Working, While Being a Stay at Home Mom
Michelle Calva
In December of 2013, my husband and I welcomed our son, Jude, to our family. Prior to being a mom, I was a full-time registered nurse. During my pregnancy, I had planned on taking 3 months of maternity leave and then returning to nursing part-time. Of course, that plan changed the first time I held him in my arms...
My husband and I hadn't had many conversations about being a stay-at-home mom. I loved my career, and I was proud to contribute to our finances. I knew having a baby would be a life-changing experience, but I couldn't have prepared myself for the joys of motherhood. I couldn't imagine leaving him with someone else while I worked a 12-hour shift. I wanted to cherish as many moments as I could, and I felt strongly about staying at home. It was a difficult decision for a few reasons: I loved what I did, my husband and I hadn't prepared for this and it had financial implications. After many conversations and prayers, I made the decision to stay at home with our son.
After making the decision to be a stay-at-home mom, I wanted to find a way to earn income with my new schedule. Little did I know asking one of my fellow mom friends about her bracelet during a play date would lead me to finding an exciting new career as a designer for a company called KEEP Collective!
KEEP Collective is a brand-new company from the creators of Stella & Dot, a boutique-style accessories company. The concept behind KEEP is to create one-of-a-kind jewelry that tells a story of what you hold dear to your heart or a reflection of your personal style. KEEP offers beautiful reversible leather bands, mesh bracelets, bangles, unique tag necklaces and literally hundreds of keys ( similar to charms) to tell your story. And let's face it ladies, who wouldn't love being in the jewelry and accessories business? Whether you constantly keep with the latest trends or prefer something more simple, KEEP has something for everyone.
So what do I do? Well, I'm a designer for KEEP Collective, and I help my customers create their own one-of-a-kind piece that tells their story. As a designer, I am able to work at my own schedule and literally take my business wherever I go. Play dates, lunch with friends, KEEP is with me. Not only do I get to wear all of the fabulous jewelry, but by wearing it I'm promoting my business. I carry mini-design guides and catalogs in my purse or diaper bag (depends on what day of the week) and pass them out to anyone I meet. I can even place orders directly from my phone! So no more sitting behind a computer desk while stuck at home, KEEP let's me bring my business out into my everyday life.
As a mother, there a days you feel exhausted, defeated, happy and excited (the list could go on) but what about "mom time"? KEEP has these wonderful parties called socials. Any customer can host a social whether online through Facebook, at home or maybe at a favorite restaurant. Getting out of the house even for just a couple of hours is sometimes all that we need to get recharged to take on whatever else our day brings us. Socials are great ways to promote your business, create sales and socialize with friends and all while making money. Wine & design night? Uhhh yes, please! I love that KEEP allows me to break away from my mommy role every now and then.
KEEP Collective is a wonderful company that inspires and empowers women. It has been such a blessing to our family. I love being a part of those one-of-a-kind designs and hearing the beautiful stories behind them. I love being able to live my daily life as a mommy and provide income for my family too. My entire journey has been life changing and I am so excited to see what my future holds!
Shop, host or join : https://www.keep-collective.com/with/mcalva
Michelle
XOXO
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