No one is born to be a mother, vice versa, we grow together with the life we have created. As parents, we wish the best for our little ones, always trying to lead them to aim higher in life. Sometimes when staying home and raising children, ideas and thoughts come which are worth trying, and you might never know what might happen. Teily Allas, a mother of three, shares her experience of becoming an entrepreneur while being a full-time, stay-at-home parent.
When I was 32 and became pregnant with my second child, I had no idea that one day I would be an entrepreneur and create a Baby Memory Book — a baby book parents from all over the world can use to write down their child’s first and most memorable moments. The ball started rolling when I was expecting Simon (2ys 7mo) and was browsing shops for a book where I could write down the story of how our family grew. It was like a déjà vu for me – I have had these same emotions and thoughts when I was looking for a baby book for my first child, Marcus (13).
I bought one and started filling it out, but something kept bugging me. I felt it wasn’t quite what I wanted. I decided not to get another one, instead I took a leap of faith and started to collect information about what a perfect memory book should contain, asking around about the wishes of other parents. While conducting my thorough and time-consuming research, I got the idea that if I am going to create a baby memory book for our family with such a valuable information, why not to share my results with others, thus taking the first steps on my road to becoming an entrepreneur.
To be honest, I lacked any kind of previous experience with books or publishing, but I did have a desire to share the results of my work with others. I was the witness of my own great actions and recognized that when I get down to it, open my mouth, and talk to people, I can achieve a lot. Without noticing it, I had found people around me who supported me, shared their thoughts, and hoped that my endeavor will succeed. To be successful, you have to be active, wish for success, and know how to choose the people who surround you. On your own, you can reach a crossroads, but together with others, only the sky is your limit.
Inevitably, I am faced with different obstacles, and there is a constant need to re-adjust, be open, and be flexible. I find the parallel with raising children fitting – this, too, is full of surprises and situations that need solving. Most of all, you have to be patient so your children can be genuine, be themselves, and grow to their own rhythm. As a mother, I always wish to do my best to provide them with a happy childhood with opportunities for natural learning and a chance to grow into happy citizens of the world.
Throughout the years, my biggest challenge has always been time management. Compiling the Baby Memory Book took countless hours late at night and early in the morning while all the others were still asleep – all this, while my family was growing. Now, looking back, I find that when you start to feel overwhelmed, you must not despair, but instead acknowledge that this is the way things are at the moment and try to be multifunctional, prioritize, and navigate between family life and work. I believe that my confidence in my idea and my family are what keep my motor running.
Managing my own business has helped me grow a great deal as a person and I believe it has also made me a better mother, partner, and friend. It is a chain of things that need to get done when making sure a product is ready, that there is demand for it and that you yourself do not lose faith in it. There have certainly been moments when I have felt I cannot do this anymore, but then I look at the apples of my eye and my superpowers return. Value your children, for they are our greatest teachers in this life, and make sure to create memories together.
You can check out my first Baby Memory Book at www.luckybabymoments.com and if you wish to receive information about my new upcoming products you can subscribe through the webpage.
Lucky to be a mom and an entrepreneur.
Teily Allas — Guest Writer
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