Being a successful entrepreneur and a present mother is no easy feat. As an entrepreneur, owner of Baby Chick, and a mother, I know this desire and challenge for balance very well. You have dreams and goals of making a difference in the world with your company, and, at the same time, you want to create a better world by being present and caring for your children. It’s a juggling act, raising your babies and operating your business. One entrepreneur I have admired and respected for many years is Kendra Scott. She’s a mother who believes a mother can be both.
You may have heard Kendra Scott’s story about founding Kendra Scott LLC in 2002 and designing her first collection with $500 in the spare bedroom of her home in Austin, TX. She did this just three months after giving birth to her oldest son. Fast-forward 20 years, and Kendra and her team have exponentially grown the company. It is now evaluated at over $1 billion. What an inspiration!
We love how the culture at Kendra Scott is based on their principles of family, fashion, and philanthropy.1 It’s evident that family has always come first to Kendra; she’s inspired to create innovative and quality products season after season, and she has a philanthropic heart and loves to give back and do good. We are honored to have had a quick Q&A with her to get a peek into her life and share and inspire our community of moms with her words.
1. Kendra, what does your morning routine look like for a productive day?
A productive morning for me usually consists of getting in some quality time with my family before we start our days and a little self-care before I head over to the office. We have a lot of exciting projects happening these days! I’ve been spending a lot of time in our design studio working on collections for 2024 and our new ranch-inspired collection, Yellow Rose!
If it’s a school day, I wake up around 7 a.m. and make my way around the house to get the kids ready for school, and if everyone is on time (some mornings can be chaos with six kids and five dogs!), we have a quick breakfast as a family. Once the kids are out the door, I like to do a quick at-home workout before starting my workday. These days it has been yoga, but anything that gets my body moving is a win.
2. What mom hack do you think every mom should know?
Voice notes! I swear by them these days. It’s actually how I wrote the majority of my book, Born to Shine. I would record my thoughts, ideas, or memories I wanted to incorporate into the book. I found it so much easier to listen back and translate them into paper.
As moms, we usually have a million things going on all at once, so voice notes are a great way to make reminders for yourself as you go about your day.
3. What is the craziest thing that has happened to you in your professional career?
It’s been 20 years of Kendra Scott, so there have been so many crazy/pinch-me moments, but I think one that will always stand out to me is when I got the call from the Oscar de la Renta team asking to use our jewelry designs for his spring 2006 runway show. At the time, I was still a young designer, and I have always respected and admired his work. He gave me the chance to display my work on a global fashion platform that solidified my legitimacy as a jewelry designer in so many ways. It was the experience of a lifetime, and I will forever remember his brilliant talent and incredible generosity.
4. Being a working mom can be challenging. For you, what are the hardest parts about being a mother and entrepreneur, and how do you work through them?
The hardest part is juggling the two – there are no perfect days. Some days will require you to be more present for your family, and other days you are locked away in an office catching up on emails. And that’s okay! The “secret sauce” is having a community of family, friends, and colleagues around to support you on the days when you feel like you can’t do it all.
5. What does self-care look like to you?
These days, self-care is when I can spend time with my family at our ranch, away from the hustle and bustle of Austin. I love being outdoors, with no cell phones in sight, riding horses, gardening, and one-on-one time with my husband and kids – that’s when I am the happiest.
A big thank you again to Kendra! We loved learning about some of the highlights of her career and tips that have helped her along the way as a businesswoman and mother. We hope this quick Q&A leaves you feeling inspired. Know that the sky is the limit and that you can be a great mom and pursue your dreams.
