UPDATE: I now have three children under the age of 5. Sophia Rose was a surprise to us all and was born in February 2021. I thought having 2 was hard but now with 3, it is even more challenging. The only advice I have so far is don't hesitate to ask for help. I put my hand up all the time and this is the only way I have been able to survive thus far. I promise to update you next year as I figure out how this can all work together as I have yet to navigate this!
This post is intended to share my journey and learning thus far as a mom entrepreneur a.k.a “mompreneur.” My journey and accomplishments over the past year are far from being the “poster child success story,” I might have wished for. However, while it has been a somewhat bumpy ride, I’ve come out with a very strong sense of fulfillment, something I wouldn’t trade for anything. So, in the hope of encouraging moms out there to bring forth more children into the world: whether it’s a business, passion project, career or another human, please read on.
My journey began in January 2017 when I had my first baby and named him Jacob Quinn, he soon became the inspiration behind the idea “Q for Quinn.” Jacob suffered from eczema on his feet.
So I began to look at all the socks out there…which was a lot!
From this I learned that there wasn’t a set of kid’s socks out there that had the list of features I desired in socks. I wanted socks that were breathable, and gentle on his skin for his eczema. I wanted a pair that was chemical-free for my baby as he may want to chew on them. I wanted them to be comfortable for all day wear, I wanted grips on them for when he started to take his first steps, seamless toes to add to his comfort level, and finally I wanted them to look good mismatched. I set out to create my first perfect set of socks.
After months of hard work in March of 2018 I was ready to launch my new socks. However, life oftentimes throws in a curveball and we have to learn to accept it and keep going. And that’s exactly what happened to us… just days before my launch I received the surprising news that I was pregnant! I was just starting to get my bearings as a mom to Jacob and the thought of adding another child to the mix, especially now since I had Q for Quinn, was overwhelming. It took us a long time to be blessed with Jacob, so I felt that although this baby was unexpected, it was still an unexpected gift that I was grateful for. If something had to take a back seat it had to be Q for Quinn, but somehow I wasn’t ready to give this up and I felt incredibly guilty for wanting to continue to grow this small business of mine.
So we decided to keep going although it would be challenging. And challenging it was. The months following Isabella’s birth were simply put, rough! I lost a lot of blood during the birth and was barely recovering when we were back in the hospital for Isabella who was admitted Bronchiolitis for several days right before my first holiday season. It was just incredibly tough being a mother to two very young kids. Every day I felt I needed to give up on Q for Quinn and I almost did a couple of times. One time I was about to give up completely when I received an email from a customer. She said, “Building a business is another child - and yours is infused with so much love and creativity - it very much shows. There is a lot of intentionality behind it all.” Her words really stuck with me and got me thinking… Q for Quinn is very much another child for me: lots of late nights, sacrifices, patience and mistakes. Yet despite all the hard work and struggles, there is an incredible feeling of fulfillment. I felt so proud when I would receive feedback from the many moms who chose us for their sock needs, and the little feet that were wearing our healthy and comfy socks. An incredible feeling of fulfillment and pride akin to watching my two year old son fix a puzzle all by himself for the first time is just how I felt about Q for Quinn.
Jacob (2 years) and Isabella (4 months) in their matching, mismatched socks
My drive for Q for Quinn continues to be fueled by this same pride and love today. The love I have for this project and to see it grow into something I can be proud of (and my kids can be too) is immense. I treat this little “business” of mine as another child, that needs to be loved and nurtured just the same. I now believe that any business if nurtured and loved, the same way as a child is will shine through in the end!
When people ask me now “how do you do it?” Instead of saying what I used to, “I have no clue!” I say, “Q for Quinn is another one of my babies that I’m raising alongside Jacob and Isabella, it has its ups and downs just like parenting a child, but the sense of fulfillment is so big that it makes those daily challenges shrink in comparison, and the benefits are so worth any little struggle in the end!
Amongst other things, the biggest lesson that this journey has taught me is the importance of patience. Entrepreneurship is a long, incredibly hard journey, regardless of whether you have kids. It takes a long time to get results and many quit before it's time. The best thing about being a mompreneur and treating your business or passion project like a child that grows with your own children is that it forces you to be patient to see the fruits of your labor.
P.S. You might be reading this post looking for coping mechanisms. Maybe because you are going through the same or just about to endeavor in a challenging passion project while also being a mom to young kids. If you are looking for practical things, I have found the following helpful in trying to survive this parenting journey:
- I’ve lowered my standards for household cleanliness
- I have learnt to prioritize and only spend time on what makes a difference
- I have accepted that I will make lots of mistakes and that’s ok
- I practice safe co-sleeping with my kids.
- I accept that #momguilt will never go away.
- I don't stress if my two year old does not eat healthy every meal.
- I ask for help when I need it and don't try to do it all
and of course, be patient :)
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