Are you a pregnant, nursing, or seasoned pro mummy who is looking for stylish yet comfortable and functional clothes to wear? Then you need to check out Yummy Mummy Maternity & Nursing Wear, for some seriously stylish gear. Yummy Mummy Maternity & Nursing Wear was founded by Lauren McLeod, a 20-something mother of son Bowie, living in the southern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. We spoke to Lauren to find out more about how she got started with her business.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
During my pregnancy, and now as a breastfeeding mother, I found myself searching high and low for cute maternity and nursing-friendly clothing that didn’t look like it was designed for my grandmother to wear, haha! I knew that stylish clothing and accessories for mums were out there, but it was a pain to have to scour the internet to find them. So I decided to launch Yummy Mummy Maternity & Nursing Wear, and make it a one-stop shop for carefully curated clothing and accessories for “cool mums”.
The Launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
One day, I mentioned to my husband that I might like to open a maternity and nursing wear store, then a week later I said, “So I think I’m just going to open the store.” I had no money to invest in stock, no idea what I was doing, and nothing to lose. All I had was an idea, a passion, and the support of my husband and beautiful son to motivate me.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
I’d say my biggest breakthrough has been finding (and maintaining) the confidence to approach potential suppliers about being listed on the Yummy Mummy store. I operate mostly on a drop-shipping basis (ordering products from suppliers as they are ordered from me), which not a lot of businesses do, so proposing it can be nerve-wracking. But I’ve learnt not to worry so much about the outcome and remember that the worst that can happen is that they say no, which really isn’t that bad!
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
I’m still trying to figure that one out! My son is a year old and a handful, so most of my time is spent playing with, feeding, and chasing after him. I get most of my work done when he is sleeping or when my husband is playing with him. Sometimes I’ll do a quick social media post or pack some orders if he’s engrossed in his toys or an episode of The Wiggles, but every day varies!
