Reflecting on the Inception of Sepal Design Studio
9 months in and it still sounds strange to call myself a business owner, or to tell another mom at the park on a Monday “I work part-time - I own my own design studio”. I feel like a bit of an imposter at times (don’t we all in our grown-up jobs?!) and other times I want to head-bang to “This Girl is on Fire” to celebrate the exhilaration of it all. Being a business owner comes with it’s ups and downs, surprises, lulls, operating costs, freedom, and excitement. The best advice I’ve been given was from a former classmate of mine and fellow momprenuer over at 616 Companies: “Don’t ride the highs too high or the lows too low and don’t be afraid to change your plans”. This has given me so much freedom from the pressure to build something from the ground up overnight and allows me to enjoy this period of growth, both in my business and as a mother.
So. How did I get here?
Rewind 7 years ago I was wrapping up my final semester in South Dakota State’s Interior Design program. In a couple of months I would be a new graduate, a newly wed, and a new transplant to Kansas City, MO. Back then, I loved change! While my first job out of school wasn’t quite what I anticipated it to be, I did learn and grow a lot and had a great mentor that helped me find my way to Hufft where I spent the next nearly 5 years. Hufft was the most incredible place to develop as a designer. The talented architects, designers, and craftspeople I got to work alongside helped me think outside the box and dream big, without forgetting to focus on the details. I was blessed to work on exciting projects of all typologies and every day looked different.
In 2023, my husband and I had our first son, August. After returning to work part-time, I really struggled. I struggled to think about anything but my son during the days I worked and struggled to truly enjoy the days off without thinking about work when I was with August. I looked at moms in my office crushing it and I reflected on my childhood with my own stay-at-home mom. I was so torn on what I wanted. I described my woes to my manager who was so understanding. She joked that it sounded like I would benefit from being in the world of Severance. While I haven’t watched the show myself, I know the premise and couldn’t agree more. I simply couldn’t find the balance between work and home. And while I didn’t know if being a full-time stay-at-home mom was right for me, I did know that I couldn’t keep going on like this. The final thought I had when making my decision between going back full-time or deciding to pause my career was, when looking back in 10 years from now, would I be more likely to regret choosing to stay home or choosing to keep working. And while I know this woudln’t be everyone’s conclusion, for me, I chose to stay home. One of the biggest things I’ve come to realize as a mom is that everyone is doing what’s best for themselves and their families and no two families will look the same. I also realize this truly is a huge privilege that not everyone has the choice to make.
Over the next 6 months while learning about myself outside of the workforce, enjoying August’s milestones, and meeting mom friends for stroller walks, our family decided to move back home to Minnesota so that we could raise our kids near their grandparents. Remember I said I used to like change?! For me, change has gotten much harder as I’ve gotten older and more established. There were tons of growing pains and sadness leaving our friends and community in Kansas City and it was another really tough transition for me.
However, the move has brought exactly what we wanted. Our parents get to be an active and important role in our children’s lives and we couldn’t ask for more. This has also allowed me the time and freedom to pursue my passion in design again. With the help of grandparent childcare, I have been able to fully embrace my “at-home-mom” days and fully dive into my business knowing that August is growing his relationship with his grandparents and loving it while I’m away. I have never felt more myself. I feel like the luckiest mom to get to enjoy days off of work, fully present with my son, while not losing myself in motherhood.
The words that come to mind when I think about starting this business are “gratitude” and “privilege”. While moving back home was a sacrifice in some ways, I know that I am so privileged with this arrangement to grow my business slowly with free and flexible childcare and I deeply wish that every mom had true freedom to choose how she got to spend her days, whether it was working full time, staying home full time, or something in the middle like myself. I am also extremely grateful to my family, to my past mentors & coworkers, and to my clients. Thanks for setting me up for success to even have this opportunity and make it a reality.
I really don’t know what Sepal Design Studio will look like in a year from now, let alone 5 or 10 years from now. Maybe one day I’ll get to employ other moms who are looking for the freedom and flexibility that part-time work can offer. But for now, I’m not riding those highs too high or those lows too low. I’m focusing on the here and now. I’m excited for the projects I’m currently working on and and am hopeful for more great partnerships in the future. I’m loving my days spent exploring mud holes and jumping in puddles with my toddler. I’m thankful I don’t have to split my brain anymore to feel fulfilled, energized, and purpose-driven.