#JugglistMassive: Lauren from Frenchmade Cakes

We know, we know, we’re treating you too much –another day, another Jugglist massive member’s interview! Well, treats is a very apt word for today’s Provencial Jugglist member – introducing the gorgeous Lauren Delpech from French Made Cakes. Lauren is an amazing cake maker (she made the beautiful red and pink cake on our Jugglist photoshoot) and also mum to the beautiful Luna, 9. We asked her how being a Jugglist Massive mama works for her…

 

Lauren and Luna, 9

When did you set up the Business? 2010

When did you have your baby? 2007

What do you feel the challenges are of running your own wedding business alongside motherhood? Creating boundaries between your home life and your work. It’s so difficult not to get distracted by the chores when you're supposed to be working working and equally being tempted to reply to your emails or whatever tasks you need to do for your business when it's supposed to be 'home time'. You end up being a 'stay at home mum' with a business to run! Technically, running a successful business would need more working hours than a full time job, it's constantly on your mind and so are your children! Then in order to stay sane, you've got to try to make some time for yourself...Maybe?  

But also what are the positives? Working around your children. Could be both negative and positive actually.

How on earth do you make it work? Creating strict boundaries. Structuring your day so that you make time for both and stick to it! (she says..)

Describe a day in the life of you and your business: It all kicks off around 7am and then I finish around 9pm, though sometimes later. I work best between 9 am and 3 pm, when Luna's at school - no doubt! I have to plan my day carefully.

What have you learnt the hard way since having your children and running a business simultaneously? What do you now know you cannot do? Do it all perfectly! Something has to give and it's usually household tasks such as cleaning my windows and dusting my shelves...

Our gorgeous #JugglistMassive Frenchmade cake

Let us know your most stressed out/most jugglist/most frustrating/most challenging moment so far? Probably, the day of the first bridal photoshoot I ever organized, which involved about 15 wedding suppliers and was taking place 2 hours away from my home. Luna had just started school so I hardly knew the other mums. I had planned for her to get picked up after school by the only one I was friends with but as I approached the venue, she rang me to say that she was stuck in bed with flu and obviously couldn't honour her offer. Surely, letting everyone down would have been a disaster after all the hard work everyone put into it. Fortunately, I had just invited all of her classmates to her birthday party so I had a few numbers. Eventually I found someone who could collect and look after her!

Do you think there is enough support for mothers running their own business? Not if you don't have the money to pay for childcare. 

Do you find the industry supportive? I'd say yes because they are quite a few of us in the same situation. 

   

 Images by Most Curious Wedding Fair Sponsor Matilda Delves Wedding Photography | Balloons and Paper decos by Pop Pop Papier | Calligraphy by The Golden Letter | Flowers by Rebel Rebel | Jugglist Massive Cake  Claire Owen Cakes | Geometric pink cake Blossom & Crumb | Peach and red cake Frenchmade London