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. Last week I talked to Andrea Gregg-Aylott. This week I’m talking to Sue Sinclair, Founder and Chief Executive Mom of Raspberry Kids, an online children’s boutique. I stopped by her warehouse and I must say, my 5-year-old would have an absolute field day in there. Read on to hear what Sue had to say.
A shot of the Raspberry Kids warehouse
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your background?
I’m a wife, mother, sister and friend. I grew up in Winnipeg but have called Vancouver home for the past 14 years. I love traveling, the outdoors, family time and I haven’t met too many red wines I haven’t liked. I work hard and play hard and my motto is ‘you get back what you put in’. This might explain why I suck at golf. [Amber - I am the world's worst mini golfer. I'm so bad I won't even consider trying the real thing.]
How did you decide to start your own business?
My motivation to work in a corporate environment was already in question before I had kids as I had generally preferred working for smaller, start up type companies with great cultures. After having kids, I required way more flexibility than a typical company could offer me and so I opted to become the boss of me.
Your store is fabulous! What led you to create Raspberry Kids, specifically?
First off, thank you very much for the compliment on our store. I have a passion for customer service, sales and technology so running an online store lets me dabble in all three of these areas – it really is the best of all worlds. I had toyed (pardon the pun) with a few different names for the company but one day while having lunch with the kids, they each put raspberries on the ends of their fingers and the name Raspberry Kids hit me. Our tagline, like the fruit itself, is ‘fresh, healthy and fun’, which is also a mantra we try to live by.
We look for innovative, design centric, unique and high quality products (or a combination of thereof). We also place a large focus on what the product is made from, who it is made by and where it is made.
I know you are one busy mama. How do you juggle all your different commitments?
I try to be organized but I have to admit, I have never flown by the seat of my pants as much as I have in the past few years. I used to plan things a while in advance and now I have resigned myself to just keeping ahead of the game and trying not to drop too many balls. It has happened though and I have made more mistakes, missed appointments or forgotten things in the past 5 years than I did in my entire adult life. But it is to be expected when you not only have to look after yourself but when you also have to think about the kids and all their needs!
What are the upsides to running your own online store?
I love what I do. I love connecting and engaging with our customers and I still do a fist pump when a sale comes in. The excitement hasn’t worn off (despite behind exhausted most of the time). I have met so many amazing people that I wouldn’t have otherwise met had I not started Raspberry Kids, and that is a huge upside. I like being innovative and having the ability to take risks, plan events or try something new without having to run it by a committee first.
Is there anything that you wish you had known before starting out?
I wish I had known how long it takes to build a business and how much stamina is required. Just because I’m ready and my website launched doesn’t mean anyone else notices or cares. It takes a herculean and continued effort to reach out and find prospective customers. If I had it to do all over again knowing what I know, I am not sure I would have gone down the same path. But Raspberry Kids is leading me in many different directions, which is a very exciting prospect!
Just hanging out in the warehouse
What is the biggest challenge you face in balancing your family and your business?
I’ve given up on balance and do not really believe it exists when you run your own business and have a young family. I used to tell myself that next week or month would be better but something would always come up and things would be as chaotic as they were in the past. One of the biggest challenges is accepting the 90% solution or saying, “This is good enough.” I also have a very difficult time saying no which only contributes to the madness level in our lives. Given the option though, I’m not sure I would have it any other way. I’ve always liked being busy and having a full schedule … it keeps me out of trouble!
Is there anything else you’d like to share about the process of starting and running a business?
How much time do you have? I could go on forever.
It is an incredible amount of work and takes a great deal of patience (of which I have none!) so it can be frustrating at times. But I do genuinely love what I do and see the business trending in the right direction so that is encouraging, and I’m so thankful for so many amazing friends, family and supporters that have helped Raspberry Kids along the way.
___________________________________________________________
Thanks so much for talking to me, Sue!
I have to tell you all that when I visited the warehouse Sue and I shared root beer floats. I brought the ice cream, and she brought the ‘mixer’. So much fun! And to continue the fun, Sue was kind enough to offer 15% off any purchase in her shop (except gift cards, sale items and the vapur bundle) with the promo code strocel15.
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.
I found Raspberry Kids awhile back and have enjoyed browsing the up to date website and the modern flare of the items. Last Christmas I ordered a bundle of toys and loved how fast it shipped to me and…the raspberry tea bag that came as part of my package!
Mama in the City´s last post ..Thoughts On Buying The Perfect Present
I’ve been keeping an eye on this store as well. They have some interesting stuff!
Laura´s last post ..Give me an inch- -amp Ill stuff it silly-
thanks Amber, I’m loving this series of “Crafting My Life” and it’s so inspiring reading how other mums are coming up with creative solutions re: family and creating a ‘working’ life.
What would be even more informative though would be some deeper questions about how they do manage childcare. At last month’s momcafe I was struck by how much a nanny plays a part in developing a business or working outside the home, and it’s certainly an area which is exercising my mind currently ie. how much do I want to/need to contract out my childcare and how comfortable will I/the Wee Guy be with it?
Is a certain level of childcare the decider between hobby and career? or is equal parenting/equal outside working life a possibility?
pomomama aka ebbandflo´s last post ..friday forte- holy crap
I love your ‘crafting’ posts always. This is awesome. I find it amazing to hear from people who run their own business, they have so much insight to offer. Great input Sue – love your store!
Rebecca´s last post ..The Picnic
It is a pleasure to be featured on Amber’s blog and thanks kindly for the comments re: Raspberry Kids.
I get goosebumps when I hear people speak favorably of our store, products and customer service.
As for the Pomomama questions re: childcare/nannies, I truly believe this is an individual choice and there are many factors that influence your decision. When Raspberry Kids was being conceptualized and products were being researched, I was actually commuting back and forth to Winnipeg with two very young children, living at my best friend’s house while trying to spend as much time with my mom who was terminally ill with cancer.
Since then, we hired a nanny and this seems to work best for our family, although I think there are ups and downs with any child care situation. In the past I have worked from home quite a bit and only in the last little while have I started working more “full time” at the warehouse. I made the choice/commitment to take the kids to preschool every day (Our daughter was in the 4yo program on M/W/F and our son was in the 3yo program on T/T), I volunteered in their class, went on field trips and got to be a part of the special celebrations at the school, be on the PAC, take the kids to all their appointments etc.
Our kids also stay up rather late so we get to spend a ton of time together as a family in the evenings and we have a ball planning fun things to do for the weekends, mixed in with chores and work. Although I am not the primary caregiver to our kids during the day, I still feel connected with them and am pleased with the amount of time we get to spend together.
My husband also runs his own business and we have no family in Vancouver. I’ve lost both my parents and my husband has lost his father and his mom lives in Australia so we do not have the opportunity to drop the kids with the grandparents or relatives or have them play a role in our childminding schedule. I cannot tell you how envious I am of friends or other parents I know that have this support in their lives. Not only is there an enormous void of missing my parents and having my kids grow up without them, I also do not have the benefit or luxury of their help or wisdom in raising our kids the way other families might.
The other thing that allows me to own my business is that I often work until the wee hours once the kids have gone to bed. I’ve actually scheduled meetings or calls with other “Raccoon Moms” after 10PM because that was the only time that worked for both of our schedules.
The biggest question I always ask myself when faced with a ridiculous number of balls to juggle, insane logistics, mile long to do lists and so many obligations and priorities is: 1) What can I do differently to make things more manageable and 2) Do I still love what I do?
While I do have to change things up from time to time and learn how to say “no” a bit more often (still working on that one though because I really, really want to always say yes!), I absolutely still love what I do and it makes the craziness all worthwhile. I also have learned that I am a better parent and person when I am happy and doing something that is worthy of my time and talent. The other reminder I often give myself is that we need to take responsibility for our decisions and choices and if something isn’t working, we have the ability to change it.
Thanks for listening to my rambles!
Thanks Sue, and congratulations on your business too. I’m sorry to hear that it’s initial birth pangs were during such incredibly difficult times in your family – sometimes adversity makes us more determined but I think what you went thru was exceptional. My total sympathies and also admiration.
I’m currently wrestling with the childcare/after school care question – we ‘lost’ (would never give that particular childminder a good reference) after school care last term (only one day a week but oh boy! what a difference an entire day makes) and then his playdate moved away. Going from two definite days per week to an entire week of only school time (yes, I can hear the preschool crowd gnashing their teeth in jealousy – it does get better with age) has really screwed up my productivity/creativity. I find I’m not that great at working late into the night either though I can schedule certain tasks for then. But I did find a spot in a three-day per week after school program …… then wondered if my Wee Guy really wanted to ‘not come home’ that many afternoons (what about playdates, piano, etc) which got me thinking about how much contracting out I was comfortable with ………
I totally agree with you about being a better parent when happy and mindfully employed. Whatever is in my family future (which also doesn’t feature handy nearby grandparents, another envy of local friends) I know that I need to put reliable childcare into place; whether it’s for outside employment or taking the plunge to amp up my own small business, I deserve to and my family will benefit if I can focus totally in the different areas of life I/we choose to go.
PS: not rambling at all – a great blow-by-blow account of how you successfully combine; a great description of how working life for families is at last moving forward step by step
thank you
pomomama aka ebbandflo´s last post ..friday forte- holy crap
I’m so glad to hear the stories of other self-employed parents. It’s a struggle and a delight all at once, and I never know how anyone manages, which I guess explains why I don’t know how I do.
Lauren @ Hobo Mama´s last post ..Bring cooking down to your childs level