Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Kirk.
Gina, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Fueled by the desire to stay home with my children, in early 2014 I walked away from a 10 year career in Orthodontics. I had been blogging on the side, (nights, weekends, really any chance I got) and decided there was no better time than the present to jump into it full time. Shortly after leaving my full time job, I became pregnant with baby number three! We had been trying for over a year at this point so you can imagine my excitement as things felt like they were starting to come together just the way I’d imagined.
Fast forward to early 2015, I was now a mom of three boys! I had continued blogging through pregnancy and as my community grew I felt the pull to create a “blog shop” of sorts. The idea for my Surviving Motherhood drinkware line came to life in the spring of 2015 and after a few months of navigating the ecommerce world I realized this was going to be much bigger than I had anticipated.
Mom Life Must Haves became its own brand and before I knew it I was sampling garments, designing t-shirts and off and running into the world of small business!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It most definitely has not been a smooth road, but that’s my favorite part of the process. I remember hitting the publish button on my first product thinking that would somehow magically alert the entire world. Oh, how much I’ve learned since then! Marketing and social media are something I truly enjoy, so learning the how-to’s have been interesting and fun. It’s so incredibly satisfying to see your hard work begin to pay off. That being said, plenty of mistakes have been made! Over the years I have reminded myself time and again that mistakes are part of the process, and they really are bringing me one step closer to where I want to be.
My best advice would be, there are no shortcuts. To be successful you have to put in the hard work, and what works for someone else may not work for you. It’s so important to follow your creativity but also, remember to stay unique and true to your mission and vision. It’s ok to be inspired by others, but it’s not ok to replicate, or duplicate.
I’d also encourage women who are just starting out to seek like-minded individuals. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, and some friends and family members may just not “get” your mindset or goals, which is okay! Seek out women who are supportive and on a similar journey, having them on your side will make a world of difference.
What should we know about Mom Life Must Haves? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Being original and unique is SUPER important to me as a business owner. All of the designs on www.momlifemusthaves.com are 100% original to the brand and were created by me. In addition to creating original artwork, I am always trying to stay one step ahead of the trends, and source new garments and drinkware.
I’m most proud of our caffeine and chaos collection, which has grown into the most adorable family set. I played with the idea for months before bringing it to life and I’m still in awe of how many people resonate with it. I’m also super proud of the Surviving Motherhood drinkware line. The line is definitely something that sets the brand apart, and has been the driving force of our growing community.
I think the fact that we have such a great community of moms who have come together in solidarity, to laugh together and support one another, all while leaving their differences aside, is what sets Mom Life Must Haves apart, above all else. Connecting with other moms is the reason why I do what I do, and there is nothing more important to me than to make each of these moms feel special. No matter how big this brand gets, I will always put customer service and community first.
Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
Women are so incredible, and powerful, but I am most inspired by motherhood. Becoming a mom and growing through motherhood is the ultimate inspiration, and having the ability to watch my friends, family and peers do the same alongside me is just – amazing.
Growing up, my mom worked incredibly hard. She was the ultimate example of how powerful a woman could be, while raising a family and I think my work ethic came from watching her.
Pricing:
- Apparel starts at $24.99
- Drinkware starts at $12.99
- Totes and accessories start at $14.99
Contact Info:
- Website: www.momlifemusthaves.com
- Email: hello@momlifemusthaves.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/momlifemusthave
- Facebook: facebook.com/momlifemusthaves
- Twitter: twitter.com/momlifemusthave
Image Credit:
Ashley Burns Photography:
http://www.
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