From Philology to Sewing: My Unlikely Path to Creating ma&ma

I never really imagined that one day I’d be sitting in Norway, sewing clothes and running my own business. The journey that led me here was anything but straightforward—going through languages, IT, and a bit of everything else along the way. But somehow, it all came together.

The Language Obsession

Ever since I started primary school, I’ve been really good at languages. I learned to speak German and English fluently, and that naturally pushed me to want more. I love traveling, exploring different cultures, and speaking to people in their own languages. At university, I added Dutch to the mix, studying both Dutch and German philology (Philology is basically the science of how languages evolve, looking at old texts to figure out how we got from "thou" to "you.").

At the time, I wasn’t exactly sure where it would take me—I wasn’t going to spend my life studying old literature, but I figured it would open plenty of doors. Turns out, one of those doors was to sewing in Norway—who would've thought? 😄 And now, I’m also working on my Norwegian, slowly but surely.

Enter IT

In my last year at university, I needed extra money and ended up working at Lufthansa as a customer service agent for the German market. It was insane, but that's a story for another day. After that, I decided to head to Scotland, where a friend of mine lived. I started applying for jobs in IT, travel, whatever came up, and thanks to my language skills, I got a job pretty quickly at Microsoft. Except… it was in Northern Ireland, so I moved there instead of staying in Scotland. That’s where I met Viktor. Soon after, we moved back to Czechia, and I got a job as a technical product manager at a printing company, and then later at Kiwi.com as a product manager.

That whole period taught me a lot—how to deal with customers, how to work under pressure, and how to see the bigger picture. It also taught me how to navigate tight deadlines and stressful situations, which is something I still use every day running ma&ma.

Discovering Sewing

First came Covid, and like many people, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I needed something to keep me busy, so I pulled out my grandma’s old sewing machine and started making small things—cosmetic bags, pencil cases, Christmas gnomes, and other little projects.

Then life moved fast—I got pregnant, gave birth to Emily, and was on maternity leave. During that time, my sister and I started talking about creating a brand together. That’s when things started to get more serious. It wasn’t just a hobby anymore; it felt like something that could actually turn into something bigger.

Going Full-Time with ma&ma

In December 2023, I started taking business courses and learning how to run things properly. That’s when I began seeing sewing as more than just a hobby—it was something I could turn into a full-time business. By March 1st, 2024, I registered ma&ma as my small business, and soon after, I started selling my first pieces in Norway. The best part? The mums loved it! Every order I got pushed me to keep going and keep improving.

Looking Back

Honestly, it wasn’t just philology or IT that brought me to where I am today—it was everything combined. Every decision, every job, every step along the way shaped how I ended up here. It still surprises me, especially because I thought I’d be climbing the corporate ladder forever, reaching for management positions. But after Emily was born, everything shifted. I realized that being on my own, doing my own thing, was way more important to me. And I’m still figuring it out, but I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything.