A Victorian-based brand that is run by the gorgeous Mumma Stef. I am completely and utterly obsessed with all her custom goodies since stumbling across their brand a few years ago on the gram!
I was lucky enough to sit down with this wonderful Mumma & chat about all things small business life, business, hubbies, food, hopes & dreams, and the chaos that is being a working from home family & how to keep the hustle alive!
IMAGERY BY @rivertheodore
When and how did the concept for Jimi Keepsakes come about?
We started in 2017, when I went on Mat leave with my middle son…. I was a graphics and art teacher at a school who had one of these machines, and I was practising with it prior to purchasing our own machine. We originally started out with a stillborn keepsake box, after we found there wasn’t really a market for it…. Our range has grown and we are def. not know for that first product we hold dearly.
What was the inspiration behind the name? Does it hold any meaning?
JiMi holds a very special meaning…. Prior to starting JiMi in 2016 we had a stillborn little boy, his life was taken by a virus, CMV, one that I had no symptoms of, and no signs of complications until we went in for the 20-week scan and they found a black dot on his bowels…. Things spiralled from there and his little heart stopped beating at 25 weeks…. His name was Mitchell James…. So, JiMi stands for – capital J for our eldest son Jackson, and the capital letter M for Mitchell, Jimmy is known sometimes as a nickname for James which is all of our boys’ middle names… so JiMi was created, after our boy gang.
Keepsakes – well as you all know we create special personalised keepsakes for the whole family.
IMAGERY BY @rivertheodore
What is your working background/what did you do before you ran Jimi Keepsakes?
Prior to JiMi I was in the “rag trade” which is also known as the fashion industry…. I worked in the production area of a number of clothing labels, and got to travel to china & Hong Kong a few times, which was the highlight of that career…. After getting married, and falling pregnant and also having a very rough time in the industry I decided to start my dip ed to expand my career choices once I was off mat. Leave with my first…. I did a couple of CRT roles, and was pregnant with my 2nd Mitchell, when life went south, we went through what we hope was the worst time in our lives, and then I landed a job in a secondary school that had this machine in my graphics room….I taught the students as well as myself the skills needed for the machine, and then fell pregnant with my 3rd boy, once I went on Mat. Leave with Aiden JiMi was already in its early stages selling via Esty… we moved onto our own platform and have grown ever since.
What do you love most about running your own business?
I love the flexibility it offers, the fact that I can be there for the boys for drop off and picks up, take them to sports and work around them at such a young age is my main reason for loving what I do…. Also, the fact that I can design what I like and people actually love what I create! Makes me so loved and proud, I have never had that fulfillment in past careers.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face regarding working from home and being a mum?
The Juggle!! The juggle is real, the fact that you are always on, there is no downtime, there are either 3 crazy boys wanting your attention or it’s a customer – and don’t get me wrong I LOVE my customers, we are so blessed for having so many beautiful people…. Its just the constant chaos I would say.
I’m the mum that is always flying in late, or flustered because I have a million things rolling around in my head---- the to list is always full!
IMAGERY BY @rivertheodore
What are some of the things you do to combat those challenges?
After a full on 2020 of a big growth in JiMi and the fact that we were in lockdown with 3 boys – 1 to home-school and 1 & 2 year old to entertain I probably like many had some very hard breaking points…. One day I even blurted to my friends I was done with life…. That day I dropped everything, it was a turning point for me…. I shut down the machine, wagged home-schooling, packed the kids in the car, took them through McDonalds drive through, placed their spoonville spoons in the village, and just drove around crying…. Then, I called my mum and said I needed help with the kids, we put the kids back into their routines of grandparents and childcare days…. And got a bit more balance….
And as soon as Nov. 9th rolled around and we were out of stage 4, I had friends lined up to pack orders for me! This year, 1 boy is in school, one is in kinder and the 1 year old is in childcare or with the grandparents…. I have hired a packer – Maybe looking at a second, and I have a cleaner…. I was doing 2 x full time jobs a boss and a mum…. It was killing me, but also my hubby… poor hubby’s they are so supportive, yet always are pushed aside 😊
Where do you hope to see your business in the next five years?
We have a few things in the works for JiMi this year…. We have the roadmap set, just trying to navigate the in’s and out’s on how to execute our little plan…. One of them is hopefully to be out if the current space!
What do you like to do when you need some ‘down time’?
This question honestly depends on the mood I’m in 😊 Sometimes there are needs to just be alone, sometimes there are times where I need my best friends and to go out drinking.... but our all-time love is to go camping with the boys…. Nothing better than the fun we have with groups of friends and their kids!
IMAGERY BY @rivertheodore
What is your go to date night with your hubby?
Ummmmm, we are terrible at this 😊 We did do a lot of red wine steaks and fires in COVID…. That was probably our “date” nights, but now we are out, we are both like “see ya” 😊.
What is your advice for any Mumma’s out there that are thinking about starting up their own business?
Don’t!! 😊 no, honestly, be prepared for chaos, its hard work, long long hours, and lots and lots of effort, but oh so rewarding, friendships are made, and you get a sense of worth and have so many proud moments!
