Balancing it all: Perfumes, children & many passions

I get questioned often about how I can manage all my passions and keep a balance with it all. Myself and many women I work with are also mothers, caregivers, sisters, godmothers and we have many friends that we care for. It is never all about work, but how can we balance it all?

I am blessed in that I have received a lot of advice through the years from amazing women about this subject. The ones that have resonated the most with me are the following:

• Surround yourself with people who know more than you: I love to be challenged and I find it so motivating to constantly learn new stuff, techniques, and to be amazed. Everyone comes with their unique talents and make our journey together fascinating. 

• Spend your time carefully: I have a box for everything: creation, production, admin, marketing, family, resting, entertaining, socialising and vacationing. I plan every day/week/month with a “to do” list. I make fun saying: “I start my day with surgery”. The stuff that needs my critical attention: the proofing, polishing and perfecting, always gets done first thing in the morning before the phone starts ringing.

• You can do it all, but not at the same time. There is a season for everything: having a family, managing a business, and then taking the business to the next step. For me, raising my children to become good people is my single most important duty in this season of my life. Everything else serves this purpose, including making perfume. When people ask me why I don’t export my perfumes everywhere in the world my answer is: “Maybe one day I will, but right now, I need to be home with my children every day after work and prepare a nice dinner for all of us.” 

My mother was my best role model. She had her own business when I was young, but she was always home with us after work. She was attentive to us and we treasured that work was not what totally defined her.

To all of us women who try to balance it all, I wish you serenity in your choices – it’s not easy, that’s for sure. But in time, yes, you CAN do it all. Cheers!