Eunique Jones Gibson: I know what it’s like to have postpartum depression, and to be excited about your new baby’s life and yet burdened by the responsibility that comes with caring for them. I also know what it’s like to seek out aides as you look for the most age appropriate ways to teach your child basic foundational truths—like all of the things that make them amazing, the importance of friends and community or what it means to be kind and compassionate.
When I considered this stage that we all go through, diapering and potty training, I viewed the absence of joy, representation, and community as an opportunity to be more intentional through The Happy Hues Company. From the affirmations and messages on our prints that speak to both parents and children, to the diversity in our crew members and the lessons they share. We’re working to nurture happy and healthy babies, inside and out.
How do you balance motherhood and entrepreneurship?
I think you balance motherhood and entrepreneurship by unsubscribing from the notion that balance exists. That’s how mom guilt enters the picture. Been there, done that, and have since unsubscribed. Instead I’ve learned the importance of boundaries and communication.
For example, I used to respond to emails or requests without ceasing, but not anymore. I can’t be available at all hours of the night because my kids are home from school and I’m helping with homework or nighttime routines or we’re putting together puzzles or catching up on each other’s day. On the other hand, I make sure I communicate my schedule and any obligations that might make it difficult for me to be physically present. And I create the space for them to be real about their feelings because it’s important for them to know we share the same disappointment.
What’s your best advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs?
Get clear on your why. Write it down. Reflect on it. Interrogate it. Then ask yourself— is this something I would sacrifice everything for? If the answer is no, keep working to establish your reason for wanting to be an entrepreneur. If your answer is yes, keep going because there will be days that you will want to quit. Moments that you will second guess yourself. And seasons that will seem like they are full of more sacrifices than rewards. But if you are clear on why you started, stopping won’t be your first or second thought when you hit a wall. Instead you’ll hit it and then you’ll commit yourself to figuring out how to climb it.
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