[Women of TWB] Breaking Labels: Aude Camus on Parenthood and Media Business

I began writing for Hong Kong Madame – a bilingual French/English lifestyle media dedicated to what’s hot in Hong Kong, as a freelancer in 2015. In 2018, I took over its ownership and have been running it ever since. all while having a full time job.

I welcomed my baby girl in 2020, but it didn’t change much for me. I still worked full time for an international lifestyle concierge group while running Hong Kong Madame on my spare time.

I would be lying to say the change was seamless. It did take a bit of time for me to adapt to a new routine. I used to work on Hong Kong Madame at night and on weekends so I had to find a way to balance working two jobs at the same time while also being a mum.

2. What was your dream as a little girl?

I wanted to be an interior designer! I was really into it, loved reading interior décor books, had an interior design game I would play for hours on my computer, and couldn’t help thinking about how I would redecorate the space every time I visited someone’s place.

The only catch is that my drawing skills were, and still are, very poor. I can’t even remember how and when I shifted away from that dream.

3. Who is the most inspiring woman to you?

Wow that’s a tough question. I’m not really someone to have a role model in life. “To each their own” is my motto. I just follow my gut and do things the way I want to do them.

4. How have you been able to empower other women through your business?

To say that I’ve been able to empower women through my own business would be a big claim. But if by sharing my positive vision of maternity and showing that being a mum doesn’t define who you are – I believe that you can be a mum and a million other things including someone who loves her work  – I’ve been able to inspire one single person, then I’m very happy.

5. What is something you're proud of as a mompreneur?

I’m proud of being more than a mum and more than an entrepreneur. I’m proud of finding the balance that works for me. I love being a mum, but I would hate to be a full-time mum. I need times where my life is not just my kid.

I love being a working mom, but I love it because I know I get to go home to a loving little munchkin at the end of the day. I’m also proud of being able to set an example for my little girl and show her that you can be a working woman (I strongly believe it’s my role to show her how important it is to make your own money and be financially independent) and a loving and caring parent.

6. What is the biggest challenge being a female entrepreneur in Hong Kong?

I honestly feel it’s easier in Hong Kong than in many other countries thanks to the great help of nannies. We’re so lucky to have access to such help. Without our nanny I would not be able to have the life I have today. For that I’m very thankful.

One challenge would probably be that there’s little proper financial support for entrepreneurs in Hong Kong. But it’s something that doesn’t really apply to me as I run my business on top of having a full time job, which gives me some sort of financial security.

7. How do you balance your responsibilities as a mom and an entrepreneur?

Freestyle! I do what I trust is good for me. Running a lifestyle media means I’m often invited to events and tastings at night. This means I might miss the goodnight kiss to my little one. Does it make me a bad mother? I don’t think so. It just means that when I’m with her I’m making sure we’re having quality time.

"Being a mum has also taught me how to prioritise."

Prior to being a mum, I would usually say yes to every invitation I received. I’m more selective now, which means I get to enjoy a great time when I’m going out and quality time with my little girl when I decide to spend the evening at home.

Neither my full time job nor my entrepreneurial adventure requires me to save lives. And it’s not replying to an email or writing an article on a Saturday that’s going to make a difference, so on weekends I just enjoy being off. Most of the time being off means spending time with my girl, but sometimes - for my own sanity and also for my relationship, it also means enjoying some me-time or some time alone with my partner.

The only thing is, no matter what, I make sure to tell my daughter that I love her at least once a day.

8. Do you have any must-have items as a mompreneur?

My phone! While I’m at work, it allows me to receive pictures of my girl and keep in touch with my nanny. And while I’m parenting, I can always check my emails if there's anything urgent. Plus, it stores the 10,000 pictures I’m taking of my girl whenever I spend time with her.