With the latest addition to our family there’ll be a few subtle changes to the schedule of the blog for the coming weeks while I’m adjusting to life with our new baby.
I’ll still be posting the very coolest real Jewish weddings every week, but there’ll also be a brand new feature running where I interview all sorts of inspirational women in the wedding industry whom I greatly admire. These women successfully combine running their own business with married life and in a lot of cases, raising a young family.
The series is called Chitter Chatter and the twist is is they have to answer my questions in just 140 characters or less….
Today I’m thrilled to be chitter chattering to Jenny Adjene, an award-winning entrepreneur and co-founder of Hip Hip Hooray, one of the UK’s leading wedding and celebration stationery companies. A crafter at heart, Jenny taught herself graphic design and discovered a love and skill for creating gorgeous wedding and party invitations. She spotted a gap in the market for high quality designs at affordable prices, and through Hip Hip Hooray, now offers innovative web based technology which allows brides-to-be to customise their favourite invitation designs online and download as an instant printable, or get it professionally printed and shipped in a few short days. Jenny is married and has two little girls.
What was your first job?
At around the age of 13 I started working as a waitress in the local village pub. I think I was paid around £2.50 an hour!
Tell me more about your career before launching Hip Hip Hooray
Before launching Hip Hip Hooray, I ran another much smaller wedding stationery business which was full of charm but ultimately, not at all scalable.
What made you start Hip Hip Hooray?
I saw a gap in the market for designs where quality is matched by affordability, and which allow brides the flexibility to print themselves or order professionally printed.
What inspires you to keep growing and developing your business?
Business is my absolute passion and I thrive in the pressure of working in a very saturated industry, where you have to keep having fresh ideas all the time.
What obstacles have you overcome along the way?
Deciding to close my previous business and open Hip Hip Hooray was a massive step, especially as there were redundancies involved, which was heart braking. I also had my second baby one month before we launched, which was amazing but of course — limited my working hours a lot!
What is the best opportunity that Hip Hip Hooray has brought you?
I was absolutely thrilled to be named Online Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2014 Mumpreneur awards, as sponsored by online retail giant Amazon UK. This accolade continues to bring a lot of great opportunities which help get the word out about Hip Hip Hooray.
What’s your best tip for a work / life balance?
I’m still working on this one! I’m currently focusing on being all-present in whichever role, so being 100% focused on family when I’m not working, and vice versa.
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t base any decisions on emotion! There are many emotions involved when you run a business but decisions should be made logically wherever possible.
97% of Britain’s small creative businesses are run by women. Why do you think this is?
For me, I know I sought a career I could fit in around family life, I wanted to be in control of my own work pattern and as the age-old theory goes, we’re good at multi-tasking!
How did you meet your husband?
We met on a night out almost 10 years ago. I asked him if he wanted to dance, he asked if I wanted to go out again, and the rest is history!
What was the highlight of your wedding day?
Without a doubt, it was saying our vows. Committing to each other was a long time coming and it was an amazing feeling. Our relationship has been strengthened unbelievable.
Looking back, is there anything you would change about your wedding?
I would probably have liked a few more moments in the day with my little girl — the day went by in a whirlwind and we hardly spent any time together…
What are your top tips for brides-to-be when planning their wedding?
I would say just to keep in mind the true meaning of the day and try not to get weighed down by the day to day stresses of wedding planning, which can be rather consuming if you let them..
Any marriage tips?
I think respect is so important in a marriage. My husband and I have an incredible amount of mutual respect for one another, which keeps us strong.
Last holiday?
We went to Cyprus this year for some pure relaxation — to be away from our manic schedule for a week, enjoy some quality time with the kids and take a breath was amazing.
Currently reading?
Thrive
If you could be trapped in a lift with any living person who would it be and why?
I’ll take 10 minutes of uninterrupted quiet time with my man any day! Failing that though, probably someone who inspires me like entrepreneur Karen Brady.
Tell me something about you that most people don’t know…
I am absolutely awful at any kind of exercise! It’s like the gene skipped me completely. Luckily, I have plenty of other things to keep me busy..
What is your guilty pleasure?
A large latte to wake me up after a long and late night of catching up on work. It’s as much about the routine and ritual as the actual caffeine for me!
What’s next?
I’m bursting in anticipation of 2015. We have some really exciting plans for new design offerings and technologies and I can’t wait to see Hip Hip Hooray grow.
Thank you Jenny! Find Hip Hip Hooray on:
@Twitter
@Facebook
@Pinterest
@Instagram
