Like all of us in life, we have a past that is filled with so many different choices and decisions, even micro ones, that led us to where we are today.
As a mum of 9, you can already tell that I have spent a lot of time at home being a full time carer and provider for my family. Being a mother is a full time job, the only difference with workplaces is that after your 9 am to 5 pm responsibilities, you can go home. After not being in the "corporate" workplace for a long time due to raising my children, society tells you that you have absolutely no experience or skills that you have attained from being a mother. As a result, I decided to become my own boss when attempting to re-enter the workforce. If no one was going to see my potential and help open the door, I was going to build that door myself and use my own hands to open it myself.
For context, I had no business or entrepreneurial background and had absolutely no idea what I was doing and for the most part regarding what I sell currently, it started as a hobby on the side due to my own passions, beliefs, and interests. Before Kaftan 9 existed, I had started with other products. Even though I don't sell those items today, I am so grateful for those experiences because those entrepreneurial lessons and business ventures brought me here today where I realised this one thing- why not sell what I love. You see coming from a non business background I assumed I would and should sell what I thought at the time would be popular and thus a financial success. The truth is, life is only a small amount of time, and working a job or selling what you don't have a passion for isn't sustainable. Which brings me to what we have now, my baby, Kaftan 9.
I remember when I did my first market alongside my two young daughters at the time. I remember this day so vividly because it was such a new experience for us. We only had 2 tables full of jewellery. We even hired tables and it was at this trash and treasure market because we were not knowledgeable about the other markets around the Sydney area. We were so much younger and naive to the world with beaming smiles that we had 2 tables full of jewellery. It makes me laugh now of how much we really looked like newbies. But it was such a special moment between myself and my girls. We had overcome so many personal financial difficulties to acquire at that time only 2 small tables full of jewellery.
Obviously since then we have grown so much. Have we made mistakes? 100%. Have we had amazing success? 100%. But this failure and success allows us to grow. Even though there is so much I need to do to improve with the business, I hope all those who have supported my small Aussie business continue to do so along my female empowering entrepreneurial journey.
- Vanessa