Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Like so many working mothers and entrepreneurs, I’m not convinced that true balance exists! I try to look at work and family life as having a dynamic ebb and flow relationship. It’s never perfectly balanced, and sometimes one arena will demand more of your energy and focus, so I try to go with that natural flow.
I figure as long as I am trying my best, and my family is mostly happy, then I am winning. I celebrate the small victories, and try not to get too tangled up in the challenges.
Starting your own business can be all-consuming and at times overwhelming, so I am really lucky to have great, warm and grounding people around me who act as sounding boards but also aren’t afraid to pull me into line when needed!
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
I think any time you’re challenging an existing system, you’re going to hit resistance at some point.
Australian consumers are getting more and more accustomed to being able to buy things cheaply and instantly, without a second thought. Trying to change people’s habits and expectations is not an easy task.
I would have spoken to over twenty factories and design houses before meeting one that understood what we were trying to achieve, and was interested in working with us. Nothing about what we’ve created has been easy or straight-forward.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
Running your own business is more rewarding, challenging and demanding than anything I’ve experienced.
One of the pros is definitely the passion you feel creating something you believe in from the ground up. It’s enormously satisfying. There are moments you could just punch the air in utter joy and pride at what you’ve achieved. The idea that our business is up and running, out there in the world making a tangible difference and contributing to positive change is a feeling I treasure. It’s incredibly motivating.
On the cons side, I probably underestimated how isolating running your own business can be. It can be very easy to get swamped by all the things going on, and it can be hard to maintain perspective.
I had to learn the importance of taking breaks from the business. I also need to regularly remind myself that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, and that it’s ok to slow down and try to enjoy the process as much as the outcome.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
My hopes for Bunny Street are that it becomes known as the go-to children’s sleepwear brand for environmentally conscious parents in Australia.
As we continue to expand our range into 2022, I hope we will continue to grow a positive reputation as a trusted sleepwear brand, doing our part to counter the rise of fast-fashion culture and replace it with a renewed appreciation of quality without compromise, one garment at a time.
Beyond that, my hopes are much deeper: that we can contribute to the normalising of a return to local manufacturing and reducing the carbon footprint we leave on this planet, so our children can inherit a better future.
Visit the Bunny Street website to find out more and to browse their range of products. You can also join their communities on Facebook and Instagram.
