April is Stress Awareness Month — a month-long event to raise awareness of the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic. As entrepreneurs, there's an enormous pressure to work non-stop and the hustle culture has not made it any easier for us.

We hope that by sharing the stories of three inspiring women entrepreneurs, we inspire you to find your own ways of alleviating stress, establishing boundaries and taking care of yourself.

First on our guest lineup is Vanessa of Gentle Objects.

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During the pandemic, when days seem to blend together, I noticed how picking out my favourite glassware for the day and pouring myself a fizzy glass of Coke Zero (my guilty pleasure) in the mornings became a routine that I really looked forward to.

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Maria: Please tell us more about you and what you do.

Vanessa: Hello there! I am Vanessa, the founder of Gentle Objects!

Gentle Objects started from my love of delicate glassware pieces and how it changed the way I viewed simple mundane routines. During the pandemic, when days seem to blend together, I noticed how picking out my favourite glassware for the day and pouring myself a fizzy glass of coke zero (my guilty pleasure!) in the mornings became a routine that I really looked forward to. It even got me to drink more water as I wanted any excuse to fill up my glass.

Not only that, I realised that unlike clothes and the latest gadgets, homeware pieces are one of the only items you purchase that other people don’t really get to see. It is solely for your own enjoyment and not the world.

I hope that through Gentle Objects, you will also begin to enjoy simple routines a little more and start to see the beauty in slowing down.

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M: What's the most challenging or stressful thing about becoming an entrepreneur?

V: Self doubt. Not the money nor the naysayers, it is most definitely self doubt.

I’ve learned from a very young age that the only opinion that matters about yourself, is yours. Even if the whole world thought that I could do it, I knew for sure, if I could not get over my own fears or doubts, it would have been a done deal, I would have failed ahead of time!

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M: How do you manage these situations?

V: Internal work. Lots and lots of internal work. Being brutally honest with what I’m feeling and getting to the root of these doubts. Things always seem huge at first, but by pinpointing the exact feeling or reason, you can slowly unravel why you feel a certain way and whether it is something you’re able to “prove in the court of law”, or merely just a self-limiting belief fed to you through years and years of conditioning!

During the pandemic, just like many other people, I had a lot of time on my hands as I could not teach at all (I am a piano teacher too!). This forced me to scrutinize and figure out what I really wanted to do. At the same time, I chanced upon the LITO Academy, a life coaching academy in Singapore that helped me a ton with working through my battles. Do hear their free podcast “The LITO Podcast” on Spotify and I’m sure it will change your view on life! It helped kick start my self-growth journey and guided me through a tough time.

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M: What habits or practices do you do to alleviate the stress and pressure of being an entrepreneur?

V: Exercise, 8 hours of sleep, and good food! Also, setting boundaries of when “work” ends is 100% needed because let’s be honest, we would most definitely work on our own business for 72 hours straight if our bodies allow, am I right?

It will feel like you’re being lazy at first, but you will definitely be MORE productive and creatively energized after fully recharging every night/week. Focus on the quality, not the quantity!

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M: What one piece of advice can you give to other women who are starting or running their own businesses?

V: You do you! It does not matter if you’re uncertain of what the business will look like or how it will pan out, nobody will be able to run a business the way you do. Know that you are enough and that you have everything in you to succeed. Once you can truly and wholeheartedly believe in yourself and your vision, even when it seems out of reach at the moment, you will be able to cut through all the noise and focus on the value you want to put out into the world!

And also, don’t take anything too seriously! Though tough times are inevitable, running a business should still be fun and enjoyable!

Find out more about Gentle Objects on their website.

Follow Vanessa’s journey and watch her bring the Gentle Objects glasswares to life through mouthwatering video recipes on Instagram.

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