Discovering a lack of options when searching for a baby journal for her first child, Penny Cunningham was inspired to create her own, with the assistance of a fabulous New Zealand artist. She then set out her vision for Penelope’s, as a platform to showcase other exquisite products that complemented the baby journal. She wanted each item to possess a timeless quality – something that could be passed down through generations, and cherished for years by many. Carefully curated children’s gifts that would stand the test of time. Here Penny talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the passion behind her business, the challenges she has overcome, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
I was on the hunt for a baby journal for my son before I had him but my husband actually bought one for my birthday which was two weeks after his birth. Throughout filling it out, I just felt some things were missing. Some areas didn’t have much room to write in, and I began to think how hard would it be to create my own? So I started on the journey of creating my own journal and then started to look into stocking products that would compliment the journal. I wanted to focus on locally made, high-quality children’s products that would one day become family heirlooms.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
Like most couples, it was a chat over dinner that spurred the idea to life. I honestly wouldn’t have committed to going further if my husband hadn’t been as supportive as he was! I began looking at the other books that were out there and made a list of what I thought they were missing or things I found I wanted to write about in my son’s book. I then reached out to a friend who I had worked with in my previous marketing job. She was a graphic designer, so I wanted to run the idea past her and pick her brains on the graphic side of things. The artwork was really important to me. I wanted a New Zealand artist to be able to create the graphics, so I began the search and came across Elena who was based in Cambridge in the North Island. We had a Facetime and it went so well. Elena had always wanted to be involved in a project like this, so she was totally on board and I loved her artwork!
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
I think because Penelope’s is only a year old, I haven’t really had a big breakthrough yet! I am just trying to remain consistent so that when it happens, I am in a position to be able to handle it.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
I have created Penelope’s to fit around my family, as they are my number one priority. I knew when I first began that it wasn’t ideal timing with having another baby, so I wanted to set it up to be as low stress as possible with the option to then ramp up when life become slightly less chaotic down the track, and I think so far that has worked really well! Initially, setting up the website and things was a lot of late night work but I just chipped away.
