Mompreneur on a Mission – Meet @theKerriPaul

With the ever-busy Back-to-School season in full swing, we wanted to shine a bright light on the women who are making a meaningful difference in their communities and families all while making sure the proverbial trains run on time. You know what they say… “Moms run the world!” Today, we speak with one such mom, Kerri Paul, a mentor, successful restauranteur, and influencer, who tells us how she balances her burgeoning career and the demands of raising three young children with grace, beauty, and a bit of spunk for good measure. She also clues us in on some valuable tips and the must-have items that keep her organized and prepared to conquer an active schedule with determination.

Courtesy of @theKerriPaul

What do you do when you’re feeling uninspired?  

When I’m feeling uninspired, I like to participate in one of my favorite hobbies that’ll get my mind going and my body moving. Sometimes going for a jog in our neighborhood walking track does the trick to allow for uninterrupted time to think, decompress, and unwind. Exercise also gets the endorphins going, which jump starts the creative juices flowing! One of my other favorite pastimes to help me decompress and get creative is gardening and tending to my plant babies. Nurturing plants provides an amazing sense of satisfaction and pleasure, and this is also a great time to clear my mind and allow for new ideas to “grow!"

What are your top 3 entrepreneurial tips?

1)  Perfection is the enemy of progress. Don’t wait for things to be perfect to start your business - JUST GET STARTED! You have plenty of time along the journey to perfect your craft.  

2)  Focus on your wins and let go of the losses. Most innovators experience many failures until they reach success in their craft. When hurdles come in a business or venture, figure out a way to problem solve, leap over the hurdle, and make a note to avoid making the same mistake twice. 

3)  Delegate and ask for help! It’s very important to build a team of people who can execute small tasks, both small and large, for your business, so that you can focus on the parts that require your attention.  

What’s your productivity secret? What part of your home are you most productive in?  

My secret to productivity is making it a point to get work done at a certain day and time and sticking to this. I work best when I delegate a specific time frame to get something accomplished. For instance, my business partner and I will delegate days and a timeframe to meet up at my studio to knock out tasks. We work best when we have a specific directive and a list of tasks, so we stay on task!

At home, I’m most productive, believe it or not, from my bed, once the children are asleep, and I have quiet time to create.

What are the things that help you stay organized throughout the day and get time for everyone and everything? 

A calendar and a planner are MAJOR KEYS to organization in my life. I write down everything that I need to do and record events and meetings in my smartphone calendar so that I am abreast of what’s on the agenda for the day. 

You’re a mom of 3, any advice for other Mompreneurs out there on balancing a business and babies?

I believe that a woman can have it all, just not ALL at the same time. The thing about balance is knowing that there is a time for "momming" and there is a time for business. Very often, those times overlap, and at times, I’m very intentional about separating the two, and I definitely consider those times a #momwin!  

Be intentional about your time and remember to give yourself grace. Most mompreneurs won’t be the “classroom mom” providing snacks and “happies” for their kids’ class on a weekly basis, and that’s OK! Remember, the things that you are creating and the goals that you are crushing in the business world are valuable to your family and provide a great foundation for your children to see a woman working hard, being a boss, and setting them up for success.

Courtesy of @theKerriPaul

What is a typical day in the life of Kerri Paul? 

The only “typical” thing about my life is being prepared to take on the unpredictable! It takes our entire household to usher the #3Paulsinapod off to school each day, and like most mamas, after the kids are accounted for, we need a moment for decompression. It’s very important for me to keep health and wellness in mind for the start of the day, and most mornings are spent with either a sweat session in the gym or a jog in the park or beachside.  

My days are filled with a hybrid of either creating content for my Influencer business and/or maintaining the daily operations of our brunch restaurant Brick & Spoon. Believe it or not, this boss mom can be found many days working in the kitchen of the Brick, plating entrees, and serving guests. Most recently, much of my time is spent preparing for the opening of our second location in Gulfport, MS!

Of course, as an entrepreneur, I spend lots of time working from my smartphone, speaking with colleagues, contractors, vendors, and partners. I consider myself the queen of connections, as one of my self-deemed talents is connecting people with resources.  

I can’t say that I have business hours, as much of my day is working, even in doing the things that I enjoy. I’m constantly networking, making connections, and creating.  

My evenings are spent with family, getting in those special moments with my little ones, chatting with my husband and parents about the goings on in the restaurant business, and making a plan to crush the next day.  

What is your favorite part of your home? 

My favorite part of my home is the front porch. If you can envision of a Southern Mama sitting on her front porch swing, sipping sweet tea, kids searching for eggs in the bushes, and listening to the chickens’ peep, you have a great depiction of my happy place. We currently reside in what I lovingly call “the country,” having recently moved into my childhood home. It’s three generations under one roof, the ultimate depiction of the Southern Mississippi family.  Bless our sweet hearts!

 

Any furniture pieces that you absolutely recommend for parents with toddlers?

I definitely recommend the Jocelyn Storage Cube with Drawers. It’s clean and streamlined design is perfect to complement any kids’ room decor and the storage compartments are perfect for tucking away toys and clutter. I love that the Colten Metal Storage Bins fit perfectly with it - and their industrial design adds dimension to the space.


Courtesy of @theKerriPaul

How do you manage back to school, owning a business and making time for your family? 

It takes a tribe to manage my family and businesses! One of the reasons we moved closer to my parents was to welcome the extra hands with our family of “Irish Triplets.” Everyone in our circle has a part in the success of our family and business, so I definitely want to give flowers where they are due to my husband and parents. Maintaining order in my family and business are paramount in our success, and I’m big on making lists, batching creating content, handling tasks and challenges as they come, and making time for R&R to regroup and recharge.

Any home tips for parents? How do you make the most out of your space?

My best home tip is maintenance! Maintaining order on the front end is much more valuable than speed cleaning on the back end. Take a little time each evening, even if it’s 5-10 minutes to tidy and you will see a big difference in how our day starts. Clutter is the devil! Studies actually show that clutter and disorder in the home can negatively affect your mood and psyche, so staying organized is akin to Zen.  

I like to get the kids involved and have them take ownership in the cleaning of their spaces as well. Give them a chore and encourage them by praising them for getting the chore completed and done well. This helps them to enjoy the process as well as taking small tasks off your plate.

Courtesy of @theKerriPaul

We hope you gained a treasure trove of ideas and insights from Kerri that inspire you on your own journey to become a Mompreneur Extraordinaire. Share with us the tricks that are helping you stay on top of things this Back-to-School season by tagging @realrooms. Because as we all know, moms get stuff done!