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Business owner. Mum. Creative.
Sarah built her footwear brand, Bronwyn, while raising two boys - balancing the demands of entrepreneurship with the joys of motherhood. She’s driven, passionate, and proud. Her story is one of hustle, heart, and heritage.
What lights you up?
My two boys light me up. And I love being creative, so that lights me up as well.
How would people describe you?
I think people would describe me as a creative. I'm very passionate about what I do. I'm really career driven. But being a mum is my favourite role that I've ever had.
Beautiful! Tell us about your boys.
So having two boys, they're very active. We're often out bike riding or playing sports. They've both got really into drawing and becoming creative as well which is really cool to see.
How did you get into starting your own business?
I've done footwear design for about 15 years now, and when I was on maternity leave with my second son, I started thinking about that idea of starting my own business.
What’s the inspiration behind the name of your business?
I think naming a company is a lot like naming a child. You want it to have longevity, but you also want it to mean something. I lost my mum in 2016, and when I was trying to come up with this brand name, mum's name popped into my head – Bronwyn. And I just thought, it's just perfect. It meant so much to me, which holds so much power.
How would you describe your mum?
My mum was a real force of nature. She was the biggest inspiration for me. She was just the best mum. Such a nurturer, a warrior as well, but, a nurturer. We've always called her our wāhine Toa because she's just been such an incredible inspiration to everyone in her life.
What do you think your mum would think about where you are today?
I think she would be pretty proud of the mum I've become and the brand that I've created in her honour. I think she'd really love that.
And what do you think your kids would say?
I think my kids would say that they're proud of me too.
Where do you get your inspiration from when creating new pieces?
I take inspiration from so many different places. When I'm designing collections I always think about how I operate my daily life, and how busy so many women are. I want to create a collection of footwear that serves a purpose for women like me.
How do you manage running a successful business as well as care for two young children?
The hardest thing about owning a business and being a mother is the juggle, thinking about 100 things at once, you know, doing the school drop off and then coming back and thinking about when you're going to do a photoshoot, planning or designing the next range. But while it's been really challenged, it's come really naturally.
What’s the most beautiful feedback you’ve ever received from someone who’s bought your shoes?
It's really nice to hear when customers send us an email and say, “I haven't worn heels for a long time because I've never found them comfortable, but yours have been so amazing”. I think when you feel comfortable, you feel confident. I really pride myself on making sure customers are really well cared for.
What does Force of Nature mean to you?
Force of nature is being confident within who you are and what you stand for. It's taken me a long time to be able to get to a stage where I do back myself and feel more confident, with who I am. But I think becoming a mother really helped me with that.
When do you feel like a force?
I feel most like a force of nature when I'm with my boys. Especially when we're doing something fun. Or creative.
What makes you feel comfortable in your skin?
I always love when I get home with the boys and peeling off the day, I love washing my face at night and putting my serums on. Having that lovely natural glow… it just it's so nice.
What does your skincare ritual mean to you?
I think for me, having a really good skincare routine is important. As long as you're using really good products with good ingredients, I think your skin reacts well.
