She Believed She Could: Louise Ralph's Path to Success

The Smart Life

Summary

In this episode, Jess and Laura interview Louise Ralphs, the creative mastermind behind Lou Paper, a custom wedding stationery studio. Louise shares her journey from studying graphic design to working in fashion buying and marketing before finally pursuing her passion for illustration. She discusses the challenges of running her own business, the importance of having a support network, and the joy of being her own boss. Louise also talks about the difficulties of balancing work and motherhood, and the need to carve out time for herself. In this conversation, Louise discusses the importance of setting goals and the value of writing them down. She also talks about the benefits of getting outside help to evaluate different aspects of her business. Louise shares her experience of balancing work and motherhood, emphasizing the importance of finding trust in childcare and the power of saying no. She offers advice to fellow founders and recommends the book 'Little Black Book' as a valuable resource for working women. Louise's favorite inspirational quote is 'She believed she could, so she did.'

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:49 Louise's Journey and Passion for Illustration

03:47 Transition to Self-Employment

07:59 The Challenges and Rewards of Running a Business

11:54 The Importance of a Support Network

14:08 Balancing Work and Motherhood

17:01 Being Your Own Boss: Freedom and Flexibility

19:18 Setting Goals for Business and Personal Life

20:40 Setting and Writing Goals

22:07 The Value of Outside Help

24:36 Balancing Work and Motherhood

26:59 The Importance of Saying No

30:26 Switching Between Mom Brain and Work Brain

34:25 The Power of Saying No

37:06 Recommended Resource: 'Little Black Book'

37:56 Empowering Mantra: 'She Believed She Could, So She Did'