A true inspiration - Kylie Travers has gone from escaping domestic abuse and ending up homeless to being an award winning CEO, author and public speaker. She is a true example of creating the life you want to lead for yourself, regardless of the circumstances or hardships you may come by. Read her story here:
Name: Kylie Travers
Website/blog: Main site is Kylie Travers, I own numerous others including The Thrifty Issue.
Social media:
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, Pinterest
Tell us a bit about yourself and your child/children....
I have two daughters aged 8 and 9. We've been through alot together but love where we are at in life now. In the past few years I left their dad because of domestic violence, we ended up homeless, then rebuilt and now I am an international award winning CEO, author, speaker and charity advocate. We love to travel, try new things plus I have a passion for finance and helping others improve their life.
What is the name of your business/blog and what does your work entail?
I founded Occasio Enterprises which owns all the blogs/sites I have as well as some marketing for a few brands. I do public speaking at conferences and events on finance, travel, domestic violence, homelessness and marketing, I also do freelance writing and have another book coming out this year.
For my blogs, most of them are based on ways to make and save money. On www.kylietravers.com.au I set the goal to help 1,000,000 survive, thrive and where possible, get off Centrelink so the writing I do there is focused on that.
What made you decide to be both a mum and a career woman?
I didn't have a choice. I fell into blogging to track my own goals, ended up publishing a book with Wiley and doing speaking, which is just as well because it enabled me to leave my abusive marriage. At that point, it was up to me to provide for my daughters, rebuild our lives and for me to be an example to them. I didn't set out to be or do all I do, I love it though and am happy with how my life has turned out.
What challenges do you face balancing both roles and how do you overcome them?
I am fortunate most of the time as the majority of my work falls into school hours. At times getting childcare so I can speak at events or travel has been tricky. I have managed though. I am dedicated to having quality time with my daughters, doing things we love, travelling where possible and I make sure they have one on one time with me. I have set times for work and set times for family.
What is one tip you have for unwinding after a stressful day?
It's ok to switch off. Put your devices on do not disturb or turn them off then do whatever relaxes you such as read a book, have a spa, go to bed earlier, watch a movie or whatever helps you. Leave everything else until tomorrow.
What is one fun weekend activity that your family enjoys together?
Travel. We like to head away for the weekend and being based in Melbourne, there are loads of places within a few hours we can go to. Otherwise, football is always enjoyed, either playing it at the park or going to live AFL games.
What is one time-saving parenting tip you can recommend?
Insource and outsource instead of doing it all yourself. Your kids can handle an iPad, a washing machine and cleaning are not outside their scope of capabilities. Insource by teaching your kids to clean, cook, do stuff around the house then outsource other things like ironing or major cleaning.
What benefits do you think there are to being a career mum?
Kids learn more through our actions than what we say. By being a career mum and building my lifestyle they see it all and have learnt what they want, that they are capable of anything and that it's ok to do things for yourself. I hear them 'teaching' their friends these things all the time.
Lastly, what do you do to ensure you maintain a strong bond with your child/children, despite having numerous responsibilities?
Family first, always. My kids come first no matter what. I work and have other responsibilities but if those other things are going to negatively impact on my family, I won't do them. I have turned down work and opportunities because I did not feel they were in the best interest of my family.
I make sure time we have together is quality time and I am always open, honest and age appropriate regarding any questions they have about anything in life. This means they know they can come to me about anything because they can trust me to be straight with them.
Kylie’s motto of ‘family first’ is certainly one to bear in mind if you have to juggle numerous responsibilities alongside being a mother. There are always ways to make it work, but bear in mind to consider projects and how they will impact your family carefully. Providing for your kids is certainly hard work, but is one of the most rewarding jobs there is!
