Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
This is where it currently gets tricky. I work 4 full days a week in retail, Emily and Olvia both attend daycare on these days and my husband Daniel works 5 or 6 days as a builder. There is not a lot of down time. I try to set aside a couple of hours in the weekend to catch up on Ruby Kids work which usually involves updating my website, scheduling and planning social media posts, making sure my accounting is all reconciled or taking product photos or videos. The rest of the work is done after the kids go to sleep (agggh sometimes that’s not until 9:30pm) when I will receive in stock, pack up orders and arrange couriers for pick up.
My day off during the week, the evenings and the weekend is spent with the kids. I try really hard to not be on my social media during this time and try to get out of the house and take the girls to the playground or for a bike ride. I love taking Emily who is 4 to her Ballet lesson on a Saturday morning and we often practise together at home. We play games around our house or visit my family who live close by. The girls are very close with their aunty, cousins and Nanny and Grandad.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
I am still working through most of my business challenges including finances, time, self-confidence, brand awareness and development. I am taking each week as it comes and just working on what I have time to do right now. I’m doing it hard right now with the hope to benefit my family in the future. The challenges I have faced, I have worked my way through and I am so proud of myself for figuring out how to do these things for myself.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
There are definitely both pros and cons to running my own business.
The pros:
This is my business. I get to make all the decisions and can work in with my family and put in as much or as little effort as I would like to. I interact with my customers and followers as much as I would like to and that can be fun and rewarding. I love sending out a hand written thank you card with each and every order and the feedback I have received from my customers has warmed my heart. I love interacting with my social media followers and other business and feel like I have gained some really positive friendships. I have learned so much by starting up Ruby Kids that I feel like I have grown as a person and that makes me super proud of myself and happy no matter where this road takes me.
The cons:
The financial strain personally to get this business started and I put a lump sum of our own money in to get started up. Also, sorting out business finances like GST and having the time and knowledge on a small budget to make sure I am doing this all correctly.
The other major con is time. Because this is my side business and I am working during the day, it has taken up hundreds of hours of my personal time with no monetary gain so far. I am putting in a lot of effort and time right now in the hope to be rewarded in the future but, in the meantime, it is taking a huge toll on my stress levels and ability to spend time with family.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
My ultimate hope and goal for Ruby Kids is to become a successful family-run business and a well-known brand amongst the parenting community. I would love to be top of the list for parents wanting quality mum, baby and children’s products and gifts. I would love to be able to support other small NZ businesses in their own journey and even use Ruby Kids to support NZ charities in the future. Ruby Kids is not just a business for me. It is my personal outlet, my contribution to my family and my way to support the parenting community. As Ruby Kids grows, I hope it will become an online forum for other parents to come and discuss parenting and children, get advice from experts as well as purchase amazing products on my website
Head to the Ruby Kids website to see their full range of amazing products and join their supportive Facebook, Twitter and Instagram communities. You can also check them out on their YouTube channel.
