Dot
Originally uploaded by Ladies Who Launch.
Freya Williams is a member of the New York Incubator, a freelance writer and
author of the blog littlegreendot.
I’m making a bid to be the newest ‘mompreneur’ on the LWL blog. I started my
business four days ago when my daughter, Dot (who you may remember from the voting blog two weeks ago), was a mere nine weeks old. Do I win?!
OK, so I know it isn’t a competition, but for me it is kind of a race. I’m ten weeks in to a sixteen-week maternity leave and I already know with absolute certainty that I’d far rather work from home on my own business and have time with Dot than return to my corporate job in a major ad agency in six weeks’ time (that’s the current plan. But I know I’d be constantly torn
and barely see her). So I’ve made a start and I’m going to give it my best shot.
My ‘business’ is littlegreendot. At the moment it’s a blog that’s charting our progress, mine and Dot’s, as we attempt to become greener human beings. As Beth from LWL knows only too well, I’ve been looking for an idea to launch for several years. I knew I wanted to write full time (I already
write freelance for magazines on the side) but I didn’t have a topic I was passionate about. Separately, I’d become increasingly keen to do more to help the environment - even more so once I’d put a little person out there - but again, I wasn’t sure how. Somehow, I didn’t put two and two together.
Then last week, we moved out of the city to our tumbledown cottage in rural
Pennsylvania (long story involving a mean landlord and a friend’s puppy).
The distance from the job, the calm of the countryside and the excitement
and responsibility of having a gorgeous little girl in my life gave me the
time and energy to think clearly for the first time in years. Suddenly, with
a bit of help from my husband, in the middle of the supermarket (ordinarily
not the most inspiring surrounding, but hey, it worked for me! ) it all came
together. We came up with the concept in the parking lot, my husband
invented the name on the way home, and I posted my first entry that same
night. And that was that. I haven’t had so much fun or felt so motivated in
years.
OK, so it’s only day four, but the feedback we’ve received so far suggests
the content – accessible baby steps towards a greener existence, with a
healthy dose of humour and humility thrown in – has hit a nerve with a bunch
of people. We’re serving as intermediaries between the information that’s
out there and other people in the same eco boat as me, but without the time
to devote to seeking it out. And we’re putting a human face on trying to be
green. Our hope is that as we green up our act, we inspire others to do the
same (after all, when it comes to the environment, change really does happen
one toilet roll at a time), so the more people read the blog, the better it
is for the planet.
We have big plans for the future of littlegreendot. After all, look what
Arianna’s done with a blog - not to mention the other fabulous and inspiring
mompreneurs who’ve written about their experiences here. But for right now,
our focus is on making our blog a revenue generator, fast. That way, Dot and
I can continue our very important work and be together.
So if anyone has any ideas for a little tiny lady who launches and her Mom,
we’d love to hear from you. And please take a look at our blog to see what
you think. You never know, you might pick up a tip or two…
Comments