Ausmumpreneur special edition online magazine

australia & new zealand

AusMumpreneur magazine

orge e G . t S 2014 Group g n i k n a B reneur p m u M Aus ear of the Y

Christine Kininmonth Fertile Mind

www. ausmumpreneur.com

Banking that works for you When you’re managing business and family you want everything else to be as simple as possible. We have a range of business and personal banking products designed to make your life easier.

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You’ll get all your business banking essentials including: • Choice of every day transaction accounts – to pay and get paid • Business Visa Debit Card – for easy access to your business funds • Business Access Saver – to save for expenses like GST and tax payments • Business Banking Online – 24/7 visibility to your business cash flow To find out more or to speak to your local AusMumpreneur business specialist or visit www.stgeorge.com.au/ausmumpreneur PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

Things you should know: Offer commences October 1 2014 and ends March 31 2015 (“Promotional Period”). The $8 monthly account keeping fee for the Freedom Business Account is waived for the 12 months following the month within the Promotional Period a customer opens or holds all the products in the BizPack Essentials (Transaction Account, Savings Account, Business Visa Debit Card and online banking facility).

The offer is only available to customers who have not previously held a business transaction account with St.George under that business name/ABN. The monthly service fees, annual card fee(s) and eftpos facility establishment fee applicable to the other eligible products in BizPack are waived for as long as a customer holds all the products in BizPack Essentials. Transaction fees may also apply if you exceed the monthly fee-free transaction allowance on eligible products in the BizPack Essentials. Before deciding to acquire or hold a product, please read the Terms and Conditions available at stgeorge.com.au/bizpack and consider if the product is appropriate for you. © 2014 St.George Bank – A Division of Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL and Australian credit licence 233714.

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Contents Editor’s note

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2014 St George Banking Group AusMumpreneur of the Year Award finalists:

8-29

Christine Kininmonth, AusMumpreneur of the Year

8

Jackie Hall, Rising Star Award

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Marlies Hobbs, Emerging AusMumpreneur of the Year Sasha Deacon, Customer Service Award Joanna Whitton, Nando’s Peri-Peri Sauces Blog Award Lynsey Nichols, Eco-Friendly Award

AusMumpreneur Conference & Awards social photos

30-31

Blessing in disguise

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Women Doing it For Themselves: How to Build Your Own Successful & Profitable Business From Home

33

Christmas gift guide

34-36

AusMumpreneur Awards featured finalists:

37-43

Leanne Shea Langdown

37

Krystal Caton

38

Corrine Tye-Lim

39

Belinda Ritchie

40

Jo Turner

41

Elise Easdown

42

Sally Hams

43

5 steps to finding the right mentor

44

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Lauren Harris, Handmade Award

20

Jenine Dilts-Bayman, Making A Difference Award Kate Curtis, Product Innovation Award

22 24

Caroline Africh, Retail Award

26

Belinda Jennings, Service Business Award

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AusMumpreneur Magazine 2014 Awards Special Edition Editors: Peace Mitchell & Katy Garner

Design and editing: Lauren Shay, Full Stop Design, Editing, Publishing

Advertising enquiries: magazine@connect2mums. com.au

General enquiries: info@connect2mums.com.au 0431 615 107

2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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Clever mumpreneurs learn from others’ stories

Tap into the tips, tricks and lessons from 21 successful mumpreneurs

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Editors’ note

e are delighted to announce our 2014 St. George Banking Group AusMumpreneur Awards winners!

2014 has been such a big year for the mumpreneur industry and this year’s awards certainly reflected that. Thousands of women are making the decision to start their own homebased businesses to provide more freedom, flexibility and time for their families. Our winners are inspiring role models for so many women and we’re astounded at what each and every one of them has achieved in their businesses.

We would like to thank everyone involved in this year’s Awards and Conference, especially our major partners St. George Bank, Bank of Melbourne and BankSA. Without their support, this event would not have been possible.

At this year’s event, we also launched our latest book, How to Create Your Own Successful and Profitable Business From Home.

Copies are available at www.ausmumpreneur.com

We hope you enjoy reading a little more about each of this year’s winners in this special Awards edition magazine.

xx Peace & Katy

Mention Ausmumpreneur to receive 20% off all advertising rates

For mums who love pretty things, style and looking after themselves and their family Read it FREE online

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2014 St George Banking Group AusMumpreneur of the Year Award Christine Kininmonth, Fertile Mind – www.fertilemind.c om.au Christine Kininmonth never intended to launch her own small business.

Instead, she launched her own BIG business!

Tell us about you and your family.

I have a hubby of 18 years and four daughters aged 8–18, living deep in Sydney suburbia. We drive to my parents’ farm often to get out of the rat race.

Why did you start a home-based business?

I was going to do a market stall, but read an article saying women always “think small.” So, I launched a “big” business on day one.

Tell us about your business.

Fertile Mind’s flagship products include the global success Belly Belt, Milkbar nursing pillow and baby carriers Hug-aBub and Manduca. Educating parents in safe baby wearing is what we are most proud of.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

Seeing myself as a business owner, not just the inventor of a product. Being an owner means stepping up in so many ways, from staying motivated and positive in bad times as well as good, realising you have to make tough decisions (it’s not all airbrushed rosy times like the magazines would have you believe). At one point, I felt I was so overwhelmed and having to juggle so many balls, I gave in to my apathy and started to retreat (not a good thing when you’re in business). To get through this patch, the best thing we did

What was the inspiration for your business?

Inventing the Belly Belt, which turns clothes into maternity wear, meant I could keep wearing my TV news wardrobe.

So pregnancy (and redundancy) was my inspiration!

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was hire a business coach. He made me understand myself, my reactions, my staff, my weak points (that was hard) and my strengths. After some tears and soul-searching, we came up with a renewed vision, made changes to the team structure and everyone’s roles and responsibilities, and now see Fertile Mind as a more cohesive, tolerant and productive company.

What’s your best marketing advice?

Get out of the house, go for a walk and get creative! Don’t worry about what others are doing (your competitors appear everywhere to you, just like your own type of car is the one you most notice). Try to think about what value you can add to your industry and be authentic. Don’t always think about the return in dollars for your own piece of the pie. Try to grow the whole pie! For example, I’m very, very committed to raising baby sling and carrier safety awareness in Australia. At great expense, we have brought one of the world’s experts in the field to train Australia’s first baby-wearing consultants (some from competitor companies!). The more sophisticated the market, the better for our products because they are the cream on top. I’m also on the board of the international Baby Carrier Industry Alliance, am establishing the Australian Babywearing Association and inviting the whole baby-wearing industry to participate — and our company has become Australia’s

‘I read an article saying women always think small.

So, I launched a big business on day one.’ only trained partner with the Baby Carrying Network in Germany. We donate slings and carriers to sling libraries free of charge for people to try. We are also sticking with some traditional advertising and online advertising — but it’s very expensive, and hurts! Creating “stories” is more fun and cheaper. Blogs are great, you gotta blog!

What’s your best time management advice?

Chunk it down. I was hopeless at it, so if it works for me, it must be good. First, write your goals. Next, plan what the “big rocks” are to get to those goals. Ignore all the “gravel” (emails, interruptions, desk tidying, pretty business cards) and work only on the “big rocks” to plan your week. So, if you want to get more sales, work out what a good goal might be. Then workshop what major things would get you there (cold calling, stockist visits, improving your search engine optimisation, blogging, meeting editors, improving your photos). Work out a weekly plan where the bulk of your week is spent working mostly on only those things.

You will get to your goal. Huge focus is needed to get you started, but to maintain momentum with a family and outside life, you must plan each week. I am describing what has helped us at Fertile Mind, with the help of outside experts. Franklin Covey’s “The 5 Choices” program was a great investment, I wish I’d done it sooner.

What’s your best advice for creating a profitable business?

The key word here is “profitable.” So you have “eat your Ps!” — price, promotion, positioning, product, productivity.

Are you buying at the right price, selling at the right price, promoting your product and choosing the right product in the first place? Are you working productively only on these things? Keep revisiting this, as it is very easy to lose focus.

Don’t take money out of the business early, as you will need more and more money for working capital as the business expands. Borrowing money to run your business is a great way to eat into profit. If you have eaten your Ps, then you need to look at ways to scale up. It’s great to sell your own product. Is there a way you can now expand your product lines or services without losing direction? Perhaps you can merge or acquire another business. I would very much recommend people read The E-Myth by Michael Gerber before starting out. It’s something I’ve only just read, and it helps a lot with start-ups avoiding mistakes (and, therefore, the opportunity to maximise profits). Finally, make sure you ask for YOUR money. It’s hard to chase debts, but when you think of it as YOUR money they owe you, it helps. Try to keep track of every last cent; they do add up.

What have been your best achievements in the past 12 months?

I am very proud to have facilitated and sponsored the training of Australia’s first group of certified baby-wearing consultants, as well as the first group of baby-wearing consultants who are also trained medical and health professionals. I’m the first Australian board member of the Baby Carrier Industry Alliance. I’ve worked with the Queensland Government and university to share our knowledge of baby wearing for their sling safety campaign, launched in June 2014. Because of our years of emphasis on baby-wearing education and professional training, in January 2014 Fertile Mind began distributing Huga-Bub wrap carriers — an iconic Australian brand now going from strength to strength. Seeing Megan Gale on Instagram wearing the Hug-a-Bub we gave her as a gift was a wonderful moment. I’ve also been involved in the repackaging of all our maternity accessories and we’ve just made a 30-second video to promote Belly Belt in China. My business partner Peter Hooker and I joined staff in professional productivity training, and we’ve created a vision for our future with the help of a business coach.

Partly as a result of all this work, I was a finalist in this year’s 2014 My Business Awards in the Women in Business category.

Why do you think you deserve to win this award?

Women need role models. I believe I have demonstrated a commitment to growing a business in Australia through some of the toughest years and can share my insights about my journey that will help others. My story will appeal to most women in business: being a mother and wife, having a successful working business partnership of 16 years, struggling with lack of money and lack of know-how, experiencing growing pains and making loads of mistakes, inventing my own product and sharing my knowledge with others, seeing the pressure on retailers and learning about e-commerce and now m-commerce, exporting and distribution into big chain stores. While I have achieved success, I am honest and I am not going to pretend to know all the answers. I know how hungry we all are for any advice when we start out.

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Rising Star AusMumpreneur of the Year Jackie Hall, Parental Stress Centre – www.parentalstress.c om.au Jackie Hall turned her experiences of depression and anxiety into something positive – helping other parents not just rise above their own battles, but thrive.

Tell us about you and your family.

I am a mum of two boys (aged 8 and 9) who went through depression and anxiety and came out the other side to passionately educate parents on how to do the same.

Tell us about your business.

The Parental Stress Centre provides online educational materials to help parents identify the core thinking behind their stress and how to change their perception of the challenges of parenting to alleviate parental stress, depression and anxiety, and how to then pass those life skills on to their children.

What was the inspiration for your business?

My own depression and anxiety. After getting so angry that I nearly hurt my child, I realised it was time to change and completely transformed my own thinking and feeling about parenthood. Knowing I wasn’t alone, I became obsessed 10

Australia & New Zealand AusMumpreneur Magazine

with continuing my learning and teaching other parents along the way.

Why did you start a home-based business?

I like the flexibility of being able to choose my own hours and work around the kids. I want to experience their sports days and special occasions. I don’t like being told where I have to spend my time when working for someone else.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

My greatest challenge has been overcoming self-doubt and fearing that other people won’t like what I’m saying, particularly traditional medical fields. I have overcome this by coming back to what’s in me. I love what I do. I’m passionate about showing parents that they don’t have to live with stress, depression and anxiety and I can do that because I have walked my talk. I’ve lived their pain

and have come out the other side. I don’t have to be “like traditional medical fields” because I’m not trying to provide therapy. I’m providing an education, an understanding and a voice of someone who has been through it all. I remind myself that I am real and I already am helping people. I keep looking at my wins, my progress and the testimonials that say how much I’ve helped my clients. I remind myself that my role in this life is only to be me, doing things my way, in the best way I know how and that is already enough.

Above all, when self-doubt kicks in, I keep going. I will not allow those thoughts to consume my mind. I acknowledge them and assess what I’m actually worried about and apply the very tools I teach parents. If I’m worried I can’t do something, my strategy has always been that if I don’t know how to do something, find someone who does and learn from them. So I research successful people, I listen to their stories of success and how they overcame their doubt, and I realise that they are just like me – worth no more or no less.

What’s your best marketing advice?

The Parental Stress Centre is a culmination of eight years of learning, studying, practicing, teaching and long hours, day and night. My best marketing advice is to be persistent and try lots of different things until you find a combination of things that work and then keep going with finding more ways to market to your audience. Don’t give up if

‘Treat your customers like you would your friends.’

something is not successful. I felt like I had “made it” in 2012 when I appeared on Sunrise with my 28 Day Scream Free Parenting Challenge. We had 4,500 participants and it was a raging success. I thought, “This is it! This is what I’ve been waiting for. This is going to go crazy now!” I wanted to use it as a platform to launch my profile into the public eye even more, only to find that the words “scream free” were trademarked and I couldn’t use them in the book or in any other promotional material. I wanted to give up, and I pretty much did for about two months, but I reconnected with my passion and I jumped back on the bike and kept pedalling towards what I wanted regardless. I renamed the book and created a one-month program out of it that is now my biggest-selling product! What I’ve learned about marketing over the years is that there is never one thing that makes a business a raging success. It is the momentum of many different things that gets the cogs turning, slowly at first and then faster and faster as it picks up more momentum and you get more exposure.

you do, and your business will flourish. Recognise when you are getting too focused on your customers being dollar signs, jump out of the world of “you” and into the world of them and their needs. Service their needs by providing the best solution to their problems and they will tell more people about you. The dollar signs will flow in on their own if you do this. Surprise them with something free after they purchase every now and then. Your customers will feel important and see you as generous and not “just in it for the money”. Be clear about your message and your drive about what you want to give people and make it filter through every transaction, piece of marketing, blog or any other thing you do with your business. Above all, be passionate about wanting to help them solve their problem and they’ll want to come back and only do business through you.

What have been your best achievements in the past 12 months?

When I ran the 28 Day Scream Free Challenge (now Tame Your Temper Challenge) on Sunrise with more than 4,500 participants, it became obvious to me through emails that dads need help, too. At the time of this challenge, my business was called Self Help for Mums. Realising that I wanted to include mums and dads, we completely revamped every product we had available to focus on either parent, created even more products and emerged as The Parental Stress Centre of Australia. We are now becoming one of the leading organisations that help parents overcome stress, with our primary product being our 28-day support program where parents learn how to tame their temper, as a group. We get hundreds of participants each month supporting each other, learning through videos and live chats, and reading the 28 Day Tame your Temper Challenge book together, and it’s growing in numbers each time we run it. The past 12 months have been about seeing our reputation flourish in the parenting community and making a real impact on how parents live day to day, with the message of life and self-worth already being passed down to their kids and making huge differences in how children are behaving. The Parental Stress Centre, in the past 12 months, has emerged to match the exact vision I had for it when I began eight years ago off the back of my own depression.

What’s your best customer service advice?

Treat your customers like you would your friends and the way you want to be treated. There are people on the other side of the names on your invoices and those people want what you want: respect, kindness, attention, to feel good.

Treat them well and connect with them with everything 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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Emerging AusMumpreneur of the Year Marlies Hobbs, Paleo Cafe – www.paleo-cafe.c om.au Marlies Hobbs is passionate about educating people on the health benefits of the paleo diet through her own delicious food.

Tell us about you and your family.

I am 29. I married Jai in 2007. We have two young sons.

Tell us about your business.

Paleo Cafe is a revolutionary health-food store and cafe franchise business and the first of its kind in the world.

What was the inspiration for your business?

Our son, Troy, was born with a dairy intolerance causing him to suffer from severe reflux. This taught us the true effects of food on the body.

Why did you start a home-based business?

We aren’t home-based. Instead, we are a national healthfood store and cafe franchise business.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

Entering a new industry with limited previous hospitality experience with a brand-new, untested concept, there 12

have certainly been many challenges! Staff management and having to make quick decisions in a rapidly evolving business have probably been the biggest challenges. To overcome challenges, I always attack them with a resultsdriven approach. What is the problem? As a business, what do we want to achieve? How can we best achieve that outcome? Then I go ahead and do whatever is needed to resolve the problem/challenge and achieve the outcome sought, including obtaining expert advice and support where needed to ensure the best possible outcome for the business. I am accepting of challenges and understand that they are a natural part of business. Every challenge brings you experience and strength. I always try to do the best I can with what I have available to me. I accept that you can only do your best and you can only control what you can control. You have to let go of the rest or it will consume you and distract you from the overall vision for your business.

What’s your best marketing advice?

When it comes to marketing, it can be quite overwhelming

AusMumpreneur Magazine - 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

as there are so many options, and they come in anywhere from free to very expensive. My advice is to take it step by step. In the beginning, I had to undertake many marketing tasks myself. As much as possible, I utilised free or cheaper forms of marketing, such as social media and press releases, to attract free publicity to our brand and concept.

As we grew and our marketing budget grew, we could engage in more paid marketing and utilise the skills of experts to support us and our business in moving forward.

No matter what we are doing in the marketing sector, we appreciate the importance of ensuring that the content is professionally presented and engaging for customers. We always put ourselves in the shoes of our customers and approach each marketing initiative from their perspective: “What does the customer want?” We endeavour to be personal in our marketing so that people feel comfortable and supported by our content and can relate to our business. In this somewhat modern, detached and material word, people are looking for personal engagement and support and we try to offer that wherever we can. We are also always adaptable to change. Change is constant in business, and we believe that remaining flexible, open minded and adaptable is essential for success.

‘My work is my passion and my passion is my work. I love my life and my work!’

What’s your best customer service advice?

When it comes to customer service, a business owner should always remember that “perception is reality”. Right or wrong, a customer’s experience and perception of your business is their reality. Without customers, you have no business. A bad customer experience or poorly handled complaint can be hugely detrimental to your business, as bad news travels faster than good news! Therefore, you must ensure the highest possible customer service and experience at all times. It is essential to always approach customer service from the customer’s perspective. What does the customer want from our business? How can we best service our customers’ needs? How can we add value for our customers? How can we better support our customers? In the event of a complaint, it is important to deal with it professionally and try to offer a solution whereby the customer’s bad experience is turned into a good experience. Regain the customer’s trust and respect wherever possible. This often involves biting your tongue and swallowing your pride, but in life you need to pick your battles and generally there is nothing to be gained by battling it out with a customer. Be firm but fair in all of your dealings in your business.

business owners. In my experience, mother guilt generally affects all working mums and especially business-owner mums. I find the following tips helpful in the never-ending battle of trying to achieve a work-life balance: 1. Have a set schedule you are comfortable with for work, personal down time and family time, and endeavour to draw the line between them all and stick to your schedule as much as possible.

2. Good nutrition, sleep, exercise, play, meditation and yoga are all essential to reduce stress and for optimal health. Make time for them no matter what.

3. Book mini breaks and holidays in advance and make them happen. This will give you something to look forward to, will allow you quality time with your family and to recharge your batteries so that you can keep achieving great things.

4. Remember that it is normal to have really good and then really bad days. Take the good days with the bad. Understand that the bad days are designed to make you stronger, more resilient and to test your true dedication and commitment to your business, dreams and goals. Never give up on your dreams and goals, no matter what. When you get knocked down, get back up, adapt and keep fighting for your goals.

5. Don’t ever be too proud or afraid to ask for help! You are only one person. Be realistic and reasonable with your expectations of yourself.

6. Be fair and kind to yourself, in the same way you are to others.

7. Life is short and it is about the journey more so than the destination. Enjoy the ride!

What have been your best achievements in the past 12 months?

Our Paleo Cafe Lifestyle & Cookbook sold more than 5,000 copies in only four months from release date, achieving best-seller status. We opened 10 franchises between October 2013 and April 2014. I fell pregnant with our second son. Paleo Cafe and I personally are currently finalists and winners of various prestigious industry awards for our success so far. My work is my passion and my passion is my work. I love my life and my work!

Why do you think you deserve to win this award?

I would love to win this award as it would be a huge recognition and acknowledgment of the many risks taken in order to pursue my dreams for Paleo Cafe and to fight for what I believe in. It would also provide me with much-needed support and motivation to keep going, despite the many sacrifices endured to date in order to achieve what we have so far. I care about others and especially mothers of business and I would love the opportunity to support those women and inspire them to reach for the stars, while maintaining a healthy work/life/ family balance, as much as possible!

What’s your best work-life balance advice?

I think that achieving a work-life balance is the biggest challenge for mothers, especially those who are also 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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Customer Service Award Sasha Deacon, Beau Hudson – www.beauhudson.c o Sasha Deacon’s love of children’s accessories is infectious, and combined with her can-do attitude has won her a loyal and expanding customer base.

Tell us about you and your family.

I’m a mum to two gorgeous boys, Halen and Duke, and married to my amazing husband Roscoe, and have baby #3 on the way!

Tell us about your business.

We are an online unisex kids’ accessories label, placing value on quality, style and comfort. Our products are designed and mostly made locally here in Australia with stockists globally.

What was the inspiration for your business?

My two boys! The name Beau Hudson is a combination of their middle names. Combined with my love of fashion and accessories, I began the business from my dining table!

Why did you start a home-based business?

I wanted to mix something I loved with being able to be at home with my boys. My goal is to grow it into something I can one day pass on to them!

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What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

The most amazing thing is how fast and rapidly we’ve grown in the past year. This has also been our greatest challenge. My youngest, Duke, was only 1 when Beau Hudson began, and things took off so fast I felt like I was constantly busy without enough time in the day to do everything. There was one point where I felt I wasn’t in control – and it was hard! I worked basically 24/7 and I struggled trying to balance it all. However, I along with my husband and boys have learnt to find our “new normal” with life changing so much and becoming a lot more fast paced. I make sure we prioritise the most important thing – time with our kids! So I wouldn’t say we’re fully there yet, but we’re definitely finding our balance and getting closer to overcoming this.

What’s your best marketing advice?

Promote yourself in the way you want your business to be perceived, even if you’re not fully there yet! Right from the

start, I’ve always had a big long-term vision for the brand.

Personally, I didn’t want to be known as a “little homemade business”, even though that’s what we were. We never portrayed ourselves as that. Also, for our business, photos play a huge part. Presenting the products doesn’t have to be boring. I have always used my two boys to model our products (I already loved taking photos of them, I’m at home with them and have an iPhone – that’s all I needed. It doesn’t cost a thing!). Our social media following isn’t just for “the product”, but for being inspired by kids’ fashion. We sell the most items when I take pics of the boys in an outfit, with plain clothing from Kmart or Target teamed with our accessories – we are guaranteed to sell out of those products within a day! So inspire people and create a lifestyle that they can see for themselves – tell a story! Another thing we do (which I have done from day one) is create a personal touch to their package. Not only do we brown-paper wrap the customer’s package, tie with some string and attach a Beau Hudson label, but their name is individually hand stamped on the front. So many

‘Don’t be afraid to charge what your time, products and brand are worth.’

people have said “what a waste of time”, but I can’t tell you how many posts on social media we get a day from customers who have taken a photo of their package with their name hand stamped on the front, feeling so special!

We now post out hundreds of packages a week, and each name is still individually hand stamped – personal touches mean everything to the customer!

What’s your best advice for creating a profitable business?

Don’t be afraid to charge what your time, products and brand are worth. If you don’t allow the appropriate profit, your business won’t have the opportunity to succeed, and your business won’t be sustainable. It’s good to look at the market and see what similar business are charging.

However, in saying that, make sure you’re also not just looking at the product but all factors of what they’re selling. It may be the same item, but if it’s not the same quality or fabrics, or if it’s made in a different country, that will all factor into the cost. On the flip side, you can’t come into the market charging through-the-roof prices when no-one’s even heard of your brand or your product. When I began, my profit margin wasn’t huge; it was actually quite minimal. Our first six months were spent creating a great product, getting our name out there and being extremely reasonably priced, to the point that people would get their items and comment: “I can’t believe how good the quality is!” For the price, they were expecting something of a lot less quality. This then allowed us to gently raise our prices to allow for business growth — hiring staff, allowing for a more sustainable profit margin, etc. When we did this,

not one customer batted an eyelid. We started to have a name out there that was about quality, customer service and being Australian made. Our brand was being built, and people were happy to pay what they knew it was worth.

When we started, it was hard to buy things in bulk as we didn’t have the money to. However, as you grow, sourcing what you can in bulk or wholesale helps a lot in increasing profit margin.

What’s your best work-life balance advice?

Working from home makes this a tricky one because it’s hard to draw the line in the sand as to what can wait until tomorrow and what has to be done right now. Some practical things I have done to make this a little easier is between 5pm and 7pm after kindy, doing the kids’ evening routine until bedtime. I put my phone away so I’m not seeing emails, social media questions and messages.

Making the kids feel like they have our full attention for that two hours is extremely important so they don’t feel second to my work. Also (and this has only been a recent thing but it has been the best thing!), we get out on a Saturday and have a family day out of the house. It used to be a day of my husband and I swapping between one of us looking after the kids while the other worked downstairs — there was no family time in that! We worked seven days a week like this. So we now try to go out for the day with our kids and it has actually been the most amazing thing for us — and the business! I feel fresher coming back to it after spending time with my family!

What have been your best achievements in the past 12 months?

I would have to say starting the business from scratch in my dining room with a few off-cuts of fabric and selling only through Instagram (no website in the beginning), to now having a full team of staff, being internationally recognised, seeing our products on Hollywood celebrities’ kids and growing our social media accounts from zero followers to 34,000+ and learning so much along the way! I certainly never imagined that we would be where we are now after only one year! It blows my mind and I still have to pinch myself daily! But I feel so grateful and blessed at where we are, which is about five years ahead of our goals!

It just makes me so excited about where we could be in another year!

Why do you think you deserve to win this award?

Sometimes we can be nominated for something or have an opportunity in life but not feel confident in it, or deserving of it. This is the first time in my life that I can honestly say I feel deserving of this award. As a mum wanting to spend time with my kids and also build something that I can one day pass on to them, I set out to create a brand. I can honestly say I could not have worked any harder than I have, spent any more hours than I have, sacrificed more (and lived on very minimal sleep in the past year), cried more tears and felt more passionate, excited and proud of what I’ve created. I have learnt more than I knew my brain could even take in — and I still have SO much to learn and am learning every day! I feel extremely honoured to have been nominated for this award and am grateful it exists to place value on mums who step out in their dreams.

I definitely am living my version of the dream!

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Nando’s Peri-Peri Sauces Blog Award Joanna Whitton, Quirky Cooking www.quirkycooking.blogspot.c om Jo Whitton’s down-to-earth, informative blog on allergy-friendly foods has changed the lives of thousands of people.

Tell us about you and your family.

Our family lives in a small country town in Far North Queensland. I work from home and home school our four kids.

Tell us about your business.

I have a food blog called Quirky Cooking, have just released my first cookbook and teach whole-food, allergyfriendly cooking at classes and seminars.

What was the inspiration for your business?

My own health problems led me to changing my diet, then I started blogging and teaching to help others in the same boat.

Why did you start a home-based business?

I wanted to be at home with my family as much as possible, especially when the kids were younger. Now I travel a little more.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

My greatest challenge would be using my time wisely so that I fit in both time for family and time for work. To help with this, I make lists and work on having a schedule to follow. I have worked from home since just before my first child was born, and right from the beginning I worked on a schedule and had a schedule for the kids, too. Our schedules are quite flexible and have, of course, changed a lot as the kids have grown, but this has helped me to always plan time together and times each day where I can work uninterrupted. During school time, the kids mostly work on their own or help each other, unless they need me to explain something. We have an open-plan kitchen/ dining/lounge area, and I work at the computer or in the kitchen while the kids are at the table doing their schoolwork. If they need me I’m close by, but I’m able to get on with things I need to do, too. I trained my children 16

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from very young ages to help with the housework and cooking. Each child has a part of the housework that is their responsibility, as well as their own rooms to keep clean. We work together to keep the house tidy and get the dishes and washing done. They know that if they help me with the housework, I can get my work done and we’ll then have more time to do things together. I try to keep Sunday a family day, and don’t generally do classes and demos that day if I can help it.

What’s your best marketing advice?

Social media gives you a unique opportunity to connect to your audience. Use it. Be open and friendly and ready to share yourself. Make it easy for your readers/customers to get to know you. Show a personal side to your business, not just a commercial side. When people see snippets of your everyday life and how you use your product or service, and see that you are “real”, they will be much more interested and will remember you. Don’t just sit and wait for people to come to you, go to them. Ask customers what they want to see, and what you could do better. Be available to answer questions personally as much as possible, even if that just means sending them a link to a past blog post or a FAQ page when they ask something you’ve answered elsewhere.

Show them you’re genuinely interested. By doing this, you

will create loyal followers/customers who will come to you for advice and business over others. Social media tip: don’t post the exact same post automatically on all the different social media platforms. Twitter and Facebook and Instagram are not all the same, and posts should be tailored to suit each one.

What’s your best advice for creating a profitable business?

Do what you love and love what you do! Stop watching what everyone else is doing and be yourself. Stay true to your ideals, and your personality. Know WHY you do what you do, and keep that always in mind as you go about your daily business. When you doubt yourself (which we all do at times), think back to your motivation for starting in the first place. That way, you won’t end up just following the crowd (boring!) or going through the motions just to make a living, but hating it. I truly believe having a delight and passion for what you’re doing makes a big difference. People are inspired by and attracted to that. Stay excited, and you’ll get others excited, too.

What’s your best customer service advice?

Treat every customer with respect, even when they are rude or negative. I find that a calm, kind response often resolves any complaints quite quickly, whereas a defensive, upset

‘I truly believe having a delight and passion for what you do makes a big difference.’ response just makes things worse. Having a positive, caring attitude will set the tone for your page/site/business. I have hardly any rude, nasty comments on my Facebook page, despite the large numbers, as I work on keeping positive, happy and friendly myself, and that seems to spread to the people who come to chat or ask questions. If you do get someone who just wants to cause trouble, try to think of them as having problems you don’t know about, and don’t take it personally. Listen to what they have to say, stay calm, work out a solution if you can, but don’t stress about it, as they may be the type that would complain no matter what you did. Move on and keep doing the best you can.

What’s your best work-life balance advice?

Have a family calendar hanging where everyone can see it and mark on there anything the kids have happening each week, what times your partner is working, when you will be out or at meetings or busy, and when you can all spend time together. Make sure you block some time out as family time. You might just spend it as a quiet night at home together, making pizzas and chatting; or you might plan an overnight camping trip — it doesn’t have to be a big holiday, it’s often the small things kids remember. I do little things like reading to the kids either in the mornings or at night. I turn off the sound on my mobile phone and

let the answering machine get any calls on the home phone. At lunch time, if the weather is nice, we like to all sit outside in the sun and chat while we eat. We also have dinner together as a family, and that’s another good time to catch up with each other’s day. Even just half an hour of uninterrupted time together a couple of times a day can recharge the family “batteries” and then you can get back to work without feeling that “working-mother guilt”! I also try to have a cuppa with my husband when he gets home from work, without looking at my phone for 10 minutes or so! For myself, I like to escape to the shops to do the grocery shopping, or sit outside with a cup of tea, or have a long, hot bath when I feel the need for some alone time.

Little things like that help me to not feel overwhelmed with all I need to do, and help the family not to feel neglected.

What have been your best achievements in the past 12 months?

My biggest achievement would have to be my cookbook, which was released in early May. It is selling amazingly well, and I’ve had so much good feedback about it. I receive messages every day thanking me for the recipes and the tips and for “putting my heart into it”. I’m really happy that people are finding my recipes helpful for changing their diet and for finding new ways to enjoy healthy, allergyfriendly foods. I’ve also started speaking at seminars in the past couple of months, and that is something I never would’ve imagined myself doing a couple of years ago. I speak about why I eat the way I do, how to start changing your family’s diet without getting overwhelmed, what ingredients to substitute for the not-so-good ones or the ones you’re allergic to, where to buy whole-food ingredients, how to save money and still have a healthy diet, and more.

Why do you think you deserve to win this award?

For the past five-and-a-half years, I’ve worked to create a place online where people can come and get some help when they’re feeling overwhelmed with changing their diet. I’ve spent many hours each week developing recipes, researching, writing blog posts, taking photos to share, answering questions, and sharing my passion for “real food” that will heal the body and make life with allergies easier.

For most of those five years, I didn’t make any money from my blog. When my readers began asking me for a cookbook, I looked into it, and found that most publishers were uninterested as they felt my way of cooking was too different and not what most people would be interested in. I didn’t give up, and I found a publisher who was eager to work with me. Together, we produced a beautiful cookbook. There were many times in the past year where I worked until midnight, and got up again at 5am to keep writing. I spent a lot of money on ingredients for testing recipes and cooked for hours on end. I’m happy to say that I believe it was worth all the effort. Now that my book is finally done, I’m turning my attention to educating families about getting back to basics with their food, and eating “real food” that will give their children the start in life they need. I have started my own business, Quirky Cooking, and am teaching private cooking lessons and classes, as well as doing public speaking at seminars. The more the “real food” message is spread, the better off the next generation will be, and I am committed to sharing the whys and wherefores of healthy eating with all who want to listen.

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Eco-Friendly Award Lynsey Nichols, Gilbert the Garbage Truck www.gilbertthegarbagetruck.c om.au Learning the three Rs — reduce, re-use and recycle — has never been more fun thanks to Lynsey Nichols and her engaging educational shows.

Tell us about you and your family.

My name is Lynsey, I moved to Australia from Liverpool in 1995. I have a wonderful husband, Trevor, and three gorgeous children: Harry, 15, Molly, 12, and Joe, 8.

Why did you start a home-based business?

The desire to have flexible work hours so I could spend time at home with my children while they are young made a home-based business an attractive option.

Tell us about your business.

As an illustrator of my husband’s children’s books, we provide exciting, engaging educational shows for preschools and schools about the importance of recycling.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

My greatest challenge has been gaining confidence in the performance aspect of the business and believing that my service is of a high enough standard to compete with others in the market. Trevor has worked as a waste collector for the past 26 years and I have worked in the early childhood industry for 15 years. As parents of three young children, we understand that the earlier we can teach children about reducing, re-using and recycling, the cleaner our planet

What was the inspiration for your business?

Both Trevor and I are passionate about educating children about sustainability. We want to ensure our children can be part of a global solution.

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will be for their future. We have overcome this challenge by watching children learn during our shows. I know that children learn best about significant world issues when the message is delivered in a fun, engaging, narrative-oriented way. I just love seeing the “light bulbs” go on, and listening to the ideas that young children come up with for ways to reduce, re-use and recycle. The more shows I do, the more confidence I gain, so the secret to overcoming the challenge for me has been to keep working and developing the shows.

What’s your best marketing advice?

I believe the best (perhaps the only) way to market my business is to deliver information face to face. In the past, I have tried making phone calls and sending emails, but the best responses I receive are without doubt from those people with whom I have spoken individually. When I talk about my business, my enthusiasm is hard to suppress, and whoever I speak to can’t help but get excited, too.

Performances are also a great way of marketing because schools and preschools are all part of larger networks and they share resources.

What’s your best time management advice?

It is so important to make time to develop ideas as they come to you. Being a creative person, it doesn’t work for me to sit at a desk at 9am every morning and just hope an idea

‘Go out on a limb and take risks. I try not to be hampered by the dollar signs.’

comes to me. However, when I am inspired, I make sure that I jot down my ideas immediately so that I can then go back and create a large chunk of time for me to develop the idea. I also manage time by involving my children in my creative process, so that time I spend with them can still be productive for my business. Sometimes, telling a friend what I have to achieve by a set date also helps as they can monitor my progress with a gentle reminder here and there.

What’s your best advice for creating a profitable business?

You need to dream big. Go out on a limb and take risks.

I try not to be hampered by the dollar signs. Profit can be measured in what you achieve, not just by how much money your business is making. For example, my business started out as a book and has grown into an educational show that travels around the state. To me, while financial profit may be minimal at this point, the growth is exceptional, and it has exponential potential.

my show, my customers are in fact the children to whom I am performing. Therefore, my focus must be on them.

Everything I do has to reflect my philosophy about children being the key to our future. The ultimate goal in relation to customer service is for the children to have a positive experience; not just educational, but fun and exciting. I want to leave knowing that they enjoyed themselves and this will result in return business.

What’s your best work-life balance advice?

If you enjoy what you do, the balance happens naturally.

For me, the lines between family life, work life and social life become blurred because I involve my family in my work, and I have a friend who works for me. This means that working is actually fun. If that balance wasn’t there, I would look at whatever wasn’t working and change it. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, but if it is broken, fix it immediately.

What have been your best achievements in the past 12 months?

My greatest achievements in the past 12 months have been: 1. I wanted to bring the books to life, so I designed two 3D interactive trucks (the characters from the books) that could be put together on site for children to engage with. They formed part of the book readings we were offering.

2. The expansion of the performance element of the business. We began offering book readings to preschools, and I discovered that I wanted to make the readings more interactive and exciting for the children. I developed the idea to turn the books into interactive whiteboard resources with accompanying activities and lessons. This then grew into the development of songs and games to create a number of different shows that we now take on the road to preschools and schools.

Why do you think you deserve to win this award?

Being nominated for this award is very exciting. I believe that I deserve to win the award for two reasons. Firstly, the educational message about sustainability that I am trying to get across to children is of the utmost importance.

Reducing, re-using and recycling are things we can all do, yet we don’t all do them. Aiming my message at young children and delivering it in a narrative-based, fun and engaging manner will ensure the message is received and acted upon. Secondly, I believe my business story is one that can inspire other mums. Motherhood, as wonderful as it is, can be all-consuming, and sometimes mums can lose a sense of the talents, skills and passions they had prior to becoming mothers. I have always been a gifted illustrator and I have a knack with children. Being able to work with my husband and combining our different skills has been a wonderful opportunity, and my hope would be that other mums could find some inspiration from my story.

What’s your best customer service advice?

The best customer service advice I can offer is to truly know who your customers are. In my business, while it is school teachers and preschool administrators who book 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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Handmade Award Lauren Harris, Tadah Patterns www.tadahpatterns.c om.au Lauren Harris is paving the way for the next generation of sewers with her innovative and creative patterns.

Tell us about you and your family.

We are a spirited, quirky and loving little foursome. My husband is incredibly supportive and our two girls are the heart of our family.

Tell us about your business.

Tadah Patterns sells funky and modern boutique sewing patterns, designed to make sewing accessible, fashionable and fun for the next generation of sewers.

What was the inspiration for your business?

I want to inspire and foster a love of sewing in the next generation. By creating patterns that appeal to young mums, I aim to keep the art of sewing alive and thriving!

Why did you start a home-based business?

I have always loved a challenge! Growing up with a mum who was present at all the big events in my life, I want to build a career that affords me the flexibility to be able to do the same for my children.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

My greatest challenge has always been financial. I started this business when my oldest child was just 12 months old and money was tight. I was faced with the challenge of starting a business with very minimal start-up costs. I began sewing with my mum’s old sewing machine and donated fabrics, using creativity to design clothing that was both functional and fashionable. Each sale brought me closer to my goal, as I carefully invested my profits back into the business; purchasing fabric, supplies and, eventually, new equipment. Four years on, I have now been able to set up my own studio with multiple machines, top-of-the-range computing and a large-format printer to print all of my pattern sheets in-house.

What’s your best marketing advice?

Target your marketing and know your niche. Not everyone is your potential customer, so sit down and give a lot of 20

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thought to WHO your customers are — what do they like to do, where they hang out, what appeals to them. That is where you need to be. Get yourself known in these circles, have a positive presence and be sure to show your customers how you can help them enrich their lives through using your product/service. Word of mouth is your best friend — make sure your business is worth talking about! A well thought-out social media presence and targeted online activity can also assist greatly in spreading the word and getting people (customers) excited about your business. There is a huge range of marketing strategies that you can tap into that are cheap or free. If money is tight, I suggest trying these options first. There is Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, as well as online and local business directories as a start.

What’s your best time management advice?

I am a huge believer in lists. Particularly as a mum, there are always so many things constantly floating through our heads, so it is important to be able to focus. Write a list of what you need to get done in the day, what you would like to get done, and “bonus” jobs that you can tackle if you get time. Once you have a prioritised list, make sure you stick to it! It is amazing how gratifying it is to tick things

off your list. It is a big motivator, especially on those “why am I doing this?” days. I also find it beneficial to set aside time to dedicate to my business without interruptions.

The ability to separate business and family is so important for productivity, and allows me to give each the time and energy they deserve.

What’s your best advice for creating a profitable business?

Believe in yourself and your product/service. If you don’t believe in it, how can you expect anyone else to? If you are serious about your business, then show it. It doesn’t matter what the size of your business is; you need to project a professional image at all times. Invest time and resources in developing your business branding and building brand recognition. Keeping costs under control (particularly in the early stages) is very important. Even from the very start, tracking all costs and revenue is key. Try to track costs to activity to see what parts of the business are working (financially). Know when to take a risk. I don’t believe that anyone who builds a successful business has been “lucky”.

They have been smart, they have taken calculated risks and they have dragged themselves back up after setbacks.

I have also found that seeking advice from a wiser head is also very helpful. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice from someone you trust — having a sounding board

‘Build connections, and do so in a genuine and thoughtful way.’

is incredibly useful. Yet at the end of the day, you have to trust yourself. After all, it is your idea, your baby and no-one is as passionate about it as you.

What’s your best customer service advice?

In the often isolating, technology-driven world that we live in, I think it is really important to get to know your customers on a personal level. Build connections, and do so in a genuine and thoughtful way. Creating a real experience differentiates you from the others. If your service/product is still finding its way into people’s thinking, let it be led by your service and attitude. If they remember that, you are in front. Find a way to be remembered. Go beyond the “customer is always right” mentality, and start thinking about ways to personalise your product/service so that it fills a need your customers have, solves a problem they are battling with, or provides an indulgence they will love. Staying on top of emails and messages is the biggest challenge I currently face with running my business, yet is something that I do put a high priority on. Receiving a friendly and timely response to an enquiry is so important.

is difficult and a constant juggling act. Keeping things separate is my best advice. Setting up a work area that is separate from your family space, if you have the option to do so, is a huge help. The physical division between work and home is a luxury that I did not have until late last year, and the difference it has made is remarkable.

I find that I am more focused during my “work” time, and far more relaxed when I am not working. It has helped to compartmentalise my thinking, and freed up mental space for my family. There is definitely a link between your success and your enjoyment with the whole experience — try to make it a positive one. Remember that it should be fun!

What have been your best achievements in the past 12 months?

On the 9th of July, 2013, after months of work and preparation, I released my very first PDF sewing pattern.

Since that date, I have released another 12 patterns, was published in One Thimble e-zine, and established myself as one of the leading independent pattern makers in Australia.

Earlier this year, I was very excited and proud to have fulfilled one of my big goals: publishing printed booklets of each of my patterns. These full-colour, high-quality A5 booklets are such a concrete reminder of what I am working towards — revolutionising the way that patterns are purchased and used in the next generation of home sewers. On the 9th of July, 2014, coincidentally exactly one year after releasing my first pattern, I was excited and nervous to debut my printed patterns at the biggest craft event in Australia — the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair.

I was overwhelmed and excited by the support, praise and encouragement I received from the general public, as well as industry leaders.

Why do you think you deserve to win this award?

I am honestly so thrilled to have been nominated for this award by one of my lovely customers (whoever you are, thank you!). I feel very humbled to be amongst such a fabulous group of women in being nominated. I am so excited to be able to showcase what the hand-made community does and the high-quality work we create.

One of my main aims in running this business is to support and encourage the many mums who use my patterns to sew for their business. There are literally hundreds of mums across Australia who are using Fresh Patterns each and every day as a way to earn an income and help support their families. If I were to win this award, I would be able to raise awareness of the Australian hand-made community and hopefully bring exposure to not just my own business, but also that of many other hardworking women around Australia who use my patterns. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

What’s your best work-life balance advice?

This is a constant struggle, and one of the biggest challenges of working from home. Being able to give my family and my business the time and energy they need 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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Making A Difference Award Jenine Dilts-Bayman, Mums With Bubs Fitness www.mumswithbubsfitness.c om.au Improving the health and wellbeing of other mums is the driving force behind Jenine Dilts-Bayman’s fitness training business.

Tell us about you and your family.

I’m a 33-year-old married mother of two, who is ambitious, caring and passionate about the health of our planet and all who live here!

Why did you start a home-based business?

I felt a desire to connect my life passions: family, health, love, community, exercise and business! Now I’m able to help other mums achieve the reality of a positive lifestyle.

Tell us about your business.

I provide specialist fitness training for pregnancy and postnatal, with a focus on connecting mums to their bodies and babies in a fun, social, inclusive and empowering environment.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

My greatest challenge has been maintaining my numberone priority, which is being a mum, while finding the drive to keep pushing the business forward! Having two children under three presents different obstacles in running a business. As much as we strive to establish a routine, children are unpredictable! This means being versatile in my thinking, and not becoming too set on achieving certain tasks every day. There will be those days when it is all too

What was the inspiration for your business?

I believe a healthy lifestyle starts at home, and by inspiring other mums to stay active with their babies, it creates a ripple effect throughout the community!

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hard and nothing gets done aside from feeding, changing and cleaning up after my kids. To overcome this, I am an avid list writer and planner. I break up my year into months, my months into weeks, my weeks into days, and my days into hours. I know what I need to be doing at any given time, and always allocate myself free time, so that when life takes over and I don’t get the business work done, I can go back to it when — *gasp* — both children sleep at the same time, which occasionally does happen. I’ve also struggled with pre- and postnatal depression, especially in my first pregnancy. Most of my family and friends are overseas in Canada. This has meant acknowledging and coping with feelings of isolation and sadness from missing them. Running Mums With Bubs Fitness has given me a point of focus for those quiet moments in the house, and has also allowed me to connect with other mums going through PND as well. Exercise and being social can help immensely, and develops a real sense of community. This is one of the big reasons I love MWBF so much. Everyone can relate to each other, and we’ve developed little communities and life-long friendships because of it.

‘Technology can be an invaluable time saver and a curse ...

Turn it off when you can.’

What’s your best marketing advice?

Firstly, use your networks, focus on your search engine optimisation and be confident in sharing your business with the people you meet! I have such confidence in the positive difference our programs can make to the lives of other mums that I want everyone to know we exist, and want to share it with the world. Secondly, know your strategy! I’ve been tempted numerous times, but I’m happy that I haven’t spent thousands on paid advertising. Instead, that money has been invested in me! I’ve done fantastic courses through the AusMumpreneur Network, leading to networking opportunities and other courses that have been brilliant for helping me build my business. Learning about how to do my own SEO optimisation, develop my website and conduct PR exercises has made a real difference to my web traffic. I absolutely acknowledge that there are some technical tasks I cannot master, which involve bringing in an expert to help. But honing my knowledge has enabled me to better understand the process, so that when we get to the stage of hiring professionals to handle this for us, I am well versed in what to look for and how to manage it.

Thirdly, avoid marketing overwhelm! It’s easy to become bogged down in the various pathways you can take. I’ve spent a lot of time understanding where my target market “hangs out”, and that’s primarily in social media. This has enabled me to avoid spending a lot of money on print advertising, but has resulted in my fair share of print and television exposure. It has also allowed me to develop

meaningful relationships with my clients and to connect with the communities I’m aiming to serve.

What’s your best advice for creating a profitable business?

Know your daily burn rate and keep your overheads as low as possible! I have learnt this lesson the hard way.

Sometimes the glitter of a “must-have” product that could benefit your business might be a bad decision. Every dollar counts! I think it’s important to always refer back to your goals and the steps you need to take, and then ask yourself if the spend is going to help get you there. Also, track your money. Every cent of it, if you can! There are apps out there to make this process easier, but once you start, it can get addictive as you’ll be much more aware of what is coming in and going out. Having a notification pop up on your phone every time a payment is made, or an expense is taken out, forces you to become more aware of what is happening with your account. I think this also sends a message to the universe that you are ready to reap the rewards of your hard work. It indicates that you appreciate and acknowledge that what you are doing is making a difference and providing value for those around you. It is difficult sometimes to put on a business hat and charge what you are worth, but by creating a profitable business, you are allowing others to profit in areas of their lives, too.

It creates a ripple effect that is essentially making a better life for your family and everyone around you.

What’s your best work-life balance advice?

Be there for your family when they need you, and make time to take care of yourself! A life with your family is, generally speaking, the reason you started this business. It can be easy to lose sight of that, especially while in a phase of momentum! Efficient time management, the ability to stay organised and delegating where you can are critical to running your home-based business while still maintaining an intimate relationship with your husband and children.

You’ve got to take care of yourself, too, as without you, the business and your family will suffer! That’s why taking care of your physical and mental health is super important. I’ve found that technology can be both an invaluable time saver and a curse, especially when on vacation, enjoying a special occasion with loved ones or taking time out for yourself.

Turn it off when you can and just be in that moment. The work will always be there, but the moments with your kids while they are little are so precious, and you’ll never have the opportunity of those moments again.

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Product Innovation Award Kate Curtis, Nits in the Ditch www.nitsintheditch.c om.au Providing a top-quality, Australianmade product is Kate Curtis’s mission.

Tell us about you and your family.

I am a stay-at-home, married mum of eight. Seven of them are aged 9 and under. Also, my grandson was born in October 2014.

Tell us about your business.

My product is the first of its kind in Australia: 100% certified organic, all-natural head lice spray with no added preservatives and less than 1% water added.

What was the inspiration for your business?

Bloody head lice. I became “Inspired by the Challenge, Driven by the Passion, Sustained with the Truth, Rewarded with the Future” (J. Brewster) – now our mission statement.

Why did you start a home-based business?

To spend more quality time with the children as well as help out other families with a common problem that affects all walks of life.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

My greatest challenge has been getting my product ready and registered with the Australian governing bodies to be able to sell to the general public, and to obtain the funds to do this. It has taken more than five years from when I first began this long process, but now everything is in place, I have gained TGA certification (Therapeutic Goods Administration) and NASAA certification (organic board), as well as Australian-made and Australian-owned certification. I wanted my product to be made in Australia and I wanted to make sure I crossed all the red tape. I didn’t want to cut corners. Yes, it has taken a very long time to get to where I am today with my product, but I knew my product would be worth the long wait. Waiting so long allowed me to gain the funds to make my dream a reality.

What’s your best marketing advice?

If you need help, do research, lots of research. Ask all the 24

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questions you can and find people who do it with passion.

If you can learn how to do it yourself, do it yourself! Social media is an amazing space and there is so much you can do for free. Pay it forward and support the locals; they will in turn support you! Word of mouth is a powerful tool. Create a brand you believe in and don’t make claims you can’t stand by. Follow your mission statement — don’t just set it and then forget it. Remember why you started and stay true to your company vision.

What’s your best time management advice?

You have to know your business inside out, and know your product and your team. You need to set the standard of expectation with your team for everything from presentation to communication. This involves forward planning, being adaptable to change and obstacles, staying diplomatic and setting clear and concise expectations.

Look after your team and listen to them individually. Be open to their ideas. Try at all times to be transparent in decision making. Allow the team to set the goals; in turn, giving you and them an even playing field for business.

Follow up on things you say you will. Support their decisions, and always be looking to share knowledge. In other words, common sense goes a long way.

What’s your best advice for creating a profitable business?

Do your market research to ensure there is a need for your product. Product research is important to find out what your competition is like and how they do business.

Create a brand that you are passionate about and ensure you stay true to who you are. Believe in your brand — if you don’t believe in it, no one else will either. Choose the right people and ensure that they have the right attitude.

Attitude cannot be taught.

‘Word of mouth is more powerful than any other form of advertising.’

What’s your best customer service advice?

Word of mouth is more powerful than any other form of advertising. Remember that every time you have dealings with anyone, be it customer, client, supplier or the waiter at the restaurant. Be nice, and remember that they have a world, too, and you have no idea what is happening in their world, just as they have no idea what is happening in yours.

Listen to understand them, and don’t sell to them, help them to buy!

www.cassiejene.com

What’s your best work-life balance advice?

Take time to sharpen the saw: you can’t cut wood over and over and expect the saw to stay sharp. You can’t cut wood with a blunt saw. Remember why you started, and if the plan doesn’t work, change the plan. Make sure you make time for your family and your friends. Do something each day for yourself.

Why do you think you deserve to win this award?

I truly believe that everyone deserves to win this award.

However, in saying that, I think what puts me ahead of the pack is determination. For the past five years, I have been determined to keep my product in the hands of Australians.

I was determined to make sure my product was made here in Australia, certified 100% organic and used only natural ingredients. I was determined to make sure my product did not use preservatives. I was also determined to make sure my product was in fact registered with the TGA. There are quite a few products on the market that are not registered with the TGA, and it should be stamped out. The TGA is the governing body that makes sure all products humans use have been manufactured properly and won’t harm us.

People and companies that side step this process should be named and shamed. You wouldn’t buy your prescription drugs from a drug dealer. Why buy a product that has not been approved by the TGA? You don’t know what could be in it. Yes, it is hard to get the TGA approval and it costs more money, but I was determined to do everything right the first time. Nothing worth having comes easy.

Determination gets you everywhere and it sure has got me to where my product is today.

www.fragrancesandcosmetics.com.au/christmas-shop/now-open

Retail Award Caroline Africh, Attipas – www.attipas.c om.au Caroline Africh saw a gap in the market for unique children’s shoes, and her business has gone from strength to impressive strength ever since.

Tell us about you and your family.

My name is Caroline Africh and I am a banker-cummumpreneur who is learning how to juggle work, life, a preschooler and a baby! I have two gorgeous boys (3 years and 9 months) and live with my husband in Paddington, New South Wales.

Tell us about your business.

Having spent the past 10 years building a career as a project manager in London, I decided to pursue passion over the corporate world after the birth of my first son.

I launched Attipas functional toddler shoes in Australia in September 2012 after discovering this unique product abroad and haven’t looked back!

What was the inspiration for your business?

I discovered Attipas while on holiday in Japan. I was looking for a pre-walker for my then 14-month-old son that wouldn’t fall off. I brought these unique shoes back to 26

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Australia and within days realised their potential. I quickly secured the exclusive distributorship and have since grown a cult following.

Why did you start a home-based business?

After having my first son, Henry, in 2011, I realised I wanted to spend as much time as possible with my children while still having the opportunity to work. A home-based business suited this goal and has allowed me to be a stay-at-home mum at the same time as earning an income and keeping myself challenged.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

Managing to keep my business afloat while having a baby!

Attipas Australia was still in its early days when I was first pregnant with my second child, but by the time Oscar was due to arrive in October 2013, things were running fullsteam ahead! Although I had planned to work right up until

40 weeks, Oscar decided to arrive a week early, which was possibly the busiest week in my business’s history! That very week, I had a 20-foot container arriving from Korea, was moving warehouses AND I had a stall at a baby expo (The Baby and Toddler Show in Sydney). Quick thinking and being organised kept my business afloat, and I was able to work while in labour, delegate other tasks to family (setting up and manning the expo), and managed the shipment and warehouse move via telephone. After Oscar was born, it was a juggling act to maintain the business during the early days, but fast forward nine months and we are doing better than ever, with volumes and revenues increasing exponentially month to month. We’re nearly at 15,000 Facebook fans and have more than 10,000 wearers of our shoes in under two years.

What’s your best advice for creating a profitable business?

Find something that sells itself! When I first brought Attipas to Australia, I knew I was on to something big.

I was constantly approached in the street by mothers asking where I’d bought the “interesting shoes my son was wearing”. In that moment, I pondered that if I alone was being asked at least once daily about Attipas toddler shoes, what would happen if 1000 mothers were being asked daily about Attipas shoes? Fast forward nearly two years, and we have sold more than 15,000 units nationally, largely through word of mouth and Facebook (mothers tag their friends when they see a Facebook ad, which creates virality). We also stock to more than 30 retail outlets nationally, which is on the increase. Having a good head for numbers and setting and sticking to budgets also helps.

What’s your best marketing advice?

Leverage social media! Having come from an IT/ project management background, I had no experience in marketing at all. Initially, I trialled the traditional marketing routes (magazine adverts, trade shows, markets, pamphlets) without much luck. It wasn’t until I went to the AusMumpreneur conference in Sydney in April 2013 that my business really hit a turning point. After listening to the Facebook advertising guest speaker Nick Bowditch, I decided to enrol in the Facebook Small Business Program, which taught me how to successfully advertise to a

What’s your best work-life balance advice?

Always put your family first! I always make sure my kids and family come first, regardless of the task at hand. Having this at the forefront of my mind actually allows me to achieve great amounts workwise, as when I have downtime from the kids (naps, post bedtime, occasionally during the day), I work in a very productive manner. It’s amazing how much more productive you become when time is of the essence!

In order to achieve a harmonious work-life balance, I find that designating time to the kids, work and partner are extremely important. Sticking to these designations is the key to balance! A sneaky holiday, movie or dinner out doesn’t hurt either!

‘I am proof that if you put your mind into something, you can achieve anything.’ targeted demographic on Facebook. Within a month, I had turned my business from selling 10 units per month to more than 1000. Within three months I had completely outsourced my entire order management function to cope with volumes. Utilising this low-cost, high-impact method of marketing has certainly accelerated my business to the next level.

What’s your best time management advice?

Outsource where possible! Being a mum is hard enough without having to run a business. In order to fit a business in and around my kids, I need to be very organised, as well as outsource key tasks. I have a warehouse that completes order fulfillment, an IT team that maintains my website, a designer who manages my artwork and a PR team that deals with the media. Running my business while still being at home with the kids wouldn’t be possible without outsourcing! I am still the face of the business, but have found that by outsourcing processing tasks, I am able to operate the business using a top-down approach. I have learned to micro-manage less and rely more on the strengths and skills of others.

What have been your best achievements in the past 12 months?

I have achieved so much over the past 12 months, both personally and professionally. First and foremost, I gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby boy in October 2013. Secondly, Attipas Australia has gone from strength to strength. We won the Peekaboo Magazine Design Award for Best Children’s Footwear Label in 2013 and also received an endorsement from a leading Australian podiatrist (Daniel Fitzpatrick) shortly afterwards. Monthly revenues have gone from strength to strength, and we recently sold our 15,000th pair of Attipas toddler shoes, have nearly 15,000 fans on Facebook, a customer database of nearly 10,000, and have more than 30 stockists nationally. We’ve also been in the press countless times and are constantly receiving rave reviews for our toddler shoes.

Why do you think you deserve to win this award?

I believe I deserve to win an AusMumpreneur award as I am proof that if you put your mind into something, you can achieve anything. I have turned an idea that came to me while hanging the washing into a real and thriving business from home, which is now generating more income than my previous corporate career did. I previously had no skills in importing, retail, PR or marketing and have still managed to learn the ropes of online marketing and have successfully built a brand in Australia. I would love to represent AusMumpreneur as it is through this amazing network that I have grown and prospered, been mentored and trained, and it is a direct result of the group that my business is now thriving.

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Service Business Award Belinda Jennings, Mum Central and Australian Baby Bargains www.mumcentral.c om.au, www.babybargains.c om.au Belinda Jennings saves parents time, hassle and money with her ingenious online marketplace Australian Baby Bargains, trading pre-loved children’s items online. In addition, Mum Central provides a wealth of information, education and inspiration on all things parenting and lifestyle.

Tell us about you and your family.

I’m a mum of two adventurous little boys, James, 5, and Alex, 3, and wife to Jason, my superstar hubby, helping me juggle family and business. Pure love!

Tell us about your business.

We’re Australia’s largest dedicated pre-loved children’s marketplace. Fee-free, we save parents a fortune. Our supportive online community of 190,000+ people offers valuable parenting advice and support.

What was the inspiration for your business?

To avoid eBay fees on selling my excess baby gear. My fee-free trading platform allowed mums to buy and sell amongst each other, saving money.

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Why did you start a home-based business?

Working from home (and on the run) fit my family and my lifestyle. It was a natural progression.

What has been your greatest challenge and how have you overcome this?

My most memorable achievement has also been my greatest challenge – participating in the ANZ Innovyz START tech accelerator program. I was chosen as one of 10 successful web 2.0 and technology start-up companies from 137 entrants in 17 countries to participate in the inaugural class, held in Adelaide. Over the intense 12-week program, I worked side-by-side with world-class mentors who have built their own companies. It involved long days (and nights) and was a pressure-cooker environment

where I put my business under the microscope, worked on further developing all elements of the business, finding opportunities and determining how we fit into the existing and future landscape, locally and globally. This culminated in a six-minute pitch to more than 500 investors on “Demo Day” at the Adelaide Town Hall, securing my first round of investor funding to assist me to grow and develop my business. Already in the process of expanding nationwide from Adelaide to Australian Baby Bargains, this experience was an incredible opportunity to grow as a leader and CEO, to push my thinking about existing opportunities and future strategies and step well outside my comfort zone.

By far the game changer in my journey as a mumpreneur, it allowed me to let go, drive fast growth, and focus on the bigger picture for my business. I often tell others “it felt like I took my blinkers off” without ever realising I had them on.

Incredible.

What’s your best marketing advice?

Having been in marketing for almost 20 years, here’s my best advice for growing a successful brand (often on a limited budget): 1. Know your audience. Know the market and understand their needs and what’s being serviced in the market.

Don’t try to be all things to all people, focus on your niche and work on delivering to that.

2. Be authentic. Social media allows us to connect with potential customers like never before in a costeffective and real-time environment. Show some personality behind your posts, be authentic, don’t hard sell and people will be more likely to engage with you and convert into customers.

3. Network. We all have family, friends and, of course, a social network. Use these to grow your brand.

Referrals and testimonials from satisfied customers and colleagues go a long way to validating the choice to buy. Create a referral program and other incentives to encourage existing customers to introduce new ones.

4. Collaborate with the competition. Working with other like-minded business owners can help promote new ideas and products. Because your audience already exists on social media — and so does theirs — collaborating is a natural and friendly way to seek out social media users who are interested in learning more about the products or lifestyle you offer.

5. Competitions and giveaways. We all love to win, so run giveaways and watch your brand grow!

What have been your best achievements in the past 12 months?

Wow, what a year! After lots of asking, listening and action over the years, I took the plunge and commenced the development of Mum Central, our second site with a clear focus on real advice for real mums, user-generated content and mum-to-mum advice. One mum reaching out to another, in a non-judgmental environment is a really powerful way to provide valuable support and advice.

We’ve grown our community by doing just this, so Mum Central has been a natural progression in our community’s journey. Launched in December 2013, the site has been an incredible success, growing rapidly and changing the game.

This past year we’ve:

1. Increased revenue by 73%.

2. Grown our community by 83% to 190,000 members (95% female, 20-45).

3. Increased our subscriber base by 230% to 54,000 subscribers.

4. Developed and launched Mum Central as a brand new channel for aspiring bloggers and mums to reach out and share their stories.

5. Formed strategic partnerships and alliances with several not-for-profits.

6. Developed an amazing team of six mums, working remotely with family-friendly hours.

7. Built a team of 47 bloggers contributing content to Mum Central.

8. Secured a large number of large brands on paid campaigns, including Aussie Farmers Direct, Choosi, Peppa Pig, Sesame Street, Barbie, Jenny Craig and Goodlife Health Clubs.

For me, it’s been a great year, too!

1. Nominated for Telstra Business Woman of the Year!

2. Learning to develop and manage a content site — a steep learning curve!

3. Guest speaker at industry and networking events.

4. Mentored start-ups.

5. My big boy started kindy! ;) I love empowering women to be educated and make the best choices. This year has been incredible, we’re only getting stronger and boy, I’m excited about what’s around the corner!

Why do you think you deserve to win this award?

Over the past four years, I’ve invested a great deal of time and effort into developing our strong and motivated community. I believe in what we’re doing and love having such a positive impact on so many lives. Trust me, so many people said my business would never be a success until I started to charge my mums to use the site. Winning this award will reinforce that thinking outside the square with your business model, a bucket-load of passion and sheer hard work can lead to ultimate success. Aside from the thrill of recognition for my achievements from leaders in the business community as well as my peers, being awarded AusMumpreneur reinforces the value of my community and will serve to further validate the voice of “my mums”. I am really passionate about empowering and motivating others to “take the leap” and start their own business. Our 190,000+ strong community benefits from our pre-loved marketplace, saving thousands of dollars on buying new and sharing valuable parenting advice and support. This is so powerful and the foundation of the amazing business I’ve created. People often ask me how I do it all — sometimes I surprise myself! I’ve grown so much over the past few years and I’m hungry to share that journey, encouraging others to do the same — start small, one step at a time! I see myself as a strong role model to thousands of mums, with the message that “you can start small and dream big, think global and act local”.

Becoming AusMumpreneur would strengthen my credibility as Belinda Jennings, the name and face behind Australian Baby Bargains and Mum Central, proving you can have your cake and eat it, too!

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2014 St George Banking Group

AusMumpreneur

Photography by Alexandra Anderson Photography, Melbourne 30

Australia & New Zealand AusMumpreneur Magazine

Conference & Awards

Photography by Alexandra Anderson Photography, Melbourne 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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Blessing in disguise Former TV newsreader Christine Kininmonth says being made redundant gave her the confidence to make her business dreams a reality.

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was on my five weeks’ maternity leave (yes, you read correctly, five weeks) for my TV newsreading job at a Sydney commercial station, when I was told my position had been filled and was no longer available. I had mixed feelings: excitement at spending more time with my new baby daughter tempered with this terrible blow to our family income.

Of course, the redundancy payment went straight on our new mortgage, but I eyed off my beloved company car for another purpose. As much as I needed it for my new baby, a more pressing need was paying the HUGE packaging design bill ($12,000) for my invention of a wardrobe extender kit for maternity

— Belly Belt. The car had to go. I put the ad in the paper and, here’s the weird bit, the potential car buyer ended up buying half my fledgling business, not the car. Seems he wanted a change from the world of finance, and my enthusiastic banter about “jumping in boots and all” represented that change!

Within months I was back on television, but this time I was the one being interviewed — about my new business, Fertile Mind. Ironically, I appeared on the very network that had made me redundant, and in the process had given me the kickstart I needed.

www.sinchies.com

Women doing it for themselves Leading mumpreneurs share their insider knowledge to help others create a successful and profitable business.

Coinciding with this year’s AusMumpreneur Awards in October, the AusMumpreneur Network launched the book, How to Create Your Own Successful & Profitable Business from Home. The book has been such a success, AusMumpreneur is releasing a second edition in 2015!

The book features advice from 50 women in business, including 2014 AusMumpreneur of the Year Christine Kininmonth.

With insider hints and tips on topics including time management, marketing, profitability, customer service and work-life balance, the book is a powerful resource for women not only wanting to start their own business, but those who have already started.

If you would like to be part of the second edition, please contact Peace Mitchell at connect2mums@gmail.com.

Below are two excerpts from the first edition.

Time Management

Profitability

Caroline Africh Attipas www.attipas.c om.au

Natasa Denman Ultimate 48-Hour Author wwww. ultimate48hourauthor.c om.au

Outsource where possible! Being a mum is hard enough without having to run a business. In order to fit a business in and around my kids, I need to be very organised, as well as outsource key tasks.

Consistency, hands down, is my best advice. It’s not about all or nothing; it’s about taking necessary steps over a period of time and growing with your business.

I have a warehouse that completes order fulfillment, an IT team that maintains my website, a designer who manages my artwork and a PR team that deals with the media.

Running my business while still being at home with the kids wouldn’t be possible without outsourcing! I am still the face of the business, but have found that by outsourcing processing tasks, I am able to operate the business using a top-down approach. I have learned to micro-manage less and rely more on the strengths and skills of others.

Absolutely, having a mentor or someone ahead of you in business for advice is a must, and make use of all the resources you invest in. I see many small business owners go for that next shiny object and waste money without a clear focus. I say, have a mentor, follow the recipe you get taught, and take action (execute).

ur book o y r e d r O today! k o o b e or Visit neur. e r p m u ausm com

Build profitable joint ventures and partnerships as you grow for leverage.

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Christmas gift guide

Isagenix 30 Day President’s Pak Viva Health and Wealth Celebrate Christmas Basket Homegrown Gifts Show them it is time to celebrate with this market basket full of locally made treats. A truly celebratory Australian Christmas gift basket, it contains: • Clovely Estate Brut Reserve, 750ml. From the South Burnett region.

• Anne Marie’s Traditional Christmas Pudding, 450g.

Handcrafted in Australia by Beaux Desserts using only Australian natural ingredients.

• Rainforest Pearls, 100g. Native Australian riberries coated in decadent dark chocolate.

• Three Ceramic Decorations with delicate gold trim.

Handmade by Sunshine Coast artist, Elke Lucas.

• Queen B Candle, 10cm x 6cm, featuring a stunning red design, making it a lovely centrepiece for the Christmas table. Handcrafted from 100% pure Australian beeswax. 30 hours’ burn time.

Beautifully presented in a handcrafted Moroccan market basket with leather handles.

Price: $129 Visit: Soon to be available at homegrowngifts.com.au

What if you woke up every day with unbelievable energy?

You had time and financial freedom to live life how you choose? You could help your loved ones experience the same benefits? Welcome to possibility!

Price: $590 — you are worth it!

Visit: www.facebook.com/VivaHealthandWealth

P ERi-P ERi Sauce Mild Nando’s PERi-PERi sauce is made with African bird’s eye chilli and a blend of ingredients: onion, sun-ripened lemons, garlic and spices. With a wide range of PERi-PERi sauces to cover a range of heat levels, this one is on the mild side and full of flavour for the whole family!

Use it as you would a tomato or barbecue sauce, our PERiPERi sauce goes with anything: meat, fish, vegetables and chicken, of course! For whatever is on your plate, we say, “Give it some Nando’s.”

Visit: nandos.com.au

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Christmas gift guide

Inf latable Animal Bouncers Bop Along Buddies Bop Along Buddies Inflatable Animal Bouncers have been designed to aid children in the development of balance, co-ordination, core strength and self-confidence through regular, simple play.

The standard range features no removable parts, as well as a number of unique safety features, making the range suitable for children 0–6 years of age. The 2014 range now also features an XL version that is suitable from 6 years and up. The range has superior quality, which means the toys are suitable not only for indoor use but also for use on most outdoor surfaces, providing versatility for parents wanting to offer different play options for their little ones.

With safety in mind, the range is made from a special child-friendly material that contains no dangerous chemicals, toxins or heavy metals. They also exceed all current Australian toy standards. With the ability to be applied to occupational therapy needs, the range offers the unique ability to assist in the areas of development for conditions such as cerebral palsy.

Each Buddy is packaged with instructions and a small pump, ready for hours of bouncing fun. Bop Along Buddies are the fun way to teach, learn and play.

Price: from $39.95, plus P&H Visit: bopalongbuddies.com.au

Calm Baby Kit Safe Sleep Space Create a soothing sleep space for babies and children.

This baby sleep kit combines the therapeutic art of aromatherapy and the gentle, effective Safe Sleep Space step-by-step guide. The kit contains: • IN ESSENCE SWEET ALMOND, 100ml: Sweet almond is a gentle, cold-pressed virgin oil for use on its own or as a carrier for pure essential oils. It is a fine, odourless lubricant, light in texture and rich in Vitamin E. It is ideal to relieve the symptoms of dry skin, cradle cap and even nappy rash, all of which can disrupt baby’s sleep.

• IN ESSENCE LAVENDER PURE ESSENTIAL OIL, 9ML: The finest grade lavender, lavendula angustifolia, for use during pregnancy and with baby. Lavender is renowned for its soothing, calming and relaxing properties for the mind and body and can be incorporated into already existing rituals between mother and baby.

• SAFE SLEEP SPACE INFANT DVD: Topics: Parent interviews; video footage of “hands-on” settling strategies; understanding your baby including feed, play, sleep patterns, sleep associations, tired signs, swaddling and more. Total viewing time 45 minutes.

• SAFE SLEEP SPACE CD: Based on an understanding of the meditative effects of multiple sound layers found within nature. This “white noise” has been recreated on CD using the movement of ocean waters fused with the rhythm of powerful binaural heartbeats. This tranquil blend has been designed to correspond with babies’ brainwaves. 60 minutes duration.

Price: $49.95 plus P&H, normally valued at 79.95 Visit: safesleepspace.com.au

2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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Christmas gift guide

Ergonomic Shoes Attipas Australia

Reusable pouches Sinchies

Attipas Australia has launched their new range of largersized, bright and colourful ergonomic shoes, suitable for bigger toddlers and pre-schoolers. Older children can now join younger siblings in the Attipas fun, with sizes XXL (US 8) and XXXL (US 9) now available online.

The design of the Attipas larger-sized shoes are great as they assist in developing the muscles of the lower limb by stimulating proprioception and strengthening the muscles while still offering adequate protection of the foot.

Attipas shoes are made with a non-slip gripped sole, are highly breathable and support your infant, toddler and preschooler from their very first steps to beyond.

The larger sizes are available in a selection of our bestselling styles, including the Rainbow, Marine and New Sneaker.

Price: RRP $39.95 Visit: www.attipas.com.au

Sinchies reusable pouches: the perfect Christmas gift for that person who has everything and a gift that keeps on giving! Sinchies are the healthy and environmentally friendly answer to the throw-away yoghurt, smoothie and fruit crush pouches. Kids love pouches to squeeze themselves and parents love the convenience.

With Sinchies, you also have homemade goodness on the inside — and they can be used time and time again. What’s more, the retail price of a Sinchies reusable pouch is less than the throw-away ones you buy in the store!

Sinchies have so many uses beyond yoghurts, smoothies and purees. Suited to a wide range of ages from baby to the elderly, you can use them for storing dips, soups, spice rubs, soft foods, sauces, salad dressings, even toiletries. Get yours today and beat the Christmas rush.

Price: From just 99c per pouch. Different sizes and packs available.

Visit: www.sinchies.com

www.tinytutus.com.au

AusMumpreneur Awards Featured finalist

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Leanne Shea Langdown – Cheer Chick Charlie www.cheerchickcharlie.c om

’m a mum of two plus a grown-up step-daughter and brand-new granddaughter. My husband and I enjoy life, dream lots and holiday often. We really want to teach our children that opportunities are everywhere once you open your mind to the possibilities.

Cheer Chick Charlie is a children’s book series that I created to not only entertain children, but also help them with their confidence, resilience, health and fitness. From the series, we are building a brand that is currently being pitched to entertainment companies and retailers in the USA.

I had worked for the Federal Government for 15 years and left to focus on the children. They had been in day care since they were 3 months old. Our time with our kids is so short. For me, a home-based business allows for better parental balance. Plus, it lets us dream and fulfill our purpose.

‘The passion I have for this brand and the vision I have for the future is huge.’

My daughter inspired the series through her own desire to become a cheerleader. From that, I formed a 100+ cheer squad at her primary school. Teachers and parents said that cheer made such a difference to the kids that I had to find a way to take it world wide – and that’s when Charlie was born!

We now have six books in the Cheer Chick Charlie series. In addition to our own website, the Charlie books are now available for worldwide purchase on Amazon. The books are currently being rolled out in e-book format.

I know I still have a long way to go with Cheer Chick Charlie, but the passion I have for this brand and the vision I have for the future is huge.

This brand will go global. It has to. If I want to help as many children in the world as possible believe in themselves, then I have to make this work. www.cheerchickcharlie.com 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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AusMumpreneur Awards Featured finalist

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Krystal Caton – Zestio www.zestio.c om.au ’m Krystal Caton, a teacher, wife and mother to two young girls, living and working on an organic cattle property in rural Central Queensland.

Zestio provides safe and convenient products for pouch feeding while helping you become more organised, save money and provide nutritious foods to your family.

My children and an interest in healthy eating and sustainability inspired me to create my two innovative products. Due to my rural location, young children and home/work-life commitments, a home-based business gave me the opportunity to manage it all.

‘Success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a lot of effort and commitment.’

Having a teaching background, I am very new to the wide world of everything business, including marketing, PR, customers, profits, accounting ... the list is endless! However, my one driving force is that I LOVE to learn (might be the teacher in me!!). One thing I have learnt, since the very beginning of my journey almost 38

two years ago, is that success doesn’t necessarily happen overnight. It takes a lot of effort and commitment over a long period of time. I have celebrated my achievements in small portions as I went along on my journey, as everything I completed was a new accomplishment.

Australia & New Zealand AusMumpreneur Magazine

Since launching Zestio, my proudest achievement was seeing my simple sketched idea on scrap paper turn into a prototype, then a finished product ready to take to market! To top it off, I obtained my own patents and trademark.

I think there is something magical about somebody who can “invent” or “innovate” products. I have only just begun my journey down this path, creating useful products that are helping parents and children in many ways: health, convenience, independence, wellbeing, etc.

With Zestio, I would like to inspire people to think about what they eat and what they feed their children. www.zestio.com.au

AusMumpreneur Awards Featured finalist

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Corrine Tye-Lim – Lacorvin www.lacorvin.c om.au ’m a go-getter, jet-setter mum who adores her family.

I believe in making a difference in the world through ethical choices and helping others.

Lacorvin brings together a world of luxurious, exclusive, handcrafted, ethically sourced silver jewellery and one-of-a-kind leather handbags that last a lifetime.

A lover of fashion and accessories, I’m committed to making ethical choices and passionate about helping women feel confident and empowered through their individual style.

Tickle the Imagination, Courier Mail Life, Kid and Anything But Ordinary.

It has also been featured in blog articles by Brisbane Threads, The Good Guide, Inlovewithloveweddings and I was a guest blog writer for Style Maven on how to wear accessories.

‘I’m committed to helping women feel confident through their individual style.’

With a business background, starting my home-based business meant I was able to work around the needs of my family, be creative and do something I truly love.

My jewellery has been featured in the following magazines: Fashion Weekly, Brisbane News, Style Magazine, Profile,

My label has been on the runways of: Fashion Weekly’s 7th birthday, Designer Q, Bulimba Fashion Festival, Fashion Society, and QT Fashion Week and Awards. I have been asked to provide accessories for Kate Johnson (Mrs Australia while she competes for Mrs World), model/actress Tania Zaetta and Natalie Barr (worn on Sunrise).

I would like to inspire other AusMumpreneurs about the ability to make ethical choices every day and being in business to help other women and other charities to make a difference in the world. www.lacorvin.com.au 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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AusMumpreneur Awards Featured finalist

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Belinda Ritchie – little eedie www.l ittleeedie.c om am a busy stay-at-home mumma with four beautiful children aged from 10 years to 16 months! My home is my office and I LOVE IT!

We stock both international and local brands, investing a lot of time locally supporting handmade. We bring different things to our customers without the ridiculous price tags.

Little eedie was created in the legacy of my late grandmother, who saw my own frustration when it came to quality, prices and customer service in relation to quality kids’ clothing.

‘Little eedie was created for all the others out there who were sick of the same old thing!’

Little eedie was created for all the others out there who were sick of the same old thing! We just bring what the obvious demand is and customer satisfaction comes above all.

I would have to say the best achievement in the past 12 months (we only turned one a few months ago) is the day I sat back and said ,“Yup! I’ve done it!” I’ve created a 40

little business that people are talking about, that people WANT to visit and see what little eedie is all about! It was a day when I woke up and had more sales in that one night than I expected to ever have in a week! We really had something to offer to amazing people looking for that “something different”.

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In all honesty, I do go that extra mile. I know this purely by customer feedback! I do what I love, what I am qualified and trained to do and I am never happy until I KNOW my customers are happy! This is a huge part of who I am and what little eedie was all about from the beginning.

It’s quite exciting to be acknowledged for all the sleepless nights, all the time and money invested into little eedie and all the fear and anxiety of “am I doing all I can to make our customers happy?” www.littleeedie.com

AusMumpreneur Awards Featured finalist

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Jo Turner – Toosh Coosh www.t ooshcoosh.c om.au ’m a mumpreneur, multi-task master, dedicated wife, mother of two amazing children, and passionate about the value of family meal times.

Toosh Coosh offers a range of unique meal-time products that provide practical solutions to improve the quality of meal times for mums, dads and little ones.

My son, who hassled me for about two years to follow up on “that Toosh Coosh idea”, helped me design the perfect kid’s booster seat.

I started my home-based business after 25 years in the corporate world when my son asked, “Why can’t you be a real mum like everyone else?”

So, I did it!

and what I’ve achieved in the past three years would be my biggest achievement to date.

I want to share my story and inspire other mumpreneurs out there that anything is possible! You can take an idea from concept to delivery and create a business while maintaining an enjoyable work-life balance. I have managed to take a niche product from idea to design and expanded globally — all within three years.

‘My son asked, ‘Why can’t you be a real mum like everyone else?’ So, I did it!’

In 2012, I officially launched my business with a very clear five-year business plan and, after much hard work, it has all come together in the past 12 months. I think we are finally getting there. To be recognised for my business success

My ability to establish strong relationships and build networks that support my business’s growth and development has enabled me to achieve my goals. I believe that I have demonstrated strong business principles to create a sustainable business model that will, hopefully, be an example to other mumpreneurs wanting to take their products into global markets. www.tooshcoosh.com.au 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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AusMumpreneur Awards Featured finalist

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Elise Easdown – What’s On 4 www.w hatson4.c om.au

y name is Elise Easdown and I am the mum of Julius (6), Charlotte (4) and Elijah (9 weeks). I live in sunny Brisbane with my little ones and husband Scott.

I had worked for seven years in Australia and overseas as a paediatric occupational therapist before having my children and wanted to create a business I could do from home that I loved and be available for my young children. I launched the international franchise What’s On 4 into Australia in 2011 after its success in the UK. I was the first international franchise, and was soon joined by Ireland, Singapore, and Switzerland and Ecuador. I have plans to franchise further into Australia and New Zealand in 2015.

My inspiration to bring something like this to Australia four years ago was when I couldn’t find local information about baby swimming classes for my son. I felt there needed to be a better way for mums to know about “What’s On” in their community and to feel connected to each other.

What’s On 4 has grown much larger and faster than I ever expected. We have a large and engaged audience. We have a community of nearly 100,000 on Facebook and a Mum’s Network of over 60,000 who we share “What’s On” with, ranging from touring groups such as Disney On Ice tours through to music and dance classes. In 2015, we will hold our 4th annual awards, recognising excellence in children’s activity providers and party services. I look forward to continuing to provide these wonderful directories to parents, developing the What’s On 4 brand and growing the team through franchising and partnerships.

‘I felt there needed to be a better way for mums to know about ‘What’s On’ in their community.’

The What’s On 4 directories are designed to give parents an online place to source information and be inspired to encourage their children’s participation in a range of local baby classes, kids clubs and groups, school holiday activities, attend family-friendly events and plan birthday parties.

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www.whatson4.com.au

AusMumpreneur Awards Featured finalist

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Sally Hams – Sally Hams Business Solutions www.shbs.net.au

y precious daughter Mia, who’s nearly six, and I live together with our two dogs, Max and Sam. My father Chris and mother Kathie have been married for 41 years – they are amazing parents, wonderful role models and my best friends.

Commencing in 2010, SHBS is a progressive bookkeeping and small business management-based business embracing change in the financial sector to navigate the business goals and needs of our clients. SHBS is personable and passionate about financial services and we pride ourselves to meet business deadlines.

I wanted to be a part of my daughter’s life, school drop-offs and pick-ups, dance and swimming classes, reading and being involved in the school. Working from home provided the flexibility our little family desired to live a wellbalanced and happy lifestyle.

‘Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. ’

My biggest inspiration in starting SHBS was my then six-month-old daughter, Mia. As a single parent, how was I going to provide and give her everything she deserves while working in administration? Someone once told me, “If you don’t study every 5 years, you’ll get left behind.” So I studied, hard!

I feel in four years I have been operating SHBS, I have gone from a relatively inexperienced bookkeeper and business woman to now someone that I know my peers and work colleagues respect and look up to.

My business has grown each year and client base referrals are evident.

I feel like I can see clearly what path I have to take in business and in life.

I want to share this with the next generation, especially my daughter. I want to pay it forward to the youth of today and share my pivotal life experiences in the hope it will impact their lives to allow them to strive for their best, to never give up. www.shbs.net.au 2014 AusMumpreneur Awards Special Edition

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5

steps to finding the right mentor

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Ann-Marie Land, St. George Business Banking Manager and mum of four children, gives advice on how to find the guidance you need to put you and your business on the path to success.

t some point in life, we’ve called upon the trusty guidance of a mentor to help us leapfrog over pivotal life hurdles. Whether it’s wise words from our parents, strict and sturdy advice from our teachers, or a boss who’s helped us find meaning in our work, there’s no doubt mentors are fundamental to our personal and professional growth.

of guidance. Richard Branson, for example, called upon Freddie Laker for invaluable advice to set up Virgin Atlantic, while his mum has been a personal influence throughout his life. Richard has long advocated mentoring and I can’t help but nod my head in agreement when he says mentorship is the missing link between a promising businessperson and a successful one.

When it comes to your business, mentors are like trusted advisors, someone that you can turn to for guidance and advice. Essentially, they can be the key ingredient needed for your business to thrive.

It’s no surprise that some of the most successful and influential people in the world can tie the defining moments in their lives back to a strong mentoring relationship, and so can you.

Regardless of whether you’re thinking about starting a new business, you’ve just started one, or you’ve been running your business for years, a mentor can make a big difference to you and your success.

Personally, mentoring has been vital in helping me heighten my career at St. George. I have had various mentors in the past who I have worked with for personal and business growth.

But don’t just take my word for it. Some of the most successful business owners all started with a little bit

My first mentor set me up with the tools I needed to handle a business and a family — a diary, discipline and resilience.

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Australia & New Zealand AusMumpreneur Magazine

PERSONAL INSIGHT: Ann-Marie Land is a St. George Business Banking Manager and proud wife and mother of four. She is pictured with her husband and children.

My mentors now are taking on a different look and feel. I am starting to use personal mentors outside of my work environment to assist with communication both politically and electronically. Admittedly, my biggest mentor in this space at the moment is my husband. He has grown into a fantastic manager himself, and I am happy to lean on him for advice.

At St. George we recognise that small to medium business owners are the engine room of the Australian economy and we appreciate that running a business isn’t always easy. It’s tough to be an expert in everything and that’s why you need to get a little help along the way.

Something as simple as working with a mentor, who can offer their personal insight into your field, can really help you leverage your business to its full potential. The good news is you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to find the right person. Here are some tips to help find the right mentor for you.

Step 1: Open the door to mentorship This isn’t always easy for business owners who are used to operating on their own, but admitting you could do with a mentor is an important first step and will help fast-track your way to success.

Step 2: Spell out what you want Before seeking out a mentor, you have to be honest with yourself and work out what areas you need mentoring in. Then write down your specific expectations and the role you want them to play. For example, do you want someone who can help your networking attempts, assist you in learning more about a certain industry or provide tips on your business plan?

Step 3: Be enthusiastic!

Mentors look for passion and drive when establishing the people they want to work with. Don’t be afraid to embrace these qualities, and people will want to support you.

Your local business specialists

NSW/ACT Mary Martirez Mobile Business Banking Manager 0434 307 550 martirezm@stgeorge.com.au QLD Ann-Maree Land Business Banking Manager 0412 159 538 landa@stgeorge.com.au Sudeshna Dasgupta Business Banking Manager 0434 568 019 dasguptas@stgeorge.com.au WA Geraldine Brabazon Local Business Manager 0466 151 398 brabazong@stgeorge.com.au

Step 4: A bit of research goes a long way Look for people who are 10 steps ahead of you, doing what you want to do.

It helps to think outside the box, beyond your former bosses, like seeking out contacts at business associations in your area, non-profit organisations, community groups, or even your friends and family.

Step 5: Mentorship is a two-way street

VIC Jacqui McDonald Local Business Manager 0478 493 105 mcdonaldja@bankofmelbourne.com

Just like a marriage, mentorship is a two-way street. Your mentor might be more successful than you, but that doesn’t mean your ideas are less important. Choose someone you can trust, who will appreciate and value your perspective.

Where did you find your mentor? If you’ve had an experience worth sharing, we’d love to hear about it.

Ann-Marie Land is a St. George Business Banking Manager

SA Mardi Brooks Key Branch Manager 08 8424 4127 brooksma@banksa.com.au

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