It feels like we’re constantly racing against the clock these days – how quickly can we tick off everything on our ‘To Do’ list? Our Inspiring Mum, Roxanne Gately from Glenhaven, Sydney is the founder of Nurture Cards.
Whilst sharing her story of how she created her cards and achieved her goals, Roxanne makes a good point that we shouldn’t rush our journey. Although it’s important to have a rough idea of when you would like to achieve your goal by, Roxanne says it’s important “To take each step slowly and be sure that each step is completed before moving on – basically don’t rush into achieving your goal”. This way you can take your time to really think about what you want to achieve and ensure that you take the right steps to get there, rather than running around frantically trying to tick everything off your list.
Here are some of Roxanne’s other tips…
1. Tell us your story:
I am a mother of 2. I have created my own unique product / business, Nurture Cards – affirmation cards for children.
I have created a box of 40 positive affirmation cards, designed for children, allowing them to create their own inner self-belief, self-love and learn positive self-talk. This is such an important tool for children to develop self-confidence, and shine for who they are as individuals.
2. How did you identify the goals you wanted to achieve?
My goals came from my heart. I wanted to provide children with more positive thoughts each day, as well as the chance to be confident and happy within themselves, in world that is moving too fast. I could identify the need as divorce rates climb and I saw some children close to me struggling with this. I could also see the effects of bullying becoming far too common and horrific, as well as such a focus on body image. I hoped to help children become more resilient to negative life issues.
3. How did you work towards achieving your goal – did you have a plan and a deadline to achieve your goals?
There was no deadline for my cards, I knew they would take some time to create and I did not want such an important tool. I looked at what tools I had personally to create them. I had passion for my product, and found that I could create drawings that children would relate to.
I researched any competition in this area and found very little, so the demand was there.
I connected with parents and child counsellors for advice and suggestions and read a lot of books to help create the right affirmations.
I took it step by step and began jotting down the affirmations, then set about drawing the pictures to express the affirmation, after 1-2 years I found I had completed 40 cards that dealt with issues children were facing and needed help with…in between raising my own 2 beautiful girls and creating a happy family.
I must say that many things fell into place from there. I found that a mum I knew was a graphic designer, and was able to put my cards onto a program for printing, and before I knew it I had 1000 boxes of Nurture Cards delivered.
4. What was the biggest challenge you encountered along the way?
I feel my main challenge was creating awareness of my new and unique product and how they can actually assist children in so many positive ways. I found that a flyer designed with a paragraph of information was a good way to help with this, and creating a Facebook page allowed me to share a lot of information about my product.
I feel that a lack of finances had also been a challenge. I was able to create my product and website , but I had underestimated the cost of advertising my product, and how much advertising was required for a new product. I overcame this to a certain extent by selling wholesale to stores.
Oh, and I have also had to face my greatest fear of public speaking! I have been invited to do talks on my cards, and have embraced the opportunity to explain my product benefits of Nurture Cards. That was a huge challenge, but I found when you are sharing something you believe in, it is quite easy to do, after you shake away your nervousness.
5. What inspires you and keeps you going when you encounter obstacles?
My absolute passion to help children be happy with who they are. We don’t need a world of children all the same. We are all important just being who we are, and that keeps me going. My children inspire me – all children I see inspire me. I must say the beautiful feedback I receive on my cards certainly inspires me to keep on working hard to get my product ‘out there’.
6. What advice do you have for anyone wanting to achieve a goal?
I certainly believe that if you have a passion for something or feel strongly about achieving your goal you will. You may need to face many personal fears, such as failing or even being successful, to have faith in yourself talking with people you may feel are intimidating and so on.
To take each step slowly and be sure that each step is completed before moving on – basically don’t rush into achieving your goal. Be confident that YOU can achieve your goal, because you CAN.
7. What are the next goals you hope to achieve?
I have many new goals for Nurture Cards. I am putting them into order as to what I can afford to do, and what I feel is most important.
1) Continue to find stores to sell Nurture Cards.
2) Create a ‘sleep time’ affirmation cd (almost complete)
3) Create inspiring t-shirts for children
4) Develop inspiring workshops for children
5) Be on a TV show, sharing my work with everyone.
6) Contact the government education minister, and suggest Nurture Cards are introduced
into all classrooms, in all primary schools, to raise a generation of children who can connect positively with themselves, create self-belief and love who they are. Would there still be bullies if all children felt self-worth? Bullies usually bully to make themselves feel better…
There will always be more goals, and I enjoy the challenges and journeys to complete them.
Check out Roxanne’s Nuture Cards at www.nurturecards.com.au
