CINCINNATI — To move halfway across the world with a young family in tow is something many can’t even imagine. But Margherita Vezzani did just that, following her husband for a new job in the states, and leaving her job as a doctor in the process.

What You Need To Know

  • Margherita Vezzani and her family moved to the United States from Milan, Italy five years ago

  • Vezzani left her job as an ENT physician and found herself needing to find something she loved in her new home country

  • Vezzani discovered she loved sewing — something she believes is because of her time as a surgeon in Italy

  • Now, Vezzani has her own business, creating homemade and embroidered goods

​​The family moved from Milan five years ago for a job. And for Vezzani, now a mother to five, it hasn’t been the easiest journey.

“We miss family. We miss friends. We miss the food," she said.

Every day she is reminded of her time in Italy and her job as an ENT Physician — work she is unable to continue in the states.

“I moved here, and I was basically left at home," Vezzani said. "From being a physician, doing my residency with three little kids, so I had no time to do anything. Here I have a lot of time. I found myself to be in a very hard moment because you don’t know what to do, how to express yourself.

That’s when she realized she needed to find something she loved to do for herself.

“I needed something different to do to cut time for myself and so I had this idea," she said.

That idea was to start her own business by using her skills of sewing and embroidering to make homemade goods. She was inspired by other Italian mothers that she be-friended in the states. So, she created Barefoot Homemade. 

“When you see others that do it, I started to think, 'I can do it,'" Vezzani said. "I love it. I love color. I love fabrics. I love to create. I can do it. So I started.”

Now Vezzani spends what little free time she has sewing.

“My life is a messy life," she said. "But when you love something, you just find your time.”

She also dreams of growing her business into a network for women, helping to sell other goods made by women.

“We can create a community and we can share our story and help each other," Vezzani said.

And while most of her time revolves around her five kids, she also wants to set an example for them as she pursues her business.

“They have to see that it is possible to be happy and to be happy doing the thing that you love," Vezzani said. "I feel very lucky.”