MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT
Emma Bridgewater
Emma BridgEwatEr’s famous spotted pottery launched 30 years ago and the firm is worth £14 million. Now 55, she was awarded a CBE in 2013 for her services to British industry. she has four children with her husband matthew, and lives in stoke-on-trent. FAMILY has always been my driving force. When I launched my first range in 1985, inspired by my mum’s warm and homely kitchen, I knew I wanted to make a success of my business without compromising my priority — a family.
But we were lucky with the timing of the launch. It was important to me that we made our products in the birthplace of British pottery, Stokeon-Trent, which had fallen on hard times. I felt it was my moral duty to help revive the trade.
As the business grew, so did my family with my husband Matthew, a creative man, who was also a great househusband to our four children.
But in 1992 everything changed when my mother suffered a brain injury. We moved to Norfolk from London to care for her. At the same time, I was travelling about 50,000 miles a year between our home, the London offices and the Stoke factory.
I was torn between nurturing my two loves — my family and my business. I was determined to be a good mother but I wasn’t looking after myself. I had every stress symptom and, at 31, I developed arthritis.
One weekend back in 2009, I knew what had to be done. It was my lightbulb moment. Matthew knew the business inside-out, he’d been there since the start and understood what it took to make it thrive. So we switched roles.
By Monday, he’d taken over. It was hard to relinquish the reigns of my ‘business baby’, but it was the right decision. I could focus on my health, my children, and the creative side of the business.
I’d spent so long trying to do everything I’d forgotten that, to be a good wife and mother, I had to look after myself. It’s all too easy to set yourself goals and work hard, but you mustn’t lose sight of what means the most to you in the first place.
Mid-life can be a strain; your family role or work may change, and you end up questioning your purpose. But the chances are the purpose has never been clearer. You just have to take that leap of faith to find out. INSPIRED? Enter our Mumpreneur of the Year Awards at everywoman. com/mumpreneur