Introducing the first interview series on My Daily Cake! Sharing life and career stories of working mothers like us. In the interview style blog post, when you see italics in pink, this is me chiming in.
I met Lushia a few years ago when we worked together. Lushia is an energetic and spunky young women and when we met I admired her commitment to a healthy lifestyle. After a while we connected again on LinkedIn.
Lushia is a working mom who owns her own business, recruiting firm Luelle Consulting. Here is what Lushia had to say!
I am a 35-year-old coloured female who also happens to be a single mom to a beautiful 7-year-old son.
What I do
I currently run my own recruitment agency in Broadacres with a friend and business partner. In Dec 2015, I registered a company while working in corporate. I had been toying with the idea for about two years.
Feeling isolated in this massive multinational, I knew my voice was too small to be heard. And so I made what I thought was the dumbest decision I had ever made in my entire life. I resigned.
I had some cash to carry me for a few months, and so did my business partner. However, we were not 100% convinced we even knew what a rough ride awaited us. On 15 Dec 2017, my company celebrated its 2nd anniversary and 4 employees later. I can honestly say, this was the hardest thing to do but so worth everything.
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Our Routine
I currently live in Johannesburg and commute 12 kilometers to work every day. My son goes to a wonderful private school just 1 km from my office. I get to spend so much more quality time with him now.
I love being fit and healthy. So after my prince gets dropped off at school, I get to hit the gym and waltz into the office at between 9 am and 9:30. Wow, I love that you waltz into work! I also love that you have found your own rhythm that works for you.
Since I can have the office transfer calls to me while I am on the go, I also leave early some days to spend more time with my boy.
I returned to work ten weeks after my son was born, and so I was robbed of bonding time and maternity leave. I am now making up for all that lost time.
2) Tell us about your career journey and how you landed up where you are now?
Starting out in retail sales, I always had a passion for serving and helping people. I ended up in recruitment by accident in 2006. I had applied for a corporate sales position and the next thing you know I was hired. It was corporate sales of people. I had no idea I would be selling people.
In my first year of recruitment, I won the best newcomer of the year award. I took to recruitment as they say ‘like a duck takes to water’. After working in recruitment for over 10 years I now own a recruitment agency. Mic Drop.
I was never book smart so even if my parent had the means to send me to university, I doubt I would have managed to complete a degree in anything. Recruitment is sales. I am good with people, and I am great at selling them. Great example of building upon your strengths, (which are people and sales).
I opted to start my own business because I wanted to be more flexible in my own life. Also, I wanted the flexibility
to tailor make how I add value to a company.
[bctt tweet=”Starting my own business gave me flexibility to tailor make how I add value to a company – says Lushia” username=”cherralle_”]
3) What is the ONE THING you love most about your job?
There are a few, but I love that I know a little bit about almost every career without having to read books or study. I learn through interviewing people. I ask questions and gain a thorough understanding of what his/her role entails. Simply interviewing and talking to people is an important way to learn and gather information.
So I love that I get to learn something new almost every day just by sitting in an interview with someone. Being in the company of people excites me.
[bctt tweet=”‘I was never book smart’ she says – here is how a young woman started her own recruitment company” username=”cherralle_”]
4) Share with us your two top tips that help you to manage your work life integration (balance) that would help other working moms?
I don’t think I have my work life balance down to a perfect T. Being my own boss helps a lot because I get to decide how hard I am willing to work on any given day. My motto is “Health and family first.”
Once you are in good health and your family is happy, you are in a better space to perform at your optimum level. Eat well, sleep for 8 hours and work out.
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5) Looking back share with us to pieces of advice you would give yourself as a new mother?
Nothing is more precious than time with your baby. Bond and keep a journal of all the special moments.
When you are a new mom in a stressful job, you can sometimes put too much focus on your career and not enough time being a mom. Remember that you may not have all the time in the world to spend with your kids but, use the little time that you do have and ensure that it is quality time. Quality beats quantity hands down. Thank you for these awesome pieces of advice. Its true that time flies by so quickly, and they are only this little once. It is important to focus and be present in each stage they are in.
6) What do you do to kick back? (relax?)
I read thrillers and biographies, and get lost in them completely. I also love sleeping, so I catch up on sleep whenever I can. Yes to reading and yes to sleeping!
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Thank you Lushia for sharing your story with us!
To connect further with Lushia, you may found her on LinkedIn, which she uses for networking. Lushia actively shares updates on LinkedIn, you may check her out here!