Sha’s pettiskirts are the first to be introduced here that include these designer collections.

Sha, what was the idea that first got the ball rolling?

I have always wanted to have my own shop since little, and I was also known for the little girl who wanted to wear ‘big circumferenced’ or flare skirts and dresses all the time. Not forgetting huge dramatic bow hairclips! I just loved them. I still do, only that I get to wear them occasionally nowadays. My passion for girly wear and fashion is the drive that keeps me going to make one of my dreams a reality. Therefore, opening an eboutique was just perfect to me.

What got you excited enough about the idea to put it into motion?

The brilliant technology and convenience invented for mothers and everyone to shop online is amazing. With the constant development of doing business in the cyberworld and creating a network from one country to another, got me excited on how well my business can go. As a mother of two, I fully understand the need to shop and search things conveniently and quickly hence, the idea of creating Chic By Sha was just perfect to me. I wanted people to have the convenience of e-shopping with style and follow my blog where I have discussions and news about kids, lifestyle, fashion, travel and more.

Where did the name for your business spring from?

When I was thinking of a name for my eboutique, I knew it has to include my name in it. I remember Donald Trump’s wise words where he advised that the best name to give your business or building will have to be your name. Up to this day, I knew I have made the right choice of naming my eboutique Chic By Sha because it converys the right message to consumers that they can find things stylish and chic created by me. Reviews from my customers and clients have been overwhelmingly positive and they love how my products are presented, taking them to another arena of style.

How is Chic By Sha unique?

We are the first to introduce to Australia and New Zealand signature designs that are vintage-inspired and avant-garde turning the concept of pettiskirt-wear a stylish and creative fashion. Upcoming designs that are due to come in summer 09 will be designed by me where you can expect unique and spectacular range. Our website has a chic look with a gallery of beautiful photography and easy method of purchase that is what consumers can expect when shopping with us. We are proud to have the fastest period of delivery time as well.

What was the most difficult part in getting your business off the ground?

It is probably an issue that all mothers have – that is the need to be sure that you are giving enough time to your kids. This has been a greatly shared experience to most of us and I would probably say this could be the most difficult part in getting my business off the ground when I first started Chic By Sha. However, interestingly enough, my family and I appreciate the time management we have sorted out to one another and have since respect the boundaries. My daughter knows when is Mummy’s work time and when is the time we can all get together and have fun one hundred percent.

Has any part of your business gone down a different path than you first anticipated?

I’m lucky to have my business go to the path where I want it to be. Getting the results that you want and the outcome of what you have created is crucial. To me, the satisfaction of my loyal customers and valuable feedback is what matters. I have been getting great reviews and am grateful about them. I’m glad things have been going the way I want them however, having said that, I am open to new ideas and opportunities should there be suggestions and offers on creative business ideas.

What do you enjoy most about running your business?

The flexibility of being able to run my business and be with my family at the same time is absolutely wonderful. Managing the time for my family and business has never been a problem but enjoyable. My kids are able to see me work and handle day to day duties regarding the family and my eboutique thus will learn that women can do anything. Another thing that I enjoy most about running my business is also seeing my collection being made – it’s so exciting! Every time my collection has arrived, I get so excited and happy which is an affirmative that I am doing a job I love.

Do you belong to any networks that have helped you grow your business?

I am a part of several networks of kids’ designers, e-tailers, fashion websites and blogs in Australia, New Zealand, US and Singapore. One of them is called Skout Trade Fair where I was approached and being welcomed in the network. They have many forums and discussions on everything a designer, retailer or photographer would like to know that I think is such a great idea because it brings not only business networks together, but it also creates a community of women or mumpreneurs alike to work together which I find is an important asset in today’s era. These networks have helped me grow my business in many crucial ways that has advertised a great exposure to my eboutique.

What are your future goals for Chic By Sha?

My future goals for Chic By Sha is that consumers can expect more fabulous, avant-garde pettiskirt and top collection that is affordable and wearable for their special events. Chic By Sha will continue to be part of major expos and advertisings in Australia, New Zealand, US and Asia in the coming year. I look forward to introduce other unique collections such as accessories and shoes that would be a lovely surprise to my loyal customers. Expanding the market worldwide will remain as part of the goal. Most of all, I hope for a continued success and happiness.

What advice would you give another woman wanting to start a business of her own?

My advice would be to be true to yourself on what your true passion is. Only then can you stay focused on your business and not enter into an impulsive rush into making any risky decisions. There are hundreds and hundreds of online businesses nowadays and there are more in the making. I think it is important to stick to your business plan and not follow what everyone else is doing. Loving what you do at the end of the day is key to the whole idea. You will absolutely get the satisfaction when receiving the end results then.

Jo Harvey designs organic bamboo wear for little ones.

Jo shares why and how she started her gorgeous range of bamboo clothing at babyjo.com.au

Jo, what was the idea that first got the ball rolling?
When my five-month-old daughter started to experience eczema, I did what any mum would do, and started to look for something that would help. I knew that I would much prefer to look at natural remedies and something that would be kind on her skin at this age, and discovered bamboo fabric. After trialling some bamboo clothing, which is organic and super soft, I found that it made a huge difference and her eczema as well as a heat rash that I had been struggling to control. After researching bamboo fibre in more detail, I fell in love with its qualities and also loved the fact that it is great for sustainability and our environment. I also noticed that there was a huge gap in the market here in Australia and decided to design my own range of organic bamboo clothing for little ones. Since then, I haven’t looked back.

What got you excited enough about the idea to put it into motion?
It really was the fact that there was virtually no one in Australia who was supplying bamboo clothing for babies. There were some who made adult ranges, and bamboo was still a relatively new fabric so the prospect of designing for babies was a fantastic option. What parent wouldn’t want to dress their newborn in the softest, kindest fabric around that has been grown organically?

Where did the name for your business spring from?
Having a newborn, my Husband and I were often up around 5am most mornings, one morning we just decided to register a business name so that if I did start to design my own clothing, I had somewhere to start. I wanted something short and catchy and later found our logo – the Babyjo Panda, which has complimented both the name and our concept.

How is Babyjo Bamboo Wear original?
There are not too many companies who design or sell bamboo for little ones, so we are quite unique in this sense. We also have outstanding customer service, both for our online customers and for our retail stockists. Our designs are simple yet gorgeous, keeping in mind comfort, practicality and durability – a must for baby wear!

What was the most difficult part in getting your business off the ground?
Not having studied business, there are many areas where I had to put in a lot of groundwork and study to find out what was required. The whole process of building a website was so new to me, and not having a lot of capital meant that I had to do this myself.

I also found that photography of your products is vital for on line trading, and I wish that I had invested in this from the start– it was only when we designed our second range that I employed the service of a professional and I cannot believe how much difference this has made to our brand and how professional it looks.

Has any part of your business gone down a different path than you first anticipated?
Other than expanding a lot faster than I thought it would, Babyjo is actually following the same path that I had ‘mapped’ out for it at the start. Our new range is selling so quickly that I have had to step up production for new lines, as well as keeping up with the demand on our current stock. At the start when I was contacting retailers to stock our brand, I never thought that I would be in a position where I would have to ‘knock’ retailers back due to having enough representation in the marketplace!

What do you enjoy most about running your business?
I love designing, and it is such a nice feeling to receive samples from our manufacturer that bring my thoughts to life. I can always picture things in my head, and to get them in real life is so exciting! I also love to hear from customers who have had a great buying experience with us, as well as receiving their feedback on how much it has helped their child with eczema or allergy. It is really very rewarding– and I have also made some amazing friendships with other designers and retailers.

Do you belong to any networks that have helped you grow your business?
There are quite a few out there, the best that I am part of are Skout Trade Fair, Kids Fashion Review and Connect2Mums – these have all helped me to build solid relationships with other designers and retailers, whilst also being able to showcase our designs to the public. Networking is so important these days, so its lovely to find communities that fit your needs perfectly.

What are your future goals for Babyjo?
Hmmmmm– where do I start! I have many, and am finding that these are presenting themselves a lot faster than I thought they would. I would love to have a shopfront one day in the not so distant future, as well as full expansion of our range into seasonal fashion for children, and possibly adults. Most parents receive our clothing and their first question is “Does that come in adult sizes?”.

What advice would you give another woman wanting to start a business of her own?
To quote Nike – “Just do it!” You can sit there procrastinating and umming and ahhhing– however if you have a great idea and the passion to put into it, you need a good, solid business plan, and the motivation to just start. Somewhere, anywhere, it doesn’t matter– as long as you put the wheels in motion and keep going. It may take a while to get set up, however it will never get there if you don’t do a thing!.

Rowena and Jennie operate a women’s fashion store with a difference.

Jennie shares why Shimi stock 60-70% Australian-made and showcase wonderful new designers!

Jennie, what was the idea that first got the ball rolling?
After years of having a passion for fashion, design and print – but not quite having the skill to make it as a “craftswoman” in the industry, Rowena and myself (Jennie) decided it was time to make a change. Having two small children each we wanted a business we could run from home, work around our children and still contribute to our family’s lifestyle. We decided we could do this, and combine our passion, and tested the waters by importing a small number of designs new to the Australian market. We sold these items to a select group of friends and family within 24 hours of receiving them. This gave us the confidence to run with our original idea of creating an online store, however the idea to have mainly Australian made, and endeavour to assist new designers to the industry evolved shortly after. Our concept is evolving everyday, however we are firm on part of our original concept which is to bring beautiful feminine fashion and products to those of us who find it hard to shop in the “real world”.

What got you excited enough about the idea to put it into motion?
Our first order selling within 24 hours got us really excited. We could see there was a market for our type of fashion, and our prices were reasonable enough to get others excited as well.

Where did the name for your business spring from?
Shimi is hindi for Success, something we are determined to have.

How is Shimi original?
Our store offers mainly Australian-made items, and we endeavour to assist new designers.
Our prices and our style. We try to keep our prices within a reasonable range. Our main purpose in business in not to create a huge profit, but to do something we love, and build a trusting client base who will keep supporting us well into the future. This does come with challenged in the internet world as we can be perceived as being lower quality due to our prices not being as high as others. We could charge more as we only sell good quality products, but we are mothers ourselves, who live on a budget. We know the challenges of raising a family and still finding that little something for oneself– it generally doesn’t happen. We believe that in order to be a happy mothers, you need to give yourself a little. It may be a nice skin care mask, or a new t-shirt to give you a lift, but something just for you. At Shimi we want to nuture that and one way to do it is to keep our prices low.

What was the most difficult part in getting your business off the ground?
It has been hard work, and a lot of hours, but I wouldn’t call the work difficult, because we love what we do. It never feels like work. I guess emotionally it can be hard to pick yourself up and remain enthusiastic when sales are slow. But as I once heard from a very successful businessman, those with success are those that NEVER gave up.

Has any part of your business gone down a different path than you first anticipated?
We introduced our skincare range very early on thinking it would be a nice sideline to the fashion, but everyone loves it and it has become one of our biggest sellers. Not only is it a joy to use, but it has really helped a lot of our clients with problem skin.

What do you enjoy most about running your business?
Customer service. We love hearing from clients and chatting to them about their purchase. Our main love is helping those who feel they are a little fashion challenged– talking them through what will suit their body shape, create an outfit for them.

Do you belong to any networks that have helped you grow your business?
Business Women Unite has been the greatest help to our business.

What are your future goals for Shimi?
Our immediate future goal is to only sell Australian Made products. Our long term goal is to introduce a monthly range of charity t-shirts. Our idea is to take a different charity every month, have an artist or designer create a t-shirt for that charity, and sell it through Shimi with all profits going to the charity of choice. We hope the t-shirts will become collectables, and help various charities.

What advice would you give another woman wanting to start a business of her own?
Do something you are passionate about. Don’t think of the money initially, think of the pride you will have in create something for yourself. If you love what you do the money will follow.

Kathryn designs and creates beautiful, original children’s boutique clothing.

Kathryn tells how she started her venture,
TikiBoo Kids

What was the idea that first got the ball rolling?
When my daughter was born I spent hours shopping for delightful clothes for her, only to discover that everyone else was dressing their little ones in the same delightful outfits. As a result, her doting grandmother Christine was called upon to create something unique and we spend many hours lovingly creating original outfits for her. Mum has been designing and creating everything from babies booties to wedding gowns for more than 40 years, so when she decided to retire the long simmering idea for our own children’s designer fashion label, TikiBoo Kids, finally boiled over into reality.

What got you excited enough about the idea to put it into motion?
I discovered the concept of “Custom boutique” which is huge in the USA. I showed mum some ideas and she couldn’t wait to get started. We’ve had to simplify our designs a little– the Australian market wasn’t quite ready for the original designs we had!
The response from friends and family when we suggested the idea was phenomenal. Some of the original product “testers” are still my most devoted customers– it’s lovely.

Where did the name for your business spring from?
My daughter is the original TikiBoo. It was a nickname we coined when she was a few months old and it stuck. It’s cute and catchy and suits the designs we create.

How is TikiBoo Kids original?
Probably experience. There are certainly a lot of mums starting businesses sewing children’s clothing, however most of them don’t have 40 plus years of sewing experience! Really, anyone who puts their mind to it can sew– however I am a firm believer that to become a true sewing artist you need the years of practice behind you. I can explain an idea to my mother, and in a few hours that idea is wearable.

What was the most difficult part in getting your business off the ground?
Getting it started was easy– growing it has been more of a challenge. Deciding where to spend money on things like advertising has been difficult, it’s always a gamble.

Has any part of your business gone down a different path than you first anticipated?
The TikiBoo Kids label original started as modern cloth nappies. It was too restricting creatively. There are only so many different materials and designs possible for a nappy– and your customers only have a limited lifecycle– once their children are toilet trained, your relationship tends to end. Deviating into clothing has been far more creatively rewarding.

What do you enjoy most about running your business?
There are so many facets I love. Selecting fabrics is so much fun, I see a fabric swatch and instantly start planning an outfit in my head. I enjoy working with my mother, although there are certainly times we clash, most of the time it’s a lot of fun. It’s also wonderful being able to run the business from home and have my daughter with me, she loves to help as well.

Do you belong to any networks that have helped you grow your business?
I’m a member of two online business forums – Business Women Unite and The Messy Desk.

What are your future goals for TikiBoo Kids?
We want to become a well known and respected Australian children’s fashion label. We’re in the process of investigating outsourcing some of the sewing and intend to wholesale.

What advice would you give another woman wanting to start a business of her own?
If you’re passionate enough about it, you can do it. Start small but dream big.