Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
My experience becoming a mother inspired the village for mama and creating a business that complemented motherhood was a priority for me. In the beginning, I was just weaving work throughout each day when I had the chance. It got to the point where I was getting overwhelmed and work started to take away from spending quality time with my daughter. Now I put aside small blocks of time each week for work with the help of my husband and family. If I don’t get what I need to done, I work through it once my daughter goes to sleep. I’ve found that sitting down each weekend with my husband and writing a detailed weekly schedule makes the world of difference. It includes a meal plan, work scheduling, family time and also time set aside for me to enjoy a couple of yoga classes and BJJ for my husband. It sounds a little crazy scheduling times for absolutely everything but it means all of our needs are met without the additional chaos and stress.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
In the wake of Covid-19, it was so important for me to create a product that was completely Australian made. Obviously producing things offshore comes with a much smaller price tag, but I really wanted to print the book in Australia using a sustainable company on recycled paper and using non-toxic dyes. I love that finding a company like that was the easy part! The challenge was taking the plunge and trusting my idea. Especially when it came to the initial print run! I took a leap with self-publishing the book but I’m so grateful to say that it has paid off. The response has been incredible. I am getting so many beautiful messages from mamas all around Australia saying how much they love it. I think when you truly believe in your idea and everything seems to flow, you naturally get the drive to work through any challenges that arise.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
I love running my own business although village for mama is still so new. The book itself has only been available since late December 2020 and sometimes I forget that I’ve actually launched a new business! I love than I can control my hours and workload and still prioritise my role as a mama.
I spent 3 years running my own business before I fell pregnant and it was a food business where I had a physical venue and staff to manage. I absolutely loved my shop but I really didn’t enjoy the long hours, demand for physical presence and managing a casual team. It would have been near impossible for me to run that business now as a mum. I have really loved creating a product that is now complete. Of course, I have plans to improve and expand but for now I can spend my time creating content and making connections with other mamas and businesses, which is what I love doing most!
The cons are that it starts and ends with you. If things go a bit pear shaped, you are usually the only one to blame and sometimes it would be nice to have someone else to fall back on! You don’t have the security of a steady wage and it’s not always a case of ‘you get out what you put in’. Some days you drop the ball a little but orders still come in. Other days you work like a madman and nothing happens. I guess that’s the nature of a new business and in time there will be more rhyme and reason to each day. I am trying to pace myself and grow the business organically with my daughter, husband and personal wellbeing in mind.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
Before the book was ready, I decided to launch my social media account to both keep me accountable and slowly begin spreading the word. I didn’t want to just post pretty pictures, so I spent time researching and writing content that was informative, intentional and relevant. Each week while I was researching, reading and writing, I realised how passionate I was about postpartum nutrition and decided to begin studying Holistic Postpartum and Pregnancy Nutrition with Oh Baby Academy.
Now that the book is complete and I am nearing the end of my studies, I am excited to start offering holistic postpartum support locally and then nutritional consultations locally and via zoom. So much of village for mama so far has surprised me with its organic evolution, so I’m sure some more exciting things will be appearing on the horizon soon!
Visit the village for mama website to find out more and to purchase a copy of Leila’s book. You can also join her communities on Facebook and Instagram.
