A stroller blanket changed my mom's life. Now I'm helping her run 7AM Enfant, the business it inspired.

• Chana Campora’s mother, Rebecca, created a stroller blanket when Chana was a preschooler.
• Chana grew up helping with the company, but wasn’t sure she’d work there.
• Watching her immigrant parents chase their dreams shaped her career, she says.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Chana Campora, vice president of 7AM Enfant. It has been edited for length and clarity.

My mom is a very fashionable, very functional person. When she moved from Paris to New York City for my dad’s job, with two young kids, she needed a way to keep us warm in the stroller so she could go about her day.

She still tells stories about wrapping me in layers and layers of blankets. As soon as we’d get into a shop, I’d strip them off, and she’d have to do it all again. My mom is utilitarian, so she created a stroller blanket with a zipper that was quick and easy to get me in and out of.

More than 20 years later, her business has expanded, but we still use the original five blanket silhouettes she created. It’s amazing to see that they’re as relevant as ever, and still what parents want and need.

I grew up helping with the company, but I wasn’t sure I’d join

I learned the value of hard work from watching my mom. It was meaningful to know that my siblings and I were her source of inspiration. Her premise with 7AM Enfant was simple: to keep us safe and warm, and keep her day going. That’s something she’s never stopped fighting for.

Although I loved the company, I wasn’t sure I’d join the business. I spent five years in LA, studying Spanish and French literature, and getting a master’s in anthropology. Being the daughter of immigrants — and speaking four languages — is central to who I am.

My mom and I have fun designing together

I’d dabbled in other jobs, but realized I needed to join my mother. This was my family company — the thing that matters most to my mom and me — so it made sense that my future would include 7AM Enfant.

Today, my mom oversees the big-picture decisions for the company. I work on day-to-day operations, acting as the glue between the production and sales phases. My husband works here too, managing our shipments.

The most fun is when I get to design with my mom. She’s brilliant at not prioritizing fashion or function, but creating a product that blends both. I get to draw on my master’s degree — studying people — to understand trends and tastes. Because the brand’s core is so well established, we can have a lot of fun playing with colors, prints, and collaborations.

Watching my parents chase their dreams shaped me

My parents really fought for the American dream, to do something big for themselves and their children. My dad is originally from Italy, and when they moved here from Paris, New York was the land of opportunity.

I so admire what they’ve been able to do. My mom and I run the company, and my sister and dad work together as celebrity hairstylists. My youngest brother is in school for acting. We’re a family of artists.

I’ve seen the highs and lows of immigration and entrepreneurship. When we first came to New York, we lived in a studio apartment. Watching my parents gave me a work ethic and humility that I use today. They showed me that you can be successful in life if you never stop fighting for what you want.

It’s amazing to watch your parents have a dream. Some parents worry about entrepreneurship disrupting the family, but I’ve found the opposite: it was so rewarding to see. I treasure the memories of being in my mom’s lap while she was designing or answering work emails. Her example is what made me want to chase my own dreams.

Read the original article on Business Insider