Category: Featured

Hello Emily! What’s cooking?

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For my next interview, I set my mind on getting to know another self-employed local who runs her small business. I wanted to listen to her story: how it started, what inspires her, and what really goes on behind what you see on socials. So I was looking for someone who started her business from the ground up.

Emily quickly came to mind. I’ve been following Emily on Instagram for a while and was instantly hooked when I saw her tasty creations. She’s the local queen of pies. So funny story – turns out, she lives right around the corner from my place. So instead of having an online call or just sending off my questions, we met at a local coffee shop some 5 minutes walk away.

We got sidetracked a bazillion times BUT we finally got down to it. First, let’s get to know Emily a little more.

Who is Emily?

E: I run a small catering business. I have a 9-year-old son, Oliver. In my free time, I love to read and travel. I love to cook and eat – but I think that’s pretty standard haha! I’ve been working in the catering industry since I was 14 – a family friend of ours had a snack bar and on weekends and during the holidays, I used to help them out. I have nice, fond memories of that time and I remember her telling me: “If you want to be a chef you have to learn how to dice an onion properly.” That’s still etched in my mind!

I continued my studies at ITS and also lived in the UK for quite a while and worked at a couple different places. One of which was Gordon Ramsey’s restaurants there – which BTW was one of the worst experiences of my life. I then moved on to work as a Chef de Partie at an AA Rosette restaurant, and I loved it. Spent two years there before moving back to Malta.

What inspired you to start your own business?

E: By a lot of things! Although I love the catering industry, I decided that with a kid I didn’t want to be working weekends, holidays etc. So when Oliver was young, I studied finance and took on a 9 to 5 job within the financial industry. I enjoyed certain elements of it – I loved the stability and needed to have structure at the time. But I always knew that that was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Fast forward eight years in mid-Covid, I decided to take the plunge. It was a long time coming as I wanted to have a safety net of savings – this wasn’t a quick decision, I needed to feel prepared. And if anything, working in the financial sector taught me about planning, strategy, and how to take care of and grow my money. So I gave in my notice and January 2022 was my official start to self-employment. It was nuts!

Eats by Emily

Walk us through the food/cuisine that you specialise in?

E: This is a tough one. I think I’m still discovering this. Before, when I worked in catering I used to specialize in pastry – fine dining desserts and sweets. However, when I started my own thing. I wanted to branch out. So now, I love to prepare healthy, seasonal, and interesting meals. I also love pies and making not-so-popular pies. When I started making the pumpkin pie, I feel like no one in Malta had trialed this out. And after the third year, I have people who keep coming back for it. But right now I’m enjoying the process of experimenting, flavour matching, and learning new things.

How do you manage your time effectively as a self-employed chef?

E: I don’t haha. I have good weeks and ‘bad’ weeks. So ‘bad’ weeks are when I need to be cooking in the kitchen every single day. I say ‘bad’ – it’s very good for business but it’s not good for me to be in the right mindset. A good week is when I have a Mon-Wed-Fri cooking schedule and do admin, creating content, researching, and planning in between. My work is very seasonal. I would have non-stop months and other weeks where I can plan ahead for those busy months. This is something I’m learning now – that I need to plan for the following months during my less busy periods when I’m not in the kitchen. And, I try as much as I can, to take the weekend off – not always possible. I know this may sound cheesy, but ever since I started working for myself, I have never had a single Sunday evening blues and that is such a big relief for me. Sunday afternoon comes and I realise that I’m actually looking forward to Monday. Mind you, I don’t always wake up chirpy and whatever. But I had moments before in my other job where I was depressed in the mornings, not wanting to go to work. So I’m really grateful for that.

What are your future goals for your business & how are you planning on achieving them?

E: I love this! Immediate future goals are: finish the kitchen and move in! Also, this year I would love to officially launch a consistent meal plan service and eventually hire an employee. It’s not sustainable working 16 hours a day so I’m looking forward to all of this. Those are my goals for this year.

I know you’re just starting out yourself but what is one piece of advice you would give to someone who’s thinking of switching to self-employment?

E: A couple of things.

  1. It is not as glamorous as people make it out to be. It takes a lot of hard work and hours. It’s not this easy simple life some people think it to be.
  2. Take a leap of faith but it has to be calculated. It needs to be logical and makes sense financially. So have a business plan and run it by someone who understands. “If it’s meant to be, it will be” is not enough to leave a stable full time job.
  3. Have a safety net. Whether it’s working a couple of years to have an emergency fund, or discussing with your partner – whatever works for you, have that. There are going to be months were you’ll be in the red – a client leaves unexpectedly or because you’re not paid yet. It might mean skipping lavish holidays for a couple of years. You’re going to make sacrifices but I think that if you’re doing something you love, it’s a sacrifice that you’re willing to make.

Hey, is anything exciting happening for Mother’s Day?

E: I’m trialing some stuff for Mother’s Day. I have something in mind that it either works brilliantly or it won’t work at all! But I have this cute idea – I won’t say anything for now but will keep you updated!

QUICK questions with Emily

Sweet or savoury?
Sweet! I have the sweetest tooth!

Tea or Coffee?
Coffee

Favourite film?
To be fair I’m not so much a film person. I always fall asleep during films so I don’t get to the end of them.

Early bird or night owl?
Early bird for sure. I wake up at 5am and after 8pm I don’t function.

One thing you would like to cross off your bucket list?
OMG, I have so many. How am I going to choose one? Top three?
1. Visit Mexico
2. Adopt a senior dog
3. I honestly want to travel – a lot

Loved our chat Em & look forward to our next coffee date!

Go Follow!

Till next time,
Amanda x

Hey! What’s new Limo?

I wanted to have more interviews this year but with running my own business, sprinting after a toddler, and being an active council member of a local NGO, I must admit that my plate has never been more full.

Nevertheless, I managed to meet up with the amazing Elisa to talk about her business. Elisa is the brains behind The Limo Hub 🐕. I am positive that you have seen her cute dachshund on Instagram by now. He is the star of his own ‘show’!

Elisa is such a passionate and creative person. We went off track a couple of times during the interview (it was more like a coffee meet-up), but that happens when the conversation is that good. So, without further ado, this is (partly) what we talked about:

Tell me a little bit about yourself. Where you started.

E: I started studying Art & Design and always wanted to do my own thing. I have been working in Marketing for quite a while now and dipped in the corporate world. I then left my job to pursue a marketing career and decided to go freelance. It’s when I started The Limo Hub, back in October 2017.

How did The Limo Hub come about?

E: I wanted to create something unique, personal to me, and easy on the ears. I wanted something simple and that is how the idea of The Limo Hub was born. And I have my own model, Limo, who got used to seeing me with a camera by now. He enjoys it when he’s in the mood. I usually have lots of treats on the side. Everyone seems to think it’s just that one shot and I nailed it. You should see my camera roll! You’d think my phone is Limo’s 😅

Limo wearing Santa Paws bow tie

To put you in the picture, at The Limo Hub you can shop for custom-made bow ties, Dachshund merch, and other dog accessories like matching harnesses & leashes, collars, and shampoos.

E: It is important for me to have organic or partly organic products. For instance, some people use baby shampoo for their pets which is bad for their dog’s skin. A dog’s skin PH level differs from ours and it could result in irritation. That is why I make sure to bring over reliable, tried, and tested brands only.

What is your advice to someone thinking about starting on their own?

E: Ask yourself: What is your end game? What is it that you want to do and why? Do you want to make money? Do you want to feel good about what you are doing? Because these are different avenues to take.

I wasn’t surrounded by people who owned their business so I didn’t really know where to start. For instance, everyone mentions the business plan – you need to have a business plan – but when you’re just starting, the words are English but you don’t know what to make of them. If you’re starting a business doing something you love (and not just purely for money-making), make it your own. Don’t expect a big return until you get your foot in the door because it takes a while until you build yourself.

And network. Networking is key. It might be nerve-wracking but it works. Get out there and introduce yourself.

So, tell me. What’s on your bucket list?

E: I want to represent various brands and possibly in the future, I would love to design my own harnesses and pet accessories. I also want my own store, brick & mortar – it’s something that I really dream of having. One step at a time!

You in three words

E: Bubbly, open, plainspoken

Handmade & personalised stuffed stockings

Elisa and Gemma from @letspawtymalta have been working on something new and exciting. They have just launched the perfect handmade and homemade Christmas gift for your furry family member. I have already ordered one for Nina (obviously) and will be sharing stories once I have my hands on it.

What’s in the stocking?

🐾 homemade yummy biscuits
🐾 a themed mug for a nice hot cocoa
🐾 dog toy
🐾 an interactive activity for hooman and pup to enjoy together!

Home

Next week, they will also be at the Nice Things Market at is-Suq tal-Belt, Valletta. I’ll be dropping by for some last-minute stocking fillers. Shall I see you there?

Saturday, 11 December + Sunday 12 December

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with next, Elisa!

Show your support & go follow 🥰

Amanda x

Temporary bathroom office setup

Featuring The Learning Curve | Bath Toys

Most of you may have gone back to their place of work. My place of work was already my home way before COVID-19 took us by surprise. Truth is, working on my own business whilst taking care of Beth (who is now a toddler) has been the biggest challenge yet. So my options were to work:

↠ At night once my hubby is off work (he’s employed fulltime and has been working from home for a year now)

↠ When (and if) she naps in the afternoon

↠ During 1 hour Hey, Duggee! or Peppa Pig breaks (I hate doing this but sometimes, it can’t be helped)

↠ AND, during her bath time.

Last week, while she was playing in the tub, I was sitting on the closed loo with my laptop, tapping away. I glimpsed at the mirror and seeing me like that thought out loud, “what has my world come to!” This has become a thing and the fact that I was talking to myself out loud, doesn’t paint a better picture.

So, this bath time routine is playtime for her and worktime (or reading time) for me. Usually, I work from my phone. The laptop is too bulky to balance on my knees. And Beth, who loves water, splashes away in her tub. Having said that, most days, I tend to end up playing with her, and end up drenched.

Until a couple of weeks ago, she was still playing with her beach toys and I have been looking for actual bath toys for a while. Last year, I vowed to support more local businesses and not just during Christmas time but throughout the whole year. So instead of going on Amazon, I looked at the local scene first.

QUUT Bath puzzle | Mini Review

I rediscovered The Learning Curve whilst browsing Facebook. Rediscovered because I was already following them but their sponsored ad gave me a nudge. Turns out, they’re a husband and wife team with two kids of their own. Their online toy range is eco-friendly and sustainable – and that’s a big plus for me. I also loved how readily they helped with tips and suggestions according to Beth’s age.

After a little research (I can’t help it) I purchased a QUUT Bath puzzle and so far, Beth loves it. These BPA free puzzles are made of durable yet soft foam, encourage creative play and given they’re puzzles, stimulate fine motor skills: hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness and concentration.

If you’d like to see the whole range, this is it: QUUT Bath toys. And HEY, good news! For a limited time, you can get 5% off your purchase 🙂

Use this code: byamandalia5 

Until next time,

Amanda x

A few of my favourite things.

One thing you will most definitely appreciate when you start out on your own is support. Ever since I started my own business I realised how a single dose of support can keep your engine running through thick and thin (that, and a lot of hard work).

The COVID-19 situation we found ourselves in had me thinking. I realised I needed to support small local businesses even more, whenever possible. As a solopreneur myself, I know of the hardships we had to endure this year due to COVID-19 related budget cuts and restrictions.

So, without further ado, I am listing my top favourite tried & tested products from local businesses worth following and buying from. These small businesses work hard and deserve our appreciation ♡

↠ MADUMA

My current stationery stash is all MADUMA. I have been a fan since day one. I even interviewed Kimberly, the brain behind MADUMA, in another post | MADUMA INTERVIEW.

Ikħal is my go-to colour. You can find it here: Ikħal Stationery Set

↠ Rebels with a Cause

Rebels with a Cause are all about sustainability. Their reusable makeup remover pads are my Rebels with a Cause ultimate favourite.

You can find them here: Reusable Makeup Remover Pads

↠ Kartolerija

For my birthday this year, a good friend of mine sent me this beautiful diary for a hopefully more beautiful year than 2020 ever was.

Their diary is available here: Djarju Elfejn Wiehed u Ghoxrin

↠ Concrete creations

Another good friend of mine got me these handmade tealight candle holders. Love them.

Take a look at their creations here: Concreate Creations

↠ The Learning Curve

I’m always on the lookout for educational toys, preferably not plastic ones. Bethany’s favourite is the natural Acvitivty Loop.

You can find it here: Activity Loop

↠ The mama manual

I remember attending Nakita’s book launch and was super excited for her. If you’d like (or need) to get organised, this one’s for you!

You can order it here: How busy mums get organised

↠ J-okini

I have a mild obsession with Japan. I even started learning the language but had to put a pause on that due to my whirlwind of a life. Sumie has the most amazing things and the perfect matcha. She even goes the extra mile and sends you matcha recipes and info.

If you love matcha tea, I suggest it you get it from here: Matcha Green Tea Powder

↠ Pots by Veronica

These pots are actually painted by hand. The perfect seasonal gift!

You can find them here: Christmas Pots

↠ Vanilla Mummy

I’m always trying to be creative with fruit smoothies and veggie snacks. These are a life saver. I’m being serious. Plus, they are reusable.

Check out the starter pack: Nom Nom Kids Starter Pack

↠ Merlin

If you haven’t made my acquaintance yet, well, let me tell you. I adore books. Not love, adore. And by the looks of it, Bethany’s love for books is blossoming.

This is Beth’s favourite of the month: Kuluri u Forom

Well, that’s the end of the list (for now)!

Take care & stay safe

Amanda x