International Women’s Day is always a moment of reflection for me — not only as a female founder, but as a mother.
Colour Chronicles began not as a business plan, but as a personal need. I have always loved writing things down — keeping notebooks, recording milestones, preserving memories. When I became a parent, that instinct deepened. I wanted a meaningful way to capture my children’s childhood — their personalities, their favourite things, their small, everyday details that felt too important to lose.
What I couldn’t find was a childhood memory book that felt manageable, inclusive and long-term. Many baby books stopped after the first year. Others were written entirely from the adult’s perspective. I wanted a collaborative childhood journal — one that included space for the child’s voice as well as the grown-up’s, and one that reflected every kind of family.
That gap became The Book of You. And slowly, what began as a personal project became a women-led small business rooted in intentional memory-making.
The Reality of Being a Female Founder and Mother
Running a women-owned business while raising a family has shaped the way I work. Growth has been steady rather than rushed. Decisions are thoughtful rather than reactive. The rhythm of school runs and family life has influenced the rhythm of the company itself.
As a mother and entrepreneur, I am constantly aware of the balance between ambition and presence. Building a sustainable business has meant protecting both — creating products designed around real family life, and growing in a way that supports longevity rather than burnout.
International Women’s Day in the UK is often about celebrating visible achievements. But it is also about recognising the quieter work — the caregiving, the emotional labour, the invisible planning — that so many women carry alongside their professional roles.
Why Supporting Women-Led Businesses Matters
When you choose to support a women-led brand, you are often supporting a founder building around family life, employing other women, and reinvesting into communities.
Small businesses like Colour Chronicles are built on lived experience. They are shaped by real gaps in the market, personal stories, and a desire to create something meaningful.
In a retail landscape dominated by mass production and fast consumption, women-owned small businesses often prioritise values: inclusivity, sustainability, community and quality.
A Gentle Invitation This International Women’s Day
This International Women’s Day, I’m reflecting on how far Colour Chronicles has come — and on the women who have supported it along the way.
If you are in a position to do so, consider choosing to support a women-led small business. Whether that’s sharing their work, leaving a review, making a purchase, or simply telling a friend — it makes more difference than you might realise.
Here’s to women building with purpose.
To mothers who are also founders.
And to writing things down — because stories deserve to be remembered.