Celebrating Mother’s Day with Ouu i love: Meet these Mom-preneurs
Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing moms out there! At Ouu I Love, we have the privilege of working with some incredible mothers who are also small business owners. Today, we want to give a shout-out to three of our mom business clients: Erika Gonzalez, Ruby Hernandez, and Susie Yoon.
These women are true superheroes, balancing the demands of running a business with the joys and challenges of motherhood. We sat down with each of them to talk about their experiences and get their insights on what it takes to be a successful mompreneur.
First up, we have Erika Gonzalez the founder of Shop Small Soiree and Eleven Eleven. Shop Small Soiree is a curated pop-up event for small businesses to sell their products and Eleven Eleven is a clothing brand that specializes in staple pieces for your wardrobe. We had the pleasure of working with Erika on a variety of projects, including her full rebranding, website design, and graphic design. We are so proud of the work we've done together, and we invite you to check it out for yourself here!
Here's what Erika had to say about balancing her business, motherhood and everything in between:
Q: How do you balance being a mom and being a business owner?
Erika: I’m very fortunate to have a tribe that makes it possible for me to be able to do both! It’s definitely still a struggle because j want to be able to be there as much as i can for Harlow and I feel so guilty asking for help but for me to work and have my businesses run smoothly I have to be able to do.
Q: What challenges or obstacles do you face juggling both worlds?
Erika: Definitely time management. Even though Harlow is 1 year and a half, I’m still struggling finding time to manage things well. It’s all still an adjustment.
Q: How have you built a support network to help you manage the demands of running a business and being a mom?
Erika: I’m lucky that I have found the right people in my team to be able to trust them to run things when I’m with Harlow. It took me a long time to find that but now that I do it makes it easy to take time away and focus on mommy life.
Q: How has Ouu I love supported you in achieving your goals?
Erika: Omg so much! Even before Ouu i love was here, Denitza and I worked together and I asked her for advice and present day her team and her have helped with our rebrand completely which has excelled us in ways I never thought could be possible in such short time and I’ll forever be thankful!
Next up, we have Ruby Hernandez, the founder of Secret Bargain Shop. Secret Bargain Shop is a wholesale business that offers the best bargains on a variety of categories including cosmetics, fashion accessories, and novelty items. We had the pleasure of working with Ruby on a variety of projects, including her full branding, website design, and graphic design, illustrations, and social media gifs/content. Check out our work together here!
Here's what Ruby had to say about her experiences with motherhood and being a business owner:
Q: How do you balance being a mom and being a business owner?
Ruby: This is probably one of the hardest things when running a business, but prioritizing my time and respecting that when I’m with my kids- I’m Mom. This isn’t easy, when business calls, you have to answer. But being patient with the process and scheduling time aside just for my kids doesn’t come easy at first but is worth it. I also make them part of the business so they help me and earn a wage. This is probably the most valuable thing my mom taught me which was to work hard for what we wanted and now we do the same with our own.
Q: What challenges or obstacles do you face juggling both worlds?
Ruby: Definitely feeling guilty. I wish I can give them more of my undivided attention when I’m in work mode.
Q: How have you built a support network to help you manage the demands of running a business and being a mom?
Ruby: My mom and father-in-law are a huge key. They help me with sports and school, as well as my team at Secret Bargain. They definitely hold it down for us when we’re not available.
Q: How has Ouu I love supported you in achieving your goals?
Ruby: Ufff where do I start? Besides offering amazing services, Denitza and the team have been truly caring about my business. It feels like a friendship where they actually care about the growth of your business. From advice to adjusting to what we needed. They have been there for us every step of the way.
Last but not least, we have Susie Yoon, the founder of Skinesque. Skinesque is a clean skincare brand that prides themselves on having products that provide clinically-proven results for all skin types. We had the pleasure of working with Susie on projects including email design, SMS, and UGC content for their social media. Check out our work together here!
Here's what Susie had to say about balancing her business and motherhood:
Q: How do you balance being a mom and being a business owner?
Susie: Between Skinesque and motherhood (to two children and a dog), there are many times when I feel very stretched and overwhelmed. Without a set routine, it's too easy to feel overwhelmed. Establishing a daily and weekly routine with time set aside for Skinesque, family, and personal helps me stay on top of things and be more effective. We have EVERYTHING in google calendar, clearly labeled for work, personal, and my children's extracurricular activities, with plenty of reminders and alarms set. For Skinesque, aside from our Google calendar, platforms such as Trello and Slack keep me organized and on task. I find balance when I'm better organized because I can prioritize what is important and needs to be done for that day. And I have to be okay with not getting all of my tasks checked off. And most importantly, at the end of the day, I make it a point to have sit down dinner with my family (I rarely take dinner appointments). Daily catch up sessions with the family are so important!
Q: What challenges or obstacles do you face juggling both worlds?
Susie: My biggest challenge while juggling both worlds is taking care of myself and scheduling "me time". Between sleep, exercise, and unplugging mentally, I need to fulfill my own needs and recharge in order to be an effective leader and present mom.
Q: How have you built a support network to help you manage the demands of running a business and being a mom?
Susie: One of the first notions that I had to throw out is that I have to do everything myself as an entrepreneur and a mother. I am fortunate to have family nearby who ubers my children around after school and provides the most loving care while I am away. My network of mom friends are there to pick up things that fall through the cracks and act as second moms to my children. You know who you are!
I'd be remiss if I did not mention my husband who supports me in everything I do. He is my biggest cheerleader and the best co-parent I can ask for.
Q: How has Ouu I love supported you in achieving your goals?
Susie: I am always thinking of ways to improve and grow my ecommerce presence and sales for Skinesque. Emailers and SMS are an integral part of any successful strategy. With Ouu I Love's services, I have one less thing to worry about, as I trust their expertise, aesthetics, and reliability. Their experience re: testing, best time to send emailers and sms, the type of content and copy that is effective, is integral in growing our base. I love their designs and use of content that aligns with our brand image. And most importantly, our teams are able to communicate and work together in a fluid and efficient manner!
Motherhood is a challenging and rewarding journey that requires immense strength, dedication, and love.
As a female and Latina-owned creative marketing agency, Ouu I Love is proud to support and uplift these incredible women who are making a difference in their communities and beyond.
Through our work with Erika Gonzalez, Ruby Hernandez, and Susie Yoon, we have seen first hand how mothers can balance running successful businesses while also being present in their children's lives. These women are an inspiration, and we are honored to have collaborated with them on their creative marketing projects.
At Ouu I Love, we are committed to empowering women, especially mothers, by providing them with the tools, resources, and support they need to thrive in their personal and professional lives. We believe that every mother deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams, and we are dedicated to helping them achieve their goals.
To all the mothers out there, whether you are business owners or not, we want you to know that you are appreciated, valued, and loved. We see you, we hear you, and we are here to support you every step of the way. Happy Mother's Day!
Blog Posted: 5/11/23