International Women's Day is just around the corner, and on this special occasion, I feel compelled to share my personal journey in entrepreneurship - From Motherhood to Business: My Story | Women's Day. At the age of 36, and a mother to two wonderful children – my eldest, Rain, who is 8 years old, and my youngest, Rainbow, who is 3 years old – I embarked on a journey with my husband Klaus in the realm of cross-border e-commerce back in 2015. You can like or follow my facebook here>>>
(This is the family photo took last week on Feb. 16th, 2024)
Despite already having five years of experience in the field, we decided to venture into entrepreneurship by registering the website uunatek.com. However, shortly after starting our entrepreneurial endeavor, I discovered I was pregnant, prompting us to put our business plans on hold as we navigated through the challenges of expanding our family. A similar story unfolded the year before the birth of our youngest daughter. Though our journey into entrepreneurship progressed at a slower pace and our product updates were not as rapid as we had hoped, we endeavored to introduce at least one new product annually. Prior to settling on our flagship product, the iDraw Pen Plotter, we experimented with various items, including products from previous employers like the DOBOT robotic arm and LANMODO's automatic car tent, as well as other findings such as blankets and car accessories, which we sold on uunatek.com as a general store.
Throughout this process, as the operator of uunatek.com, I found myself juggling childcare, employment, and website optimization during weekends and evenings, all while pursuing my MBA amidst the challenges of pregnancy. To many friends and family, I appeared to be a bit of a madwoman, undoubtedly facing immense pressure. However, I felt that I was maximizing my own worth and did not feel as oppressed by marriage and motherhood as many of my female peers did. Despite the hardships, there was a sense of fulfillment and joy in my endeavors.
In 2019, our modest business saw a turning point with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. More people stayed home, dedicating time to explore entrepreneurial projects, and our humble drawing robot became a popular choice. Its ability to create exquisite artworks for sale in offline or online stores, or to assist businesses in crafting sincere cards, letters, and invitations, offered users various income-generating opportunities. Consequently, we launched idrawpenplotter.com for the sale of the iDraw robot and idrawpenplotter.jp targeting the Japanese market. In 2023, after collecting substantial customer feedback on the demand for automated products, we introduced the iAuto automatic handwriting robot, significantly enhancing the efficiency of bulk card writing. Though it is not yet perfect, much like myself, we continue to strive for improvement.
As an Asian mother working from home while raising two children, I have faced moments of doubt regarding the path I have chosen. However, I am fortunate to have a supportive husband by my side, quietly assisting me as I manage nightly promotional activities, childcare, meals, and navigating complex in-law relationships.
While the pandemic may have ended, our journey in entrepreneurship persists, buoyed by the recognition and support of our customers for the quality and service we provide. As a small company and a female entrepreneur, I may not harbor grand ambitions, but as a mother, I believe my patience and attention to detail resonate in our daily service. Entrepreneurship for women is challenging but not impossible. If you happen to come across this blog and are a woman with entrepreneurial aspirations, let's learn from each other, encourage one another, and progress together. And to our male readers, your insights are also welcomed. The road to entrepreneurship is fraught with obstacles, but solutions always outnumber difficulties. Keep going!
Lastly, I wish all female customers and the female friends and family members of male customers a joyous holiday! Here's to happiness every day!
Additionally, here are some valuable suggestions and advice for female entrepreneurs:
1. Early Entrepreneurship: Starting a business early, preferably before having children, is ideal. Once children arrive, time for entrepreneurship becomes significantly limited unless there is assistance available for childcare. My husband and mother-in-law took on much of the childcare responsibilities.
2. Continuous Learning: Embrace learning throughout the entrepreneurial journey. Learning and advancement are not exclusive to men. Whether through online or offline channels, there's always something new to learn, minimizing risks. If possible, becoming a member of platforms like udemy.com to acquire relevant skills in advance is beneficial. I learned Google and Facebook advertising techniques from this platform.
3. Collaboration: Avoid going it alone. Besides family, consider partnering with friends or colleagues. Partners can offer skills and resources that you may lack. Moreover, having someone to share problems and risks with can provide additional solutions and alleviate pressure. While our primary partnership is between spouses, we also have part-time colleagues who have been helpful in product and logistics matters.
4. Patience is Key: Entrepreneurship isn't a smooth path; failure is often part of the journey. However, each failure is an opportunity to learn and improve for the next endeavor. Believe that eventual success is possible! Give yourself at least 2-3 experiences. If you can handle the challenging task of raising children well, you can certainly excel in serving customers with a little patience and understanding.
5. Pursue Self-Value: Entrepreneurship isn't just about making money. Pursue what you love, realize your self-worth, and provide more security for your family. As a mother, many Chinese families believe that women should stay at home while men handle entrepreneurship. However, such a life can make me feel tied down by marriage. I am not particularly inclined to be a stay-at-home mom. Entrepreneurship reignited my passion. Despite facing many challenges, cross-border e-commerce and smart hardware have always been our passion. Hence, we persevere through difficulties. I hope you can find your interests and strengths as soon as possible.
Comment below if you have similar exprience or better suggestion! Check some best selling UUNA TEK Products here>>>