Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Well, it’s always a bit of a struggle to get that perfect work/life balance I guess but we do the best we can and I think the best thing we do is that all business emails and orders are seen to when the kids are in bed. I do my best to be a present parent so during the day you will find me playing cars with our 2.5-year-old and making silly faces with our 4-month-old. During nap times and after dinner is when I see to all business emails and orders. I will say though, having a marketing guru on board certainly helps a lot!
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
We launched in 2020…. That’s about as much of a challenge as anyone could have right?!
We were awaiting the arrival of our first major shipment just as COVID really hit the country and it was an extremely nervous time. But with that being said, the biggest thing that helped us through was the support from family and the belief in our product. It was incredibly daunting to start with but with that family support, as well as the support from our small business stockists who have come on board, together we have been able to overcome this challenge and it’s been amazing and overwhelming to watch our brand grow during such a challenging time!
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
A big pro is that I’m my own boss – the highs and lows of business are exhilarating and it gives me a new purpose aside from being a mum. Who doesn’t like the idea of not having to answer to someone else 9-5 each day? Yes, there are times I doubt that decision, but for the most part, the humbling moment is seeing my customers send in photos and videos of their little ones enjoying our shoes, getting outdoors and taking their first steps. Knowing we have been able to assist to support a little one’s growth and development is a truly humbling feeling.
A con is that I am human – there are days that I can’t switch off from my work and it will stress me out a little. My husband sometimes closes my laptop and tells me to go to bed and rest, and attack what I am typing away at tomorrow with fresh eyes. So I’d say to some extent, time management – it’s an ever evolving thing to work on!
Hopes and dreams: What next?
Currently, BigToes Australia is doing so much better than I could have possibly anticipated, however there is always room for improvement and speaking of room or space…. sizes – we are working to create larger sizes to accommodate the ever growing toddler foot! We have some other big plans within BigToes Australia but we will keep them to ourselves for now…. Who doesn’t like a little mystery, right?!
Visit the BigToes Australia website to view their gorgeous range of baby and toddler shoes. You can also follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram.
