Mom in Chief

Getting a company off the ground—especially in the parenting space—is a feat in itself, but in a short amount of time, Fawn Design has taken the diaper bag world by storm. 27-year-old founder and mom of two (to daughters Georgia and June) Jenny Wecker has been at the helm of it all, expanding the brand into accessories and moving into a new Salt Lake City office.

MINI | Thank you for inviting us into Fawn Design HQ! Tell us about the place! What are your favorite parts?

JENNY WECKER | We moved into this office about seven months ago, and it truly feels like my home away from home. It was pretty surreal to me that I had to get a space of this size to accommodate my growing team! My absolute favorite part of our office is all the windows and natural light. My personal office is right on the corner, so it is always so bright and I love it. I have a really cool piece of music memorabilia artwork hanging in my office that I got on a trip up in Whistler, Canada. It is one of my most prized things I own, and I love being able to look at it every day!

MINI | We are such big fans of Fawn Design! How has the brand evolved since its early days?

JENNY WECKER | Fawn Design has changed so much since I started it almost six years ago! I love that the core of who we are is still the same. At Fawn, we are all about women embracing every stage of womanhood, especially motherhood. That is what I think about and focus on every day. The biggest change for sure has been the team! For a while it was just a couple of us, and now we are close to a team of 20— and growing! It’s been such a privilege to work alongside some of the best in the business. Another change I am proud of is our product offering. For a long time, we just had our original bag in a few colors. Now we have a whole variety of bags in multiple colors, and we are constantly adding to it.

MINI | Where do you see the brand going in the future?

JENNY WECKER | I am so excited for where the brand is headed! We plan to add more bags and accessories of course, but we also have some really cool collaborations in the works. We are going to continue focusing on our campaign that we call, We Are We Can. This campaign is all about focusing on women all over, sharing their stories, which in turn helps others not feel so alone in their struggles. I’m hoping we can continue to make an impact.

MINI | What do you love about being based in Salt Lake City, in terms of both work and life?

JENNY WECKER | I am such a lover of Salt Lake City! I love that you can be in the city and within 15 minutes, you can be up in the beautiful mountains. I love the outdoors, so Utah is the perfect spot for me. It’s been such a great place to work because we have such a large community of entrepreneurs here. It’s nice to be able to connect with people who understand the ups and downs of owning your own business. Especially being a woman and mom CEO, it’s nice to have people who can relate.

MINI | What would you say is the greatest challenge of being a working mom?

JENNY WECKER | Finding a good balance between work and family. Every work opportunity can seem like its important, which at the end of the day, is not the case. You have to be hyper-focused on the things that are important, so it makes it easy to say yes or no. I try hard to remember I can’t be at everything for my kids and to be okay with that. I have my absolutes I won’t miss, so if something work related comes up, I know to turn it down, because my commitment to my family comes first.

MINI | What helps you to juggle motherhood and career?

JENNY WECKER | I stick to a pretty strict schedule; that is what helps me try to “balance” motherhood and my career. I only work certain days and times and I don’t budge on that. I also really make sure I am taking time for self care. It seems a little backwards, but when I make time for me, I actually am less selfish and am able to focus better on family and work. I aslo think we think of self care as grand gestures, when really, it’s simple things like making sure you’re drinking enough water and eating three meals a day!

MINI | Tell us about that schedule. What does a typical day look like right now?

JENNY WECKER | My schedule is pretty hectic! When I am home, I typically like to get up around 6 a.m. I really love having me time first thing in the morning. I like to exercise and then get ready before my kids wake up. That doesn’t always happen, but that is the goal! I really love being with my girls in the morning. Getting them ready and having breakfast as a family is one of the highlights of my day. Once I am at work, I am usually in meetings. When I am not in meetings, I am working in my office on new product designs. That is my main job at Fawn Design these days, which I love!

MINI | What has been the greatest lesson you’ve learned so far as a business owner?

JENNY WECKER | One of the greatest lessons I have learned is that I am so much smarter than I think I am. I grew up really struggling in school and that hurt my self-esteem over the years. I’ve really had to realize that does not define how “smart” I am. I am constantly reflecting on how I’ve built a company out of nothing, completely self-funded, all while being a college dropout. I am a big advocate for education (and plan to finish one day), but that doesn’t define how smart you are and what you are capable of.

MINI | If you ever deal with mom guilt, how do you handle it?

JENNY WECKER | I try really hard to not even “go there” with mom guilt. Meaning, I keep my priorities clear, so when I’ve made a decision, I don’t feel guilty, because I was intentional about it. I do get homesick when I travel, but I also make sure my kids have plenty to do while I am away, so they don’t usually miss me! When I am home, I put my phone down and make the most of my time with my family.

MINI | What is most important to you in raising your children?

JENNY WECKER | I just want my kids to know that I love them, no matter what. I also want them to be nice people. I love that quote from the new Disney Cinderella movie, “we must have courage and be kind.” That’s what I hope for them.

MINI | What is your greatest parenting fear?

JENNY WECKER | Probably my kids not feeling like they can tell me anything. I really hope I can create an environment where they feel like nothing is off limits and I will always love them.

MINI | What do you think is the one thing about motherhood no one really warns you about?

JENNY WECKER | Just how many ups and downs there are! You can be feeling great and on top of the world, and a minute later, you can be so discouraged. It’s hard to even get it until you’re in that spot, but I wasn’t expecting all the mood swings.

MINI | Favorite places to visit in SLC with kids? Go!

JENNY WECKER | We love going up to Snowbird Ski Resort! It’s so fun to hike in the summer and ski in the winter. We also are pretty simple and love going to the parks and splash pads. We are lucky to have great ones for both in Utah!