I was juggling being a mother of 3 with a full-time consulting job and a newly started entrepreneurial venture. How was I ever going to balance those on top of many other things?

An entrepreneurial adventure

I had just set up a side-business together with my sister-in-law. Our baby equipment rental business, Ecobabies.be, answers a major concern parents have: the high expenses incurred when purchasing baby items. As parents, we of course only want the best for our child. However, the stork only delivers the baby – the baby gear obviously doesn’t come for free. That’s why we wanted to offer parents an alternative, a way to consume smarter.

Through renting instead of buying, they don’t have to pay the full price for items which they’ll only use for a short period. They don’t have to worry about storing the baby equipment in their already-packed attic anymore either. Not to mention the environmental benefits that come with giving one item several lives. 

Balancing act

These are very exciting times for me but at the same time, they bring along the challenge of fitting the different pieces (family, job, business…) together. Fortunately, the knowledge and experience I gain at The House of Marketing and my business complement each other!

It was my experience as a consultant at The House of Marketing that gave me the confidence to give things a try. We learn to start small and test continuously – so I created a very basic website for Ecobabies.be. It’s also one of our key principles as consultants to be hands-on and pragmatic – skills that are as crucial when starting a business. 

In turn, while setting up Ecobabies.be, I learned how to build social media ads which I had never had to do myself before. And then there were the legal, operational and financial aspects I had to understand. These experiences broaden my view, which then again contribute holistically to me being a better consultant for The House of Marketing. These are just some of the many elements that tie my job and business together.

Mastering the different hats

I’m not going to pretend… it’s not easy wearing different hats but because of it I’m pushed to continuously develop myself and learn something new every day. Whether it’s how I deal with stress, prioritization, relationships – you name it. With the support of The House of Marketing, I met with a coach to help me manage these various aspects more efficiently. I also signed up for the mindfulness sessions hosted for 8 consecutive weeks at the office. These learnings encompass more than competencies alone – more importantly, they capture life lessons. 

I still don’t have the one answer on how to juggle the balls perfectly, but I’m practicing. And as they (or I) say, “practice makes… better”.