It’s Thursday and I’m Crafting my Life! July’s theme is looking to our role models. Because other people have walked this path before, and we can learn from them. In previous weeks I talked to Andrea Gregg-Aylott, Sue Sinclair and Jeanette Miller. This week I’m talking to Christine Budai, co-owner of Saplings, which is an online shop selling sustainable kids decor. Read on to hear what Christine had to say.
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background?
I grew up in the Vancouver area, I have been married for almost 11 years and I am a mother of 3 – two boys aged 8 and 6, and one girl aged 3. I am an elementary school teacher. In fact I still teach two days per week in kindergarten and grade 1. I have also been taking classes in interior decorating for quite a few years and love it!
How did you decide to start your own business?
I was nearing the end of my maternity leave with my 3rd and I knew I wouldn’t be going back to teaching full-time so I was trying to find something that I could do from home. I was inspired by a girlfriend who had recently started her own business and was looking for something that could combine my passions: education, the environment and interior décor.
Your store is fabulous! What led you to choose an online store selling sustainable decor for kids?
Thanks! As I mentioned before I had been taking courses in interior décor, was loving it and knew I wanted to do something in that field. Just prior to developing the store idea, BPA was making the headlines and I was becoming drastically more aware of toxins in the environment and what my children were exposed to. Being a teacher I was also very aware of the increased cases of childhood asthma and allergies. In my research I found that there weren’t other stores that focused solely on sustainable décor for kids’ rooms. There certainly are a lot that focus on mass-marketed character de jour décor for kids’ rooms, but not décor that is fun and colourful while being classic and kind to the environment. I had also read research that said that we are more sensitive to environmental influences while sleeping. It all seemed to add up. We were changing our water bottles, our food, our shampoos, but what about where our child spends the greatest portion of their day, their bedroom?
I am sure that you are one busy mama. How do you juggle all your different commitments?
I have an amazing business partner which helps a lot! When Joanne and I decided to take on this venture we always said that our family comes first and we both keep that our priority. That means that most of our work gets done after the kids go to bed and/or around their schedules. We balance each other really well.
What are the upsides to having your own business?
Making your own hours and having creative control. Joanne designed the website and I have done all of the sourcing of products. When we look at what we’ve done, we’re pretty proud of it. I have become a bit of a sustainable kids décor geek (it’s not a club with a lot of members!), but I seriously become overwhelmingly excited when I find a new product that would be perfect for our store. I absolutely love the sourcing of new products and meeting people who have similar philosophies as me.
Is there anything that you wish you had known before starting out?
That the economy was going to tank! Kidding – well, not really! Both Joanne and I brought a lot of strengths to the development of the store, but neither of us had a background in marketing and online marketing is so unique. We are learning more all of the time and our name and brand is becoming more recognizable.
What is the biggest challenge you face in balancing your family and your business?
That’s a question that could probably be best answered by my husband and kids! 
Like I said earlier, the majority of our work is done after the kids go to bed. So I suppose it would be knowing when to turn the computer off so that I am not a complete zombie and can function the next day.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your store, and how it works in your life?
One of the mandates of our store is that we do all of the research for you. All of the items in our store have to meet what we call “The Saplings Difference”. That means that we know who, what, where and how it was made. And if a certain item doesn’t meet our standards then we won’t carry it, no matter how adorable it is. All of the research I do for the store has definitely made me a different kind of shopper. I am constantly thinking about what my kids are being exposed to and they have also become much more educated about the importance of taking care of our planet.
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Thanks so much for talking to me, Christine!
July’s Crafting my Life series is about our role models. On the last Thursday of the month, which just happens to be the 29th, I will include a link up. To participate, write a post on this month’s theme anytime in July, or track down a post you’ve written on the subject sometime in the past, and add yourself to the list. Then read everyone else’s ideas and thoughts and be inspired! Check out the link-ups from January, February and March to get a feel for how it works.
Neat. I love the store name. And that room is to die for.
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It is wonderful how as business partners they help each other keep family as the first priority!
Wendy Irene’s last post … Make the Most of your Time- Be Productive
It looks like a lovely store!
Which reminds me that I really need to decorate . . .
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It’s encouraging to learn that one can keep a business going, working after the kids go to bed (mainly)!
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