It's not easy being a mum, but perhaps even tougher running a business on the side while caring for children at home.
Two Sutherland Shire women are proving that even the trickiest of challenges can be successfully balanced - and even rewarded.
Two talented friends and ladies in business from the shire have taken out the 'Favourite Product' award in the 2022 AusMumpreneur Awards.
Amy Thompson and Tara Ient, the brains behind Cubbi Buddi, won gold for their creation that aims to keep children busy at play, all while exploring their imagination.
The awards were presented by The Women's Business School and were held in Sydney. It highlighted the dedicated work of talented mothers in business from across Australia.
Of the 670,000 women operating a small business in Australia, about half of them are mums with children at home.
Cubbi Buddi's products are soft children's play lounges that can be creatively transformed into play or leisure time. Mrs Thompson and Mrs Ient recognised a gap in the market during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when having children at home made for a challenging time - how to keep them occupied while using their creative skills.
"We did not expect our little business to be voted Australia's favourite product," Mrs Ient, of Sylvania, said. "It's such a huge recognition."
"It was such a fabulous event to be at, surrounded by so many mums in business that have overcome so many adversities on top of the big juggling act that is parenting and working," Mrs Thompson, of Loftus, said.
