You’d be surprised how much you can get done when you have to - Kate has found that being a working mum has pushed her to new levels of productivity and efficiency! Find out how she juggles being the mum of a 15 month old and running her business, Foodies Collective, at the same time!
Name: Kate Willbourn-Trevett
Website/blog: Foodies Collective
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest
Tell us a bit about yourself and your child/children….
Hi! My name is Kate, a thirty-something passionate foodie, entrepreneur, wife to an English gent and mama bear to our beautiful and cheeky 15 month old daughter. My favourite dance move is the shoulder pump and I love to consume beautiful food and wine, a lot ;)
What is the name of your business/blog and what does your work entail?
The name of my business is Foodies Collective. It's our mission to help foodies discover and taste the best Australian made artisan foods, whilst supporting & celebrating our local food producers. The core product, the Foodies Collective Discovery Box is a bi-monthly subscription box, introduces foodies to undiscovered gourmet gems from the Margaret River to Byron Bay (& everywhere else in-between). As a startup, I'm very much involved in all aspects of the business, but my biggest joy comes from the conversations I have with inspiring producers and the feedback we get from our customers. I love that our business is a collaborative and community based one.
What made you decide to be both a mum and a career woman?
Like most new mums, having my daughter was really the catalyst for change. Prior to Foodies Collective, I had a 15+ year career in media/advertising. I reached a point where I was ready to take a leap of faith, chase down my dreams and as a result spend more quality time with my bub. Being the best model for my daughter and wanting to contribute more to society continues to motivate me.
What challenges do you face balancing both roles and how do you overcome them?
TIME. Ensuring I write my to do list the at the end of each day, prioritising each task, is crucial for me to be efficient & focused. This way, I'm ready to dive into my work the next day without 'faffing'. Also asking for help from family when I need to do more strategic work... with no distractions. Oh and trying to avoid looking at my emails first thing in the morning helps too.
What is one tip you have for unwinding after a stressful day?
A glass of wine ha! I also love to go for a walk around the block with my pooch. Most evenings my husband and I make a point to eat dinner together and share the day’s wins & challenges, we don't talk 'shop' for too long, but it's a great way to let off some steam and and put whatever is floating around in your mind to bed. Also saying out loud the wins re-energizes me for the next day.
What is one fun weekend activity that your family enjoys together?
Like most families with young kids, we spend a lot of time in parks. Besides enjoying parks for their open green spaces, it's really only now I truly value how important (okay critical!) they are to the community. As a food loving family, we frequent cafes a lot, but if I'm honest, it's becoming harder & harder to keep this up as our daughter is becoming more & more active. We love going to Taronga Zoo and visit the botanical gardens quite a bit.
What is one time-saving parenting tip you can recommend?
Make friends with your freezer. I'm a huge advocate for making meals in bulk and freezing for another day. Actually, I was doing this well before having our daughter. We live in a fast paced world so being a bit forward thinking in the kitchen not only saves you time (which everyone wants), but ensures you eat well and do not have to call your local takeaway again.
What benefits do you think there are to being a career mum?
I thought I was a good multi-tasker and an efficient worker before, but I've even surprised myself how much I can do these days! I believe having children also helps to put what may have been a drama in the past, into perspective. I also think I've found another gear in me, a deeper motivation to be the best person I can be based on being a mum now.
Lastly, what do you do to ensure you maintain a strong bond with your child/children, despite having numerous responsibilities?
When we're playing or eating lunch together, I put away my phone to truly live in the moment. It's so easy to get distracted and time does fly by so quickly, I really focus on being present.
Being in the present can be easier said than done - but take a note from Kate and try switching off your phone when you’re in the middle of time with the family. Try leaving technological devices in the house and taking your kids for some outdoor play time - the emails will still be there waiting for you when you get back!
