Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Work and family have been a constant juggle, one of which I am still working on, since Wild Dough has expanded and we’ve moved into a warehouse this year. With more staff, it’s been much simpler to separate work and home life, so I’ll continue to outsource where I can to give myself some time back to focus on the important things to me, which is, of course, family first and then building my business and brand.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
The most prominent juggle is my 3 full-time jobs. Not only do I juggle Wild Dough with mum life, I also have a full-time corporate career. It is challenging to find the space and time to build Wild Dough from home whilst giving the other aspects of my life the love and attention they deserve.
This year, COVID has created some unusual challenges. Lockdowns have meant that my staff couldn’t come to work and there were Australian-wide material shortages. For a while there, we couldn’t buy flour or jars, which meant no flour to make the dough and anything we did make we didn’t have anywhere to put it! It was challenging to not only have these challenges but deal with the feelings of helplessness that were associated with it.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
It comes back to the juggle of family, corporate career and Wild Dough I spoke about. There is just no off switch when you have your own business – there is always something to do in the back of your mind. From late night calls to my USA team to early morning mum wake ups, it feels like it is constant. In saying that, it is also an incredible outlet for creativity. The satisfaction felt when receiving recognition from peers and also the customer messages I receive on a daily basis make it all worth it. Knowing I am making a difference in families’ lives is truly special.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
There is always something on the go but the core of this business it to continue helping mums find moments of peace, by supplying our beautiful open-ended product. In order to help more families, I would love to see Wild Dough expand across new continents. Putting new collections into as many hands as possible is such a joy, watching children’s imaginations and curiosity shine.
Visit the Wild Dough website to find out more and to view their full playdough range. You can also follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram.
