Best Teepees for Children
Aren’t these the most exquisite teepees you’ve ever seen?
I first came across My Tiny Teepee when my wonderful Mom brought me January’s copy of the Fair Lady Magazine. It featured two Mompreneurs in an article titled: “The Mompreneurs”.
I planned to contact Olivia Fox (My Tiny Teepee) and Shannon McLaughlin (Ubuntubaba Baby Carriers) to interview them both for Inspiring Mompreneurs.
But January started off with a bang, I was kept busy with fiverr orders and in February I started with project Instagram (find out how I grew from 0 to 1000 followers in 20 days).
Olivia Fox taught me just how brilliant a social media platform like Instagram can be in building relationships with your tribe. Liv found Inspiring Mompreneurs on Instagram and sent a message saying: “Um yes please! x”
Liv gave us this lovely interview via a few emails to & fro. I just adore how Liv’s sense of humour comes out in her snappy answers.
Ooh, and don’t miss the gorgeous answers her Mamma (and co-owner of My Tiny Teepee) gave us at the end of the interview.
What do you do for a living?
I was an environmental scientist and then became a town planner. Left those to start writing children’s stories for SABC and then had my two delicious children. NOW – now I run social media sites and My Tiny Teepee.
I don’t make a cent from My Tiny Teepee. All the money goes to my Mamma. My favourite bit – doing something because I love it NOT because of the money. That’s when you know you’ve found a keeper job – test it – if your boss told you you had to work for free – would you stay?
When did you become a Mompreneur?
When my kids were both in nursery school and I found myself endlessly wandering through the house in search of something.
Where do you work most days?
From an awesome venue in Cape Town. It changes daily. Or bed. I love working from bed – especially from 10pm to 3am.
Which job title best describes you?
Small business owner/mom on the go trying to do everything all at once the whole time forever and ever.
How many days per week do you work, on average?
102 ;). Every day. Every hour. No day the same. My toddler woke up at 4 – so I’ve been working since 4. You know the drill. 😉
How many hours do you estimate you work per day, on average?
All. All hours. (Probably around 15 hours a day).
What do you find more Challenging? Being a Mom, or being an Entrepreneur?
Being a mother is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Work is easy. Work – shut the laptop. Klaar. (Done).
What do you find more fulfilling? Being a Mom, or being an Entrepreneur?
That’s tough…. they are different. Totally Different. Both fulfilling in their own way.
Do you consider yourself an Entrepreneur?
Hell yeah.
When did you take the decision to become an Entrepreneur?
2015 – I asked my Mamma to come and live with us and I realized my Mamma needed to do something as much as I wanted to – she had always crafted – so I fine tuned and monetized. We were both happier doing this – so I helped her achieve her dream by starting up a business for her.
Do you like the term Mompreneur?
I love it! Although – I’ve got a few looks when I started myself calling that from Mammas in corporate jobs. I think there is this perceived hierarchy and Corporates think they are above Moms who are trying to juggle work and motherhood during office hours. WRONG – there is a place in the world for all working Moms and just because I do it with my child on my lap messing cereal all over my work doesn’t change the fact that I’m still trying. I’m working. I have so much respect for Moms who have to rip themselves away from their children and head to the office. We need to realize that both are hard in their own way.
Do you feel there’s a difference between Mother or Father Entrepreneurs?
Nope! Not in my family! My husband does just as much as I do, maybe even more and he is an entrepreneur. We are equals. No difference at all. We share parenting. We share work.
Would you like to share any highs or lows in your career (as a Mompreneur)?
Highs – every sale I make. Lows – people competing – puts a dampener on things and just make things ugly.
What has been the number one highlight of your career (as a Mompreneur)?
Walking into my Mom’s factory in Durban about a month ago – proud! She stayed with us for almost a year and then moved back to Durban. She has made it. We made it. And it’s working.
What has been the g
reatest challenge for you to overcome in your career?
Realize that people competing is taking nothing away from me but merely adding. Hard to come to terms with at first, but once you do – the greatest form of flattery is achieved.
What has been the number one highlight of Motherhood for you?
Right now. Both my boys are sitting holding me as I type this.
Has it been tricky balancing work and home life?
Nope. I just work ’till crazy hours of the morning.
What daily rituals are important for you to maintain work-life balance?
Coffee. Walking. Mountain air.
Do you feel you are living your passion?
Yes. Except when people don’t realize I’m a human being behind a computer. People are sometimes brash and cruel. It’s the only downside. Upside is the love I get. It’s endless.
Do you feel you have already created your best work?
Never. Every day is better and better. Evolving and ever changing. I’ve used this time and time again and I’ll use it forever because it remains true – the possibilities are endless.
If you were to die tomorrow, would you be at peace knowing you had lived a full, happy and meaningful life? Or would you feel you were dying with your song unsung?
Mmm….. I would die happy if my babies were okay and I knew that. Work wouldn’t feature at all on my death bed.
Do you have a message you would like the world to hear?
Be great. Be true.
Is there a book or a song or a movie that has had huge significance or meaning in your life?
Hoppípolla by Sigur Rós. My first son was born to it.
Tornado by Jónsi My second son was born to it.
Never forget those moments.
What advice would you give someone just starting out as an entrepreneur?
Be careful. Plan. Don’t rush into anything. Be precise in all you do and learn from every mistake.
Is there anything you know now, that you wish you knew when you started out as an entrepreneur?
Nope. All the mistakes guide you along your path. We are all different. All with different choices.
Is there anything you know now, that you wish you knew when you first became a Mom?
Yes – and people told me. Sleep. Sleep more than you think. It won’t happen again.
Is there anything you feel you missed out on by becoming an entrepreneur?
Not a single thing – and If I did feel that I would change my path immediately. It’s all too short.
Is there anything you feel you gained by becoming an entrepreneur?
Everything. Self confidence. Love from people I don’t even know. Love FOR people I don’t even know.
Do you feel you chose an easy path or a difficult one?
Mmmm… neither. I chose my path. It’s different for everyone. Some days my path is easy and some days it’s like hiking up Table Mountain ten times. Get up and do it.
Which people have been enormously helpful to you?
The usual. My friends and family – I trust them with my life. Support and love. The best has been making friends over social media. My heart is full.
Are there any courses or studies you feel have been essential to your success?
I’m more of a go go go type of girl. So no. I literally taught myself. Adjusted my ways to suit my needs. The business’ needs. Long hours and self taught.
Who is your target market? If I were to give you a referral, who would I be looking for?
Mammas!!
Is your market local or international?
Both actually. I ship a huge amount of Teepees overseas. Local is lekker, but showing international local, even lekker-der.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
When being a parent – the days feel like years and the years like days. Be present in every day.
Mamma’s answers:
Is there anything you know now, that you wish you knew when you first became a Mom?
Apart from running on less sleep I wouldn’t want to know then what I know now. Years of love, commitment and experiences are never understood when you become a mom.
Do you have a message you would like the world to hear?
Definitely !! Hello world, I love my family.
Is there a book or a song or a movie that has had huge significance or meaning in your life?
Yes, EAT, PRAY, LOVE.
When dark times blur your vision, take a step backwards and do an inventory of what is important. It’s seldom a title, worldly goods or status !!
What advice would you give someone just starting out as an entrepreneur?
Learn to rely on yourself and nobody else. Trust your intuition and judgment paired with hard work and commitment.
Visit My Tiny Teepee
Follow My Tiny Teepee on:
If you enjoyed this article or have a message for Liv, please leave a comment below.
Hi, what a great post! I love those teepees, kids love a place where they can hang out and hide from us lol. My daughter has one in her after school care, and when she is feeling grouchy she goes in there. Love your site, being a mom is definitely a full-time job, except we don’t get benefits or paid but we get rewards in other ways. Spending time with the ones we love the most. I hope to get to a point where I can do this and have a healthy balance. Thanks for the post!
That was a really inspiring article. I think entrepreneurship demands quite a different mindset to a regular job, and especially when you are a parent! It is true, sleep becomes something that is close to gold, and while you might be able to run on less sleep for awhile, I think there will come a time you have to just accept you need to get more than you’re getting. I hit a wall recently with that and cut back on what I was trying to do in my business to better balance a healthy lifestyle, parenthood and business. I feel stretched everywhere! But, I know that I am going to figure this out and I am truly trying to just enjoy the ride because we really only have the present moment!
Hi Liz, aah, I relate to that feeling if being stretched everywhere… a Mom entrepreneurs dilemma, for sure. I commend you on your decision to put health and family before business. When you’re in the throes of living your passion it can be easy to forget that that’s ultimately why we’re doing this. 🙂
Thank you so much for this useful article. I followed your link about how to get increased volume of instagram followers and I am going to take at look at the Ebook that you suggested. I commend on your effort to balance work and family life and you sound like you are a great mom. Take Care, Heather
Aah, thanks so much for your comments, Heather.
Hey Lauren,
That interview was Awesome!!!! I think Moms all over will like it and not only Moms, but also anyone else. Aside from that I like the concept of my tiny teepee. How many kids can get in a teepee? I am guessing since it is call my little teepee not many lol but it would be great for kids.
Hi Kendrick, thanks for your enthusiastic response & great question. I’ll ask Olivia to answer you directly.