Four years ago, when I was a stay-at-home mom with a baby girl and 2-year-old boy, I did the unthinkable. I started my own business — a jewelry brand called Winter Hill Jewelry. Becoming an entrepreneur was not something I had given a lot of thought to. It just kind of happened.
One day, my husband brought home a new toy: a 3D printer. I thought it was cool, but I had no idea how to use it nor what I would even use it for. Then one day at the park, I noticed another mom’s laser-cut earrings. My mind flashed back to the printer, and I thought, “I could make those.”
It wasn’t an easy start, but with my newfound motivation I got to work figuring out how to draw simple designs, convert them to 3D models, then use the 3D printer to make my designs into actual earrings.
I started printing the earrings as a side hobby — a way to focus my energy on something outside of my day-to-day responsibilities of caring for my family. As I refined my craft, a few friends encouraged me to try selling them at a local event. And before I knew it, my hobby had evolved into a business.
Starting a business as a stay at home mom wasn’t always easy. But now that I can reflect back on the past four years raising my kids while growing my own business, I realize it was the best decision I made for myself and my family.
1. It has made us adaptable and flexible.
Finding time to dedicate to my business was a challenge. My husband works long hours, and we don’t have family nearby to help out. So the majority of the childcare fell on my plate. I quickly realized that squeezing in time when my kids were napping or watching a show to work on marketing, create my designs, or get ready for a show was not sustainable. It felt way too expensive to send both kids to daycare, so I posted ads on college job boards and asked other Boston moms for babysitter recommendations.
Since starting my business, we’ve had more than 20 different people watch our kids. This patchwork arrangement of childcare has made my kids more independent and flexible: When a babysitter comes over that they haven’t met before, they are excited, not upset.
My kids aren’t the only ones who’ve benefited from this system: It has helped me be more adaptable and flexible as well. I want my kids to be safe and happy, but I am more lenient. It’s OK if they ate too many sweet treats or left an art project all over the floor.
2. My children are able to play independently.
There have been plenty of times when I’ve had to get work done but was unable to find childcare, meaning my kids needed to find things to do on their own. It took some time to get there and required a ton of patience to endure them whining, “Mom, mom, mom!” I’d tell them, “If you can’t figure out something to do on your own, you can go take a nap.”
This line usually encouraged them to find a fun and engaging activity — they never chose the nap. They are now able to play independently and are more creative in their play than ever before. A new game they love is tying string to their toys so they can dangle them off the porch.
3. It helped my husband develop his own parenting style.
I sold earrings at local pop-up markets and events around Boston on weekends and would be gone for eight to ten hours each day. This gave my husband the opportunity to experience what I went through on a daily basis during the week: tears, tantrums, exhaustion, mess. It gave him a chance to parent without my watchful eyes telling him what he was doing “wrong,” which is something I’m not proud to admit I did at times. I wasn’t there to witness if he forgot the diaper bag or didn’t pack any snacks or water. He made use of public water fountains and bought food on the go.
Giving him freedom to parent in his own way reminded me that there is no right or wrong way. Everyone has their own parenting style, and that’s completely fine.
4. It energized me and gave me a new sense of purpose.
Let’s be honest — raising small children can suck the life right out of you, making it seem like the worst time to start a business. Ironically, I found it gave me back the energy my kids were draining from me. Having to problem solve, explore my creativity that had felt locked away, and learn new skills to run my business created a spark in me to keep working, even after a long day with the kids.
And, it’s worth it! The first time I was running errands around town and noticed a stranger wearing my earrings it made me smile ear to ear — the same feeling I had when I watched my kids ride a bike without training wheels for the first time: pure joy and pride.
Vanessa Templeman is a Wisconsin native who lives in Somerville with her family. She is the owner and designer of Winter Hill Jewelry, a boutique jewelry company. She creates unique jewelry by 3D printing her hand-drawn designs. Vanessa graduated from the University of Minnesota, has a MS in human services from UMass Boston, and studied graphic design at the School for the Museum of Fine Arts. When she isn’t making jewelry, she enjoys taking her kiddos, ages 4 and 6, on adventures.
