Kim Saxby
1. Introduce yourself and your business.
My name is Kim Saxby - a long time administrative professional turned online assistant virtuoso, and I am the creator and force behind Madry Creative. Determined to help grow my business by growing others, I am well versed in being the right-hand (wo)man. A mom of two young boys, multi tasking is my super power and we all know organizational prowess is a must-have both in business and in kid wrangling! My business, Madry Creative, offers virtual assistant services for busy businesses specializing in email management, administrative services and social media management.
2. What/who inspired you to start your business?
I have always wanted to figure out a way to work on my own terms. I love the 9-5, but grew tired of it after having the freedom of two different maternity leaves (if you can call it "freedom"!). My family came to some struggles when my husband was between jobs, so I launched my business out of necessity. If not now, when? It was a perfect time, as I had always stalled for one reason or another any other time. Now it is the freedom of spending time when my family whenever I can that continues to keep me going.
3. What was the hardest part?
The hardest part is getting started. I am a planner by nature, and I often feel like if I do not have a plan mapped out 100% before starting, I will not succeed. Subsequently, I never start! Prioritizing time during the day with two little ones is also a challenge that I am continuously working on!
4. How do you organise your day around your children and business activities?
My day revolves around whatever schedule my kids have for the day. I often wake up early to get a few hours of work done uninterrupted. Then I get the kids up, fed, ready and out the door to take my oldest to school. I am home then for a few hours with my infant, so we relax and I get what work I can be done between his needs. I then pick up my oldest, we come home, have lunch, and then I get a few more hours in while they are playing. Whatever necessary work I couldn't get done in the day, I often work on in the evenings after the kids are in bed. It seems like a lot but when it is separated into these chunks, it makes everything easier to get done and keep track of. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]5. Did you have the support of your family members?
I do have the support of my family. My extended family doesn’t really know what I do, as I do live away from them, but my husband is incredibly supportive! As a man who has the entrepreneurial bug as well, we collaborate on some big ideas on how our life will look in the future! [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]6. What were the things you couldn’t do yourself?
I couldn’t get really motivated in the beginning by myself. I really needed to sit down and make a plan and really get started - I needed my husband to take the reins of the kids and the house so that I could completely focus on my business and its next steps. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]7. Do you think moms make good entrepreneurs?
I think moms make incredible entrepreneurs! Motherhood requires a very specific set of skills that translates very well into entrepreneurship. Multitasking, problem solving, just getting things DONE, need for caffeine to fuel yourself, planning, and an ability to laugh at ourselves when it all gets too much. Fall down 9 times, get up 10 - it’s the same for both lifestyles! [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]8. What is your best advice to every mom who wants to start a business but has a lot of doubts?
My best advice is to believe in yourself, shut off that self-doubt in the background and just DO IT. Don’t wait for a perfect time, an ideal amount of money, a perfect plan. Get your basics down and go. The hard times and the struggle pays off, just like in motherhood and once you get started, you won’t look back.
Website: www.madrycreative.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/madrycreative Email me: kim@madrycreative.com
