Heike Hayward, the founder of Fleur le Cordeur and guest speaker at the RC Operations and Finance's Women's Day, is nothing short of a floral design extraordinaire, as House & Garden Magazine describes her. This mother of six (who never went to floral school and has no formal training) shared her journey with us on Women's Day, not as someone with all the answers, but as a mother, entrepreneur, and woman who had learned, sometimes the hard way, that there is no single “right way" to live a full life.
She started her business while pregnant with her first child. Her dream was to be there for her family, while also pursuing meaningful work. She managed to deliver her first wedding with the help of her mother, her nanny and a one-month-old baby in tow. From then on, her family and business grew together, eventually reaching a R10 million turnover in the first five years. She did this as a single owner, working 40 weekends and every public holiday and throughout the main school holidays. She manages her 12 full-time staff and 20 part-time staff herself.
But Heike's journey was not without heartbreak. She recalled the day her daughter was injured at school while she was setting up a wedding. In that moment, she was confronted with an impossible choice: rush to her child or finish the event her bride had dreamed of all her life. “That day I learned," she said, “that higher priority does not mean higher value. Sometimes you must act on what is urgent, without forgetting what is truly important."
Through the highs and lows of her life as a mother and entrepreneur, she gathered lessons that shaped her into what she is today. The lessons are:
We truly need a village. Her family, loyal nannies, and growing team became the community that made her work and her family life possible.
Ask for help. “You cannot do it all," she said. “Free yourself from the tasks that drain you, so you can focus on what matters most."
Release control. She learned to let go of perfection and embrace “good enough" when needed.
Stay authentic. In her early career, she tried to hide the fact that she was a young mother. However, when she once brought her baby to a high-profile client meeting, the response surprised her: the clients respected her honesty.
Looking back, Heike believes women carry an extraordinary resilience. “We rise when we have to, we adapt, we create, and we nurture. And just when the world thinks it has us cornered, we find a way forward."
Her story is not about balancing life's roles perfectly, but about weaving them together into one vibrant tapestry. At the heart of it all is her village — proof that women are not meant to walk this road alone.?
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