Working with my Mum: Danielle and Sari Winckworth from White & Green

In celebration of Mother’s Day this Sunday, we wanted to look at all the different kinds of relationships we have with the most important woman in our lives – including the working ones.

We spoke to Danielle Winckworth of White & Green, who set up White & Green alongside her sister Rebecca and their mum, Sari about what it’s like to start a family business.

Tell me a little bit about you, your business and, of course, your mom! 

My name is Danielle Winckworth, I am 28 and I am the Director & Co-Founder of White & Green, alongside my sister Rebecca and mum Sari. We founded White & Green in 2016, specialising in luxury organic cotton bedding, and our mum Sari was the mastermind behind the company.

How did you end up working together? 

Mum came to me and my sister with the idea of starting White & Green as Ireland’s first 100% organic and fairtrade cotton brand. I was modelling at the time and Rebecca is a singer, so we were lucky enough to have the time to come together and make it happen.

At first, did you have any reservations about working with a parent? What were they?

Honestly, I never had any reservations. My mum always brought me along to her interior design jobs growing up and I loved every minute of the process. You could say we always worked alongside each other in a sense!

Has working together impacted your relationship in any way?

It is certainly difficult to work with family, and sometimes it is hard to switch from work to a family dynamic, but we make it work and it really hasn’t changed our personal relationship.

Do you have a different dynamic at work compared to at home?

We definitely put our “professional” hats on when we are working together, but at the end of the day, she will always be mum first!

Have you set any ground rules between your work and your personal relationship?

We try to limit our conversations about work after hours and on the weekend, and make an effort to enjoy time spent together without talking about work, we do this pretty well.

Any drawbacks?

I wouldn’t have it any other way, working with family has been such a pleasure! I have learnt so much from my mum.

What are the best things about working with your mum? 

We love getting to travel together, design together and we really enjoy what we do. This is quality time spent doing what we love, even if it is work.

Are there any particularly cherished moments or memories you have while working with your mom?

When we are excited about a new product, or we have achieved a milestone in the company, it is the best feeling to be able to share those moments and achievements with family.

What would you tell someone about getting into business with their mom?

I would say do it! If you have a good relationship with your mum anyway, it is truly a pleasure to grow a company together and share special times in each other’s lives.

This is an updated version of an article that was originally published in March 2022.