fortnight and in-laws to help me look after the kids when I need time to work on my business.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
I think the biggest challenge for me was taking the big risk of getting my idea patented as I couldn’t talk to anyone about it and I didn’t know if anyone would like it. I love playing it safe but this business is all about being on the other side and testing boundaries, which is out of my comfort zone.
The other challenge that I am still trying to overcome is asking for help, as I like being very independent. To suddenly depend on my husband financially, have to ask for help and risk everything makes me feel guilty. There is also self-doubt about whether I am doing the right thing. I’m reminding myself constantly that a lot of growth and personal development can come from taking reasonable risks and will bring me closer to the vision I have for this little business.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The pros are financial independence if the business does well, being able to organise my kids’ school pick up/drop off around my work and being my own boss.
The cons are always thinking about work and spending so much time in front of the screen researching and posting content on social media.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
To get my product out there. The dream is to grow this business bigger and continue to design and create new products to add to the existing collection. I would like to go with the fashion seasons and trends and create new looks, prints and styles in my summer and winter collection in the near future.
Visit the Milk on Tap Clothing website to shop their range of breastfeeding clothing. You can also follow their updates on Facebook and Instagram.
