Chickens, Chatbots, and Caregiving: One Woman’s Story of Building a Brand Amid the Chaos
Living in the Middle of Everything
There are mornings when I’m not sure if I ever fully stopped from the day before. The rooster crows, the dogs stir, and the chickens are already demanding attention. Before my feet even hit the floor, I’m needed. And once I rise, the needs just multiply.
In one hand, I hold the weight of caregiving—aging loved ones who depend on me, animals whose care is non-negotiable, and a home that rarely rests. In the other, I hold the pieces of a business I’ve built from nothing but vision, tenacity, and endless, aching hope.
No, I didn’t have to start a business. But I did. Because the pull to create was louder than the reasons not to.
Dressed Up Hippy: My Heart in Fabric and Form
Dressed Up Hippy isn’t just a brand—it’s a living thread of my creativity. I take pieces of my art and turn them into wearables that speak, shout, whisper, and sometimes even laugh. There’s something deeply intimate about seeing your own artwork come alive on fabric. It’s proof that even in exhaustion, something beautiful can be born.
This brand didn’t just form itself—it formed out of a refusal to let caregiving and responsibility steal the part of me that still wanted to build something of my own.
The Lifeline of Automation (and the Limits of It)
Let me tell you: I’m one person. But the demands are many. That’s why automation isn’t a luxury—it’s survival.
I’ve created systems—a “talking highway,” as I call it—between my online store, the marketplace, my databases. Brevo, Jotform, HubSpot, Trello. These are my second set of hands, my behind-the-scenes miracle workers that keep the chaos from spilling into overwhelm. Without a chatbot attached to my site who sends me notices everytime she starts a conversation with a customer (and answers phone calls) to the webhook that sends all the order information to my spreadsheet, how would I handle it all?
But even the smartest automation can’t feed chickens. Or hold a trembling hand. Or calm a dog in distress.
Ferdi’s Pond: Creativity That Couldn’t Wait
In the middle of all of this—somewhere between Trello cards and chicken feed—Ferdi’s Pond showed up. I know it sounds silly. But, Ferdi has a voice, a purpose, and a home I hadn’t even built yet. His books, stories and lessons that he teaches needed a home, a “pond” where Ferdi can live and do what he does best… teach.
That’s how Ferdi’s Pond was born.
Ferdi’s Pond isn’t just a digital space. It’s a living, breathing hub where children will access stories I’ve written, activities I’ve created, and interactive play powered by a chatbot, a talking Ferdi that children can interact with.
A membership-based app is in the works to give families full access to this whimsical world.
People might ask, “Why now?” I ask, “How could I not?” Creativity doesn’t wait for the perfect moment. It claws its way out when it has to. And Ferdi clawed his way into my heart and plans, and I had no choice but to make room for him.
Activism Woven into Fabric: The Endangered Species Tees
Creating has always been my form of protest. My form of prayer. My way of saying, “This matters.” That’s why I launched the Endangered Species line of tees—not just as a fashion statement, but as a call to awareness.
Each design puts a threatened species front and center. Not hidden. Not forgotten.
From the Honey Bee, to the delicate Vaquita Porpoise, the timeless Sea Turtle, and the rare Saimaa Ringed Seal—these tees are both wearable art and a message to the world.
A portion of every sale supports the incredible nonprofit foundations working to protect these species. You can read more about each cause and where the money goes under the “Giving Back” link in my store’s main menu. It matters. They matter.
And even in my small corner of rural life, this is how I fight for the world I believe in.
When Everything Depends on You
There’s a unique kind of loneliness that comes from being the only one who keeps it all moving.
You can’t drop the ball, because there’s no one else to catch it. And there are days when you’re so far beyond tired, you forget what rest used to feel like.
I don’t say this for pity. I say it for the ones who know this feeling. The ones holding together their world with duct tape and dreams. You’re not broken. You’re just stretched.
And even when AI does what it can, there’s no shortcut around the emotional weight of loving and carrying people and projects that depend on you.
The Tools I Lean On (When I Remember To)
There are a few lifelines that help me stay afloat:
Mindfulness, even in 30-second bursts. Sometimes just focusing on my breath while washing dishes is enough to reset my mind. (WesleyLife)
Organizational clarity, through tools like Trello and HubSpot. I live by checklists because my brain can’t hold it all. (E‑Resident Estonia)
Saying “No” when I need to. And learning that “no” is a sentence, not an apology. (Creo Incubator)
Emotional Intelligence—the ability to name my own feelings, to regulate my burnout, to stay soft when everything tells me to harden. (Harvard DCE)
Connection. When I remember to reach out, even for a quick message or a cup of coffee with a friend, it fills a part of me that automation can’t touch. (Wired)
Why I Keep Going (Even When It Hurts)
Because I’m building something that matters. Not just to me, but to the people I love. To the kids who’ll meet Ferdi and laugh and learn. To the soul that still lives in my artwork, my words, and my hands.
I may never catch up on sleep. But I’m caught up in meaning.
You’re Not Alone If You’re Doing It All
If you’re like me—doing it all, trying to keep the wheels turning and the heart open—I want you to know something: I see you. I am you.
This road isn’t easy. But it’s meaningful. And in those rare, quiet moments between the barking dogs and the pings of email automation, we’re creating something beautiful.
Keep going.
You’re Not Alone If You’re Doing It All
If you’re like me—doing it all, trying to keep the wheels turning and the heart open—I want you to know something: I see you. I am you.
This road isn’t easy. But it’s meaningful. And in those rare, quiet moments between the barking dogs and the pings of email automation, we’re creating something beautiful.
Keep going.
🌱 Stay Connected – Be the First to Know When Ferdi’s Pond Launches!
If this story resonates with you—if you’ve ever felt like you’re doing it all while chasing something beautiful—I’d love for you to be part of the journey.
Sign up for the Dressed Up Hippy newsletter and you’ll be the first to hear when Ferdi’s Pond officially launches, plus get updates on new products, creative projects, endangered species spotlights, and behind-the-scenes peeks into the chaos, care, and heart behind it all.
💌 Join the Dressed Up Hippy Newsletter
Because life’s messy. But we’re building something magical in the middle of it.
FAQs
1. How can I balance business, caregiving, and creativity?
Use systems. Say no. Breathe. Let the vision be the fuel, not the fire.
2. What tools help me as a solo entrepreneur?
Brevo, Jotform, Trello, HubSpot—for workflows. Mindfulness and connection—for sanity.
3. Why start a creative project like Ferdi’s Pond when I’m already overwhelmed?
Because creativity doesn’t ask for permission. It’s the part of you that insists on living, even in the mess.
