The process of launching Eileen & Eva® has played a huge role in my midlife reinvention (click here and here to read parts 1 and 2 of my journey from luxury cosmetics exec to entrepreneur and BRCA2 Previvor.) At times, building my own brand has had a steep learning curve. I’ve had to figure out different aspects of fashion design, sourcing materials, and the manufacturing process. It’s been a little scary, sometimes! But the idea of staying stagnant (which was the turn my corporate career had taken) was scarier than facing the challenges of building a business.
The idea of staying stagnant was scarier than facing the challenges of building a business.
There aren’t a lot of things I miss about corporate life but I wouldn’t mind having the big team to share the workload sometimes. The sizeable budget would be nice too! But starting my own company has given me a new sense of purpose and the challenges I’ve faced along the way have provided new opportunities for me to grow, which I’m genuinely grateful for.
The impact of this transition on my family has been a huge blessing as well. Toward the end of my time at the Estee Lauder Companies, I realized there were so many important life moments I was missing out on because of my long hours and constant travel. I can’t get that time back but these days, I have the flexibility to work around my family’s schedule so I can be part of the occasions that matter most to all of us.
That flexibility is a welcome change but if I’m being honest, I’m not sure work/life balance is something I’ll ever completely master. I’ve always been a working mom and a high achiever, so the fact that my business is on my mind 24/7 pretty much comes with the territory. I think this quote from Simon Sinek says it perfectly: “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.” I feel the same amount of pressure having my own business as I did in my corporate job but I’m so passionate about the legacy I want to create with Eileen & Eva®, that I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.” ~Simon Sinek
Despite the inevitable ups and downs, becoming an entrepreneur has really reinvigorated me! It’s allowed me to feel inspired, be creative and to dream again. There are so many exciting possibilities for the future!
My mission is to make Eileen & Eva® the go-to brand in the adaptive clothing space. I want to continue to serve this community of women and expand our product line to include women living with other health challenges as well. I also have plans to offer more gifting options moving forward.
It’s important to me that we provide comfortable clothing options these women can feel beautiful in as they learn to embrace their changing bodies. That’s what Eileen & Eva® is all about.
You can definitely see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.