Meet Stephanie Desaulniers | Operations Consultant and Dashboard Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephanie Desaulniers and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
The phrase work-life balance honestly irritates me a bit. This idea promotes the notion successful human beings should be able to do everything in each realm fully, and without overwhelm. That’s simply not true!

There was an analogy I heard a few years back, and I wish I could remember who said it so that I could probably attribute the idea, but it was along these lines:

Work life balance is like a juggling act, where you have some balls that are rubber, and some that are glass. One day, the work balls may be glass, and you need to work to keep those ones up in the air. In order to do that, you may need to let some personal ones “bounce.” On another day it may be the other way around, and work needs to “bounce” a bit while you focus on something personal.

We need to allow ourselves space to let things go on a back burner for a bit, and evaluate what needs our focus in that minute.

Additionally, we need to be ok with asking for help! I bring on help whenever I can – we have a meal box delivered each week that takes care of 3 dinners for us, I order my groceries online and have them delivered, my kids learned to do their own laundry at 4 and 5 years old; whatever I can do to shift some of that workload off of me and redistribute it a bit more evenly.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am a “micro-business” strategist, and work to help creators shift from making just a few dollars here and there, to creating consistent income and building a sustainable handmade business.

People come to me because…

– They need to be available for kids, but still need income
– Traditional 9-5 jobs don’t light them up
– Making time for family and friends is a huge priority
– They feel they have something amazing but don’t know how to share it.

In 2015, I found myself a SAHM and living in a new state all at once. This was a huge struggle for me, and on top of that we had $80,000 in student loan debt, were upside down on our home, and expecting kid #2. Work had been a huge part of my identity, but more than that we were barely paying our bills each month.

I needed to find a way to bring in more money that also worked around parenting a 10 month old and an exhausting pregnancy.

I had been sewing and selling bags as a “pocket change” endeavor, and realized that if I could figure it out, this could be a really great opportunity to bring in the money we needed, on my schedule. I spoke regularly with a mentor, identifying what needed to happen for me to reach these goals.

I realized that I could grow my hobby into a profitable business, if I treated it as one. Learning about marketing, pricing, and production seemed abstract, but working with a mentor helped me quadruple my revenue in a year, and grow so fast that I had to bring on help. I want other parents to realized they can build a business creating and selling something they love, and not only provide for their family but have the flexibility we need to manage it all

Creating a business that someone can make, that is 100% theirs, provides opportunity for their family, their community, and their kids. Building a business can change your family tree.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Central PA, which means we are only a short drive from so many amazing things!

First stop would be Hershey, PA to check out Chocolate World, buy some candy, and then over to the theme park to ride some rides.

Next we would head to State College for a Penn State sports game – hockey, football, basketball, or baseball, depending on the season. No other fans are quite like Penn State fans.

I’ll also drag you along to my favorite ice cream stand – Jack’s Drive In! This is a small local ice cream and fast food stand in my hometown, and it is a local favorite. Show up any day during the summer and you’ll see kids walking over from the pool, families on a post dinner dessert run, or young high schoolers on a date.

Last but not least, we will head out for a hike in our local state park. Pennsylvania is home to the Appalachian Mountains, and there are some amazing vistas in our state!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Barb Bowers! She creates amazing candles and wax melts, and it has been so fantastic to watch her grow her business and lean into what makes their products unique in a world where candles are everywhere.

Website: www.businessbydezign.com

Instagram: instagram.com/businessbydezign

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniedesaulniers01/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/businessbydezign