In conversation with Louisamay Hanrahan, ambassador for our Crown of Light
Introducing founder and CEO of Let’s Match Mums, Louisamay Hanrahan. Wearing the Crown of Light, created to represent the guiding light within us all, our Chupi Muse speaks to us on the pivotal moments of building both a community and a business, and the significance of treasured pieces of jewellery.
What was the pivotal moment that changed your career path?
When the pandemic started. If you remember at the beginning, there was a surge of people wanting to help. A sense that people wanted to do something to help our communities. So much was changing... I was working in marketing prior but couldn’t look away from what was going on. As I saw our society change and the needs that were being presented, I decided I needed to do something to bring our communities together. And to help people, essentially. So that began my journey at Let’s Match Mums. I started an Instagram page based on helping people, and I haven’t looked back since.
Do you have a piece of jewellery that is very significant to you? What moment did it mark?
My gold and diamond Claddagh ring. I bought it during my first year of working on Let’s Help, which was the organisation that later formed Let’s Match Mums. We achieved so much that year and I’d been on the hunt for a perfect Claddagh ring: I've always loved the meaning behind them since I was a kid. I found the ring at a local market – to me, it signifies a job well-done. We’d achieved so much, such phenomenal things in that first year. I use it as inspiration, when I look down at my hands I think of all the great work we’ve achieved, and what’s to come.
How do you get a sense of purpose and fulfilment in work?
The day to day aspects of my work. I’m very entrepreneurial, but I also love helping people. With Let’s Match Mums, the primary goal is to make kids' goods more accessible to parents that need them. Parents spend on average 1000k a month on kid’s goods. This year, we’ve facilitated the passing on an estimated 600K worth of kids' goods this year with an estimated 3.6 million worth of kids' goods due to be passed on. Something that keeps me going when I’m faced with the challenges of building your own organisation is the feedback and the stories that are created by mums that have matched on our platform. It’s amazing to hear about how some mums are still in contact a year after we’ve matched them. When I get positive feedback from the Let’s Match Mums community, it means the world. Honestly, I’ll sometimes go through them at the weekend, just to get a sense of the community that’s being built. I get joy in everything I do day to day. That’s why I decided to go on this journey. I love building this community and the challenges it presents.
How do you balance the needs of others and your own needs?
I think to be able to give others anything you have to look after yourself. You can’t build or work on anything unless you’re looking after yourself. It doesn’t work if you don’t work. There’s always an infinite amount of tasks to do when you’re running your own business, and you always feel sad that you’re not operating on everything you can imagine that can be useful for your organisation, but you have to prioritise yourself. Make sure that you’re sleeping well. Eating well. Taking walks. I look after myself, and then bring that into my work, knowing it will pay back in dividends… Sometimes I fail and take on too much, but such is life.
What is the lasting impact you want to leave behind?
I really believe in the mission of what we’re doing, and I’d really just love it to exist forever. If this existed throughout time and kept helping parents – that’s the dream.
How do you maintain harmony and peace on your journey through life?
I surround myself with people who are good to me, who are kind and support me and love me for being me. It brings joy to my everyday. When you have highs, when you have lows: if you have good people around you they’re going to support you through it.
When you are in your eighties wearing your Crown of Light ring what is the story you will tell about what it means to you?
This is a beautiful question. My granny used to tell us stories from her jewellery, stories on her different pieces. What I’ll tell people is the stories of Let’s Match Mums. How it started, the journey it brought me on, the people I’ve met. The highs and the lows. I will tell them how proud I was to represent Chupi in this campaign and what it meant to me to get this opportunity. It’s been such an amazing journey to be on. I’ve learnt so much about mothers, mother’s communities, and what their needs are. I’ve met such amazing people. When you work with refugees you meet people from all over the world and hear so many stories, and you learn so much about what the world is like. Ultimately, this is still just the beginning of Let’s Match Mums. When I look at my ring I’ll remember everything we’ve done and everything that’s to come.
What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Work on your confidence – confidence is everything, especially when you’re running your own projects. You need to be able to bring your own ideas to life. You need to be really confident in your ideas to move things forward.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of choosing a diamond for themselves?
Give it meaning. Give it a story. And make it inspirational. The way I look at jewellery… I look at it like people have tattoos. I want it to mean something, I want it to be able to inspire me, and I want it to remind me of something positive when I wear it.
