“You’re fired!” is usually what you hear before starting a new life. But I didn’t wait for it! All it took for me was becoming a mom. I had the apprentice’s job, making money and traveling. The second I became a mother, my perspectives completely shifted. It opened my eyes: I knew I had to tune in with my values and do something meaningful for my children and for myself.
Making the decision
I worked for ten years in the finance market. Over time, I began to realize that finance was filled with people of high intelligence that could have done wonderful things, but their intentions were questionable. Working in this field, you lose sight of what money truly means, or of what harm you can do on people without knowing it. We had classes about creating value, I mean stock market value. But it is all disconnected from real life. What good was it for the world? Take the current situation for example. The economy is collapsing all around the globe, but stock market is taking off… it is all disconnected from our reality.
Doing the same repetitive tasks turns you into a robot, and I knew that I wanted more for my life than a job that dehumanized me. Having my two kids awakened the desire to do good in me. Ever since my daughter was little, we’ve had this ritual of reading stories together. She is an avid reader! At the time, it reminded me of my childhood and of how free I felt when I spent hours in libraries to escape my strict parents. Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, Alexandre Dumas: I escaped through their stories. One day it hit me that I could combine my love for children and my love for literature: I decided to take a big leap of faith and reconnect with my passion. So, I took my courage in both hands and decided to create my own children’s books publishing house.
Taking a leap into the unknown
I have never been one to settle for the status quo. At all! I enjoy shaking things up, disrupting the norm, pushing the boundaries and charging headlong down mysterious and unexplored avenues. I knew nothing about the publishing industry, but I was ready to learn! I could have just written one book and tried to be published but no! I decided that I wanted to write all the books myself. This is how I ended up creating my own platform with more than 100 books in just a year. I know how crazy that sounds! But I wanted my stories to be conscious and meaningful, and I had a million ideas in mind.
When reading fairytales with my daughter, we always came across the same happily ever after ending. It got me thinking how could I change this story up? How could I make it different and exciting and progressive? How could I give it a message or meaning that is relevant and useful to kids today?
So that was the catalyst for Book Prunelle. I created a platform where I could innovate and educate as well as entertain children. To fund the business, I used a combination of loans and ten years of savings from my career in finance. I set about creating stories that tackled hard hitting subjects such as social injustice, the environment, body image, disability and inclusiveness. Stories that would encourage kids to think and act and grow into conscious, kind and caring people.
The very first step I took to get started was creating a business plan. This is a step many people skip, but it’s one of the most important steps. The business plan requires that we understand the market, research the needs of our audience, develop a budget and determine how we will create cash flow. Honestly, it helps us fine tune our idea and may even cause us to switch gears.
Growing professionally and personally
When I first started growing the platform, I was working on my own. I was doing every job that you could think of in order to make sure the foundations were stable and the company was ready to head skywards. But eventually and inevitably things became too much for me. I was working 7 days a week and I needed at least four hands to do everything that needed doing. I needed help – and this is where my team began! Now I am proud to be at the head of an international team. I work with people from all around the world, we have team meetings every week.
Where do you start
Maybe you can’t just ditch your 9 to 5 to start a business (the kids have to eat and bills have to get paid), but you can start where you are with the time and resources that you have. If writing is your passion, start a blog. If baking is your passion, start baking and selling your baked goods online. Our jobs may not bring us fulfillment, but they do provide a steady income. Until your business venture brings in enough funds to leave your cubicle behind, you can use your free time to invest in your talents and passions.
Lessons I’ve learned
Looking back, there are several things I wish I had known – there were mistakes that could have been avoided which could have saved me time and money – but it was all worth it in the end. I found a purpose that does some good in the world, and people who believe in me and in my project.
If I had just one piece of advice to give, it would be to make sure that you are surrounded by the right people.
Don’t be afraid of failure either: this is what will make you successful. If you abandon after the first mistakes you make, you will never see the end of your project. I learned to set my ego aside and not take mistakes personally, because this project has become bigger than just me.
Are you a mompreneur with a thriving business and an impactful story? Share your website link for a potential feature.
