Tag: Creating a product

Surprise Box Club – Running a Subscription Box Business

What’s your business called?

Surprise Box Club

Can you describe it in one sentence

Surprise Box Club is an exciting crafty subscription box company whereby club members receive monthly vintage craft kits and exclusive jewellery kits.

When did you start it and what inspired you?

I plan to launch in time for Mother’s Day 2016 (6th March). I am a silversmith and already run my own jewellery business (www.triinu.co.uk). Making and selling small numbers of high end pieces of jewellery suited me while the children were very young and when my work times were dictated by very short nursery and playgroup hours, however now that they are 12, 10 & 7 I can commit and want to commit more time to my own business and I felt it was time to start something new. As part of my jewellery business I have also been teaching wirework classes to beginners and have absolutely loved this side of my business. I love the satisfaction of being able to share my crafting skills with others and this is what really inspired me to start Surprise Box Club. I am having a lot of fun creating all my craft and jewellery kits and filming the instructions. Crafts are having a real come back and it is a great way to switch off from a stressful day and can also be a lovely way to spend time with your tween/teen.

How did you fund your start up?

I don’t like borrowing money so I saved money from my jewellery business to put into Surprise Box Club. However, my budget is still quite tight! You need to prioritise. I decide that having a strong social media following should be my priority so this is something I am working on and I therefore chose to pay for one to one social media coaching. Apart from the coaching though, being active on social media is free!

How do you manage working around your children?

I always say that I am a full-time business owner and a full-time mum but I guess the maths for that doesn’t really add up! I work while they are at school and sometimes later in the evening. I also throw something to work on into my handbag and will do this while waiting for school to finish or at the leisure centre during a swimming lesson etc. It’s amazing how much you can get done! I also like to involve my children in my business. My son is a keen photographer so he helps me with my product photography. My middle daughter is outgoing so she helps me sell at fairs. And my youngest daughter created the most amazing stand out of Lego for me to prop my phone on at different angles when filming tutorials. Although my business is aimed at adults and/or older children they love trying out my craft kits.

Can you describe a typical day?

I start the day with my mummy hat on and am lucky that my husband is very hands on too. Mornings are chaotic and involve breakfasts, packed lunches, snacks, chucking ingredients into the slow cooker for our evening meal..…I’ve even been known to use the hairdryer to dry my son’s school jumper! I try my best but some things slip through the net! My working day fits around school so I start at 9:15 and finish around 3pm. I squeeze in an exercise class 2 to 3 times a week as I find this keeps me alert and focused. I start every day by checking and responding to emails. Then I work through my to do list. On Mondays I schedule all my social media posts for the week. I try to be disciplined and have a clear list of objectives for the day and the week ahead, but things crop up or children get ill so I need to be flexible. I try and take Fridays off to do some housework or meet a friend for coffee. I may sometimes do a little work in the evening but I’ll make sure that this is a bit of crafting while watching TV and enjoying a cuppa or a glass of wine!

What have you found hardest?

The fact that my To Do list keeps growing so I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed.
Finding it difficult to switch off. My business is all around me so sometimes I find it hard to stop.
I work from home so sometimes I get distracted. If I find I’m not feeling particularly focused and feel distracted by the pile of ironing then I will grab my paperwork and go to a café for a change of scene.
Not earning any money…yet! As I am in the pre-launch stage of my business I’m not yet earning any money but I’m very passionate about my business idea, and am feeling positive, focused and determined to make this work! It helps that I’ve been through this with my jewellery business so it’s a case of being patient.

What’s the best thing about being self employed?

Where do I start?! No commute; flexibility; I love spending time with my children whilst being able to focus on something for me; I am my own boss; I am passionate about my work; there are no office politics; when things are going right I feel a great sense of achievement; and the example that I am setting my children.

What are your plans for the future?

To launch for Mother’s Day and steadily grow the business. I am excited to see the direction my business takes me.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out?

Make sure you have a great brand and logo. Try and keep everything consistent by using a particular font/s and stick to a particular colour palette.
List your strengths and weaknesses. Then either book on to a course to improve your weak areas or get someone else to do that job (my husband does my finances).
Persevere, follow your dreams, seek opinions & feedback on your idea, don’t be afraid to make changes to your business model and direction, and make sure you find time to switch off from it all.

Looking for more Mum’s business inspiration?

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[jetpack_subscription_form]

Pretty lovely company

Helping People Create their own Clothes – The Pretty Lovely Company

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

My name is Kate Jenkins and I am a mammy to Nancy, who is 3. She was born in Buckinghamshire, but we moved back north when she was 6 months old.

What’s your business called?

The Pretty Lovely Company

Can you describe it in one sentence?

I make and sell kits containing everything that you need to quickly and easily make girl’s dresses.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

I started work on the Pretty Lovely Company about a year ago. I had the idea several years before I had my daugther when I was in full time work, but I never had the time to kick it off. I had always enjoyed making and sewing but didn’t have time or resources to make more ambitious things such as clothes and, speaking to peers it appeared that there are many people in the same boat. When I looked around crafting shops or haberdashery departments in the larger stores they were full of kits, aiming to simplify a particular craft, but none contained kits to make actual clothing. After a bit of research on the internet I identified the gap in the market I wanted to fill but I still lacked the confidence to make it happen. The final push was when I bought a ‘make your own toy’ kit from John Lewis to see what was involved, and when I pulled it apart I started to think that I could do something just as well – so I started work on the Pretty Lovely Company

How did you fund your start up?

I had set aside £1000, so I am using that, supported by general household income.

How do you manage working around your children?

My daughter is in part time nursery at the moment, so I work around her hours and also a little in the evenings. Once, when I had a big glut of work I was also able to call on my mother’s support.

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

I start the day doing housework whilst getting my daughter to nursery and then come home and give our dog a long walk and finish any jobs or errands. My days are varied but, as I am a start up, I typically get any orders packed then spend the rest of the day developing my business. This week I am focusing on improving my knowledge of Instagram so I am doing a lot of work on that, as well as looking at press and PR opportunities and on-line market places I can work with. I collect my daughter at either lunchtime or 3.15 and take her to any after school classes she in enrolled in. I spend more time in the evenings on social media – the majority of my market are mothers too, so their first real chance to engage is often in the evenings when their children are in bed too! My husband is very supportive and a great, positive, sounding board so I usually have a lot to chat through with him when he is home. No two days are the same so far but I try and write a to do list every night before bed to help me plan for the following day including what I must do and then ‘nice to dos’ if I get the time.

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

A big challenge for me was having the self belief and confidence to invest time and effort in the business, and also being brave enough to put my own name out there on social media. A big part of me is afraid of failure and its hard knowing that, if it happens, my friends and family will see it.

Now my main challenge is building brand awareness and driving visitors to my site, hence the amount of time I am investing in social media, press and PR and business development. I only have a small amount to spend on advertising so I am thinking long and hard about where that goes. I believe 100% in my offering, but I need to get others to see it so that I can convert them into sales.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

It is so, so, exciting! I’ve worked in a variety of roles before having my daughter but I have never felt so in control.

What are your plans for the future?

At the moment I am simply working on building awareness and driving sales. In the medium term I want to add to my range, to include other designs and boy’s clothing, and build partnerships with other businesses. In the long term I would like to talk to some of the major stores with a view to them listing my product, and add to my website with more complementary products, such as tights, accessories and toys.

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

Do you truly believe that you have a great offering that holds it own in the market? It’s great if it is unique but it doesn’t have to be. You just need to be able to hand-on-heart think that consumers will choose to spend their money on your product or service. If you do, and can explain why, go for it, and tell as many people about it as you can. I have found some really useful contacts purely by chance.

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

I don’t know if my business is going to be a long term success but I have thought about it for so long, it feels great giving it a go.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theprettylovelycompany

The pretty lovely company

Launching a Food Based Business – Bake with LiLi and Dex

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

My name is Sarah and I am a mum to Eliza (4) and Dexter (2).
We lI ve a busy life in Essex juggling work school and nursery runs. My parents are a massive influence in my kids lives and my mum is also my business partner and my total rock but sadly they live over 200 miles from me hence why we sell our products in two different locations in the South of England 🙂

What’s your business called?

Bake with LiLI and Dex after the two inspirations in my life!!

Can you describe it in one sentence?

Baking boxes for kids full of ready weighed out ingredients and instructions to allow your children to be creative in the kitchen with minimal fuss stress and weighing out!

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

I’ve been a teacher for 13 years now and bake a lot with the children. Eliza loves those boxes youimg_4190 can buy in the supermarket but they taste rubbish and I wanted her to learn about baking using a range of ingredients but couldn’t be doing with the stress of weighing and measuring.
The kids inspired me to start the business in the summer and after going through a divorce I wanted to prove to myself I could turn my hand to something new and exciting and to make the kids proud of me when they are older and know you have to work hard in life to get what you want.

How did you fund your start up?

My parents and my uncle paid for my website. We have had another investor come forward as well. It’s lovely that people close to me really believes in the success of the business and we’re willing to part with their hard earned cash!!

How do you manage working around your children?

I have an amazing Mum! I work late into the evenings but see this as fun a project to stretch and challenge me. Teaching is my bread and butter. This is all about my creativity and I absolutely love it and love seeing happy kids and products they’ve made as a result of our boxes.

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

lol I don’t manage my time as well as I should anyone close to me will tell you that. Routine for the kids has to come first. I take Eliza to childminders at 7 and Dexter at 7.15 to nursery 2 days a week and my mum takes them the other two days. Luckily I don’t work Mondays so this is my fun day with my boy whilst his sister is at school.
I usually mark, plan lessons and Normal stuff once they have gone to bed then speak to mum discussing the business, checking emails and orders, loading with our website and graphic designer and now am in the process of sourcing a photographer and someone to film me baking with the kids for YouTube videos.

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

There is not enough time in the day!! We have had some label issues and personalising them away from the graphic designer so mum and I have become very quickly accomplished at photoshop and other graphics programmes to get products to clients in time.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

It’s about and for my kids. They are my motivation to make this business a success.

What are your plans for the future?

To sell through a big well known website… they have said they love my products but we need to develop the package if to look more premium. That will be our next steps in the new year and also to sell at as many craft Fayre and events as we can to get our brand out there.

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

Persevere and use people around you. it’s definitely a challenge but helps to have a dad as a bank manager, a friend as a website designer one as a tax advisor and lots of great friends willing to support share my page and trial my products giving lovely reviews to share on sites like Facebook, Instagram And twitter

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

Our products are great alternative to party bags and this is our biggest success feedback from parents not wanting to waste money on the toys and sweets you usually buy to fill them up. Take a look… 🙂

Www.bakewithlilianddex.co.ukimg_4193

https://m.facebook.com/bakewithlilianddex/

Mumpreneur Story: Flip the Dog

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

Helen Mincher – I am mom to two gorgeous girls, Eva, 4 and Olivia, 2
We live in West Yorkshire with my husband and dog, Eddie

What’s your business called?

Flip The Dog

Can you describe it in one sentence?

Flip The Dog is a new breed of yogawear with sustainability at its core; fusing high performance with fashion-forward styles to lift mood and transcend the studio.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

At the start of the year we relocated out of London and up to Leeds, swapping the Big Smoke, for fresh Yorkshire hills, a career in online corporatedom of work/life balance; a tiny terrace for family sized plot, and finally a chance to concentrate on getting our ideas and business off the ground.

Having children makes you realise how fast time goes and certainly makes you reassess what is important to you.

Inspiration came from a variety of sources – i loved reading about women and families who seemingly had it all – a successful business, working around a passion point and plenty of time with their children and family

How did you fund your start up?

personal savings.

How do you manage working around your children?

Its not always easy. I work when they are in bed from 7.30pm and its important here to set up a lot of content for marketing activities and to compose the lengthier emails. During the day with the girls, I need to be able to focus on them, but i do push content live/ answer quick emails/ package up orders in between play groups, dinner times and general mayhem!

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

I wake before the children to take the dog for a run and shower, and then get the children ready. My eldest has just started school , so mornings are action-packed getting her prepped and ready. I may have lined up soclial media updates that will need pushing live, and will check for any comments and orders throughout the day. I’ll normally have a playgroup with my youngest in the morning, and then after lunch, she will have some quiet time with a couple of Peppa Pigs, whilst I make any phone calls I need to suppliers or stockists etc. The afternoon is a blur of plarks, playdates and dinner. Post the bed and bath routine which i share with my husband, I’ll settle down with my laptop for a couple of hours to ficus on the business, writing blogs and setting up any automated activity for the following day.

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

A rather painful one that sticks out was when we received the first batch of stock. We had been through endless rounds of refining and prototypes; worked incredibly hard to establish a supply chain and model that was responsible, and source materials that were environmentally friendly and sustainable – all to create a product that we were truly proud of. The eagerly awaited first batch of stock arrived…. And the sizing was all out. We had 250 pairs of rather small (with strangely baggy ankles), but beautifully made pants.

At first, we were devastated. We eventually received the money back for the fabric that we were able to reinvest into the second batch, and as we took a step back we realised that whilst we knew the product was not as perfect as it could be, people still liked them. We were able to sell the first batch at a discounted price and gain more feedback and followers

Whilst what happened felt out of our control and really devastatingly unlucky, we sought to gain back control by looking at how we could protect ourselves better against anything like this happening again

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

2 things –
Crafting something that you made from the ground up is immensely satisfying.
And the Flexibility! I tried to maintain my career before i set up on my own, and i just wasn’t seeing my children monday – thursday. I will always be thankful that i got to spend this wonderful time with them, whilst being able to craft my own business.

What are your plans for the future?

in the short to mid term, we want to introduce a new collection of prints. We firmly believe that what you wear enhances how you feel and move, and have lots of exciting idea for our next range. We are also looking to include matching bra tops and racer back tees.

We are always striving towards being as sustainable as possible. All our pants are made from the fibres of plastic bottles, once destined for landfill. Long term this means working towards being able to recycle the actual clothes we manufacture, creating a virtuous self-sustaining cycle.
For now, anyone sending in their used Flip The Dog gear will receive a 30% voucher towards their next pair. (but rest assured, your Flip The Dogs are super durable and made to last)

 

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

Its easy to get overwhelmed with all the possible tasks you need to do, and so being laser-focused is really important. What are the one or two things you can achieve this week that will make a material difference to your business? Be ruthless and honest with yourself and cast all the other items off into a separate list that you can keep revisiting.
Lastly – Don’t be afraid to be new and ask lots of questions. We entered a new industry to us, which was initially quite daunting, but by asking lots and lots of questions we have been able to approach things from perhaps a different perspective to someone very established.

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

Readers of Mumpreneur can enjoy 15% off yoga pants by entering FLIPPINGMUMS at check out

www.flipthedog.co.uk
Follow @flipthedogyoga on Facebook, Instagram and Twitterimg_4088

Want to find your dream business? Check out “How to become a Mumpreneur”

Mother & Nature – Launching an Outdoor Clothing Business

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

My name is Samantha Jenkins and I am a Mummy to Harry, my 5 year old son. We live together in our house on the outskirts of Chorley in Lancashire.

What’s your business called?

My business is called Mother & Nature.

Can you describe it in one sentence?

It is a range of outdoor maternity wear you can wear during and after pregnancy.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

I became a Mumpreneur I suppose when I started working on Mother & Nature and idea of a range of outdoor maternity wear for the active mum-to-be, but I think I only really felt like a Mumpreneur when my business loan got approved by Virgin Start-up.

How did you fund your start up?

I got a loan from Virgin Start-up and also put some of my own money towards it.

How do you manage working around your children?

It is very difficult, especially being a single mum and the fact that I still have my day job and work as a marketing manager 4 days a week spread over 5 to cover the school run! Sometimes I think I’ve taken too much on, but thankfully I have great parents who’ve retired and they pick up Harry a couple of nights a week from school and take him for tea, or to his swimming lesson, he also goes to his Dad’s 2 nights a week. So its basically anytime I get a bit of free time, after work, when Harry has gone to bed, and Sunday when he’s at his Dad’s. I don’t think I’ve ever been this busy in my entire life!!!

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

Each morning I check my emails to see if theres anything I need to respond to straight away, or any orders that have come through over night. Then I get myself ready for work and my son ready for school and off we go. I arrive home about 3.30 if I don’t have to to the school run, package any orders that need to go, off to the post office, then home to start on the emails, update social media, send or chase up PR or reviews I’ve been working on, send marketing emails to my customer base for any events I might be attending or promotions that might be running. My Mum will usually drop Harry home about 6, then shortly after that the bed time routine starts. Once he’s asleep about 8ish, I’ll carry on for another hour or so before I hit the hay!

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

The main problem I have faced is getting the name out there in front of customers. As a marketing manager I just thought if I do loads of marketing everyone will hear about the range and be excited about it as I am and the orders will come flowing in. The reality isn’t quite like that. People need to see a new brand a few times before they start to respond to the marketing, and all the marketing costs a lot of money. So now I am just starting to do everything as cost effectively as possible. I do a lot of social media, and am looking to do some of the smaller regional shows to get the product out in front of potential customers. I recently did the Keswick Mountain Festival, which was great in terms of getting the brand out in front of people and just letting people know about the range, and I did get a few sales off the back of the show.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

I think it will be being my own boss, having the flexibility to take time out for school holidays, and just the feeling of achievement, having followed my dreams and made it work!

What are your plans for the future?

Going forward I would like to expand the range I have, I have a lot of ideas my new outdoor maternity wear items I would like to produce. I would also like to start getting the range into some of the smaller independent outdoor shops and also maternity wear retailers.

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

Research, research, research. Know the market you’re going into, know your competition inside out and go into everything with your eyes wide open.

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

Being a Mumpreneur is really hard work, and a juggling act most of the time, so make sure you have the support there before you start. There will be massive up’s and massive down’s, so be prepared for a roller-coaster ride, but try and enjoy it along the way. If you feel passionately enough about what you’re planning to do, and you can convey that, they others will buy into it too.

www.motherandnature.co.uk

Twitter – @motherandnature

Facebook /motherandnature.outdoormaternitywear

Email – samantha@motherandnature.co.uk

Alice Reins – Creating a product to support horse riders with disabilities

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

Hi my name is Jacqui Edwards, I became a Mum to Alice in 1999 when I was 33 years old. I have been a single Mum for the last 17 years!

What’s your business called?

My business is called Alice Reins Ltd

Can you describe it in one sentence?

I design and have made horse/pony reins for disabled people and those who have difficulty holding their reins.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

I first became a Mumpreneur 12 years ago when I trained to become a professional dog groomer, I set up my business in my back garden in a shed because I wanted to be able to take Alice to school and pick her up and also be at home in the holidays. I then had to have an operation which meant I could no longer dog groom for a living because it was too physical. It was then I had to think of something new.

My daughter Alice was born with one functional hand and wanted to ride a pony independently of me when she was 6 years old. To make this possible for her I designed and had made a pair of special loop reins and now she competes with the able bodied at everything!

Alice inspired me to set up Alice Reins Ltd because it dawned on me that maybe my design could help other people and so Alice Reins Ltd was born almost 2 years ago.

How did you fund your start up?

To fund my start up I trawled the internet gathering information about starting a business and ways to fund it, I eventually found MAS the manufacturing advisory service who, after an initial interview about my idea, granted me match funding, this was fantastic as I had nothing! A very dear friend loaned me a small amount too to whom I will be forever grateful.

How do you manage working around your children?

When I was a dog groomer it was easy as I was at home working in my back garden for myself and so I had complete flexibility. I still work from home now and it is even easier because Alice is that much older.

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

A typical day for me would be the school run in the morning then I would come home and do the usual bits of housework. I then check my emails and make sure those are dealt with. I would then manage my social media ie Facebook, Twitter, Instagram , Pinterest and LinkedIn. I would also spend time researching to see what was going on in the equestrian world to keep up to date with it all. I would also look for new ways of marketing, speaking to our media manager and website developer etc. It is a constant learning curve which I am thoroughly enjoying. I would do the school run again and take Alice to ride which is always a pleasure.

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

The main challenge in the first instance was to learn to make the right decisions about things I knew nothing about! To overcome this I spoke to as many people as I possibly could about so many different things. IP protection is a mine field but is essential to your business and products and so is important to be aware of things that could happen and the rights you have. Advertising is very expensive and so I have to think constantly how to promote my business in other ways ie social media and attending events such as Para Dressage which is a total pleasure. This may sound strange but I found it a challenge to become tougher but this is a must if you are to enter the business world of negotiation!

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

The best thing ever is being able to have spent and spend time with my daughter.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans for the future are to expand my business, ideally I would like our own factory and create employment. Oh and I would love to move house!

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

The best advice I could give is believe in yourself and your idea and make it happen, I started with nothing and that is no exaggeration, with hard work and an inquisitive mind and the ability to talk to people you can do this!

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

Yes, I would like to say a huge thank you to all those who have advised me and helped me continue grow my business, I owe them a whole lot. Also to all those who are thinking about setting up their own business, it really isn’t as scary as you think, just be very nosy and ask a lot of questions! You’ll be fine.

You can find us at www.alice-reins.co.uk
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/aliceReinshorseRidingAids/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AliceReins
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/alice_reins/

Dribbledry

DribbleDry – Launching a Problem Solving Parenting Product

Tell us your name and a bit about your family? When did you become a Mum and to whom?
My name is Hannah Rayner, I’m 37 years old and I have two sons; Jack ages 15 and Harry aged 8. I have been married to Scott Rayner (42 years old) since September 2014 and have a step son Dylan 15 too. We live in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire but I am originally from Wiltshire. My husband owns Cheshire Building Contractors which is going from strength to strength so we both have our own company’s to run now!

What’s your business called?
DribbleDry

Can you describe it in one sentence?
An all-in-one innovative solution to keeping your baby dribble free all day!

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?
It was in 2009 when my youngest son Harry was two years old and dribbling lots. Bibs didn’t work and I was fed up with changing them several times a day (and the washing!), his chest area was always wet and therefore caused dribble rash. I remember just looking at him and thinking of how I could improve this and it was then I came up with the solution DribbleDry!

How did you fund your start up?
At first it was through small savings and a credit card, and I paid for a worldwide patent search, design boards and a patent to be drafted but then I became a single mum of two with a demanding job and no disposible income to take my idea further. Luckily three years ago I met my husband Scott and this all changed. Scott has funded dribbledry for the last two years and we are now successfully selling our products to parents!

How do you manage working around your children?
I work mainly from home during the week and do what I can when my boys are at school, then depending on what they are doing in the evening I will either play with them or pop back on the laptop! I tend to do lots of social media which I can do when they are in bed on my phone in front of the TV! My husband will also help with them if I have something urgent to put together but generally we just all muddle through ok at the moment!

Can you describe a typical day, what tasks do you have to get done, how do you manage your time?
I have a big ‘To Do’ list and put everything in my diary to keep organised and work through everything in the week. I am always emailing someone! My manufacturer, retailers, customers, baby awards, accountant, website team, my media company are just a few and I’m always creating new posts for all of the social media. Instagram seems to be working well for our website sales! I also sell on Amazon so this takes some work too. Its about building the brand and sales at the moment in all ways I can.

What challenges have you faced in your business and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge for me at first was funding everything! It costs so much to get an idea off the ground with prototypes, Intellectual Property, Manufacturing, Website, Business plan, Photos and then all the advertising that’s needed! Everyday I learn something new and I love that! Everyday there are always more opportunities that come along which is exciting! Its all one big learning curve especially when sourcing a manufacturer and IP.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?
I can be there for my children after school, if they are ill and during the holidays as I can be flexible with my work and where I am. I also have a lot passion for what I do which keeps me fully motivated and happy which then has a positive impact on my family! I have the best of both worlds.

What are your plans for the future?
Luckily we are off to a good start and in two months we have had hundreds of positive testimonials from parents, celebrity endorsements and nationwide press releases! The future is looking quite bright at the moment and we plan to expand our DribbleDry baby clothing range and start manufacturing for new range of products to help those with disabilities like Cerebral Palsy. We have been approached by two special needs schools and a care home who strongly believe there is huge potential for our products in that sector. The next step is probably investment.

What advice would you give for someone just starting out in business?
Research a lot, what can you offer that’s better than your competition, find people you know who can offer advise about marketing, accounts, Intellectual property and manufacturing (if your making a product). I have had to learn to be very patience to! It took a year from having my samples made by my manufacturer to receiving my bulk stock to sell so you need to make allowances for this.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
Hearing such fantastic feedback from parents about our products is the best feeling ever! My family and I are now very excited about the future!
www.dribbledry.com
www.facebook.com/dribbledry
@dribbledry (twitter & instagram

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The Hair Helper – Creating a Product

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

I’m Vanessa, married to my husband for just gone nine years. We have two children. My daughter is our eldest and was born in January 2012 with a head full of long dark hair which she never lost. My son followed in October 2013, he wasn’t quite as lucky in the hair department.

What’s your business called?

The Hair Helper

Can you describe it in one sentence?

The Hair Helper is a hair accessory organiser for little girls, storing all clips, bands, bobbles, and even the hair brush.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

We started the design process for our product at the beginning of 2015, the inspiration behind our product was my daughter with all her hair and copious amounts of hair accessories with no-where to put them.

How did you fund your start up?

We have used savings, and completed each stage as we’ve had the funds.

How do you manage working around your children?

This is something that I’m still learning to juggle. For the most part I work while they nap or have quiet time in the afternoon. If need be, I will carry on working in the evening. I don’t tend to work weekends, as we have actively chosen to guard that time for family and rest.

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

A typical day will start with the nursery run for my eldest. That will then either lead to an activity with my little boy or catching up on housework. Just before lunch we collect my eldest from nursery, then it’s home for lunch and their down time. I will then quickly have some lunch, and set to work whether it’s answering or sending emails, packing orders, writing for our blog, preparing social media posts, filing etc. The afternoons will be quite relaxed and are very varied depending on what needs to be done – sometimes it’s a walk to the post office to send off orders, other times it can be a walk to the library or playground.

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

The biggest challenges have most probably been financial – it’s not cheap to develop a product. We’ve shopped around to find the best deals possible. And other times, we’ve simply had to wait on doing things until we’ve had the means to.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

I love the flexibility of it, getting to decide my own schedule and plan business around my family.

What are your plans for the future?

We plan to make our product available to retailers. If the first Hair Helper does well, we would love to look into the possibility of developing more products.

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

If you believe in your idea, and you have researched, weighed up and considered advice along the way…go for it!

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

We will be attending the Pulse London tradeshow in May, and look forward to meeting potential retailers for our product.

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https://www.facebook.com/The-Hair-Helper-1641336276081459/
Thehairhelper.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehairhelper/
Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/thehairhelper/

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Mumpreneur run business tots up products

TOTSUP Ltd – Launching a Reward Chart and App

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When did you become a Mum and to whom?

I have two sons aged 4 and 6.

What’s your business called?

TOTSUP Ltd

Can you describe it in one sentence?

I have developed a unique reward system for 2-6 year olds, comprising a 3D magnetic reward chart and accompanying iOS app. TOTSUP – the reward chart tots love lots.

When did you become a Mumpreneur and what inspired you?

I have been self-employed for 15 years, working as a Graphic Designer and I also lecture part time on a Graphic Design Degree course. I came up with the idea for my reward chart product to use with my eldest son when he was two but didn’t really begin developing it until 2013, when a couple of friends saw it and asked where I’d bought it from – that inspired me to explore the possibility of it becoming a viable business venture.

How did you fund your start up?

I have financed the majority of the business myself and continued my other work alongside it. I was lucky enough to receive some funding for the materials feasibility study from CALMARE (The Centre for Alternative Materials and Recycling) at Exeter University and some further funding to assist with prototyping from The Engineering Innovation Network at Wiltshire College. This was a huge help and also gave me access to considerable expertise within the field of product development.

I will be launching a Crowdfunding campaign on 15th March to fund the next stage of the project, which is the development of the iOS app and the packaging.

How do you manage working around your children?

A lot of my work is done once my little ones have gone to bed. I sometimes think I got so used to existing on minimal sleep when they were babies that I now need far less! My eldest son is at school and my younger son at pre-school, so I currently have two mornings each week that I use for phone calls and meetings. The rest of my work is done in the evening once the boys are in bed.

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

The two mornings I am ‘home alone’ I generally dash back from the school run and work through a ‘to do’ list. If I need to attend meetings or make phone calls I usually do them then.

In the evenings I start work once I have cooked dinner and put my sons to bed this will include the design work associated with the project, updating social media, and email correspondence. I usually work until around 11pm.

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

It is definitely a challenge fitting everything in! I try to be disciplined and make sure I separate work and family time but when you work from home that’s not always easy.

I also had no previous experience in product development, so navigating my way around intellectual property was quite a challenge as were the complexities of materials selection and technical specifications.

What’s the best thing about being Mumpreneur?

The support and friendship from other Mumpreneurs. I have been so surprised at the number of networking events and Facebook groups now exist and how supportive and encouraging they are. I have used the services of lots of other Mumpreneurs and we have all worked really well together sharing skills, contacts and expertise.

What are your plans for the future?

I have other products in early stage development and I hope to launch the second one later this year.

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

I read a quote when I was just starting out on the project, which really struck a chord with me. “If you can’t stop thinking about it, don’t stop working for it”. If you’ve got an idea, do your research, talk to anyone who will listen and go for it!

I really believe if you’re passionate and determined about what you’re setting out to do you can achieve it.

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

I am launching my Crowdfunding campaign via Crowdfunder on 15th March and have a selection of rewards and the opportunity to pre-order products. I am hoping to raise £6000 to fund the next stage of the project. Check it out at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/totsup

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www.totsup.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/totsuprewards

https://www.instagram.com/totsup

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