Meet the author of Wild Kinship: Conversations with Conscious Entrepreneurs

Mount Maunganui-based mama and author Monique Hemmingson shares with us some snippets of conversations on balancing work and motherhood with two of the ‘conscious entrepreneurs’ from her book, Wild Kinship.

Let’s get to know Monique...

Tell us about your journey writing Wild Kinship – what led you down that path and what did you get out of the experience?

I was running my wholefoods café in Mount Maunganui at the time, which is really where the inspiration came from. It was my intention to run the café as consciously as I could, which meant I worked with some amazing ethical brands and saw behind the scenes. Small business can be tough and I felt that connecting the customer with the people behind the brand would inspire more conscious consumerism, thoughtfulness and understanding; and ultimately lead to better choices environmentally. I wanted individuals to realise the power they held. I was lucky enough to meet with some incredible people leading in their fields and making way for a better future, and became reinspired again myself.

You are a first-time mama to your beautiful daughter Lulu-Bloom. How has that impacted you both personally and professionally?

It is hard. Harder than I expected. It goes without saying that my love and gratitude for her goes beyond. But motherhood is relentless and incredibly self-sacrificing. It has been a wild ride filled with so many highs and lows and I am sure it will continue on that way. But despite it all, it’s the best thing I will ever do; which says a lot about the good parts.

Tell us about your new venture, Moon Mama?

Moon Mama is an accumulation of past projects and experiences. It is a conscious brand directory for mother and baby which was of course inspired by Wild Kinship and my new motherhood journey. It also offers a journal that takes a deep dive into the realities of motherhood, interviews industry professionals, shares wonderful resources, recipes and brands and speaks to inspiring mamas. Plus it has a buy and sell marketplace for high quality pre-loved baby goods.

With the busyness of being a business owner and raising children, how do you find time for yourself and what do you like to do?

To be honest, this is still a daily struggle for everyone in our household. My husband runs his own company too and we tend to be quite busy people, trying to lead a slower existence. It is a very important aspect to parenthood and actually life in general and one we are still very much trying to prioritise. I would love to have more time for yoga and bushwalks, adventure, books, cooking and much more sleep!

What does being a modern mama mean to you?

It’s really important to me to raise a strong, educated and independent woman. One with compassion and kindness for others and our planet, and who respects and cares for herself. I want her to know how to lead confidently and understand the positive and negative impact of her choices. So to me, being a modern mama means this: to raise my daughter in a way that other generations have not been able to, or are still unable to. To appreciate and use the opportunities we have in our reach and pass them on to her. I hope I can also lead by example in this way – always being open and honest with her, and showing her love, empathy and strength but also softness.

READ ABOUT TWO MORE CONSCIOUS ENTREPRENEURS .....

Wild Kinship: Conversations with Conscious Entrepreneurs,
by Monique Hemmingson, Beatnik Publishing, RRP $60, beatnikbooks.co