"Appreciating the simple things, staying true to yourself and doing things with your heart" is what keeps Sanne inspired.
Can you introduce yourself in a few lines?
My name is Sanne Hop, I am 41 years old and I live in the Netherlands.
I am a mother of four children. I have two sons, Ole, who is almost 13, and Hannes, who is 10.
I also have two daughters, Pippa, 8, and Kaatje, 5.
We live in Amsterdam, where my husband and I both work, and our children attend a very nice school.
How did you come up with the idea of starting your own business?
To be honest, it wasn't really planned. A long time ago, it was decided that I would stay home with our four children, to give us some peace and quiet in our daily lives . It worked out very well, and both my children and I benefited from it for years. I was there for them after school, to listen to their stories, play with them, and simply be together .
I've had a love for aesthetics and photography for a while, and I developed a love for sharing on Instagram while spending my days at home. I've "met" some amazing people there. Other mothers, creators, and enthusiasts of all kinds.
A committed community began to grow. As the years passed, my contacts with many small creators developed into warm and friendly relationships (both online and offline).
That's when the idea began to germinate in me to unite them into a single website, where I would give them the attention they deserved and offer some of their products in a store. I created Atelier Hop.
I've been slowly working on this for two years, and I launched my website last December. Just before Christmas, we had the most festive launch I could have dreamed of.
How do you balance your life as a mother with the pace of being an entrepreneur?
Since I now also have a 'real' shop in Amsterdam, next to my webshop, it's still a challenge . I just opened a week ago, so everything is pretty new.
As a family, we're looking for a new rhythm , where my husband helps out more, and the older children are a little more involved and independent. We're still in the thick of it all at the moment, so it's taking us all some time to adjust .
I sometimes pick up the kids from school and take them to the store, and so far they seem to enjoy it! I work at the store on Saturdays, and my eldest has asked to help out these days.
I think what's important for us is to stay connected, talk to each other, and find solutions to challenges . It's not always easy, but for me, it helps to not have my work at home anymore, and when I'm there, I can really give them time and attention.
What are the little things that bring you happiness and inspiration every day?
There are so many! Luckily, my parents taught me at a young age to appreciate the simple things . Putting little notes in my lunchbox, preparing food with a little more attention, or simply noticing things on our walks around town.
I am so happy to share this now with my own children . Inspiration can really come from anything . The flowers we pass on the way to our school, and if we have a little more time, we go through the park and walk a little. I hope their eyes will also learn to really see and appreciate the love and care in the little things . It inspires me every day, watching them grow in this area.
The children also bring lots of little gifts and crafts, which sometimes make me cry, because of the love, so much love and time they put into it. I love it when they write me little messages somewhere for me to find, or make me surprise drawings during the weekend.
We all also share a great love for books of all kinds. I'm currently reading a lot about embroidery and other small crafts involving textiles. This inspires me every day to create my own little creations. And seeing someone's happiness when they receive something homemade is truly the best feeling for me.
Handmade products are a great daily inspiration. I love it when people reuse materials too. Giving things a new life so they can be reused in everyday life , isn't that the most beautiful thing?
A word for those who would like to get started?
I think staying true to yourself and what you're truly passionate about is the best thing you can do . If you do what you do from the heart, it shows.
And working slowly and thoughtfully has worked well for me. My priority has always been my family, and it still is, but slowly I'm getting a little more time for my own projects now. As a result, it's also helping me grow, and it feels good.
And alongside that, accepting that not everything can or should be perfect.
I've put a lot of time and thought into my website, and I'm glad I made the decision to take all the product photos myself. It creates a harmony of color and atmosphere that I feel. But of course, there are also many things that could be or would work better.
But I'm learning along the way, and accepting that it's okay is a really big part of the process .
