Tikiboo – behind the scenes

No, I’m not channelling The Pussycat Dolls, it’s a challenge for a new blogging network I’ve joined, Blogged. (The name is about to change…watch this space!). The theme for this week is When I grow up…A ballerina? A vet? An astronaut? As a small child, what did you dream of becoming?

I’m sure as a small child I wanted to be all those things and more. The one I most vividly recollect was wanting to be a stockbroker. I wanted to work on Wall Street, live in New York and drive a Porsche 911 Carerra. The Targa type. Oh yes, I had all all planned out there for a few years. Buy! Sell! Buy! Sell!

Shame I was such a shy kid – not to mention hopeless with numbers. (This was years before the movie Wall Street, for the record, so no inspiration there!). I still have never been to New York, it’s still on the Must Visit list.
When I finally realised it wasn’t a particularly practical career option, I really had no idea, for many years. Really, no idea. When school finished and I still had NO idea, I jobbed around for several years – Pharmacy assistant, Governess, Nanny, Medical Receptionist, Optical Dispenser. In the mid 90’s, the IT industry was booming, and as luck would have it, I scored a position as a receptionist.  From day one they realised I wasn’t the type to be stuck answering phones and I steadily worked my way up through a few different companies to a good position in IT marketing. Officially, I’m a Product Manager.

But I prefer “Children’s Fashion Designer”. That’s what I put on forms when they ask Occupation.

You see, somewhere along the way, not long after my daughter was born, a passion for children’s clothing emerged. My mum shared that passion and vision, and TikiBoo Kids was created. Me. A fashion designer. Wow.  Now I think I’m finally grown up.