The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
On the very first official social media launch, we were hacked – it was awful! We had someone come onto our post and cause havoc, then proceeded to make an imposter ‘For The Mama’ page and cause more havoc! It was a terrible way to kick off. Luckily, I have some close friends who are very IT savvy and we were able to shut it all down relatively quickly and before any serious damage was done. But definitely not the way I hoped to launch the new business! Then it was navigating the world of business and relearning Excel (I hated it at school). As For The Mama grows, I quickly realised that my ‘side hobby’ was quickly becoming a full-time business and I needed to start doing some paperwork!
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
A big pro is definitely seeing the joy on a new mama’s face when she receives a hamper at her doorstep just for her. We just love hearing how it made such a difference to her postpartum season and how she felt the love. Also, being able to have my daughter with me every step of the way and literally at my feet or in her carrier is a huge pro. We taste test and try all our creations together and it has really created some amazing memories already.
As for cons, for me personally, it’s shutting off. I find myself at the 3am breastfeeds going “Oh crap! I forgot to order this” or “Maybe I can try this?”. Definitely the never-ending to-do lists, but being your own boss makes it easier to manage.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
We are launching online! Our website is upcoming and looking to start taking orders online. We have also started to stock ‘Village for Mama’ and ‘Made to Milk’ exclusive products, which is really exciting! Our ultimate dream would be to have For The Mama hampers accessible to each and every mama. Big dreams take hard work, but we will get there.
