With mixed feelings, I’m announcing today that Kids Eye Gear is officially for sale. Yes, it’s time to find another amazing human being to carry on the legacy that my little business has created over its 10 year life.

It probably seems quite weird that I would want to pass the reins of Kids Eye Gear onto someone else, when it is a really successful small business that has had considerable impact, but for me the time has come and there are a few reasons for that.

My ‘other’ career

In 2013 when I started Kids Eye Gear, I didn’t quite believe that this would ever be an actual business. It was something I was doing to help other families like ours that needed to patch their children. So for the whole ten years I have also worked another job with an Australian media company – constantly balancing (sometimes not very well) the demands of my young family, a career I was trying to develop, and a growing business that was taking on a life of its own. There were so many occasions that I tried to make a decision about which to choose – my job or my business. I cut back my work days in my other job so I could spend the time on Kids Eye Gear and for a few too many years I clung on to both, believing I could make both work. Sure, I did make them work, but having my time and energy split like that meant that neither flourished as much as they could.

Early in 2023 I was offered a promotion within my company, to a role that I was really excited about. It meant learning a whole lot of new things but also moving to a four day work week. The past year has been stressful to say the least. Whilst I haven’t neglected Kids Eye Gear, if I’m honest, I’d have to say it’s been given the bare minimum attention – focusing on customer orders and basic administration that needs doing. I really feel like I’ve let my third child down!

I’ve now been offered another promotion, to a role I have worked hard towards for the past two years. I feel like this is the universe telling me that the time has come for a choice to be made, and that choice is to let Kids Eye Gear go.

A different season

When I started Kids Eye Gear, my little patcher Dane was only four years old. We were still in the throws of patching, contact lens management, vision therapy – the whole works. Ten years later and he’s a teenager and I find myself in a completely different phase of life – or season if you like. I love helping and seeing all these amazing little patchers working hard on their vision but I feel like I’m no longer at the same stage of life – so maybe I’m not as relevant or relatable anymore.

What I feel Kids Eye Gear needs is someone who can relate to the young parents doing the hard yards out there at the moment. I’m just not sure I can offer what they need anymore.

I’m exhausted

At the end of the day, balancing family, work and the business has left me exhausted. I’m mid-forties now and frankly, I’m struggling with energy to do all the things that need doing. I only have my beautiful kids at home for another few years before they plan on taking off to other cities and countries in the world, so I want to maximise that time with them. And not be a walking zombie while I do it! I can feel burnout creeping up on me and I’m edging towards a pretty unhealthy place – both physically and mentally. It’s time to make space before everything comes crashing down.

It's time

What it all boils down to is, it’s time to let Kids Eye Gear go. I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve created and built over the past decade – but if I’m honest, I limped through most of 2023 with the sole focus of making it to that 10 year anniversary back in July. For my own feeling of success, I needed to make it to that 10 year mark but now it’s time for someone else to continue the legacy that I started.

I do really hope that I find the perfect person who would love to make Kids Eye Gear bigger and better. Certainly the path has been laid and with a little more energy than what I can give, it can be an even more important and valuable part of the kids vision community – and a great business for someone willing and able to put in the work.

If you happen to be interested in seeing if Kids Eye Gear might be a good opportunity for you, feel free to head here for more information or feel free to get in touch if you'd like to have a chat.