November 8th, 2017

After weeks of feeling like I am going through a very difficult break up with the most perfect partner whom I can no longer give everything to, I am ready to explain how I came to this decision.

Giggle has been far more than a passion for me. The best way to describe it is that Giggle has definitely been my first baby. It feels appropriate to say I ‘birthed’ Giggle but since the birth of my second baby, Rocco – my world has changed.

A close friend said to me ‘Motherhood is the biggest unpaid unrecognised career in society’ and I could not agree more! I am finding so many similarities to running your own business and having a baby. The responsibility never switches off, both are exhausting and demanding but most importantly both are incredibly rewarding and the love and passion you develop is so hard to explain. It is on another level.

I feel as though I have blinked and Rocco is 9 months old. A clichéd comment but so true. At month 7, I finally felt as though my feet touched the ground and I came out of the baby bubble – ready to take on work again. So I started back at the office – slowly easing my way in for 2 days a week.

Driving in a car without a crying baby, without nappies spilling out of a handbag, switching off from motherhood and engaging the brain with adult conversation and feeling like I have another purpose… it felt wonderful!

As the weeks went on and I became more involved, the list grew and my two days felt like I was only touching the surface. In my previous life, I would work all hours, all week! I was totally obsessed. I began coming away from my two days feeling as though I hadn’t achieved. My quality time with Rocco was often spent with me still trying to do the odd call/email and guilt was setting in with the struggle to juggle.

I am an all or nothing person. I wish I could be less like this but it is something I have to accept. Along with this, I also tend to be a bit of perfectionist so I have been struggling to work out how I can give myself fully to Giggle and give myself fully to Rocco without either of them being compromised. For those of you who work and have children-I don’t know how you do it! You are my hero!

Whilst in this turmoil, I spoke with close friends and family and a few people asked if I would ever sell. To which I quickly said ‘ No-it would feel like losing half of my body’. But as I thought more about this, and realised that my time and passion for Giggle will become increasingly compromised when I potentially have another baby, I decided to look into this as an option.

Ruth is my closest friend. She started Giggle with me 10 years ago. For the first few years it was the two of us out at every party. And although Ruth has had other ventures in her life, she has continued to be a huge part of Giggle over the past ten years, stepping in and forcing me to have a day off – or even brave a holiday. Entertaining every weekend, even when she was living the other side of London. And more recently, ensuring everything continued to run when I met my whirlwind romance and got married, honeymooned and then became pregnant. Ruth developed Giggle with me and her passion for Giggle has never changed. In the past few years, Ruth has also taken on the social media for Giggle and therefore knows the voice of Giggle more than anyone. And for those of you who have met Ruth, she and I look and sound the same!

Like me, Ruth and I strongly believe that a successful company comes from a happy and valued close-knit team – which is exactly what we have created in our Giggle family.

So although the letting go part for me has been and may continue to be hard for some time, under the sadness, I feel at peace that this is the best thing for everyone involved. Rocco gets a full time mummy. My husband gets a more relaxed wife. I get to fully emerse myself in motherhood and helping Rocco get the best start to his life – which is the biggest pleasure. Giggle will fly. Ruth gets a new venture. And you all get Ruthie! A winning combination!!

This is not goodbye. I plan to still do occasional parties that fit around family life. I get to watch Giggle fly with a fabulous new boss who has the fire in her belly and the time to give her all to making it even more amazing. This is an exciting handover to an already established Giggle expert. Nobody will notice a change – in fact, if you do, it’ll only be in a positive way.

I cannot find the right words to express my gratitude to all those who have supported Giggle and continue to support Giggle.

I genuinely feel like the luckiest lady in the world – to have had this opportunity of running my own business. A business with a purpose to make children smile – is there anything in the world better than that? Now it is time to focus on keeping Rocco smiling :)

Here is to a new lease for Giggle – one that I cannot wait to see emerge and be a part of. I have so much love for you all I feel I could pop!!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart

Tara xxx

P.S - We will be planning our Giggle Party for Rocco soon :)

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