Motherhood and business: it’s a balancing act of epic proportions often filled with late nights, early mornings and very little ‘me-time’! We’d like you to meet some successful, hard-working North Coast moms …
Sally Mitchell – RE/MAX Dolphin Realtors
After realising she was stretched too thin, mother of two Sally left a corporate management position in search of balance. She is now with RE/MAX Dolphin Realtors, where all estate agents are independent contractors mentored by Simon and Kim Peacock. “The RE/MAX team works with buyers, sellers, rentals or anyone looking for advice about property. I enjoy the presence and commitment we have in the community, meeting new people and learning about our beautiful area.”
How do you manage your work/life balance? Days and weeks are built on priorities and as long as each one gets done timeously the balance is there. Even my hairdresser appointment at 9.30am can be a priority when my six-year-old repeatedly comments that I have Christmas tinsel stuck in my hair! I am a priority. I think multitasking is overrated – instead I focus one hundred percent on each task and get it done! Best piece of mothering advice? We are all here to live our best lives, filled with health and happiness with the ones we love. This can be achieved by taking control, organising what needs to be done, allocating the time and just doing the best we can. Details: [email protected]
Bonita Cherry – Outlook Orange
Established in 2009, Outlook Orange is a Ballito-based creative business development agency seeking to answer the fundamental question of ‘why’, and giving your business a master plan for future success. For Bonita, a mom of four with a passion for people, this is more than just a job, it’s a calling to help business owners succeed. Outlook Orange offer brand and marketing strategy, visual identity design and digital marketing. How do you manage your work/life balance? When you envision a bright future, it will be realised, and the obstacles you will have to overcome along the way will only make the journey more rewarding. Best piece of mothering advice: Do not succumb to ‘mom-guilt’ and never compare yourself to others. Your purpose and journey are unique to you. I will do my very best and God will do the rest. Details: [email protected], 072 369 1796, www.outlookorange.com, IG: @outlookorange
Britney Schamotta and Julie Portmann – Lady Aperol
Britney and Julie are the co-founders of the popular new clothing brand, Lady Aperol. Established in mid-2021, the brand was inspired by these two working moms who have a love for shopping and were struggling to find affordable, quality fashion for women. The name for their brand – Lady Aperol – was born after a few glasses of their favourite cocktail Aperol Spritz! How do you manage your work/life balance? Teamwork. We have found that having a strong partnership and an incredible support structure has helped us find a good balance between motherhood and work life. Best piece of mothering advice: Always trust your ‘mom gut’. No one knows your child better than you do. Make time for yourself and your passions. Details: [email protected] IG: ladyaperol_za
Kim and Leanne Brown – House of Love and Hope (HOLAH)
We started our NPO – Likhon iThemba (meaning; There is hope) nearly 10 years ago. “It was never meant to become our EVERYTHING but very quickly it did!” Says one of the NPOs founders, Kim. They run several projects under the NPO, their main one being the House of Love and Hope. HOLAH is a crisis home for abandoned babies, children taken away from families due to difficult circumstances and children given up for adoption. We also offer long term care for children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy and other life threatening challenges. “We dedicate ourselves to making this a loving, warm, home environment for every child we care for.” Kim and Leanne currently have 12 children in their care and do outreach work in surrounding settlements for hundreds more. How do you manage your work/life balance? Be on the same page as your partner, work together. Plan and coordinate in advance. Be ready to be flexible if the plan has to change. Use a diary! Best piece of mothering advice: Don’t sweat the small stuff. For more information contact Kim 083 232 5501/ [email protected]/ www.likhonithemba.co.za
Coral Downey – Coral Chic Permanent Makeup
Owned by Coral Downey, Coral Chic Permanent Makeup was started in 2016. Coral is an experienced cosmetic tattoo artist specialising in permanent makeup and scalp micropigmentation. She also owns a salon in the Sunningdale area called The Dollhouse. How do you manage your work/life balance? I am lucky enough to be able to choose my own hours, so I have managed to juggle work and being a new mom pretty well. I am passionate about my work and about being a great mom, so I try and prioritise both equally. My tip would be to find your balance that works for you!
Best piece of mothering advice: Be kind to yourself. New moms put so much pressure on themselves to be perfect all the time. It can be a slippery slope. I try to just be happy, learning as I go and taking it one day at a time. Find one person whose opinions you value and filter what is applicable to your family. Details: 082 818 6427, IG:@coralchic.pmu FB: CoralChic Permanent Makeup
Wanda du Toit – Mama Wanda
Wanda du Toit founded Mama Wanda in 2014 with the goal of helping others conquer challenging health issues, achieve improved confidence and meet their full potential. Passionate about gut health and healthy lifestyle with the body operating at full potential, her meal plans, recipes, vitamins, gut products, food supplies and support are made with convenience in mind. Wanda has been married to Chris for 31 years and they have three children. How do you manage your work/life balance? The juggle between motherhood and businesswoman is real. The key for me was realising the importance of planning over the weekend – correct meals, activities, lifts, meetings and social events – so that I didn’t live with regret resulting in disappoint or guilt. Best piece of mothering advice: The best pearl of wisdom my mother gave me as I was about to give birth to my first child was, “Wanda, your children are a reflection of you.”
Details: [email protected], 082 898 7419, www.mamawanda.co.za
Lauren Olinsky (MD) – Natural Elixir
It was after trying the Natural Elixir product herself that Lauren realised its amazing results. “I contacted the manufacturer to become the exclusive marketing and selling division of Natural Elixir and we have been selling and marketing Natural Elixir for just short of two years now. It pleases me immensely to see how many people have enjoyed the positive results of this natural product.”
How do you manage your work/life balance? My top tip is to have a strong team (no matter how big or small) around you that you can trust and with whom you share your passion. Never give up. The old saying of, ‘when one door closes, another opens’ is so true. Best piece of mothering advice: Be sure to take care of yourself in order to provide your child with the best care and love possible. And enjoy every moment – every day is a new day with your child.
Details: 071 333 1288, @natural_elixir_sa
Kris Knutsen – Munks and Me
Munks and Me is an online ecommerce store, selling high quality nursery and children’s wallpaper and wall art. They specialise in customised wallpaper to fit their customers ‘specific requirements, whether it be for an individual nursery or a large-scale project for their interior design partners. “I’ve always been entrepreneurial and dreamed of running my own business,” says owner Kris who started Munks and Me six years ago. “I knew what the end goal was and I was determined to get there. YouTube quickly became my best friend and after many late nights, I’m proud to say that I am completely self-taught.” Munks and Me produce beautiful bespoke wallpapers that adorn walls worldwide and they are launching their website in South Africa soon. How do you manage your work/life balance? We all have a lot going on, the ‘juggle struggle’ is absolutely real. Make a list of top priorities the night before and stick to it. Best piece of mothering advice: Motherhood is not ‘one size fits all’. Do whatever works for you and don’t feel guilty about it…ever! Details: munksandme.com
Kita Veale – Homestead Décor
Kita Veale started Homestead Décor as a ‘side hustle’ many years ago and since then the business has grown significantly. Homestead Décor’s biggest seller are their rugs. They also sell beautiful lamps, trays and loads of other décor pieces. “We try to expand the range every year and we have some very exciting new ranges coming soon!” How do you manage your work/life balance? That is a tough question, haha! I worked from home for many years, juggling work and kids. There were a lot of late nights working while the kids slept. Now that they are older and at school, I have mornings free to concentrate on work. I have hired two staff members, which has been a game changer and I also send my boys to aftercare three times a week so I can get more done. The other two afternoons I am with them. I make sure I am flexible though and if they need me, I am there.
Best piece of mothering advice: Don’t compare yourself to others. You know what the right thing is for you and your family. Our journeys are all different, make it a special one.
Details: [email protected], 074 662 1122, www.homestead-decor.co.za
Tash Barnard – TashB Pilates
TashB Pilates exists to help our community move their bodies towards greater wholeness and health. “Pilates is for everyone, whether you’re en route to reaching your fitness goals, rehabilitating after an injury or you’re a soon-to-be mom,” says founder Tash. This year celebrating 15 years, Tash is filled with gratitude for her team and the army of women who have contributed to TashB’s success. How do you manage your work/life balance? The most powerful aspect has been having a husband who believes in me, has my back and allows me to fulfil my purpose in this world. When it comes to juggling motherhood, I’ve been privileged enough to experience the South African proverb of “It takes a village to raise a child”. I have an entire community that steps into our lives when we need it most. Best piece of mothering advice you ever received: The best advice I’ve received is actually a Bible scripture, which basically talks about: “show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” When our kids were younger, we made a conscious decision to have the right company of people who hold the same values as us. Details: [email protected], 079 219 7288, www.tashbpilates.co.za
Hannah Francis, head of marketing – Rainmaker Marketing
Hannah is the head of marketing for well-known property development marketing agency, Rainmaker Marketing. Rainmaker offers turn-key marketing solutions to property developers in southern Africa and abroad, specialising in all facets of marketing, including content, PR, design, social media, market research, digital, video, mailers and PPC. How do you manage your work/life balance? It’s definitely about having the right support structure in place. They say it takes a village to raise a child and this is certainly the case for me. I couldn’t do what I do without having family and friends who I can count on. I have also had to learn to compartmentalise and put boundaries in place: for me there is a time for work and then there is a time to be a mom. They each get my undivided attention when I am physically in each environment. Best piece of advice of mothering advice: Love your children for who they are and not who you expect them to be. I’m quite competitive by nature and often have to remind myself that my kids are on their own journey. My job is just to ensure they are trying new things and giving of their best in everything they do. Details: www.rainmakermarketing.co.za, 031 1013100
Cairey Baxter-Bruce – Show Director of ECR House + Garden Show
As the East Coast Radio House and Garden Show director since 2016, Cairey is in charge
of every facet of the exhibition. From curating the show floor plan to managing the marketing, sales, logistics and operations as well creating and executing show features and putting together budgets – she oversees it all. Although it was unable to run in 2020 and 2021 (due to Covid), the show is back this year and celebrating its 40th anniversary from 24 June – 3 July. How do you manage your work/life balance? There is no quick fix and the mom-guilt can be real! Stick to a routine at home as far as possible, especially during the week and spend an hour or two on a Sunday planning the week ahead. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help – we can’t always do it alone and that’s okay. Best piece of mothering advice: Set boundaries and don’t over- schedule your children. They don’t have to do every extra mural or attend every party / playdate. Parenting is a hard job but also extremely rewarding and you are usually doing better than you think!
Details: www.housegardenshow.co.za @housegardenshow
Pamela Naidu – Devmco Realty, head of marketing & sales
Pamela started her career in real estate in 1994 and has worked her way up from being a receptionist to now heading up the marketing and sales of premium off-plan developments in the Sibaya Coastal Precinct, including OceanDune Sibaya and the latest development, Salta Sibaya. How do you manage your work/life balance? My experience has been a unique one in that my two daughters were involved in the business from a young age and I mentored them while working. I think it’s important to spend as much time as possible with your children and take time to engage in their lives, commit to family outings, weekends away and extended family holidays and be sure to set boundaries and plan your time carefully. Also, be willing to ask for help. Best piece of mothering advice you ever received? I followed my parent’s lead: your family comes first, everything else is secondary. You can never turn back the clock, so grab every moment and make it count.
Details: www.devmcogroup.co.za, 0875501300
Cara McDaniel – Rain Farm Game & Lodge
“My first born,” Cara says, smiling, “is Rain Farm Game & Lodge, which I started with my father in 2009. It was a huge growth experience for me and, because it was prior to marriage and kids, I was able to put my absolute all into getting it to where it is today.” Rain Farm is a popular destination on the North Coast for weddings, conferencing, accommodation, scenic picnics and game drives, as well as a spa, wall climbing and a host of other activities on offer. How do you manage your work/life balance? With every milestone in my life, I have adjusted and incorporated it all into this fine balancing act called life. I don’t always get it right, but I do find that lists, schedules and forward planning is key. Best piece of mothering advice you ever received: Make sure to schedule in ‘you’ time and ‘family’ time, it’s just as important as all the rest.
Details: www.rainfarm.co.za, [email protected], 032 815 1050, 083 352 6830
René van den Heever – Kijk Optometrists
Opening Kijk Optometrists in the heart of Salt Rock three years ago was the realisation of a lifelong dream for René. “I enjoy all aspects of optometry, including cycling, fishing, golf and computer glasses. We love cool and fashionable glasses and enjoy working with young and old!” How do you manage your work/life balance? I think the trick is not to sweat the small stuff and remember that it’s okay if the ‘wheels come off’ every now and then! Best piece of mothering advice you ever received? Be present in the moment. If you are at work, be at work. If you are at home, be at home.
Details: 032 815 2911, 084 585 2297, [email protected], www.kijkoptom.co.za
