You know that magical feeling you had as a child when you stepped into a boutique toy shop? That’s the feeling that Caroline Rodrigues hopes you feel when you encounter her wonderful children’s shop Merci Milo. Caroline was designing jewelry for large companies when she and her husband became pregnant with their daughter, Milo. Inspired by her daughter and her travels to Paris, Caroline created a whimsical shop filled with old heirloom handmade toys. It’s one of our favorite places to shop for our kids. We asked her about creative energy, how she juggles being a mom and running a small business, and what new adventures she’s planning.

Tell us about your background and how you got to where you are today? 

I am originally from Los Angeles but moved to New York City in my twenties to work in fashion. I designed jewelry for major corporations. My husband and I met in New York City and we had Milo, which inspired us to start Merci Milo. Merci means “thank you” in French and so naturally we want to thank Milo for sparking this creative drive to bring forth our shop today. 

What does creative energy mean to you?

Creative energy is a form of inspiration. I feel that in order to have that creative energy you need to feel inspired. That creative energy is what gave me that push to start my company. 

What’s currently inspiring you? 

My family inspires me every day, the love and joy, the everyday hustle to become a better person but also better the company. We just came back from our trip to Europe and it gave me such a different perspective on how I should be running my business. Traveling is key to staying inspired, learning about different cultures and exploring the world.

What keeps you motivated and inspired by your work? 

Traveling is so important to our family to stay motivated and inspired. We need to always be on the go, traveling abroad to different cultures. Trying new things, exploring the cities, visiting galleries and just surrounding ourselves with beautiful art. 

Do you have any side projects you’re currently working on? 

I was working a full-time job but that recently ended, so I guess you can say that the side project was our shop! Crazy to think that Merci Milo was a side job, now that I am in it full-on. I can’t believe I was able to juggle a job and the shop!

Currently, we are collaborating with artists to bring amazing events to the shop, along with designing our own toys for the coming year under the Merci Milo brand.

Why do you find side projects important to creative work? 

Side projects are what motivate you, fuel that fire within and build up so much momentum in order to stay creative. 

 

when a side project fails, just stay positive and know that this isn’t the end. Opportunities will present themselves in the right moment and time.

You’re also a mother. How do you make time for both work and motherhood? 

This one is tough. Juggling motherhood with work has been one of the biggest challenges in my daily life. After becoming a mother, your priority shifts and your child becomes your number one. Once you become a business owner, you basically give birth to another child. This also becomes your priority. How to juggle both and find that right balance is definitely something I am learning right now. I can’t say I have perfected both. I think it’s a learning process, and making sure you care for yourself is also important. I make it a habit to shut off all work by 6 p.m. and focus on my family. There are times where work calls and you can’t help to continue, but staying disciplined has helped me get through it all. 

How does being a mom influence your creativity? 

Becoming a mother to Milo sparked something in me that pushed me to another level of creativity. It was like a force that motivated me to stay focused, stay true to who I was, and also it was like my calling. 

Have you ever had a side project that failed? What did you learn? 

So many! My side projects always ended up becoming nothing but a loss. But there were those that actually succeeded! Merci Milo was the first side project that actually sunk in and it was like a passion project. I just knew in my heart that this is what I wanted to be doing for the rest of my life. I learned that when a side project fails, just stay positive and know that this isn’t the end. Opportunities will present themselves in the right moment and time.

What’s a new skill you want to acquire? 

I think that I want to continue to upgrade my photography skills. I would love to learn how to use the camera better. Since we use photography so much for our business, that is one skill I would love to improve. 

What tools do you use to stay on top of everything you juggle? 

I use a lot of creative tools and software for the business. Coming from a graphic artist background, I love my Creative Adobe Suite. 

Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, movies that inspire you? 

Cool Moms is great and my favorite podcast. I love the women that are being interviewed. I have to say the movie that inspired me to do Merci Milo was “You’ve Got Mail”. I loved Meg Ryan in the movie, but also the shop around the corner was just so magical. 

What do you find magical? 

I’m pretty biased, but I think our shop is pretty magical. I can’t wait for people to step into our old horse carriage building. It’s such a cozy feeling and it is just so inspiring. I just came back from Paris and the streets and buildings there are so magical. It’s like traveling in the past… 

You may also like: Getting Over It: How To Not Care What People Think And Be Proud Of Your Side Project |Don’t Make These Common Mistakes When Starting A Side Project

Image sources: Nicki Sebastian for Mother Mag, Lisa Hsieh from The Grey Endeavor, Lily Glass for Oh Joy! Blog