Do you know Maggy-Nadyne? Trained as an engineer, this mother of four is also the mother of Béké-Bobo—a company dedicated to soothing children’s aches and pain with its innovative product: a small therapeutic teddy bear that naturally and effectively relieves pain. Get to know her a little better in this article!
First of all, for those who don’t know her, you should know that Maggy is a sweet, shy woman… A discreet introvert, really. So it took a little bit of prying to get her to agree to do this interview! Fortunately, we had several therapeutic teddy bears on hand in case getting her to open up turned out to be a painful operation :).
A Day in Maggy’s Life
Being an entrepreneur is not a relaxing job! And Maggy-Nadyne’s daily life is proof of that. But, although Maggy has a very structured schedule and mind, the time at which she starts her day is not dictated by habit or an alarm clock—it is rather her body that decides at what time she opens her eyes, and it varies from day to day!
Waking Up in Europe
Wearing her pajamas with a coffee in hand, Maggy-Nadyne tackles the first part of her day, which she refers to as the “European block.” It’s always an intense moment, because given the time difference, there are quite a few emergencies to manage for Béké-Bobo’s European website. Yes, even with a well-established process and team, as well as an on-site logistics partner who ships all our orders from their warehouse in France, e-commerce is always full of unforeseen events that must be managed on a case-by-case basis.
A Cleansing Transition to America
Once the European block is completed, Maggy heads for the shower (yes, even if it’s already 10 am!) This is a sacred moment, which Maggy uses to take a mental image of her affairs in Europe before focusing on America. She then walks to the office and takes advantage of her 25 minutes walk to relax, listening to podcasts or audiobooks. Like an airlock, this moment outdoors does her a lot of good and allows her to tackle the second phase of her day with energy—a good thing, because the next block on the agenda is rather dense.
Serious Things Before Rewards
When she arrives at the office, Maggy immerses herself in all the tasks related to the management of her company: accounting, production management, administration, strategy, customer service emergencies and monitoring her brand image. This is often the most stressful part of her day, so she keeps a few rewards on hand to treat herself after her short lunch break combined with a walk home!
Fun to End the Day on the Right Foot
What does Maggy consider a reward? Any task that stimulates her analytical and creative side. For example, Maggy may decide to analyze her data, optimize production or create new products to reward herself after a hard day’s work! But what really relaxes her is when she can stop everything in order to sew or cut fabric for an hour… So much so, that she can sometimes be seen in the workshop after dark, sitting at her favourite sewing machine listening to a podcast…
Empty space: a challenge?
Yes, like many entrepreneurs, Maggy thinks about her business 24 hours a day… Or almost! The only way for her to clear her mind is to get on her bike and pedal, pedal, pedal… That’s how she rides some 2000 km every year—not counting the thousands of stationary kilometres done in her living room in winter! But the good news for us is that Maggy always winds up back home close to her adorable therapeutic teddy bears.
A Common Thread: Pirouettes
Do you know what life as an entrepreneur and life as a mom have in common? For Maggy, it’s pirouettes. Her ability to pivot and maintain a very short reaction time are a great help in her daily life! This is why, when her daughter Camillie was born with health problems, she did not want to remain a spectator. She gathered her strength and created a solution to ease her child’s pain. And that’s what keeps her creative when it comes to changing course and facing challenges. It’s no coincidence that before becoming a mother and an entrepreneur, Maggy was a figure skater for many years!
A Harmonious Team
What makes Béké-Bobo a close-knit team? Maggy-Nadyne likes to surround herself with people who share her values. According to her, it is essential that the members of her team have similarities to make their daily lives enjoyable. After all, it is said that “birds of a feather flock together”! This is why at Béké-Bobo, we bring together introverted, friendly people, that are highly meticulous … creating a homogeneous mix that is a good match for Maggy!
The employees who work on site enjoy a relaxed and soothing work environment. They feel at home and don’t feel pressured throughout the day, even though they are highly efficient! What’s more, all team members live within 10 km of the workshop. They have a great quality of life, as they don’t waste time on the road in the morning and evening. Some of the seamstresses even work from home, so they can enjoy a unique proximity to their children and grandchildren, while keeping a job they love.
A Source of Great Pride
What is it that makes Maggy wake up every morning with a smile on her face and renewed motivation to start a new day, despite the intensity and the ups and downs? It’s knowing that thanks to her invention children and parents are soothed all over the world. Yes, knowing that her small therapeutic teddy bears are being adopted by new families across the planet warms her heart and pushes her to want to do more—and do it better—every day.