Tell us a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?

Lucy: I became a mum to Millie in 2012. We waited a long time for her and I love being a mum as much as I thought I would!
Lerryn: My son Jamie rocketed into the world in 2013 and hasn’t stopped since! We call him the pocket rocket! He is super cute and I wouldn’t change being a mum for anything. Watching him discover his world is totally magical!

What’s your business called?

Lucy: JillyRox Ltd (you can probably work out why. Lets just say our kids are literally at the heart of everything we do!). The brand that people would associate with us most however is Halto.
Lerryn: We have more products to come that are currently in development so we needed an overarching brand to work from.

Can you describe it in one sentence?

Lerryn: Halto stops the pain and discomfort caused by halter neck swimwear, immediately. Quite simple really.
Lucy: You feed the straps through the holes, tie your usual knot, and enjoy wearing halter neck swimwear again.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

Lucy: I guess at heart we have been entrepreneurial since we were kids, following in the wake of our mum. I remember setting up a table at the end of our driveway to sell things we had made; book marks, Fimo models etc. We even used to busk with questionable dance routines and singing! I’m sure it was hilarious to the passers by who would chuck us the odd 10p for our efforts. We would feel rich, and then spend it on penny sweets at the village shop!
Lerryn: Mum always had a business idea that she would be working on, and every time she took it right the way through to fruition. There was no procrastination at all! We grew up knowing no different and have always had underlying aspirations to do the same. We didn’t always plan to do something together; that was a happy accident really! We officially formed the company last September, although we had been working on Halto since 2012!

How did you fund your start up?

Lucy: We spent a lot of time exploring the options and in the end decided to crowd fund. It gave us a fantastic opportunity to test the market with a minimum viable product (an idea, an RRP and a CGI mock up for the product) before we committed to production.
Lerryn: We raised £10,000 in 18 days and walked away with a mailing list of over 200 people, a great level of brand awareness and a renewed confidence that what we were doing was the right thing. You don’t get that from a bank loan!

How do you manage working around your children?

Lucy: There is a great visual tool I was shown once with a jar full of pebbles and you were asked if it was full (the pebbles representing tasks in your day). After saying yes, you were then proved wrong by tipping smaller pebbles in that were shaken down into any gaps. And then proved wrong again when sand was poured in, and then finally when a jug of water was poured in. I guess this best explains how we run our business around the kids! We find time that would be otherwise wasted. You would be amazed at the conversations we have had whilst dealing with potty-training accidents or even via messenger whilst sleep training at 3am!
Lerryn: We walk and talk (beach, woods etc), we utilise free WIFI at soft play areas, we make calls and send emails when the kids are napping, we product test at trips out for the day, and we work late into the evening after the kids have gone to bed. It is probably more of a question of how we work around our husbands. They often get the bum deal!

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?

Lucy: As a new start-up I am not sure if there is a ‘typical’ day, but you can always guarantee some things. Firstly someone will want to speak to you at an inappropriate time so you find ways to either rearrange or find a quiet space for a couple of minutes. We are lucky to have each other as business partners so can tag-team on childcare when needed. Then there are emails that come in, but modern technology means that urgent ones can be dealt with wherever you are!
Lerryn: I would say much of the way we manage to juggle at the moment is down to planning as much as we can. We work almost all evenings which enables us to catch up on emails, be proactive with PR and social media, and generally get some head space in order to plan ahead. Our days are flipped around really. Our working day starts properly at 7.30pm and finishes around 11.30pm, with some time during the day to deal with the more time-specific stuff. Because we are dealing with China and Australia as well as the UK, this working pattern isn’t always a bad thing!

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?

Lucy: I would say the biggest challenge (aside from the juggling time and the massive amounts of guilt we feel for being working mums), would be that the vast majority of business start-up and funding support we have received has been from men. Halto is most definitely NOT a male-focused product, and it solves a problem that men simply can’t understand. Being mums to two little ones was also a big issue in these situations. Consequently we found that we were being pushed back into ‘our box’ when it came to the market potential for the product and the perceived ability for us to take Halto to market. It was very frustrating and certainly tested our belief in ourselves.
Lerryn: We overcame these problems in two ways. Firstly, (and rather ingeniously!) we made a few sets of fake boobs-in-bikinis that any man attending a meeting with us HAD to wear for the first ten minutes. They weighed 7lbs (the average weight of 43DD boobs) and were placed around the unsuspecting advisor’s neck. They soon ‘got’ the problem! Secondly, we worked our socks off and made stuff happen. We have proved that we CAN do this, and do it really well. We now have an incredible team of champions around us (male and female) who believe wholeheartedly in the product and our ability to bring it to market.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

Lucy: Oooh tough question. I guess on a selfish level, the means to scratch that itch that we have always had, but also enjoy the ‘feel good factor’ in the thought that we are being great role models to our kids.

What are your plans for the future?

Lucy: So, Halto swimwear is very much a phase one for us. We plan to launch it in Australia later this year, and then into other markets in 2017.
Lerryn: Then there are the exciting new products we are currently working on that will follow in Halto’s wake, so watch this space!
Lucy: In addition, we are one of only two female-owned businesses who have been invited to join the GAIN20 network, which offers some incredible opportunities for business development and networking. Who knows what doors that will unlock!
Lerryn: And, of course, we are not ruling out more children at some point!! Phew!

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?

Lucy: Know your target market and product/service REALLY well! Be very clear on what problem you are solving, how you know there is a problem, who has the problem and whether those people would pay to have a solution. There will be a lot of people who will challenge your ideas, but by having a really sound understanding these things, you are halfway there. Also, don’t be ashamed of admitting you got it wrong. It is far better to tweak your business model early on rather than plug on to save face.
Lerryn: Have a great support network around you. One of the best things we did was get an independent mentor who wasn’t emotionally involved in our day-to-day lives and could be really objective about the business. Their belief in us, and our business, acted as a buffer when we were running on empty, but their ability to play devils advocate was invaluable when thoroughly testing our ideas.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

Lerryn: Yes, just a reminder really. Women are the most amazing creatures at building a community and supporting one another. We are also, unfortunately, the first to doubt ourselves and talk ourselves down. We pay too much attention to the annoying voice in our head rather than the guru in our guts. Just surround yourself with people who can keep you positive (and realistic), and just enjoy the ride!
Lucy: Don’t be afraid to be cheeky either. If you don’t ask you don’t get, and you end up being fairly memorable! We have had so much fun pushing the boundaries at meetings (from the fake boobs, to asking people to meet us at soft play centres) and have been surprised by how accommodating people can be. On that note, we are looking for some contacts at national online and high street retailers, so please get in touch if you could help us. Happy to reciprocate support in any way that would be useful! (See, it’s easy!)

We’d also like to say that Halto will be in the UK within 8 weeks and we are accepting pre-orders via our website www.halto.co.uk. If you understand the pain and discomfort of wearing halter neck bikinis, then a Halto should definitely be on your 2016 shopping list. Please spread the word!

www.halto.co.uk
www.facebook.co.uk/thehalto
www.twitter.com/myhalto

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Tell us a bit about your family?

I have two lovely ‘farm mad’ children, Joe aged 11 and Loren aged 8. My husband is a farmer and works on the family farm with his dad. Our farm is in a lovely rural location just outside of Bath in Somerset.

What’s your business called?

Bath Harvest Rapeseed Oil

Can you describe it in one sentence?

Bath Harvest rapeseed oil is all about provenance, health and cooking…it’s the British alternative to Olive Oil with added benefits!

When did you start it and what inspired you?

I started my business in 2011 after I was faced with a career change due to my steady admin job at the MOD being threatened. I had worked for the same big organisation for over 17 years and it was scary leaving the safety and security that this offered. I was not sure what to do next as the job market was not looking promising. It was around this time that I literally had a flash of inspiration whilst listening to the radio one morning. A farmer was being interviewed about the rapeseed oil that he grows and produces on his farm and I thought to myself – this is the crop growing at the bottom of my garden! Literally from then on a ‘seed’ of an idea took hold and I proceeded to do some extensive research into the cold pressed rapeseed oil market. I started trading in September 2011 and took early severance from my MOD job a month later and never really looked back – I haven’t really had the time to! It’s been a rollercoaster ride that is still picking up speed in some areas of my business – the more effort you put in the more doors and opportunities that open for you!

How did you fund your start up?

I used my severance pay from the MOD to fund my business. As you can imagine, you do need a certain amount of specific equipment and a dedicated space to press and bottle the oil, so we decided to convert a previously unused building at the farm and I now have my own press and bottling room on site which is perfect for my needs.

How do you manage working around your children?

It hasn’t always been easy and there are still some very busy periods in my business calendar but I think I have achieved a reasonable work life balance at this point in my career. There is quite a bit of juggling to be done especially when the weekend events and festivals kick in from May onwards. I do rely on family to help me out on my stall and this sometimes means babysitting can be a challenge especially in the summer when my husband is working long hours working hard to bring in the harvest. They do a great job on the farm and both Matthew and his dad are dedicated hard workers. They provide the raw material pivotal for my business and I’m proud to be able to help diversify the farm in the way that I have with Bath Harvest.

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?

This is why I love my job – no one day is exactly the same! I start around 8.30am after the kids have hopped on the bus to school. My daily priorities are dictated by my business calendar and the orders for the week. I might fit in a bit of admin followed by a stint in the bottling room, usually helped out by my dad and then after lunch and walking the dog, I usually do a few local deliveries. Other work activities can include attending networking events, prepping and presenting talks for groups, marketing via social media, website maintenance, dealing with suppliers, attending shows and book keeping – not my favourite task!

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?

Before starting Bath Harvest I had never run a business and had limited experience in the skills and attributes needed to make successful business decisions. I soon had to became a mini expert in everything from food labelling to website SEO and if I’m honest the start up and first few months of trading were very stressful – there was just so much to do – I even kept a ‘to do’ list next to my bed to scribble on during the night!

What’s the best thing about being self employed?

I think the one thing I enjoy the most about being self employed is the variety and flexibility my job offers – I don’t think I could return to a 9 – 5 office job now!
What are your plans for the future?
I’m quite clear about my short term plans. While my children are still young and need their mum at home, I need my business to mould and fit around us. I have kept it small enough for me to manage largely on my own with a bit of help from family whilst still moving it forward in the current market place. This can be a challenge at times as I do have to say no to some things which may benefit my business, but that’s just the way it is for the time being. In a few years, when the kids are older, I hope to be able to throw myself into the bigger, more exciting business opportunities when they present themselves which should be fun!

What advice would you give for someone just starting out?

Do the networking thing! I’ve got so much out of networking, it’s the one thing I make specific time for as it can reap dividends in lots of ways. I work a lot of the time on my own and I thrive off of being around people so I deliberately take advantage of networking opportunities to keep me sane and I have made some really good friends along the way!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

Here’s the main benefits of switching to using our cold pressed rapeseed oil;
• Health – cold pressed rapeseed oil contains 50% less saturated fat the olive oil and is a rich source of Omega 3 and Vitamin E
• Cooking – you can use cold pressed rapeseed oil for dressing, drizzling, marinating, baking, roasting and stir-frying. It has a higher burn point of olive oil. It makes the most amazing roast potatoes!
• Provenance – Bath Harvest is grown, pressed and bottled on our family farm in Bath, Somerset. It’s a zero food miles product and we even feed the waste product seed husks to our cattle so zero waste too!

Tweets by BathHarvest
https://www.instagram.com/bathharvest/
http://www.bathharvestoils.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/bathharvestoils/

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Tell us a bit about your family?
My partner and I have 2 under 2, boy and girl.

What’s your business called?
Techsixtyfour Ltd

Can you describe it in one sentence?
I sell wearable mobile phones/trackers for children aged between 5-10

When did you start it and what inspired you?
I started in Aug 2015. I was at a farm park in the UK and heard on the intercom that a little boy was lost. The fear of losing my children coupled with the fact that I dislike the idea of young children handling smart phones, I started my business.

How did you fund your start up?
From savings. I spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to do things in the cheapest way possible. I had my logo designed for £3 in 2 days!

How do you manage working around your children?
My partner has taken some time off work so I work for about 2-3 hours in the morning 3 days a week and I mainly work in the evening when the kids are sleeping. I send the kids to a child minder one day a week for 4 hours. I think a lot about what tasks I need to accomplish when I am taking my kids out for a walk and so I jot them down along with way. I then tick off the to do list as much as I can in the evenings.

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?
At 730am it is breakfast time with the kids. Then I take 2-3 hours to send out emails, post on social media sites and make phone calls. I spend most of the afternoon with my kids and they go to bed at 8pm. I then spend about 3-4 hours looking at marketing strategies, talking to friends about my product, learning about anything and everything I didn’t know before, planning, finances..the list goes on.

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge I will face which I need to plan for is when a company like Apple decides to run me over with a similar product. My strategy is not that of a large corporation. I am just a mum who fears losing her children and I want to be connected with them to know they are happy and safe. I am truly passionate about my product and know that others mums and dads will feel the same.

What’s the best thing about being self employed?
I can work looking like sh**. Needless to say I never do video calls!

What are your plans for the future?
I will continue to juggle the business and looking after the kids and hope that the business will get to a stage where I have funds to outsource some tasks. Would hope to grow an extra hand or two at some point also.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out?
Tell anyone and everyone about your business. Develop some seriously thick skin. If one person can’t help you out, they might know someone in their network who can help. Also, always be kind to everyone you deal with. We all have to deal with a**holes every now and then but just stay calm and be nice. Don’t burn any bridges.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
When I hit massive road blocks, I play Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now.

Please visit my website at www.techsixtyfour.com for details of the watch and likes on my facebook page at www.facebook.com/techsixtyfour would be greatly appreciated!

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