Calgary mom of three Andrea Iervella has won the honour of being Canada’s Mompreneur of the Year award for 2015.
Andrea has always been one of those moms who couldn't bear to throw out any of her kids’ artwork. However, when her oldest came home with a tree she had designed completely out of Rice Krispies, Andrea thought to herself, “How on earth am I going to preserve this one?”
Andrea began to snap pictures of each piece and compile them into photo books. Fast forward a few years and Andrea found herself as a stay-at-home mom to three kids, her youngest eight months old. Though she loved family life and it was important for her family to have one parent at home, Andrea was craving something that was her own.
“I began thinking that there was such an interest in these art books from people who have passed through my life that I could make this into an actual business.”
So SchoolWorx was born. Parents send in their children’s work, and the projects are scanned, restored if there are any rips or tears, and turned into a one-of-a-kind book that archives all of your child’s original artwork.
“I didn't want to reenter the workforce, but I wanted something where I could use the entrepreneurial spirit I've had since I was young,” says Andrea. “I think that’s similar for a lot of moms out there.”
Also important to Andrea is giving back to her community. She wants to eventually start a charity through SchoolWorx, to provide keepsakes and mementos for families with terminally ill children.
Originally published in ParentsCanada magazine, May 2015.
