AusMumpreneur Magazine Iss 5

ausmumpreneur

australia & new zealand

magazine

Alli & Genine

Issues? What issues?

2012 AusMumpreneur Conference presenters

Why we love

pinterest 2012 AusMumpreneur Awards Home Office inspiration A day in the life of a mumpreneur

The AusMumpreneur Network www.ausmumpreneursnetwork.ning.com

contents

p 14

p 36

Mumpreneur Style

Online Busines Guide

• Home office inspiration p51 • My real home office p51

• Mindset success p42

Alex Hadfield of Whoa Mumma

• Shopping guide p14 mum, dad, baby & kids

the social side of business

• Social media success p44 Why we love pinterest

• Technology p10 Old fashioned customer service & new technology

p 58

p 51 p 48

p 20

ausmumpreneur awards • Real life p58 • Where are they now? p52 mumpreneurs

A day in the life of a Mumpreneur

• Work/life balance p12 just trying to do it all

• Meet the mumpreneurs p6 Kathryn Hocking of Reverie Coaching & Janis Eagle of Spiroll Heated Rollers

the 2011 AusMumpreneur Awards winners

• The finalists p20 of the 2012 AusMumpreneur Awards

• Sydney 2012 p36

AusMumpreneur Awards & Conference program & presenters

www.koolamandesigns.com.au

W

e’re delighted to bring you our latest issue of AusMumpreneur magazine!

I was asked recently why do you define yourself as a mumpreneur, what’s really the difference? I guess this is a common question for anyone who isn’t living the daily existence of life of running a small business with a young child in tow. Being a mumpreneur, I think, is as much a parenting style as it is a business AusMumpreneur model. Therefore editor’s image by www.carolynb.com.au magazine its not the same as just being an ‘entrepreneur’ although we are certainly Editors entrepreneurial, and its not the same as being a ‘stay-athome-mum’ although we certainly are fortunate enough to Peace Mitchell & be able to stay at home, as mums.

Katy Garner

For me being a mumpreneur is about choice, and allowing Advertising women to have the choice to be at home with their children, enquiries while also following their own entrepreneurial path. It’s magazine@connect2mums.com.au certainly not an easy choice, but then neither is being a working mum or a stay-at-home mum, they all have their info@connect2mums.com.au own pros and cons. Feminism may not have brought women equality but it has brought us choice, and for that I am grateful.

Contact us

0431 615 107

We hope you enjoy this issue,

Peace & Katy e: magazine@connect2mums.com.au

The AusMumpreneur Network

Our Mission

Supporting, inspiring & celebrating mums in business.

Join us at

The AusMumpreneur Network

www.ausmumpreneursnetwork.ning.com

www.ausmumpreneursnetwork.ning.com

Join us at www.ausmumpreneursnetwork.ning.com Find us at facebook - aussie mumpreneurs Follow us at twitter - @ausmumpreneurs www.connect2mums.com.au

meet the mumpreneurs Janis Eagle

spiroll heated rollers I have been a hairdresser for over 35 yrs. One thing I always liked about hair was the movement and texture , particularly curl and wave texture. In the 80’s we did lots of perms and curl styles, we were always trying to mimic natural tapered curls. I managed my first salon at 21 and I purchased my first at 25 and over the next 16 yrs I completed 10 apprentices. Then one day as I sat by the pool with my 4 yr old daughter, the light bulb went off. That was 14 yrs ago, and Spiroll began.

What was your inspiration?

The inspiration was my daughters hair. One curl stood out with a beautiful natural taper. So in my minds eye I could see a roller in the shape of a cone. “I need a conical roller to create that!” The journey began there. So I made prototypes.

That worked, so I followed the IP pathways learning as I went. Then another inventor along my journey recommended I change my original idea and could I do something more for the masses, not just the salons? And that was the birth of Spiroll heated rollers.

What do you love about what you do?

I have always loved to get lost in a head of hair and see what I can do with it. Then as a bonus it makes your client feel good about herself. That would have to be the most rewarding thing ever. I

love it that a woman can change her look so easily by changing her hair, be it by colours, cuts or styles. A new look every time you visit your stylist, is like buying that new outfit, its great till the next one. But to be able to do something at home in between salon visits yourself is a bonus.

What advice would you give to other mums?

As a mum don’t lose sight of your most important job, being a mum. Then if you have a passion for something follow that drive, listen to only positive people, get good advice and go for it. But, keep in mind that its not the success you may or may not have, but the journey that you partook in and the people that you encounter along the way.

Janis Eagle Trainer & Distributor 0457 727 261 janis@spirollheatedrollers.com.au www.spirollheatedrollers.com.au

www.spirollheatedrollers.com.au

meet the mumpreneurs kathryn hocking reverie coaching

Reverie Coaching provides Life and Business Coaching for Mumpreneurs. I sell one-on-one coaching packages and also information products to assist Mums to self-coach themselves through various stages of starting a Mumpreneur Business. I inspire, support and mentor mums to become successful Mumpreneurs.

What was your inspiration?

I returned to work after maternity leave feeling a distinct lack of passion for my job. I also experienced just how hard balancing a full-time corporate role and family life was and I saw my friends struggling with the same issues.

Many of these friends came to me for advice and support regarding this transition back to work and balancing their career and family responsibilities.

I realised that there must be a better way to work AND be a mum and that many mums would like help creating their own Mumpreneur business.

And from this Reverie Coaching was born!

What do you love about what you do?

I love the feeling of knowing that I am helping mums to live a better, more flexible life where they can be present for their kids yet also create a business that they absolutely love.

Often mums come to me looking defeated, exhausted and lacking passion for their lives. I love seeing them walk away from our first session with a renewed passion for their lives and a sense

that they can (and will!) achieve their dreams.

Meeting so many mums with brilliant business ideas and a desire to create a business they passionate about is so inspiring to me!

What advice would you give to other mums?

Just start! Do something every day or week that moves you one step closer to your dream business.

‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ and your business does not have to be launched or successful in a day either.

As long as you write down your goals and break them up into manageable and actionable tasks and slowly chip away at them you WILL get there.

I started my business while working full-time, studying three different Certificate IV’s and with a 1 year old daughter (not to mention a house extension!) but I managed it, and so can you! www.reveriecoaching.com www.facebook.com/ReverieCoaching Check out my Mumpreneur Workbooks at: www.reveriecoaching.com/shop/

Have you launched your

Dream Business

but need some help taking it to the next level of success?

Do you need help getting more customers and clients, identifying multiple revenue streams, developing your marketing and PR strategies and achieving your business goals?

I am Australia’s top Mumpreneur Coach and I can help you build the business and life of your dreams.

Come visit me at www.reveriecoaching.com and discover my coaching programs and products today.

www.reveriecoaching.com facebook.com/ReverieCoaching @reveriecoaching

www.reveriecoaching.com

Stay connected

wherever whenever

Portable power packs and tough cases will keep your mobile gear working for you, anywhere.

Solutions for mobile phones, cameras, tablets, notebooks and much more.

Live a powered life.

Find the right solution for your mobile life at

.com.au www.poweredlife.com.au

image credit: http://www.saidaonline.com

new technology old fashioned customer service and why reliable back-ups matter

Excellent customer service is the secret to business success, as revealed by the American Express Global Customer Service Barometer released in July.

The annual survey shows that three out of four consumers have spent more with a company because of a history of great service. The report also had a warning for businesses: 16% of consumers refuse to do business with a company that provides poor service, and in the past year, 55% of consumers decided not to conduct a business transaction or make a purchase based upon a poor service experience.

Good systems + technology = great customer service.

Of course, great customer service is not an accident. Great service is a result of a well devised system running on a reliable platform, often using computers and other electronic devices.

Managing your customer contact details and orders on an electronic database can mean a quick and easy response to customer enquiries, with the right information on hand to give a satisfying response.

The best gift peoplekind has ever given we mumpreneurs is mobile technology, our smartphones, tablets and laptops. By using ‘cloud’ based systems or accessing your own computer online through your mobile device, you can manage your system anywhere. Handling customer orders or enquiries, grumbles or marketing wherever suits you, from the park bench while the kids work off their boundless energy; even from the warmth and comfort of the lounge room while watching MasterChef, instead of the cold office.

Ready for service means keeping your systems running The key to it all is keeping your systems fully operational in order to maintain your customer service standards. Here are some tips on keeping your gear working for you.

• Regularly clean your computer and mobile gear with diluted cleaning vinegar or another recommended cleanser. Small bits of grit can work their way into a gadget and affect functionality and crack screens.

And let’s not talk about the kinds of bacteria that can live on our devices – let’s just clean regularly...

• Regularly back up your data, preferably both in the ‘cloud’, online somewhere you have decided is secure plus create a local backup that is stored securely.

Consider how many days of work you could afford to lose and back up to suit – is it a day, a week, or a month? Save a backup onto a portable drive and store it in a fireproof box, along with your essential paperwork such as insurance policies.

• Need to access your own computer from anywhere as part of your business system? Have a look at www.logmein.com, where you can set up secure mobile access to your office computer via any internet accessible device including your tablet or phone.

• Consider a back up power unit for your office as an essential part of your disaster recovery plan. An Uninterruptable Power Supplies or UPS, will protect your valuable computer gear from power surges plus give you hours of back up power. Finish processing the order; meet the deadline; shut down your systems correctly and not suffer file corruption - even when the rest of the house is in darkness.

• Power and protect your mobile devices too – for they are an essential link to your family, friends as well as your business. Slip a pocket sized power pack into your bag to recharge phones, cameras, tablets and other devices on the go. Protect your mobile or tablet from the inevitable with a tough case. There are cases that are dust proof, waterproof, drop proof – yes, even kid proof.

• Going camping for a week? Check on Facebook (for business!) anywhere, anytime with a solar charger - endless mobile power anywhere the sun shines.

Powered Life helps to keep businesses working wherever they are.

They offer power solutions for mobile devices and your office, all from top brands including Powertraveller, Belkin, Eaton and Energizer. They also have tough cases to protect your mobile gear from leading brands including Otterbox, LifeProof and Gumdrop. For fast courier delivery anywhere in Australia, visit www.poweredlife.com.au or email office@poweredlife.com.au, or call Pia Argiratos on 1300 POWER 4 LIFE (1300 76937 4).

www.poweredlife.com.au

image credit: http://kenpudiosaki.deviantart.com/art/Wonder-Woman-71605379

work/life balance just trying to do it all how one mum made it work

I often joked about getting into my “Wonder Woman” suit at night to save the world, but to be honest, trying to be all things to everyone is super hard work. You have to be the best mum, the best wife, the best boss, the best daughter, the best sister, the best friend…well you get my point. While it’s definitely achieveable to be the “go to” person for absolutely everything, and yes I mastered that to a fine art, but it becomes completely consuming.

In a world where we so desperately try to provide for our families financially, or simply have an inherent need to use our brains beyond Grade 2 homework, juggling the many tasks of motherhood, work, family coordinator or whichever hat you choose to wear for the minute - “balancing” - is a mammoth task.

From inception of my business idea, there have been many moments when I clearly thought that I had it all under control. I was previously a Management Consultant, I taught people how to multi-task, how hard could this really be? Right?

Being one of those control freak types who clearly had to have everything in precise order, I knew that I was prepared for everything. I had the best plans and my plans had contingency plans. With a 2 ½ year old, a newborn baby and a start-up business, I could see that this was going to go downhill FAST!

this feeling for more than 3 years. The hurdles with being a mum to 2 small children, the many trials and tribulations of business and the sheer trepidation of what was around the corner saw me reach breaking point. Something’s gotta give!

Crying, screaming, yelling, simply wasn’t cutting it anymore. I looked at my 2 young children, and my wonderfully supportive husband and felt completely helpless and lost. I sat and looked through family photos, pictures of when my babies were born, their milestones, and almost instantly felt as though I had blinked and missed so much of their lives being preoccupied with my business and the associated drama of the day.

Then something happened.

My wonderful Grandmother, a woman of immense courage, strength, and tenacity, passed away. All of these light bulbs went off around me as though she was sending me some signs from the grave. So I found Struggling or juggling, I’m not sure which comes her strength. She passed the baton. A conscious first but honestly, I was treading water. I “managed” decision was made that day. My family comes first.

Even though I had clearly stated this all along, I yet removing the clutter was enough to give me the now meant it. “clean house” fix.

I made some hard business decisions and surrounded myself with brilliant staff that could make appropriate judgement calls. Immediately I took a step back, and was completely gob smacked when the business didn’t fall apart. Once I realised that I simply needed to work “on” my business, not “in” my business, my life immediately became easier.

Its certainly not a decision for the faint hearted and the separation anxiety feels like you’re having your baby ripped from you, but in the scheme of things, it’s not. Thinking “big picture” helps to put it all into perspective.

For someone who has an iPhone, iPad, Laptop and a severe addiction to handling each of these items several times per day, the compulsion to reach for my technological lifeline is intense. I liken it to a smoker trying to quit that has to consciously remind themselves not to smoke. “Its time to go for a walk outside in the sunshine, and don’t bring the iPhone”.

So I have slowly learnt to “switch off” literally. Even hearing the message or email tone was enough to stop me in my tracks, so I’ve since discovered the “silent” option on all of the technology in my home.

There were several other changes made along the way, but hands down, the hardest thing to do was to say “No”. Who would’ve thought that this simple word could cause so much angst, but once you do it a few times and people realise that you’re serious, it gets so much easier. Not to mention the freedom that it gives you, it really is quite liberating!

Home/work life balance is just that, it’s a balancing act. Sometimes one is given more attention than the other and that’s fine and completely normal, but when one end of the scale is tipped for longer than you can comfortably admit, then something needs to change. Some people may need to make minor changes, others may need life altering moments, but if you keep the big picture in perspective then it all makes sense. My very wise old Dad who is 78 and still working because his job is his passion (fishing) knows instinctively when to say the right thing. His words of advice are “You have to love what you do, but you have to love the reason why you do it more”. So very true, my purpose is to create something for my children, a legacy of some sort - my reason is my babies.

Using lists has also helped me immensely. I used to have the memory to retain everything but let’s face it, after you have babies; you’re likely to forget your own name. The lists help with organising my workload, and generally setting the scene for the day. I also prioritise the list into “Urgency” and “Importance”, and then determine from there which items get actioned first. All of my staff have lists too and find it extremely useful with time management and general organisation.

So of all the changes that I made, the one that I love the most, is that when I say that I’m spending time with my family, everyone around me knows not to interrupt. My staff are aware that if I say I’m not working, then I’m really NOT working. My calls are screened, messages taken, and unless the building is burning down, “Tina is unavailable”. I have instilled enough confidence in each staff member to know that mistakes are made and that’s ok, but just have a solution in place and it will all work out. I will support their decisions wholeheartedly. And just to From a personal perspective, I learnt that having be super sure, my phone is switched to silent, and the house spotless is neither a pre-requisite to my laptop is closed. Remove the temptation and a happy life, nor will it stay super clean for very focus on what really matters. long with 2 boys and a husband. So I learnt to “surface clean”. It was the best advice I was given My babies are 7 and 4, and I’m sure that before I by a midwife at the hospital. I think she sensed my know it they’ll be teenagers or worse still going on intensity between babies and business and asked a date, Aaaaarrrrgghhh! All that I really want is to how I planned to do it all. “Surface clean – just put look back one day and say, I tried my hardest to it out of sight so that the house feels clean enough”. give my boys everything they wanted and more. I I think of that midwife often. Something so simple gave my boys their Mummy!

Tina Holtom, mum to 2 beautiful boys Jack & William, and Founder of Monkey Bars Play & Learn Centre in WA. Tina long recognised the need for a place where parents can meet, exchange ideas and friendships, while their children are engaged in a fun and imaginative early learning program.

From this, Monkey Bars was born – a unique centre where almost everything for parents and children is on offer.

Tina has extensive experience in education, early childhood development and business management, and has a unique passion for keeping childhood fun, carefree and full of wonder for as long as possible.

www.monkeybars.com.au

My Busy School Week $29.50 www.magneticmoves.com.au

baby

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Cushie Tushies Reusable Swim Nappy $19.95 www.cushietushies.com.au

Dress Me Up Organic Teething Bonbon® Naturally soothes tender gums $16.95 www.bubbee.com.au

Stainless Steel Travel Mug + Baby Ink Printing Kit - Choose your colour printing kit Mug includes ability to put in a 6x4 photo/prints & comes with a calendar $29.95 www.babyink.com.au

Hide Collection men’s bracelet featuring a custom made hand stamped silver pendant $240 www.koolamandesigns.com.au

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Personalised & hand painted plates for Father’s Day. Characters are personalised to reflect each family member. Other designs are available & custom orders welcome. From $29 + postage www.resdesigns.com.au

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ther ' s day Star Wars Yoda USB Desk protector $29.99 www.giftsforblokes.com.au

uff Every Dad Should Know $14.95 ww.giftsforblokes.com.au

Virgo Romper in gift box For babies born Aug 23-Sep 22 $28 including free delivery www.pepitababy.com

Manhattan (Sand) $150 www.willowblu.com.au

Pretty Well Covered Vintage Rose breastfeeding coverlet.

Other colours available, $30. www.prettywellcovered.com Save 10% by using code AUSMUM10

mums the word

Herbalife Formula 1 Nutritional Shake $68 incl postage www.renew.herbalhub.com.au

Ickety Uckety Umm - Nursery Rhymes for New Mums

by Australia’s Mumber 1 Comedian Kate Burr Rhymes include “Twinkle Twinkle Little Shit”, “Dishes Dishes Go Away” and “This Piggie Mummy had Tim Tams” 32 pages $15 + postage www.MakeMumLaugh.com.au

The Online Shopping Mall

for Mums

Browse through our store for beautiful high quality baby gifts including teddy bears, Christening and Naming gifts and lovely gifts for mum to spoil herself.

Readers of this magazine will receive a 20% discount on all categories across the store so please put MUM20 at checkout.

Buy. Sell. Save

www.TreasuryofGiftsandKeepsakes.com.au

MumsDelivery Marketplace

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www.mumsdelivery.com.au/store

Canning Vale & Willetton

Western austraLia

A nurturing And CreAtive environment for your Child Play | Laugh | Learn

Pre-Kindy Program

A unique parent and child program that encourages creativity, imagination and fun through a variety of engaging activities.

For children aged over 2 years, our school readiness program is designed to encourage each child’s natural learning styles.

Call (08) 6254 2555

Fit4Kids An after school program where kids can enjoy martial arts, dance, yoga junior and more.

Mums & Bubs A time for mums to relax and benefit from a program designed specifically with the newborn baby in mind.

www.monkeybars.com.au

www.monkeybars.com.au

Amanda Healy Amanda Rees Amy Lutterell Alison Wilson Bree Mort Caroline McGann Doan Vo Fiona Neumann Jody Allen Jodi Godfrey Kerry Rushton Kelly Brough Kylie Racz Nicole Leedham Sally-Ann Charles Sheree Wright

Diary of a Mumpreneur

Follow the journey of 16 ambitious mums in their first 12 months of life as a new mumpreneur!

www.connect2mumscommunity.com.au

Get FREE parenting tips & advice from the experts, discover the latest products and entertain the kids.

All this and moRE under one roof at Australia’s favourite parenting expo!

Stay informed of all the Expo action and register online for FREE tickEts and to go into the draw to win great prizes!

Visit www.pbcexpo.com.au to plan your day.

AdelAide

Sydney

BriSBAne

Perth

MelBourne

www.pbcexpo.com.au

PBC0051

Discover all you need to know at the Pregnancy Babies & Children’s Expo - the must see event for all your needs, from Pregnancy through to Preschool.

Meet the finalists of the

2012 AusMump

preneur Awards

Vote for your favourites at www.connect2mumscommunity.com.au

AusMumpreneur of the Year Finalist

lucie trinco il tutto

Il Tutto is a brand of luxury baby bags for the style conscious mother. Il Tutto prides itself on carefully fusing style with function and all our nappy bags are just that. Made from luxury leathers and high quality materials we are the designer baby bag of choice for celebrities such as Cate Blanchett, Dannii Minogue, Sarah Murdoch, Charlotte Church, Denise Van Outen to name just a few. All our changing bags come with a removable lining so you can easily wash your bags internals, padded change mat, insulated bottle holder and clear plastic purse. I proudly design all products in the collection and they are sold globally in over 150 stores in 15 countries including David Jones, Harrods, Mamas & Papas & Mothercare.

tell us about yourself I am a mum of two little girls (Frankie 2 & Clementine 5 months) who launched Il Tutto luxury baby bags in July 2007. In that time Il Tutto has grown to be the leading luxury baby bag on the market and is now sold in 15 countries around the world in stores such as Harrods & Mamas and Papas in the UK and David Jones around Australia.

what was the Inspiration?

I launched the business in 2007 after heading up the design team at Oroton for 4 years. I really enjoyed my time with this Iconic Australian Brand but as wonderful as it was I realised that travelling the globe every six weeks wasn’t particularly conducive to starting a family. My girlfriends were also starting to have babies and were commenting about the limited bags on offer that were stylish and luxurious but also functional as a baby bag. With my handbag design training and experience of sourcing beautiful leathers and hardware I decided to enter the market with a range of 4 leather baby bag styles. Having my own business also meant that I could start a family and combine Motherhood with a career I am passionate for and love.

Be clear on your goals and what you want to achieve. Find a niche that no one is filling and stay true to that.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I love creating bags that mums love. The feedback I get from my customers isamazing and never fails to bring a smile to my face.

That, in combination with the flexibility to spend time with my family and being in charge of my own destiny, can’t be beaten.

What has been your greatest challenge?

Ask any small business and I am sure the answer is the same – cash flow. We’re growing very rapidly and have received some very large orders from overseas, and managing the cash flow to buy the stock is my biggest challenge. I call it “growing broke”, I guess it’s a good problem to have so I am not complaining. I am busy addressing this at the moment by structuring my business to take on investment so we can fund our growth and enable us to expand into other international regions – Look out America and Asia – Il Tutto is coming!

www.iltutto.com.au

AusMumpreneur of the Year Finalist

cyndy mundy snazzy baby

Babies are precious and that’s why Snazzy Baby is committed to providing parents with products that help protect their gorgeous little ones. With a background in nursing and sales and marketing it was a natural progression for me to use my creative ability to develop easy to use, multi-functional products which parents all over the world could use for their babies. Snazzy Baby products are sold all over the world and every product is an award winner – judged by Mums, medical professionals and our peers. Safety is our strongest criteria in product development. tell us about yourself Snazzy Baby develops and sells award winning, multi-purpose baby products for the parents of today. Sold globally Snazzy Baby products have won twenty-six awards.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I absolutely love the satisfaction that I’m helping other parents by giving them easy-to-use products that make their lives easier. The flexibility of working while Lucas is at school, but he’s my numberone priority from the time he gets home until he goes to bed, then it’s back to work.

what was the Inspiration?

My son, Lucas developed severe carpet burn while learning to crawl. There was nothing available which would protect his tender knees and allow him to crawl safely without restricting his movement and circulation. Many prototypes later, Snazzy Baby Knee Pads were born and they remain the only medically endorsed knee pads available globally.

Be passionate but always look at the bigger picture and be realistic. Find a mentor – good business advice is invaluable. Believe in yourself, self-talk is great!

What has been your greatest challenge?

My greatest challenge as a businesswoman has been time, for there is never enough and guiding my company through its development and growth. It requires strong, focused dedication and determination, lists and more lists and the ability to change focus depending on the hour of the day.

Fortunately being a woman this is not difficult as we are blessed with more than one pathway open in our brains at one time! Initially you dream of loads of sales and ‘making it’ but along with success comes other challenges like cash flow. A strong and ever evolving Business Plan, a great bank relationship and never being afraid of asking for advice have helped greatly.

www.snazzybaby.com.au

Rising Star AusMumpreneur of the Year Finalist

Tina Harris

Lah-lah

Lah-Lah introduces children and their families to the world of music.

Starting with a music School and now a full production live show Just go for it. Take action Lah-Lah is taking the children’s entertainment market by storm. and start something. By Lah-Lah, has grown into four main areas. The school I started four taking a leap of faith the years ago, Lah- Lah¹s Music Place, taught music appreciation to universe conspires to help children and their families. Lah-Lah, the band, performs live shows you reach your dreams. all around Australia. Lah-Lah on TV, we have 12 video clips on Nick Jr. Australia, Asia and NZ and we are currently pre production for an international long format TV Series. We have a merchandising range, with two CD¹s, a DVD distributed by Roadshow, and Lah-Lah apparel. tell us about yourself What’s next?

I’m a Mum of two beautiful little girls. I’m married to a crazy musician. I’m turning 40 soon and I’ve finally found my dream job.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

Firstly it would have to be the flexibility to be a mum and work in an industry that I adore and cherish. Working in your own business is inspiring, it’s energizing and it allows me to be creative and I just thrive on that kind of creative energy.

what was the Inspiration?

Beautiful families and their children. At the end term, Mark and I put small shows for our music school families. They inspired us saying we should do live shows. I wanted children to have a tactile experience, to see real instruments up close, to see amazing musicians play live. So now at the end of our shows we always come into the audience where the children can touch the instruments.

What has been your greatest challenge?

18 months ago I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I was devastated but with the help of amazing doctors we managed to book surgeries around performances with just enough recovery time. Having a challenge like this come up in your life is an amazing process and I feel blessed. It completely changes the way you look at life. What I learned with lightning bolt clarity is that the process and journey is what it’s all about. Now is the good bit, don’t wait for the next stage of life or success.

Since coming to this realisation my business and my home life is blooming.

Lah-Lah has just partnered with World Vision Australia, we are now Vision Artists. Mark and I have been sponsoring a little girl in Tanzania for 8 years. My thoughts were when Lily was first born that it would be a really amazing thing for her to grow up alongside another little soul who didn’t have all the things she had. Lily could learn that we are lucky to have the life we have and we would also be making a difference to a little child’s family and her community.

Well, recently we met with World Vision and they have asked us to spread this message. To encourage young families to sponsor a child and make a difference in someone else’s life and this is so what Lah-Lah is about, educating and making a beautiful world for kids and their families. We’re also going to help them use our song ‘I like to wash my hands and wipe em on my pants’ to help educate kids all over the world. I wrote that song for fun, because my kids love wiping their hands on their pants but washing your hands saves lives, especially with children in developing countries. How cool is that? :)

www.lah-lah.com

Emerging AusMumpreneur of the Year Finalist

rebecca lush all about amber

All About Amber sells custom made Hazelwood, Amber and Semi Precious Jewellery – We have over 120 Retail stores currently stocking our products and sell online. We have 40+ different styles of amber, and around 400 different products. Each product is hand made and all designs are mine. I think I am different because I bring an earthy and natural essence to my business while still holding a professional approach. I am old fashioned and stick to my values in business. I think I stand out because of my customer service and my continued promptness in business. tell us about yourself I am a mother of 3 children; I work from home as I am committed to being a good parent and keeping it as natural and normal for my children as possible. All About Amber grew from my creative urge to make jewellery and use my natural creativity to bring some beautiful pieces of work to life. Amber has always been a wonderful healing necklace in my family and I wanted to be able to bring this into Australia on a grand scale.

what was the Inspiration?

I wanted to work at home because I love being a mother. I want to teach my children to follow their dreams and work hard. They see me work, manage, delegate and still be there for them to breastfeed, play and learn the basic and important things in life.

Do your homework first – work out how many other businesses are doing the same thing and find a way to make yours different and to stand out from the rest.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I love that I can talk to my customers while I hang out the washing, I love that I am my own boss and can work my own hours and also sort my priorities around the needs of my family. I work hard and long hours but I enjoy the drive and passion of it. I was poor for a long time as a single mum and earning my own money has been a real inspiration to me.

What has been your greatest challenge?

My biggest challenge this last 21 months has been time management – when I start something I need to complete it – I was working 7 days from 9am till 5pm then would stop to make dinner and bath and put kids to bed, then work from 7pm till midnight. I have now learnt to delegate and to get help, which has helped me a lot, and I feel more in control again.

www.allaboutamber.com.au

Emerging AusMumpreneur of the Year Finalist

elise easdown what's on 4

What’s On 4 is three comprehensive and easy to use online directories designed for busy parents to find local events, activities, groups and party services. It’s also an affordable place for local and national businesses to be able to advertise and be found on the internet by families.

As a mother I loved attending playgroups, swimming lessons, music groups and going to the park with my little ones and socially it opened a whole new network of friends for me but I was really surprised how hard it was to find out about local activities. I thought there must have been an easier way and that it needed to be online and easy to use. I also wanted a family-friendly flexible role which I was passionate about and could provide an income for my family.

tell us about yourself

I was the girl growing up that wanted a career but couldn't wait to be a mum either. When I became a paediatric occupational therapist, married my childhood sweet heart and had our first child at 27, I don’t think anyone was too surprised. They were however, very surprised when on maternity leave with my first child and pregnant with my second, I announced I was going to start my own business, work for myself and in a field worlds apart from the health profession. Not everything changed though, I kept my husband! My business has now become like a third child to me. It has needed nurturing and attention in its infancy but now it has become more established I am able to stand back a little, have faith and watch it grow!

Define your target market; think like your target market.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I love that by becoming a mum I have been able to transform myself and found a new career that I find exciting, challenging, inspirational and as well as one that gives me the flexibility to be available to my family and their growing needs.

What has been your greatest challenge?

The greatest challenge has been the requirement to re-train and re-skill myself in a new field. I came from a health professional background and went into a world of sales, advertising and marketing. To overcome this I initially completed a business course through a local College in the evenings while pregnant with my second child. I have completed online courses and webinars from around the world, gone to conferences and networking meetings, read books and blogs and now realise the learning never stops.

What’s next?

What’s On 4 held it’s first What’s On 4 Junior Awards, sponsored by LeapFrog in July this year. We received over 500 nominations and over 8000 votes wer made, which is fantastic for our first year. The standard was amazing and it was wonderful to be able to recognize and reward those in the children’s activity and party services industry. The Awards will be an annual event and we look forward to opening nominations again in January 2013. We also have plans to launch a fourth website for mums and dads and also venture into New Zealand. It's exciting times!

www.whatson4littleones.com.au www.whatson4schoolkids.com.au www.whatson4kidsparties.com.au

Emerging AusMumpreneur of the Year Finalist

melinda weaver

baby ink

Baby Ink is an exciting new product which works like magic to capture little hand and footprints in colour both mess and ink free!

Baby Ink offers a product that is easily accessible, easy to use and affordable. Colour inkless printing technology is the first of its kind and is exclusive to Baby Ink in Australia and New Zealand.

Since our launch in February this year Baby Ink has been named in the Anthill Magazines SMART 100 list, a National Finalist for the Australian Small Business Champion Awards and has enjoyed successful partnerships with nationally celebrated brands. tell us about yourself I am a very proud mum of two little ones aged 2 and 1. I have two major passions in life - my family and my business.

what was the Inspiration?

I have always been a natural entrepreneur so when I saw such a fantastic niche in the market I knew the right opportunity had presented itself. Not wanting to use ink or an unsafe product on my little one the need for a colour baby-safe, non-toxic keepsake product was evident.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I love that you never know where the day will take you … it’s safe to say the common ground between motherhood and entrepreneurism is ‘determination and hard work’ the sleepless nights, worry, tears and tantrums are all worth in the end both in motherhood and in business!

Success is built on a very solid business foundation regardless of what you’re selling.

What has been your greatest challenge?

Often my age can be mistaken for a ‘lack of experience’ unfortunately you can be easily stereotyped in business and the best thing I can do is continue to prove the critics wrong.

Unfortunately jealously can bring out the worst in people and the best way to rise above the negativity is to work hard, back yourself and realise your dreams.

At Baby Ink we are here to provide a great product married with great customer service! Word of mouth promotion is really important to our business so it’s very important that we provide a memorable customer experience.

Passion is one of the key ingredients to a successful entrepreneur.

I learn and grow every single day I have challenges and setbacks but my passion always remains.

www.babyink.com.au

Service Business of the Year Finalist

julie parker

beautiful you

I am a counsellor and life and business coach working as the Managing Director of my business, Beautiful You. A passionate positive body image advocate, I have a clinical specialisation in counselling women who have self-esteem, body image and eating disorder concerns and regularly appear in the media discussing these topics. My coaching speciality is supporting women to harness the power of self-love and how this profoundly impacts on their career, business, family and life. My first book is due out in September this year, published by Momentum Books. tell us about yourself Beautiful You is a counselling and coaching service for women who want to shine with self-respect and full commitment to their ideal life.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I absolutely love the freedom that being a mumpreneur brings to my life. I work from the comfort of my home, setting my own hours, and choosing the amazing people I want to partner and align with.

Being a mumpreneur has provided me with an amazing sense of autonomy.

what was the Inspiration?

I was inspired to start Beautiful You when I noticed so many women struggling with issues relating to their confidence and ability to love and nurture themselves. I wanted to create a business that helped women believe they are beautiful and have something amazing to offer the world.

Only do what truly lights you up and makes you feel passionate and alive. Once you find that special thing, believe in yourself and what you want to do with your whole heart and there’ll be no stopping you.

What has been your greatest challenge?

My greatest challenge as a businesswoman in the ‘helping’ profession has been learning to financially value my services.

It is always tempting when working with people who have intense needs, to charge less than what you are worth.

Being a mumpreneur has helped me realise that I must charge what my time is truly worth, honouring the results I help my clients achieve, so I can create the life I know my family and I deserve.

It has taken great internal fortitude, but I now know with absolute clarity that I am worth what I charge for my services.

www.beautifulyoubyjulie.com

Service Business of the Year Finalist

nicole hammett

little miss useful

Little Miss Useful is an online marketing virtual assistant specialising in websites and social media marketing for small businesses. We make business easier.

We started out primarily doing administration work and then moved in WordPress websites and Social Media and 95% of our business now is that work. Little Miss Useful’s point of difference is definitely our personalised service. I always work closely with our clients to understand their goals and make sure they achieve their goals in the best way.

Always be kind to clients, you never know where your next referral will come from.

tell us about yourself

what was the Inspiration?

I am a wife and mother to 2 boys (4 & 1). I am very dedicated to my business and passionate about helping small businesses succeed.

Little Miss Useful started in 2008 (under an old business name) and I rebranded to Little Miss Useful in 2010. The rebrand is definitely been one of my best decisions as I always have people comment that I really am ‘Little Miss Useful’.

My son inspired me. I wanted to work but also wanted to be able to do all of those things with him growing up before he started school so Little Miss Useful was born.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I love that I can work my business around my family life. I had never really thought owning a business was an option and now I can’t imagine working for anyone else. I get to do what I love and be a Mum at the same time.

What has been your greatest challenge?

Staffing and growth has been my hardest challenge. I have grown so quickly and want to continue to grow but always finding the right people to grow with has been the hardest. Delegating is a hard thing for me, but it is something I am continually working on and have built a great team of Vitrual Assistants who support me with a range of different services. My next goal is to hire a trainee to work in house with me in 2013, so it is always a continual job updating my policies and proceedures.

www.littlemissuseful.com

Service Businessof the Year Finalist

Kristen Semmens Nitpro & ziggetty snipits

Nitpro & Ziggetty Snipits is a refreshing new concept in the children’s hairdressing industry. We are a combination of services; a specialised head lice treatment salon within a full function kids hair salon fully decked out with kids in mind... we’re the salon where kids can be kids and come see how much fun a haircut can be, and where parents can bring their family to end their head lice woes! The business model has proved so successful that we have launched our first franchises in QLD and NSW this year with another 3 franchises underway. We wanted to share the opportunity for others to launch from our success, by opening their own Nitpro & Ziggetty Snipits Salons nationally. tell us about yourself I am firstly wife and a mum to 5 young children (4 girls and 1 boy) aged 12, 10, 8, 5 and 3yrs. Secondly, I am an entrepreneurial minded, concept building, out of the box thinking business women! I am always coming up new ideas. My salons do nothing conventionally; we’re not just a hairdresser that has adapted to serve the children market, but a custom designed service built around kids that gives great haircuts and eases one of the biggest stresses that parents now with children – head lice, but most importantly our little clients leave with a great big grin!

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I love that I can be an empowering role model to my children.

Every day I am showing them that they can create something by just capturing that initial good thought, that fleeting idea, and with passion turn it into something real, something tangible.

You can never be the leader by looking at someone else.

what was the Inspiration?

We are parents who wanted this service for our family!

As a parent of 5 school and daycare aged children we went through 5 years of head lice mayhem. After 18mths of planning we opened doors as the Nitpro Head Lice Treatment salon. 12 months later, we relocated and opened Ziggetty Snipits – The Salon for Kids Hair with Nitpro discretely nestled in the rear of the store.

What has been your greatest challenge?

Initially, finding the additional time to spend listening to and enjoying my children was the hardest thing; time was a big thing that was sacrificed. Getting through the establishment phase was the most difficult to juggle but talking with my children, keeping them part of the vision of the company and giving them a sense of ownership of the journey, I feel, was the wisest and most important thing to do.

Now that the business has grown so well the children feel a sense of reward for their sacrifices and contributions, as we can now roster staff as required.

www.ziggettysnipits.com.au www.nitpro.com.au

Product Innovation Finalist

Dyna predebon

adoorabear

The Adoorabear is the first to the world market of the patented Adoordecor concept. It is unique! Flexible in concept to allow any favourite nursery, animated or loved character to be adapted to the Adoordecor range to bring assistance to parents, safety to toddlers, comfort to children and even for teenage rooms as antitantrum slamming devices!

Adoorabear is the perfect gift for newborns and toddlers as our product is a cuddly plush toy AND a safety device. The cutest safety device on the market! tell us about yourself I am a mum of 3 energetic boys + a Graphic Designer + inventor = Mumpreneur. I have been a Graphic Designer for over 20 years, and opened my own Design Service Business when I was 22yrs old. Moving into motherhood bought many interesting lessons, and one particular parenting issue led me to the invention of the Adoorabear and Adoordecor concept.

After years of going through patenting, trademarking and the manufacturing process I joined forces with a close friend of mine, Leonie Wheeler, to establish Adoorable Toy Company and launched Adoorabear to the marketplace last year in 2011.

what was the Inspiration?

During the process of patenting the Adoorabear concept I was amazed to find that nothing like it exists anywhere in the world, so I knew I had something special. This was an opportunity to bring something completely new to the market and it was an exciting challenge to take on.

There will be that one unique idea in your life when that ‘lightbulb’ moment happens.

Embrace it, run with it, you never know where it’ll take you.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

Being a typical mum but having an entrepreneurial goal is quite exciting. I love that I am available to my family and friends and also pursue a career with my own invention and to inspire my boys and teach them that you can achieve anything if you believe in yourself.

What has been your greatest challenge?

A friend once said to me “You never know what the outcome of investing your time, money, heart and self-esteem will be when you start a project... the only failure is giving up on yourself “.

Despite the many challenges of bringing Adoorabear to life, I persevered. The days of self doubt and struggles with finances and time management were the hardest to work through, but believing in my product gave the strength to keep going. I would tell myself “success may not happen today, but it could definitely happen tomorrow - don’t give up”.

www.adoorabear.com

Favourite Eco-Friendly Business Finalist

susan parry nifty naps

Nifty Naps is a home based business that is owned and operated by me. I create and make Modern Cloth Nappies and clothing sets.

Through Nifty Naps I not only make and sell functional, beautiful Modern Cloth Nappies - I also aim to increase awareness of the environmental impact that disposables do to our Earth and Landfill. tell us about yourself I am a mother to two boys; Mitchell who is 3 years old and Lucas who is nearly 9 months. They are my world and when I was pregnant with Mitchell I realised that I did not want to go back to work one year after his birth and have him cared for by others. I wanted to stay at home for long as possible. I am also an earth loving mother and I want my children to be aware of the environment and how the way we live and what we do impacts the earth. I have always wanted to use cloth nappies and I decided to try my hand at making them. The two worlds collided and Nifty Naps was born.

what was the Inspiration?

Three things: My children, the earth and sustainable living. I wanted to provide the best care for my children by being home whilst making sure that I as an individual helped our earth with sustainable living practices so that my children can enjoy our earth later on.

Never give up! Surround yourself with people who support you whether they are family, friends or other mumpreneurs.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I can stay at home with my children in my PJ’s drinking coffee whilst feeling empowered by running a successful business. This is the best of both worlds. Sure- the coffee is often cold as I need to look after my children, but at least I am home with them.

What has been your greatest challenge?

My greatest challenge is the many caps I have to wear from being a mum, a wife, but also an administrator, finance controller, social media maintainer, public relations, manufacturer, cleaner, IT, web maintenance, photographer, everything. I have become so busy I have just outsourced my nappies to be made in a factory and my husband has just taken over everything relating to website maintenance. As Nifty Naps grows, I will continue to outsource where possible, so that I can have even more time with my children.

www.niftynaps.com.au

Favourite Product Finalist

roxanne gately

nurture cards

Nurture Cards ~ affirmation cards for children are a box of 40 positive affirmation cards for children .Allowing children to create their own inner self belief, self-love and learn positive self-talk.

After extensive research, and consultation with counselors and child psychologists and also parents Nurture Cards was born! And the journey of printing the cards and website etc, etc began, and what a wonderful and rewarding journey it has been. We have been selling Nurture Cards now for 2 years, and growing quickly. tell us about yourself I am the mother of 2 beautiful girls, and have a supportive and fun husband. I spent 2 years creating Nurture Cards. I began thinking of affirmations to help young children create positive mental pathways. Then I drew the pictures to match the affirmation, using colorful drawings that children can connect with and relate to.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

I love being a mumpreneur as it gives me an outlet to express myself and work in a field that I enjoy and truly believe in.It is up to me to succeed, and I love the challenges, learning new things, connecting with wonderful people and everything that my business brings my way. I just adore the balance I can create to be with my family, and be there for my girls.

what was the Inspiration?

I was inspired to create Nurture Cards for many reasons.

1) Bullying issues and the results of suicide break my heart, and Nurture Cards were designed with these topics in mind, helping children create self-confidence and strength.

2) A large number of families are experiencing divorce and separation, these can impact children greatly and with this in mind, cards were created for children to bring positive thoughts to mind and for them to develop a positive selfimage.

3) As sad as it may seem - A busy lifestyle is another reason.

Mum and dad are often both working, even a 6 day week.

There is a lot of rushing around.Conversations are short and not always that positive -, ‘why haven’t you done this?’, ‘you should have... .’, ‘you can do better’, and so on. We need to bring more positive thoughts to children, and it is so powerful for them to do this for themselves.

Try to separate business and family, particularly with the kids. Keep it for after children’s bed time, school hours, or get up earlier.

What has been your greatest challenge?

My greatest challenge with Nurture Cards is that it is a unique product that not everyone understands. Mums/carers may not see how they work, or why you use them and many don’t know what an affirmation is! ahh. SO.. I have carefully worded the front of the box, to best explain the product briefly and have also done this with my flyers. There is clear information on the flyer-more than other products would need as it is my chance to explain the concept of Nurture Cards.

The best way I found to help meet this challenge is to do public speaking - my biggest fear! I wrote a wonderful 20 minute speech that includes all the information needed to understand the product, and basically once you hear it you cannot walk away without a packet of Nurture Cards. I do these talks at stores, fairs, markets.. anywhere I can, though the opportunities are hard to find.

www.nurturecards.com.au

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Favourite Handmade Business Finalist

anita keith

winnie&clem

Winnie&Clem is a boutique accessories brand that specialises in quality handmade hats, bags and matching embellishments for stylish Mums and kids. At Winnie&Clem I am proud that every item that leaves my studio has been designed and created by me, to my own consistently high standards. Using superior quality fabrics and finishes. Consumers today are growing to appreciate the special nature of handmade products and I am thrilled to be part of the handmade revolution. tell us about yourself My name is Anita Keith and I am the Mum of two beautiful children – Ella (5) and Jackson (3) – and wife to one amazing husband, Stuart. We live on a sheep grazing property in the NSW Southern Tablelands – where we get hot, dry summers and bitterly cold winters.

My personal style is a real mix. I love anything with colour and pattern – especially fabrics, linen, homewares, clothing, jewellery, accessories and artwork. I love to cook, garden, exercise, sew and create. I enjoy the laughter of my children and I love my family.

what was the Inspiration?

My mother was a dressmaker, and I learnt her skills at an early age.

When I became a mother myself, commuting to Sydney for work became harder and I found myself looking for something I could do from home. Creating employment in my local community was also a consideration. As the wife of a farmer, I was particularly inspired by my husband’s motivation and work ethic, even in the toughest of conditions (a long and enduring drought).

Start slowly, be kind to yourself and work like you are being paid for everything you do.

What do you love about being a mumpreneur?

Being able to work at any time of the day is invaluable with a young family. I also love that there are many lessons the children can learn from what I do. For example, they show great interest in where things come from, who made them, and the story behind them. And because I make what I sell, I hope my children will learn the value of a product in our commercially-driven world.

What has been your greatest challenge?

I am certain almost every mumpreneur would agree that the juggle of business and family is a difficult one – particularly when you run the business from home. I have implemented and re-implemented plans and processes for keeping up-to-date and in control. These change as our needs do, because life is never the same having three businesses and two children under one roof. I haven’t yet overcome the pressure I place on myself to be in control, but I do more easily accept that not everything can be perfect.

www.winnieandclem.com.au

2 Day National Mums In Business Conference FRIDAY 7 & SATURDAY 8 SEPTEMBER

PARKROYAL DARLING HARBOUR, SYDNEY

LEARN FROM OUR AMAZING EXPERTS The Secret MindSets Of Successful People with Susan Pearse

How to Get Amazing PR with Johanna Baker-Dowdell

Bulid Your Brand with Sharon Thurin

Become more ‘likeable’ & increase your reach with Jody Allen & Nicole Millard

Move from BUSY to Balanced

featuring Andrew griffiths Australia’s #1 Small Business Author

By Helen Butler

Pricing for Profit and Productivity with Julia Bickerstaff

Find Self Love: The Key to Life and Business Success

What’s Included • Fully catered lunch both days • Refreshments throughout both days • VIP Goodie Bag filled with gifts for you • 12 x 1 hour intense workshops with our Mumpreneur Experts • Friday Night Networking drinks & canapes • Mumpreneur Expo • Access to Australia’s leading Business experts including Andrew Griffiths • Lucky Door Prizes

with Julie Parker

WHERE: PARKROYAL DARLING HARBOUR,

with Catherine Langman

SYDNEY

Planning for Growth The Marathon Of Life And Business

with Kim Morrison

Marketing w Andrew Griffiths Australia’s #1 Small Business Author What’s Possible The Future of Online and Social Media Marketing with Nick Bowditch

WHEN: FRIDAY 7 & SATURDAY 8 SEPTEMBER TICKETS: 1 DAY $180, 2 DAY $320

http://www.connect2mums.com.au/cms/nationalausmumpreneurconference/

Presenters We’re really excited about the amazing speakers we have secured for this years AusMumpreneur Conference!

They are world class and include some of Australia’s leading presenters!

Andrew Griffiths - Australia’s #1 Small Business Author Andrew is a man on a mission. He is passionate about helping people to achieve their dreams, no matter how big or bold they may be.

Acknowledged as Australia’s #1 Small Business Author, Andrew has eleven books now sold in over fifty countries. His bestselling books take complex ideas and make them profoundly practical and simple.

Andrew’s latest book, The BIG BOOK of Small Business, is a culmination of his extensive work to date in the Small Business arena. Andrew is also an energetic and engaging keynote presenter. He draws on his own life experiences and big sense of humour to deliver powerful messages in an engaging and authentic way. http://www.andrewgriffiths.com.au/about

Julia Bickerstaff

Julia’s expertise is the art and science of designing profitable small businesses. She is the founder of The Business Bakery and Butterfly Coaching, the author of How to Bake a Business, the finance expert on Channel 7’s Kochies Business Builders and the writer of Smartcompany’s profitable growth column. Julia keynotes at seminars and runs workshops on the subjects of designing and growing profitable businesses and pricing for profit. She also works privately as an advisor to a number of small and medium sized businesses.

Julia was formerly a partner at global consulting firm Deloitte where she chaired the firm’s Innovation Council, was on the Inspiring Women Executive, led the Deloitte Technology Fast 50, championed the firm’s SME strategy and was on the board of the Deloitte Foundation.

Julia has been working with small and medium sized entrepreneurial business across a wide range of industries for over twenty years. http://www.thebusinessbakery.com.au/

Kim Morrison

World Record holder and 5 times best-selling author, creative director of Twenty8 and a multitasking mum and wife, Kim shares the essential tools for self-care, positive relationship dynamics, self-discipline, leadership, teamwork and most of all how to have an attitude with sparkle. http://likechocolateforwomen. com/

Julie Parker

A certified coach and clinical counsellor for people who want to shine with passion, confidence and unshakable self-respect. Julie teaches that when you love yourself, you do your best work. The kind of work that astounds clients and customers, creates financial independence, leaves a lasting impression on communities and audiences, and evokes that ‘I-can’t-believe-I’m-getting-paidfor-this’ feeling. http://www.beautifulyoubyjulie.

Jody Allen Founder of Stay at Home Mum - The Secret to Living on One Wage:. Her blog is all about money saving ideas for mums.

Nicole Millard Co-owner and social media manager at Stay at Home Mum - The Secret to Living on One Wage. http://www.stayathomemum.net.au/

Jody along with co-owner Nicole have built their community to over 70 000 fans at facebook in just over 12 months knocking out kidspot, bubhub and essential baby as Australia’s favourite Mums Page! http://www.stayathomemum.net.au/ Susan Pearse Susan is an established businesswoman and author. Through her successful consulting business Reinvention she has been advising key leaders in companies like Rio Tinto, Energex, Thiess and Boeing for over a decade and transforming the way they think and do business. She has recently been awarded an international publishing contract with Hay House and her book on creating a successful person’s mind will be launched later this year. http://www.mindgardener.com.au/

Catherine Langman Cath is the Marketing, Sales and Financial Director of Cushie Tushies -The Modern Cloth Nappy, Cath has a backround in Corporate Advertising and along with Cushie Tushies Founder Michelle has taken this brand to amazing highs in Australia and internationally. http://www.cushietushies.com.au

Sharon Thurin The creator of healthy snack food company, Slim Secrets. Convenient, healthy, tasty and cheeky describes the Slim Secrets brand. With stand out packaging, great nutritionals, taste and proven results, Sharon’s business has flourished in four short years.

Her snack bars, cookies and chips are distributed nationally and overseas to a wide variety of outlets and is set to become a recognised global brand. http://www.slimsecrets.com.au/

Johanna Baker-Dowdell Johanna owns and runs Strawberry Communications, a writing and public relations service that generates amazing publicity. Strawberry Communications is based in Launceston and was launched in 2007. Johanna is also a freelance journalist and blogger. http://strawberrycommunications.com. au/

Helen Butler An Expert Professional Organiser and Director of Clutter Rescue, Professional Organisers who specialise in organising working Mums. Whatever your organising challenge, Clutter Rescue work with you to find calm and clarity, helping you organise your space and time so that they are efficient, well designed and suit you and your organising style. www.clutterrescue.com.au

Nick Bowditch Nick is one of Australia’s true online success stories. Basically broke and with his young family expanding quickly, Nick took one of the bravest - and best decisions of his life and left his city job to start his own travel business, working from home. He built up that business from a customer database of just 4 to more than 22,000 just 3 years later - all without staff, a shop front, or mainstream advertising instead opting to promote his new business using Social Media Marketing. http://clooee.com/ Alli & Genine Alli & Genine are best friends, business partners, authors of ISSUES? What Issues? (released April 2012), bloggers (www. alliandgenine.com), public speakers and entrepreneurs (with backgrounds in media, marketing, PR and publishing). Ultimately, they are every day women struggling through life – facing issues, overcoming challenges and failing dismally, every day.

ISSUES? What Issues? is available at all good book stores and at www. alliandgenine.com and www.berminghambooks.com, RRP $19.95.

Join us FULL PACKAGE: 2 day Mumpreneurs Conference program & AusMumpreneur Awards Dinner You receive: • Friday night networking event and Mini Expo • 2 day Mumpreneurs National Conference workshops, guest speakers, business building ideas, networking, motivation, inspiration, prize giveaways • Morning tea (Friday & Saturday) • Lunch (Friday & Saturday) • Afternoon tea (Friday & Saturday) • AusMumpreneur Awards Dinner - 3 Course Meal, Canapés and 4 hour Drinks Package 2 DAY CONFERENCE PACKAGE: 2 day conference program You receive: • Friday night networking event and Mini Expo • 2 day Mumpreneurs National Conference workshops, guest speakers, business building ideas, networking, motivation, inspiration, prize giveaways • Morning tea (Friday & Saturday) • Lunch (Friday & Saturday) • Afternoon tea (Friday & Saturday) FRIDAY PACKAGE Friday Night Networking, Friday Conference Session & Mumpreneurs Mini Expo Friday night You receive: • Friday night networking event and Mini Mumpreneurs Expo • Friday Mumpreneurs National Conference workshops, guest speakers, business building ideas, networking, motivation, inspiration, prize giveaways • Morning tea (Friday) • Lunch (Friday) • Afternoon tea (Friday) SATURDAY PACKAGE: Saturday Conference & AusMumpreneur Awards You receive: • Saturday Mumpreneurs National Conference Ticket workshops, guest speakers, business building ideas, networking, motivation, inspiration, prize giveaways • Morning tea (Saturday) • Lunch (Saturday) • Afternoon tea (Saturday) • AusMumpreneur Awards Dinner - 3 Course Meal, Canapés and 4 hour Drinks Package AUSMUMPRENEUR AWARDS GALA DINNER PACKAGE The AusMumpreneur awards recognise the best and brightest in the Mumpreneur industry and celebrates business mums achieving success in business, product development, innovation and amazing service business.

You receive: • 3 Course Meal, Pre Dinner Canapés and 4 hour Drinks Package

Book Tickets online at http://2012ausmumpreneursydney.eventbrite.com

The Venue

PARKROYAL Darling Harbour, Sydney

Relax, just minutes from Sydney’s most popular landmarks this year’s event is at the PARKROYAL Darling Harbour, Sydney hotel.

Take a stroll and experience the amazing views at Cockle Bay, explore the city’s history and culture in the galleries and museum at The Rocks, or simply enjoy some retail therapy at nearby shopping precincts such as Harbourside and Pitt Street Mall.

Getting there:

Airport shuttles to the PARKROYAL Darling Harbour, Sydney hotel are available from both the Domestic and International terminals at Sydney airport for $14.

Taxis from the Sydney airport to the hotel at Darling Harbour cost approximately $50 and take between 20-30 minutes.

Trains depart every 15 minutes from the Domestic and International terminals at Sydney Airport to Town Hall Station, two minutes’ walk from our Darling Harbour hotel. Tickets are approximately $15 and can be purchased before departure.

Overnight valet parking is available for $45 and there is self-parking off-site at Secure Cinema Centre for $28.00 per 24-hours.

Nearby Attractions: • • • • • • • • • • •

Sydney Opera House Chinatown King Street Wharf Cockle Bay Sydney Entertainment Centre Sydney Aquarium Star City Casino Sydney Wildlife World Queen Victoria Building Pitt Street Mall Taronga Zoo

2 Day National Mums In Business Conference

Program Day 1

8.15am Registration – Tea and Coffee 8:30am Welcome 8:45am Johanna Baker-Dowdell, Strawberry Communications – How to get amazing PR 9.45am Secret Mindsets of Successful People - Susan Pearse, Mind Gardener 10.45am Morning Tea 11.15am Building the Brand - Sharon Thurin, Slim Secrets 12.15pm Lunch 1:00pm Issues What Issues - Alli & Genine 2.00pm Become more ‘likeable’ & increase your reach Jody Allen & Nicole Millard 3.00pm Afternoon Tea 3.30pm Move from BUSY to Balanced - Helen Butler Clutter Rescue 4.30 pm Pricing for Profit and Productivity - Julia Bickerstaff Business Bakery 5.30pm End of day 7pm Networking Drinks & Mumpreneur Expo Day 2 9:00am Self Love: The Key to Life and Business Success - Julie Parker, Beautiful You 10.00am Business Planning and Development - Catherine Langman, Cushie Tushies 11.00am Morning Tea 11.30am The Marathon Of Life And Business - Kim Morrison, Like Chocolate For Women Author 12.30pm Lunch 1:30pm Marketing - Andrew Griffiths Australia’s #1 Small Business Author 2.30pm Q & A with Andrew Griffiths – Bring your questions for Andrew 3.00pm Afternoon Tea 3.30pm What’s Possible The Future of Online and Social Media Marketing - Nick Bowditch of Clooee 4.30 pm 2012 AusMumpreneur Conference closing 7pm AusMumpreneur Awards dinner – Winners of the 2012 AusMumpreneur Awards announced

Book Tickets online at http://2012ausmumpreneursydney.eventbrite.com

mindset success

The social side of business by susan pearse

So you’ve decided to start a business? Or maybe you have been in business for sometime? Venturing out on your own is a rewarding experience but it also takes courage, resilience and a lot of motivation. One of the biggest adjustments when you start the journey in your own business can be the removal of your social network.

When we work in organizations we are surrounded by people, we work in teams and we rely on and support each other. This sense of community is what we love because it fulfills the needs of our Social Brain.

Our brains are wired with the need to belong to something. From the time we were babies we needed to rely on others and our brains have been designed accordingly. In this article I will explore a few facts about our Social Brains and provide you with 4 reasons it is important to establish a social network or a buddy to support your business.

Learning from and for Others Our brains were designed to learn from others. The mirror neurons in our brain help us to do this. These neurons mimic the actions (and emotions) of others as if we were experiencing them ourselves. So if we were watching someone set up a sales campaign for example, our mirror neurons are firing in the same way as the person doing it. This creates neural networks in your brain that enables the task to be easier when it is your turn to do it.

that most business people tend to fall into the same traps. This wouldn’t happen if we took the time to share our experiences and lessons with others.

Buddying up with someone else and helping them also has some surprising benefits. Studies have found that when we learn for the purpose of teaching someone else we learn more effectively than if we are learning for our own purposes. So it seems that the key to business success is helping others!

A higher purpose Our brains are wired with the desire to contribute to something bigger than ourselves. To be significant, not just successful. When you are starting your business, ask yourself:

• Why am I doing this?

You can learn a lot in business by learning from, and • How will this make a difference in the lives of watching others. Despite this fact, it still appears my customers or in the world?

When you have discovered this purpose, identify others who are doing things for the same higher reason. Even though you might be selling totally different products or services, you are all aiming for the same significance. This will enable you to identify opportunities for each other. It will also have the effect of creating your own informal “organization” and reap all of those benefits of community.

Our Need for Support Our relationships with others is central to our happiness. In tough times it is these connections that pull us through and help us to be emotionally resilient. There will no doubt be some tough times in your business. By having a network of likeminded business people you will have the support and confidence to move through these times.

The Clear Mind Have you ever been in that situation where you just can’t see a solution to a problem or challenge you have? Often the solution is simple and obvious but it takes someone outside the situation to be able to help you with it. That’s because you are too

close to it. Or more specifically, you have wired up numerous neural connections in your brain about the problem and how it SHOULD be solved and you can’t let go of it to see another solution. In this case, you need someone without this wiring or who can simply see things with fresh eyes.

This is where having a network of like-minded business people is critical. They can act as a mentor and more importantly help provide you with the clarity you might be missing.

So, in starting your business one of the first steps should be to identify your support network. There are many avenues of support for people new to business. Connect2mums and the Ausmumprenuer Network is an example of a great one. There are other online communities, small business networks, courses and programs where you can find likeminded people. Or they may already exist in your social network (or your children’s social networks) As soon as you are in that state where you are looking for support, they will be presented to you!

Make sure you grab these opportunities.

Susan Pearse Mind Gardener author Susan Pearse is evangelical about improving minds – and not just her own. It’s a fact that her husband and two young toddlers will attest to, having lived and breathed the advice that Susan has made her life’s work.

The Brisbane-based author specialises in translating the theory behind how our minds change and adapt into simple, practical tools which can be applied to everyday situations – from parenting techniques to personal relationships and business.

As a working mother and entrepreneur, Susan understands better than most the challenges of juggling a busy career while still maintaining a rewarding and fulfilling family life – and the importance of taking time out to reconnect with your partner, children and yourself on a daily basis. www.mindgardener.com.au

social media success

smashing it on pinterest by nick bowditch

If you’ve heard me speak recently, you’ll remember that I bang on about Pinterest a fair bit.

It’s the virtual pinboard for people to share images and videos that’s the biggest mover and shaker in the social media world at the moment.

And the best thing about Pinterest in marketing is that it changes the focus for your customers from “look at me” to “look at this” which makes them feel more at ease with your business and less threatened or likely to be turned off.

How big is Pinterest? * It’s big: Pinterest reached 10 million US monthly unique visitors faster than any independent site in history. * There are around 2.2 million unique visitors to the site every day. * It’s a great traffic tool: Pinterest now generates more referral traffic to websites than YouTube, Google + and Linkedin combined! * It’s not going anywhere: 3 out of 4 Pinterest users expect to use Pinterest for the foreseeable future. * It’s great for retailers – 12% of people have pinned something that they later bought online. * It’s addictive: the average timem spent browsing Pinterest is 89 minutes. * And it’s growing: every day there are 160% more people using Pinterest than the day before.

Pretty amazing. But the most important stat about Pinterest for me is that the site’s users are around 8090% female, plus more than 97% of Pinterest’s Facebook Fans are female. So, with your market being very heavily influenced by the female consumer, this should be interesting to you.

What are people doing on Pinterest?

Different people use Pinterest in different ways: - Expressing themselves through pictures and images relevant to their lives.

- Reminding themselves of things they want to do, buy or revisit.

- Sharing or recommending things that they think others

should know about.

- Learning about and exploring specific or random topics.

- Searching for and discovering new or specific things to do, buy, look at or read.

And all of them are acting as members of an online wordof-mouth marketing team that’s directing buyers, doers and seekers to your online and mobile properties.

How are brands making money using Pinterest?

The way Pinterest works is about finding inspiration through the people you follow. Therefore, the most successful brands on Pinterest are the ones who are less promotional and more human, ie using the network as if they were individual users.

They pin things that communicate who the brands are and what they are inspired by. They post images of products, tag a price on that product and let users find them easily. They bring value by showing images and videos of fun and unique ways for people to use their products. Or show a completely different use of a product than what you might expect. And they link their Pinterest through to their blog, website, Facebook Page or online store making it seamless for a fan to like something they pin, read more about it, and buy it.

Which Aussie brands are getting Pinterest right?

One of the best examples is our own Tourism Australia.

Their Pinterest page is much like a scrapbook of all things cool and great about Australia. They have 35 boards with 1105 things pinned on them and have amassed 1076 followers. Check out their Pinterest page here: http:// pinterest.com/seeaustralia.

Another Aussie brand, Kikki.K, has also had great success early on using Pinterest, primarily because of a synergy their own retail stores and ideas have with the

network. Kristina Karlsson, the founder of Kikki.K, says, “Pinterest is very much aligned with our brand values, in that we’re both passionate about helping organise ideas and inspiration in style. We saw that users were already pinning Kikki.K products to their boards, so we knew it was the perfect time to join the Pinterest community through our own profile.”

My tips for smashing it on Pinterest?

1. Create boards that help you tell your story to the audiences you want to tell it to.

2. If you can, hire a photographer and/or a great graphic designer or use one of our ClooeeVirtual designers from just $8 per hour.

3. Pair every product, page or important piece of content you want to draw attention to with a great image.

4. Add a Pinterest share tab to your great images.

5. Add ‘Pin It’ badges and widgets to your blog or website.

6. Add a special Pinterest tab to your Facebook Page or ask me how to do it.

7. Test, target and segment your website content based on what you learn (you knew I’d say something about testing right?)

8. Encourage engagement and pinning activity by allowing others to post their pins to your profile.

9. Use the actual layout of the boards to tell your story eg http://bit.ly/MDEo2a 10. Do something different. eg http://bit.ly/L8xnKQ 11. Use Pinterest to raise awareness or money: eg http:// bit.ly/L8sEbY 12. Use Pinterest in a competition or promotion eg http:// bit.ly/MDEtTC 13. Link your Pinterest pins to your online store – make it seamless and easy for people to buy something of yours that they like the look of.

14. Outsource it. Did you know we actually manage Pinterest for small and medium-sized businesses? Let me know if you are interested in us building a huge profile on Pinterest for your business.

Nick Bowditch Nick Bowditch is a Social Futurist. He is also one of Australia’s online success stories.

Basically broke and with his young family expanding quickly, Nick took one of the bravest – and best – decisions of his life and chucked in his city job to start his own travel business, working from home. He built up that business from a customer database of just 4 when he started to more than 22,000 just 3 years later – all without staff, a shop front, and in the last 3 years, he has now gone from having that one online business to three, his e-books and electronic products have been downloaded thousands of times, and he is now a sought-after keynote speaker, MC for conferences, professional blogger and author. He has recently launched his fourth business, Clooee, which specialises in the creation of mobile applications, better customer engagement through mobile marketing and the exciting world of Augmented Reality www.clooee.com

home office inspiration

Limited space? Why not try converting a built-in wardrobe into an office! We love this compact use of space, every spare piece of wall, shelf and door has been cleverly used to store essentials and supplies.

Found via pinterest - http://www.houzz.com/office-in-a-closet

The colour in this office instantly draws you in, bright posters, statement accessories and quirky ornaments add life to this simple home office. The fairy lights also add a real element of fun to this bright and cheery space.

Found via pinterest - http://www.mimiandmegblog.com/2012/07/gsd-katie-of-paperfashion.html

We’re loving this clean and simple room, the stylish ghost chair and the white on white decor gives a lightness to this space.

Found via pinterest - http://capecodcollegiate.tumblr.com/

This relaxed work space is so sweet, set in a barn-like building, although the chair doesn’t look comfortable, the wide-open doors and rustic charm are like a breath of fresh air and add a very creative feel to this unique home office space.

Found via pinterest - http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/06/a-bit-ofwhats-been-afoot-this-week-on-the-farm-friday-on-the-farm/

The wicker baskets give an earthy look while ensuring there’s a place for everything. The storage seamlessly enhances the space adding a real sense of warmth to this stylish home office.

Found via pinterest - http://www.bhg.com/rooms/home-office/storage/ home-office-storage/

Real home office This is Alex Hadfield the mum behind the popular Whoa Mumma blog in her home office space.

“With 5 kids running around this house it’s hard to find a space to call my own! My home office is my Mac wedged into a corner of the kids TV room. Here is where I get my ‘mummy time out’. I can keep one eye on the kids while talking to other mums on facebook and writing reviews or posts for the blog.

It’s also the place where I’ve been developing my own dress line for That Pretty Dress Shop, a store on facebook, which I hope to open in September this year. With just a few clicks I can talk to my manufacturer overseas and check on progress and design ideas. My little office looks quite tidy but you should see the clutter on the desk top on my computer!

My favourite part of my little space is a little picture I have on my desk top that says “She turned her can’ts into cans and her dreams into plans.” www.whoa-mumma.blogspot.com

Where are they now? 2011 AusMumpreneur Awards winners 2011 AusMumpreneur of the Year

Anita lincolne-lomax babes in arms ‘Babes in Arms’ specialises in award-winning baby slings and carriers - essential tools for peaceful hands-free family life. Flagship products include the world’s most loved ‘Ergobaby Carrier’, the celebrity endorsed ‘Peanut Shell’ and the cool-comfort mesh ‘Breeze Baby’ sling. Products are available through leading baby stores and and online at www.babesinarms.com.au.

Winning ‘AusMumpreneur of the Year’ in 2011 created an instant support network of savvy business mums, always generous when sharing ideas and crosspromotional opportunities.

what have you achieved in the last 12 months?

On a personal level, I welcomed baby no. 4 into our family and, with the support of our babywearing range of products, managed to jump back on deck after only a 3 week babymoon. On a business front we have enjoyed fantastic growth and successfully partnered with an increasing number of wholesale accounts.

How has being a part of the ausmumpreneur awards helped your business?

Winning ‘AusMumpreneur of the Year’ in 2011 created an instant support network of savvy business mums, always generous when sharing ideas and cross-promotional opportunities. The win also triggered welcomed media attention from TV, radio, newspapers, magazines to online coverage. This exposure positioned me as an industry specialist and therefore a regular source for journalists researching babywearing issues.

What advice would you give to other mums thinking about starting a business?

Developing a commercially viable operation takes real imagination, ingenuity and perseverance. If you are determined to bring a business idea to light, ensure you write a thorough business plan, surround yourself with smart and experienced people and make sure your children don’t get ignored in the process – weave a good support network!

www.babesinarms.com.au

Where are they now? 2011 AusMumpreneur Awards winners 2011 Emerging AusMumpreneur of the Year

rhian allen lose baby weight

My name is Rhian Allen and I run two businesses. One is www.losebabyweight.com.au and the other is www. healthymummy.com and both focus on mums becoming fit and healthy post baby. We also have my own Healthy Mummy range of products designed to assist mums with weight loss, energy levels and well being - all of which are safe in breastfeeding.

Winning ‘Emerging AusMumpreneur of the Year’ in 2011 has added credibility and interest and has strengthened the overall business good will and brand name.

what have you achieved in the last 12 months?

My business has grown at an astonishing rate and in under 2 years it is just shy of a $1m turnover which has been accelerated 10 times over the past 12 months. Some of the achievements we have made include: • Helping mums lose over 100,000kg • Reaching 23,000 ‘likers on Facebook’ • Launching The Healthy Mummy Range • Launching The Healthy Mummy website and Facebook page (now at 4,500 likers) • Launched a private members area on our website • Created 2 successful ebooks that have now sold over 4,000 copies • Appearing on National TV shows such as Kerrie Ann Kennerly • Featuring in numerous media editorial channels such as The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Telegraph, New Idea, Take 5, Kidspot, Practical Parenting, My Child and Bubhub to name but a few • Grown our web traffic to over 220,000 page views a month • Now gathering an international client base and reach with regular sales in the US and the UK

How has being a part of the ausmumpreneur awards helped your business?

It has added credibility and interest to the business which has strengthened the overall business good will and brand name. Also winning two awards (Best Customer Service Award & Emerging Mumpreneur Award) has shown that the business is recognized at multi levels and layers

What advice would you give to other mums thinking about starting a business?

Work out what your business objectives are over 1,2,3,4 and 5 years. You will never get everything done all at once so it is good to stagger your objectives and goals. To make your business really successful you will constantly need to invest, so be prepared to reinvest profits to take you to the next business level and make sure you have enough savings/funding/second income to supplement your living costs while your business grows.

www.losebabyweight.com.au

Where are they now? 2011 AusMumpreneur Awards winners 2011 Service Business of the Year

kim mcgann blush brides

My name is Kim McGann and I am a mum of 3 small kids, and the proud owner of Blush Brides. www.blushbrides.com.au Blush Brides is a hair & makeup service for brides wanting to look naturally gorgeous on their wedding day. Launched in 2007, Fast forward today and Blush Brides is now a multi award winning, nationally published business, set to be sold as a national franchise.

Being a part of the AusMumpreneur awards has been such a boost to business, it has been perfect for showing clients that we are worthy of such an award.

what have you achieved in the last 12 months?

In the last 12 Months, Blush Brides has featured in national bridal magazines such as Luxury Weddings, been a finalist for both hair & makeup in a state wide bridal business awards, and won an international business competition which saw me win $5000 to invest in Blush Brides. I also launched a new business called Get More Brides, which helps other wedding industry professionals build highly successful wedding businesses. www. getmorebrides.com.au And our biggest achievement is that we are in the franchise process right now, and will be selling Blush Brides franchises by the end of the year, nation wide !

How has being a part of the awards helped your business?

Being a part of the mumpreneur awards has been such a boost to business, especially since we are purely a service business, so it has been perfect for showing our prospective brides that we are worthy of such an award, instilling confidence and trust for our clients. Blush Brides has appeared in our two local papers, as well as having our Mumpreneur achieving displayed on our website.

Being a part of mumpreneurs will also be a crucial element to my business ongoing as many of our new franchisee owners are also likely to be mums, as our model is flexible and family friendly.

What advice would you give to other mums?

I would advise other mums in business to never lose sight of your big dreams. Its easy to find excuses to put your dreams on hold or in the closet for good. The real rewards will only come when you truly believe in yourself and have the courage to follow your dreams.

www.blushbrides.com.au

Where are they now? 2011 AusMumpreneur Awards winners 2011 Eco-Friendly Business of the Year

Cath langman cushie tushies

My name is Catherine Langman. I’m a Mum of 3 and owner of Cushie Tushies (www.cushietushies.com.au), where we design and produce gorgeous, functional, ecofriendly nappies and nappy accessories for babies, as well as MamaMinx (www.mamaminx.com.au), which is a range of eco-friendly breastfeeding and sanitary pads for women.

Being recognised by others for our achievements definitely gives other people the confidence to do business with us!

what have you achieved in the last 12 months?

Since this time last year, we have completely re-designed our core product and launched nationally. This involved not just product design, but IP protection here and internationally, plus new packaging design, new range & promo brochures, major website update and filming new demo videos.

How has being a part of the ausmumpreneur awards helped your business?

We gained some amazing publicity off the back of our win and it is still something we speak about to customers and stockists (existing and potential). Being recognised by others for our achievements definitely gives other people the confidence to do business with us!

What advice would you give to other mums thinking about starting a business?

There are 3 reasons why entrepreneurs succeed in their venture: 1. Focus 2. Focus 3. Focus!

www.cushietushies.com.au

Where are they now? 2011 AusMumpreneur Awards winners 2011 Product Innovation Award

brooke nicol breast mate

I’m a Full time working mum of 2 toddlers with breast mate as my passion. Breast mate is, the all in one feeding timer and recording device that records and displays all information then downloads to your computer. Also includes nightlight, colour changing room thermometer and alarm clock.

Since winning this award the most significant difference is the contacts made throughout the AusMumpreneur process and the support received through this network.

what have you achieved in the last 12 months?

I have been to USA to present my product with my distributor and focused heavily on my marketing campaign to generate word of mouth. Winning the Aus Mumpreneur Award allowed me the ability to talk to media about such a great achievement and have now got interest in the EU market.

How has being a part of the ausmumpreneur awards helped your business?

Winning the award has provided credibility in my invention and has also generated excitement in the media with great exposure online and in press.

Most significant difference is the contacts made throughout the AusMumpreneur process and the support received through this network.

What advice would you give to other mums thinking about starting a business?

Never lose sight of what you want to achieve. Surround yourself by positive people and if possible a mentor. Take time out to celebrate successes no matter how small. Most importantly never forget why you started and don’t let it take over from the most important thing, your family.

www.breastmate.com.au

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A day in the life of a Mumpreneur jody allen of stay at home mum

At the computer, where I spend probably 80% of my time! At least I have a lovely view of the bush from my office window - not a neighbour in sight! Most of my time is spent writing the articles for the website.

Trying out a new recipe, I try all the recipes before I put them on the website it’s a delicious past time.

If I could I would spent less time at the computer and more time in the kitchen.

My exercise for the day, I walk the long road down to the mailbox and back on the dusty dirt driveway. At least there are no snakes this time of year. The perils of living in the country! I’ve seen a brown snake in the gully here so I’m always wary.

Research for new ideas. I love all the old cookbooks and Margaret Fulton is my all time favourite! I schedule in an hour of research per week that is strictly OFF the computer.

Jody Allen is the owner and founder of Stay at Home Mum Pty Ltd, Australia’s largest parenting Facebook Page. Stay at Home Mum is a community of Mums united to share ideas and tips on how to save money. Check out the website at www.stayathomemum.net.au

A day in the life of a Mumpreneur megan bayliss of

the junk wave

My day always starts at 4.30am, but this morning I had to complete a commissioned job making conference bags from newspaper so I started at 2am. I get up early to complete computer work before the interruptions of working from home occur. As a recycled crafter and trainer my day is an equal mix of creativity and workshop preparations. This means that my office is ALWAYS a mess.

Sixty conference bags made from recycled newspaper were completed by lunch time. The bag handles are fashioned from plastic computer cabling that came from the Davis Station at Antarctica. I collect waste from everywhere and I’m grateful to all the people who provide me with treasure rather than add it to landfill.

My business partner and daughter, Jade, arrives at 10am with her 4-year-old daughter in tow. Jade updates MYOB and social media before responding to emails and she has lots of interruptions from her daughter at the same time. She wonders if she will get to speak business on the telephone without a little voice in the background asking for something!

To give Jade a few uninterrupted moments I leave the bag making to help my granddaughter feed the fish…and get something to eat…and go to the toilet.

You know how it goes!

I love talking in front of large groups of people and helping them to think differently about how precious our environment is.

This is me talking to primary school children on assembly; encouraging them to enter the Young Innovators Challenge and make something from recycled materials. The plastic dress I’m wearing is 25 years old – proof that plastic takes a very long time to break down.

After a wee Nana nap given the 2am start, I run a recycled craft workshop for early childhood educators in the evening. I talk to them about the theory behind recycling and sustainability before teaching a variety of recycled craft. Best of all, I teach them how to save money. They all like that. I offer trainings across Australia but while I’m at home in Cairns, I aim to spend four nights a week running workshops.

Megan Bayliss is the founder of and global advocate at The Junk Wave, where she makes junk precious, educates around using recycled craft as a medium for keeping household waste out of landfill and ocean and offers a WAHM licensed business opportunity. http://www.thejunkwave.com.au

A day in the life of a Mumpreneur fiona neumann of skills savvy Up at 4.30am to start working on Skills Savvy.

Lucky for me the kids slept long enough that I could get a fair amount of work done.

Both the boys are awake – work stops and the breakfast shift begins.

The babysitters arrive (my Dad and his wife are the babysitters). You have to love family for they baby sit out of love.

I caught the bus into the city and rushed to a conference.

Walking down Martin Place brought back a flood of memories for me.

I used to work in the city in my single days. Oh how my life has changed.

As soon as I got home, all I wanted to do was lay down on the couch.

The grandparents left. So then I had to put my mummy hat back on. I was still on a high from the conference, I wanted to sit down and start writing about the conference and everything that I had learnt. This was not possible though. Both the boys didn’t want their afternoon sleep.

So I waited and waited and waited.

I made dinner, my husband and I bathed the boys and put them to bed.

Normally I would just flop and go to bed, but I was still excited about the conference and I stayed up late writing.

Fiona Neumann started her own business Skills Savvy- Call Centre Recruitment Specialists in Jan 2012. Their vision is to help parents return to a flexible work environment www.skillssavvy.com.au

A day in the life of a Mumpreneur caroline roberts of

Gardening 4 kids My days starts at 6.30 a.m. with my daughter, Little Miss B, calling out “Mummy, I’m awake!” from her bedroom. We say goodbye to my husband as he heads off to work then I make breakfast for us both and a cup of tea for me. I then sit down and write out a to-do list for the day. I know I won’t complete it but I like to see everything written down in front of me so I can make a ‘plan of attack’. I split my list into tasks I have to do for Gardening 4 Kids, for the home and for my work as a teacher.

‘Work’ starts at around 9 a.m..

I take a phone call from one of my suppliers.

I juggle this phone call whilst dealing with Little Miss B who is clearly not impressed that I’m spending so much time on the phone.

I also spend some time sending and replying to emails whilst she checks her ‘emails’ on her toy laptop.

At 11 a.m. it is time to head out to the garden for some fresh air and a little mummydaughter green time. We re-pot some plants that have been given to me as gifts and visit our compost bin to say hello to the worms. We aim to head outdoors for some green time every day.

After lunch Little Miss B goes for a nap so I use this time to write invoices, pack orders, do some work on the BAS and send emails. I am closely supervised by my office assistants Bella and Coco.

When Little Miss B wakes we head to the post office to send out the day’s orders. We then come home and start preparing dinner. Tonight we are having risotto and Little Miss B enjoys helping cut up the mushrooms.

I do one final check of my emails at 5.30 then it’s time to turn off the computer and spend some time with my husband. As I expected I haven’t completed everything on my to-do list but tomorrow is a new day so I will re-write and tackle it again.

Caroline Roberts is mum to the very inquisitive and cheeky Little Miss B, part-time primary school science and sustainability teacher and owner of Gardening 4 Kids. As an environmental educator and gardening specialist, she has a passion for educating children about a healthy lifestyle and a sustainable future. You can visit Gardening 4 Kids at www.gardening4kids.com.au.

A day in the life of a Mumpreneur kate mclean of

whale spout From the minute I wake I’m on the go – I rush around getting three children to eat their breakfast, brush their teeth, get dressed, have their hair done and school bag packed to be out the door by 8.30am, for the walk to school to drop off my 5 year old, Molly… all of this while I make lunches, put a load of washing on and do a quick check of email too!

The morning walk to school is one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. With my youngest (Ruby) in the pram, my 3 year old, Grace, and Molly either walk, scoot or ride and I have time to chat to them all about their plans for the day. We try to walk every day, as school is only 5 minutes away Some days the walk to and from school is the only fresh air I get for the day!

Home from school drop-off to start on dinner, hang out the washing and do a quick clean of the house. The morning is spent trying to entertain the little ones (play-dough, dressups, drawing, or some TV) for as long as possible while I jump on the computer and do some work.

Then I prepare some early lunches and snacks and get Grace ready for kinder and drive to do a (hopefully) quick drop-off!

Once home, I settle Ruby into her cot for a nap, and then it’s straight onto the computer and/or sewing machine to work until 10 minutes before kinder finishes, when I wake Ruby and we head to kinder - as Ruby is only 21 months I cannot even attempt to sew while she is awake, there are just too many temptations for her with scissors, a hot iron, needles and pins! After picking up Grace we head to a local playground to wait for school pick-up and to collect Molly.

There is no chance to do any work after school, so I focus on the kids and getting dinner organised. My husband arrives home in time for a family dinner, and then he pops all 3 girls in the bath and I jump on the computer for a quick check (again!). After bath time we all snuggle down for some cuddles and stories before having all 3 in bed by 7.30pm.

Then it’s back onto the computer to work on Whale Spout, usually jumping off around 9.30pm to spend some time with my husband before heading to bed :) www.whalespout.com.au - Whale Spout encourages kids to embrace the essence of childhood in designs that let them be little fish.

A day in the life of a Mumpreneur Cara Loren of cara loren photography

6:30am - we all wake up, Daddy goes off to work and the kids and I (and puppy, of course) play!

Until around 11am when my youngest has a nap.

At 11am I do work that I can include my 5 year old in, packaging orders, gift certificates etc.

At 2pm, our babysitter comes around so I can go off to a photoshoot

7:30pm the kids usually go to bed, but sometimes my youngest won't go to sleep, so I work with her on my lap until she’s ready for bedtime.

8.30pm When the kids are in bed I work, editing images from my photoshoots and answering emails.

Cara Loren Photography specialises in modern children’s photography visit her site at wwww.caraloren.com.au

A day in the life of a Mumpreneur amy luttrell of

Mama chic

After dropping my 15 month old off at Grandma’s its off to the office I go!

I work full time as a senior recruitment specialist for the commercial setor of the ACT, am starting my own business from scratch, have a 15 month old and am 15 weeks pregnant with bub number two!

I am flat out and it can be a real challenge juggling all of my different roles, but I wouldn’t have it any other way as I love every minute of it.

This is how my house often looks when I arrive home, filled with prams with covers to fit!

Then there’s still housework to be done too, even after a full day at the office. My daughter is a great help!

Business never sleeps! When the housework is done, dinner has been had and the baby is asleep I can finally retire to bed... and work some more on my business!

Amy Luttrell is the owner and founder of Mama Chic. Mama Chic is best known for it’s cleverly designed pram sleep covers. The sleep covers create a dark sleeping environment for when you are out and about with baby while looking stylish on your pram. www.facebook.com/pages/Mama-Chic/284556938223832

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