It’s officially Entrepreneur Mums Month at The Baby Cot Shop! An initiative that’s part of our Entrepreneurial Women Campaign, we’re celebrating incredible businesswomen and inspiring the next generation.
Meet Toks Aruoture: Entrepreneur, Founder and Mum
Internationally acclaimed entrepreneur Toks Aruoture is the founder and powerhouse behind The Baby Cot Shop. This month, she’s shared her business journey through a new series of heartfelt videos to inspire others to live their dream. One of her secrets to success? Manifesting. A true manifesting maven, Toks believes that vision boards helped her business idea become a reality. Filling hers with pictures of world-class restaurants, charitable work, a storefront in Chelsea and book writing, she knew she wanted to make a big impact wherever she went. Now, with her high-flying, international client base of celebrities, sports personalities and royalty, she designs and creates bespoke, premium nurseries to match the most luxurious briefs. Toks travels the country public speaking, coaching and mentoring businesswomen and young people, whilst hosting the inspiring Living Inside Out Podcast, as seen in The Times and The Telegraph. Being a mum herself to four amazing boys, she’s motivated by the enchanting, exciting journey of motherhood. How to manifest: our 3 winning ways
Vision board: do like Toks and create a mood board. It could be on your phone, laptop or on paper. Get crafty and be specific – the more you tell the universe what you want out of life, the more likely you are to receive it. Visualise it as your future and don’t be afraid to believe it will happen. Manifestation affirmations: write down positive statements about your future and repeat them, allowing the affirmations to become part of your subconscious thoughts in daily life. Journaling: write down daily, weekly, monthly or annual intentions so you can see your aims and objectives right in front of you.
Inspirational entrepreneurial mums who manifest
Let’s hear it for mums who manifest! Here’s how manifesting has propelled these women’s businesses…
Elise Tobias, Hypnobirthing Coach, Doula & Founder of Birth Bubble
“Hypnobirthing is all about using different techniques like visualisations, affirmations and mindset training in preparation for birth. In this way, it’s similar to manifesting. I like the saying ‘where the mind leads, the body follows,’ which is fundamental to both. When it came to my birth, I used visualisation techniques so my brain knew what to expect (as I had visualised how I would be feeling). And I naturally drew upon these same tools when it came to building my business from scratch. I used techniques from various pioneering authors such as Prof Steve Peters, Louise Hay, Dr Tara Swart and Gabby Bernstein. They all draw upon the science (and often the neuroscience) of how the brain works in relation to self-development and growth. Every year I create a vision board by finding images I am drawn to from magazines and online. Last year, one of the images was an illustration of a girl lifting a piece of fabric off a screen to reveal something - and by the end of the year I was launching my own online course, which is what I believe this image represented. I became an entrepreneur after having my first baby and have learnt that asking for help is so important, as well as accepting it when it’s available or offered. It really is impossible to do it all - and whilst we all struggle with mum guilt, I have come to learn that having some time away from my kids to work really fulfils me, plus it means I’m a better mum when I’m with my kids. It’s a juggle and a balance, but your happiness as a person is also fundamental to your kids!”
Amy Buckley, Founder of luxury niche fragrance shopping destination PARFUM MUSE
“I’m a big believer in manifesting, especially when it comes to my business objectives. I always keep a list of goals close by, which really helps to keep me focused on what I want to achieve. Once I’ve ticked these goals off, it’s incredibly motivating and rewarding. I also read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne and think everyone should learn about the Law of Attraction. As I was an entrepreneur before becoming a mum, I was a little worried about how I would manage it all. But I’m grateful for having a large and very supportive family around me who are always there to help. My top tip for balancing business and mum life? Try to stick to a routine as much as possible, even if that means having quality time in the day with your little one and working out of office hours when they’re asleep.”
Anouska Mond, Founder & Director of boutique recruitment firm Office Collective
“I started my business in 2017 and it’s been a rollercoaster ride since then. I have always been interested in manifestation as it allows you to live a fulfilling and balanced life. And I truly believe what you put out into the universe is what you receive back. With Office Collective, I always wanted to create an agency that was built on authenticity and trust and I only ever wanted to work with honest, loyal and genuine clients. In order to achieve this, I created lists, which also helped me visualise what it was I wanted and who my ideal clients were. Today I manifest by writing down my business goals, reading positive affirmations and imaging what I want to achieve, followed by drawing out my path. I also love watching inspirational Ted Talks. I launched my business four years ago and became a mum nine months ago. For any mums out there looking to become an entrepreneur, I’d say you’ve got to have realistic expectations – some days you feel like you’ve smashed the work-life balance and other days you feel far from it. And that’s okay. Be kind to yourself and don’t put too much pressure on your own shoulders.”
Have a look at our latest post for some inspiration for your baby's nursery: The Most Magical Finishing Touches Every Baby Nursery Needs