We were lucky to catch up with Serena McGinnis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Serena, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My mission as a mother of four is to create a career I love, as well as as always being able to put my children first. We live in a world where women are supposed to mother like they don’t have a career and work like They don’t have children. I’m finding ways to break that mold. Teaching my kids about the ins and outs of Ela & Jack. letting them find creative ways to support the survival of a suburban mom blog as well as Ela & Jack.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My Name is Serena, I ended up leaving my career, and becoming a stay at home mom after my second was born. I loved being a stay at home mom, it’s the hardest, but most rewarding job.

But, I also found myself trying new things, and found a love for diy’s, crafts, and interior design. As our family continued to grow so did that passion. And after my fourth I pulled the trigger, and started a blog. Survival of a Suburban Mom was born, and 4.5 years later it’s become a very successful blog. Sharing diys, decor tips, mom life and more.

Which led me to Ela & Jack named after all my kids ( E for Emma , L for Lincoln, A for Adriana, and Jack, for Jackson) I’ve always been a collector, a love for picking since I was a little girl.. and I found myself loving to curate items for my customers. And that’s how Ela & Jack happened. Finding Treasures I love new or old, curated vintage modern home decor and more. It’s such a passion to find these items and put them in my shop, knowing that someone is going to have an item in their home, that they can’t find at Big box stores. It’s a rare find, a gem, a piece to invest in. To look at an item in their home and it makes them smile.

Ela & Jack is more than home decor, having locally sourced handmade jewelry, and gifts. Something extraordinary for everyone.

And most importantly showing my kids that they can do whatever they dream of. Each one of my kids is in the works of creating their own line of products in Ela & Jack. Teaching them away to be creative, and a fun way to be even more involved with the shop. Taking pride in the work they make.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I was a stay at home mom of four, eager to start my own business. Little did I know how much resilience it would take to make this dream a reality. I was working long hours and handling the business finances, marketing, customer service, you name it! All the while not trying to miss one beat in my kids lives, It felt like I was juggling 10 balls at once, but I was determined to make a success of it.

The stress and exhaustion were real — there were times I felt like giving up, but I kept reminding myself that this was what resilience looked like — a mom building a business, with kids and little support and money. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I was determined to make it work.

It gets easier, technology keeps getting better, finding friends that are in the same business and are moms, a support system to help lean on. As well as friends, helping a hand, a husband willing to work around my schedule and the kids schedules. I learn something new each day, learning from mistakes, and continuing to grow..

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I believe that the best way to grow, is absolutely quality. Whatever it is take the extra time, the quality is a big one for me. Another thing I’ve learned, is being real. If you messed up with a client or customer, own up to it. Most the time people understand, we’re all in the same boat. No one really knows what they’re doing right?! We’re all still learning each day. And most your customers get that. Give them the best service you can, and sometimes mistakes are going to happen. Give yourself a little grace.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.elaandjack.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/elaandjack
• Facebook: Www.Facebook.com/elaandjack
• Other: Follow my personal blog for tips,diys,and more www.survivalofasuburbanmom.com