This is the third post in a a new weekly series called “10 Questions with” that will feature creative entrepreneurs and small business owners who have incredible stories and advice to share. It’s the perfect series to follow for budding entrepreneurs and creative people who want to know more about other people’s creative processes. Check back here every Wednesday to see who will be profiled next.. The interview is below the images.

Are you one of those parents who take everything in stride, never get frustrated, never lose your cool, always have a kind, compassionate word for your angry, whining child? Or do you have perfect children?

If either of the above describes you, you can stop reading now.

I knew motherhood would be hard, but as amazing and fun as it gets, it also gets harder and harder as we deal with real challenges that come along with raising kind, respectful, caring, hardworking, independent (should I go on?) children. Some days,  we’re just in triage mode, putting out fires as they arise. I know I’d like to be parenting at a higher level, but I don’t necessarily have the tool.

That’s why I’m so excited about today’s profile, Kelly Bourne, BA, BScN. She is a former Registered Nurse working in the NICU and Pediatric Units turned turned Certified Positive Disciple Parent Educator and Co-Active Coach. I KNOW that’s a mouthful, but bear with me. Kelly has been helping busy moms like you:

• Define your core values
• Create personalized tools to combat negative thought patterns
• Clarify your goals
• Tackle existing parenting challenges
• Increase your sense of self-awareness

Sounds awesome and necessary, right? I sat down with Kelly to chat with her about the genesis of this business and how she transitioned from a frazzled mom to one who’s armed with the right tools and tricks to create a happy, peaceful household.

Glad to chat with you! First, tell us where we can find you online and in stores.

Hi! I’m Kelly Bourne — I work with high-achieving women who are looking to take their goals to the next level while juggling family life. You can find me at kellybourne.ca.

What inspired you to start your own business?

Well, there’s quite a story attached to this one…

The short version: I realized after the birth of my second child that I needed to do some MAJOR work in the parenting department. Being angry and frustrated with my toddler all day long was NOT how I wanted to spend my foreseeable future. So I rolled up my sleeves and got to work figuring out a game plan.

I started reading and learning about parenting psychology on my own, which then morphed into starting my Masters Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy as well as launching my own coaching business.

What inspires your work and what sets you apart from everyone else?

I’m not afraid to talk about the hard stuff.

It’s really easy to only talk about the bliss and wonder that comes with having small children, while totally sweeping the not-so-nice parts under the rug.

I’m all about recognizing the ‘yucky’ bits as opportunities to learn and grow and using our littles as inspiration for going for our dreams, rather than as something to hold us back. 😉

What is your background and how did you develop the skills to start your business?

My professional background is as a Registered Nurse. I worked with a wide variety of different families in the NICU, Paediatric and Maternity Units before having children of my own.

I find that I’m constantly developing new skills that help in my business life. There is always something new to learn and a new challenge to face, whether it’s figuring out Instagram or learning how to write HTML code.

I’m all about taking things as they come and tackling one thing at a time.

What has been your biggest success to date?

Every day is a success!

I must say, simply knowing what I’ve created while juggling two small kids and managing a home is pretty freakin’ awesome!

What has been your biggest challenge?

Myself.

Those little niggling thoughts. The self-doubt. The ‘are you sure you’re ready for this’ and the ‘what will people think’ thoughts.

Although I’m happy to report that little by little these annoying voices are getting quieter and quieter.

Describe your typical work day.

Right now I have no child care, so my days are a bit wonky!

I get up and have breakfast with the kids and then usually get about 15-20 minutes to answer emails while they play independently. Then it’s off to the park, lunch, and then my littlest naps.

I usually get about 30-60 minutes of work in while my oldest plays independently, then it’s back to mommy mode for the rest of the day!

Bedtime is 7pm — which means back to work! I’ll answer any outstanding emails and then I usually have a client coaching call from 8 – 9pm which marks the end of my work day.

Which small businesses are you inspired by?

Alyson Schafer is definitely someone I look up to. Her parenting books are what started that little spark of entrepreneurship inside me. I love how she’s found success in a variety of different mediums — books, a website, TEDtalks, workshops — you name it!If you could go back to the beginning knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?

That’s a tough question. In retrospect I’ve learned just as much (maybe more) from the times that felt like major can-I-have-a-do-over moments, so I’m not sure I’d want to change them.

What’s your best advice for someone who wants to start her own creative business?

I would have tried to not sweat the small stuff.

It’s so easy to get caught up in all the ‘doing’ of starting a small business that you can lose sight of the big picture.

A beautiful website, fancy business cards and large social media following will all come with time — the most important thing is focusing on one customer relationship at a time.

Learn more about Kelly Bourne and follow her on Instagram for more insightful parenting info.

Disclosure: The post contains no affiliate links whatsoever and we have interviewed Kelly at no cost to either party.