WOC In Business: Noelle Reyes
Noelle Reyes, owner of Mi Vida Boutique shares with us how she balances her time as a full-time mother, career woman and entrepreneur.
You’re a busy woman! With a full-time career as Product Developer at Juicy Couture and owner of Mi Vida boutique, where do you find the time to brainstorm and execute ongoing events, projects and new merchandise designs?
The larger my schedule is, the more I am able to keep myself in check. It gives me a timeline that enables me to push ourselves [Mi Vida Team] to keep making new things and putting together more events — my timeline makes sure we get it done. My daily commute to work is when I get most of my ideas and scheduling done, I daydream about what is coming next and what I want to work on for Mi Vida. Right when I get to work, I make a list of the people that work for me, the businesses I work with and what I need from them, and daily tasks that need to be addressed at the boutique. I’m constantly adding to the list, but it keeps me organized!
How do you incorporate healthy practices, whether spiritually, mentally or physically?
Self-care is so important! I allow myself to indulge in things that make me feel good, it keeps me from feeling overwhelmed. I make sure to be present, in whatever I’m doing because I don’t have the luxury to waste time. Making and creating stuff with my hands is therapeutic to me, cutting stickers, coming up with new design concepts. I find it relaxing.
What are some of the hardest parts of juggling both careers?
Overall, I feel accomplished with the amount of work that I am able to get done daily, but I do have a constant worry of the time I’m not spending fully dedicated to my business because of my corporate job. I’m not there 100%, but lately, I’ve been working on a plan to get me to 100%.
Do you have any advice for women struggling with balancing careers, family, side projects?
I recently told someone - a new mother, that you can’t stop being you, or stop putting yourself first. I felt it in my heart to share that with them, because mothers’ guilt is real! But it isn’t a selfish or conceited thing to do, your dreams and your priorities are what you need to really follow through with. Everything else will fall into place, if you’re thinking you’re doing too much, your surroundings and the people who believe in you will adapt to you. That adheres to everything in life. That’s when you truly find your support. As you grow older, you surround yourself with the people that are down for you, that understand you and that are with you on your journey.
Everything is about balance, I’ve been struggling with that lately, but you have to find happiness in other things.
Since this article was published, Noelle has since quit her 9-5 at Juicy Couture and has dedicated her time 100% to her small business!
