There’s a lot of talk about mompreneurs today. Often it seems like those moms have it all under control and know exactly what they are doing: staying home with the kids, happily taking care of all the household needs on top of kids’ needs 24/7, running a small business, spending time with friends…
Hmmmm. I’m just wondering who the heck these women are! Do they actually exist, or is it just made out to sound that it’s all that easy – when in reality we mompreneurs are running around like one of those Duracell battery bunnies with a tail on fire? We wake up too early to the sound of a terrifying alarm sound, and then it all goes from 0-60 in less than a minute, trying to do everything at the same time. And so it goes for the rest of the day until the little ones are asleep and you finally have a few moments to yourself to just stare at the wall and finally relax!
My own story began about 3 years ago, when my daughter was one year old. Being a typical Swede, I love to be outdoors any time of the year and there’s nothing better than spending a lot of time outdoors in the cold, refreshing winter air. However, that pursuit became slightly problematic when my little Olivia did not keep her hat and gloves on. It was like mission impossible – those darn little things would magically disappear all time, and I must have spent a small fortune on hats and gloves! So I knew I had to do something.
I’m not the best seamstress on the planet, but I did manage to sew together Olivia’s balaclava and a pair of old wool tights. This is really how I slowly became a mompreneur, although I don’t really care for that term – I prefer small business owner. About a year after I made my first sample of an all-in-one winter garment that would make it easy for parents to keep their children warm and dry in winter, I had 1,000 of my product in stock in the guest room. Ever since, I have worked day and night to create a brand and get my product out to parents.
Starting my own brand has been the most exciting experience for me – so much fun, but also very challenging. You never know what your day will bring, but having the freedom to create in your own way, and plan your time the way it fits you and your family, is amazing! There are some challenges, of course. For instance, I never knew just how difficult this would be, and how depressing it can be some days when you get rejection after rejection and don’t have much money left due to the extremely high cost of marketing a brand.
Following your vision and starting your own brand is very fulfilling; however, choosing to walk your own path can be extremely challenging when there is so much competition. It can be extremely difficult to get in touch with those key people who will take your brand or product on, especially if you have a unique product that does not already exist on the market. That is when you have a lot of work to do. But anything is possible with a lot of willpower, persistence and, most important of all, an unbreakable belief in your brand or product!
I would say that the number one ingredient for having a chance at success is to believe in your product. I don’t just mean, “Oh, it’s perfect and everyone will love it!” I’m talking about an unbreakable belief in your product that nothing can shatter. You have to live and breathe your product, and no matter how many times you are rejected and ridiculed, you have to get back up with a smile and just keep on going until you find that one person who sees your vision, or you find that one opportunity that can get your product out there.
There is a lot of unglamorous work involved – like traveling to shows and exhibiting, trying to get the right design or fit on your product, sitting up until 4 am correcting sewing patterns or completely redoing patterns. Or the incredibly frustrating aspect of finding just the right packaging without paying too much money, and that you’re pretty much always working, whether it’s on a Sunday morning or Monday morning.
It’s all worth it though, because it’s my own company and I have the freedom to shape and grow it the way that I want!
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” -Steve Jobs
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Christina Plejdrup was born in Oslo, Norway and grew up in Hollviken Sweden, the daughter of a Danish mother and a Finnish/Russian father. She has a PhD in Psychology. Christina has lived all over the world, including London, Boston, New Orleans, Miami and Texas; and has traveled extensively. She met her husband in Amsterdam and they fell in love in India. Becoming a mom opened her eyes to a completely new world of cute baby things, but she discovered that some of those things needed improvement. Her daughter was her inspiration for starting her own business, The Olie, and developing The Minkey – a unique solution to young kids’ hat, scarf and glove problem.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.
