Mother, entrepreneur and woman in style.
Entrepreneur Chrystal Henry, owner of Love Henry, tells us how she transitioned from making custom wedding gowns to baby clothes, started her own business and what motherhood means to her.
Chrystal, tell us a little about yourself…
I spent my childhood as a typical country kid on my parents’ cotton farm at Garah, then moved to Gunnedah for most of my school years. Now I am based in the beautiful town of Goondiwindi with my 3 daughters Georgia, Myah & Elsie. When I’m not being a Mum, I am busy running an empire very much like Goondiwindi Cotton, where I am also the owner and designer of a children’s clothing label called Love Henry. I studied fashion in Brisbane for 2 years after finishing high school and this is where I began my creative business journey.
With Mothers Day coming up, what does motherhood mean to you and what have you learnt since becoming a mother?
If I’m honest being a Mum is one of hardest and most rewarding roles on the planet. It far outweighs any of my business achievements or hurdles, that’s for sure. Balancing Mum life and work-life can be extremely challenging at times, but at the end of the day I’ve learnt that there is no right or wrong… it just has to be a “right for you” situation. Each of my 3 daughters have completely different personalities and, becoming a mother has taught me acceptance, and that sometimes I have to tackle situations differently. At the end of the day, however, I know they are each beautiful in their own unique way and I am proud to be their Mum. Since becoming a mother myself, I have learnt to appreciate my own Mum for her continued guidance, love and support, for which I am forever thankful.
How would you describe your style?
I would describe my style as classic and classy with a little bit of trendy added in. I love to look presentable, well-groomed and I do take pride in my appearance. I like to stick with basic essentials and simple styling that won’t date, but can also be put with pieces that make my outfit “pop”. I am a massive believer that you can never be too dressed up, I’ll always make an extra effort with my outfit choice and I love any excuse to dress up. I try to opt for styles that suit my body type as well.
As well as being a mother you’re also a business owner.
What inspired you to start Love Henry and what words of advice do you have for other rural women wanting to start their own business?
Before Love Henry, I was making bridal and formal gowns which was extremely rewarding, however, once I had my first child 13 years ago my interest in this area changed to childrenswear. I was sewing everything myself in the beginning, between feeds and nappy changes, then taking them to local markets on the weekends. I have always been entrepreneurial and I did see a bigger picture for my brand so I kept pursuing higher goals to get me to where I am today - one of the leading childrenswear brands in Australia.
My advice to other rural women is pretty much summed up by one word - START!
You won’t ever know what you could have achieved if you never tried. I always say to people, “What’s the worst that can happen, if you fail, you can start again” …there’s that word again, 'start'. My other bit of advice is to not be afraid to reach out to people that inspire you, famous or not, learn from them and keep them in your circle.
Imagery shot by The Farmers Friend @the_farmers_friend
For more information, follow @lovehenry.xo
