Creating a Legacy

Creating a Legacy

I grew up around my family’s business. I actually believe that as a child I thought every family had their own business. I took pride in my Churchman (family name) labeled t-shirts and “working” on the weekends, I took pride in being a Churchman.

Once I got out of college and far far away from the family business I quickly realized that I didn’t really fit the corporate mold. Don’t get me wrong, I worked one job in the beginning of my career and really enjoyed it!  But at the same time, I saw the things I was able to do with my family as I child, things I knew I would not be able to do with a family of my own in that setting.

None the less I was business minded and career orientated and decided to keep pushing. If you have read my story at all then you know how I arrived at A Jolie Design, so I will spare you the recap…but here is how this is coming full circle!

This weekend I worked an event where I set up a booth (St. Andrews Family Carnival), this is not the first time I have done this but it was the first time at this type of outdoor venue. I prepared for weeks, there is a LOT that goes into booth set up, let me tell you! During my preparation my daughter saw all of the boxes, creating and late night work hours that I was putting in.  She was more annoyed than anything else that I couldn’t play with her; I of course understood that because what could be more fun than playing! Finally it was time for the event to start; I met with a couple of obstacles of course, but I had an awesome team to work with and the event staff/volunteers were more than helpful! Everyone wore their “I heart A Jolie Design” t-shirts and happily brought people to our booth.

My original plan was to keep Aidan at home and away from all the chaos so that I could focus on the work and not be worried about her running off or playing in dirt. The first day however, I realized that there was no way I could be at a family carnival without, well, my family.  I decided to bring her along Friday, for facing painting and toddler rides. She had a blast and was hard to keep track of even with her reporting back to the booth after going on every ride in my eye shot.

My surprise came the next day; my daughter was up early and had already gotten dressed and EVEN had on a A Jolie Design event tag… her very own “credentials.”  Since it was apparent that I had no choice but to bring my four year old back to the carnival, we all packed back up our supplies and headed to the event. I thought she would spend the day running around again. I had a sand bracelet kit at hand as something the kids could do as their parents shopped our booth. Aidan happily sat and made sand bracelets that she wanted to give to the kids as they walked by. She wanted to take pictures with our banners, hand out flyers and as she rode the rides (because clearly she wasn’t going to leave that part out) she happily told people that inquired about her dangling tag, that she worked for A Jolie Design.  On the way home she even mimicked, my “speech” to potential clients and insisted on opening her own A Jolie Design in her room at her craft station.

It’s not much but as a working mom, I feel like I have arrived!  Aidan clearly knows that A Jolie is her name but I don’t think she associates the two as one (I don’t think she knows my company is named after her) BUT she is proud of it, and that is all that matters to me. As I grow as a company and she comes into her own, she can decide what she wants to do. I am just glad that right now at this moment, no matter how small A Jolie Design is to me….In her little world it is huge!

NOW just as a little side bar, apparently I also was not a “Boss” to her before this event. Want to know why? Here is our bed time dialog:

Mommy: Thank you for helping Mommy this weekend

Aidan: Ohhhh no problem, I guess now there are two bosses now

Mommy: (Blank look) two bosses

Aidan: Well Daddy can bring me to work some days (these are clearly days she is sick) but you couldn’t….Now you can….so now you’re a boss

Mommy: O….k (goes to ask “daddy” for the back story….because CLEARLY there is one)

That is all folks

-J (Justine Mommy Boss Avila)