These two ladies are helping children and their parents sleep better and running quite an interesting business. I connected with Pepi online and she told me all about their work and inspiration. And it was quite a great story. One, you too can learn in the text below.
Tell us a bit about yourself
We are two mothers who have gone through extreme exhaustion, anxiety, depression, and stress because our children couldn’t sleep well. We both have 2 children each, so in our case, the challenge was multiplied by 2. This left a lasting impression in our minds, and when such a profession appeared in Bulgaria, we both did not hesitate to study it and help other mothers like us.
You are chasing your dream by helping babies and children sleep better. Tell is more about the project and how it came to be.
Even while we were studying, we realized that this is a multi-layered and complex profession. That is exactly why Vesi suggested that we work together in order for us to combine our knowledge and to seek out like-minded people or other professionals in the field of early childhood development. This gives us the ability to help in more complex cases where the solution is not straightforward or if necessary to send them to other established specialists such as our partners, when they have such a need.
What are the biggest obstacles you faced along the way? How you managed to deal with them?
The biggest obstacle in Bulgaria is the lack of knowledge about what our profession does and how much it can help parents. In addition, in our country, the belief is still very strong that in order to be a good mother, you have to struggle, not sleep, not eat and in general totally forget about yourself for the sake of the baby. But the truth is exactly the opposite – if a woman does not take good care of herself, then she will not be able to take good care of her child. We hope to overcome these obstacles by holding events, materials, meetings with specialists, trying to give publicity to our profession, and the fact that taking care of yourself as a mother is not bad parenting but a healthy necessity.
Your career was in another industry. How and when did you become courageous enough to make the transition from working for someone to running your own business?
Pepi: Yes, we both have been in other professions. I was 30 years in the pharmaceutical business, I went through all the levels, but I still didn’t discover my calling until I finally burnout and started seriously looking for a new place. Then came the realization that I can help more people with this new calling. This became my mission after I saw an ad for training for a child sleep consultant and everything became clear.
Vesi: For me, the choice was not exactly the one of courage but rather the profession that found me. After the birth of my first daughter, I gradually realized that being the “heroine” mother from repeated lack of sleep is neither heroic nor beneficial for me or the baby. It not only prevented me from being a good parent, but I noticed that it had a negative impact on the progress of my baby. Babies in such situations are very nervous and not able to take full advantage of the awake time. The ability to learn new things and develop is compromised by the lack of sleep. After I started applying the new methods that I have learned I noticed considerable improvement. Being able to show other mothers how to improve their situation is motivating even more.
What are the most useful tips you would share with people who are just starting to work on making their dreams come true?
Pepi: To make decisions that they feel good about, to see meaning in what they do. To be brave, flexible, and not afraid to try. To learn continuously, to look for new paths, but also not to take themselves too seriously because it distorts the focus and sabotages everything. Doing business is not easy, but it is so satisfying and inspiring. It gave me a fresh start in life and that’s wonderful.
Vesi: To be confident in what they do and boldly look only forward, not to give up, and constantly seek contacts that enrich their knowledge and develop their skills.
Share something that inspires you
Pepi: For me, it is the children, the sea, friends, yoga, and long walks. And above all, when after working with a sleep-deprived and anxious mother, I hear from her – “Peppi, thank you, the child is sleeping! I even went to the hairdresser!”
Vesi: Playing with my children inspires me immensely. Yes, when I am rested and calm I love to play with them and really enjoy that time. A great inspiration and support is also the time with their father when we are all together.