Brady Spooner is a qualified civil engineer by profession, but her true passion lies in sewing and creating. As the proud owner of Tiare Collab, a small home-based business, she blends her technical precision with creativity to craft unique, high-quality bibs, blankets and knitted word art for little ones. What started as a personal need for stylish-yet-functional, soft dribble bibs quickly grew into a brand that allows mums to personalise and design beautiful items for their children. With a keen eye for detail and a love for all things creative, Brady is dedicated to making products that are not only practical but also a joy to use. Here she talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind Tiare Collab, how she balances work and family life, the pros and cons of running her own business, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The Passion: What Inspired You to Start Your Business?
It all started with my beautiful daughter, Charleigh. When she began teething at six months, the constant dribble soaked through her clothes, leaving her with a cold, damp chest and an uncomfortable rash. I found myself changing her outfits multiple times a day and lugging around extra clothes – something no mum wants to deal with. Laundry was piling up, and to make matters worse, the bibs I had weren’t cutting it. They soaked through, lost their shape, and frankly, weren’t cute.
I remember standing in a baby store, staring at the limited selection of bibs, feeling deflated. Buying baby clothes was fun – why wasn’t this? Why did functional have to mean drab?
As a first-time mum, I needed a bib that worked for me: something stylish enough to complement Charleigh’s outfits, soft and absorbent to keep her dry, and durable enough to last. I couldn’t find one I liked, so I decided to make it myself.
Using fabric I had originally purchased to create sweat-proof car seat covers, I designed a bib that looked like a fashion accessory while doing the job it was meant to do. The first batch of bibs I made for Charleigh worked perfectly. Her chest stayed dry, outfit changes were cut in half, and my washing pile shrank.
I started sharing them with my mum group, and gifting them to friends. The feedback was amazing – other mums loved that they actually worked. The idea for Tiare Collab was born.
I wanted to create an experience for mums: a chance to design their own colour schemes, personalise their pieces, and get something that felt just as special as the baby clothes they loved shopping for. From there, I’ve expanded into personlised knitted word art, and just released custom chunky knit blankets to stay warm for the winter.
Tiare Collab is named after Charleigh (a transliteration of her name in Māori) and “Collab” represents the collaboration of products I offer.
The Launch: How Did You Start Out?
It all began with my space mum group. I made a set of personalised bibs for them, then started gifting them to friends and family. The response was overwhelming – soon, people were asking if they could buy them. That’s when I decided to create an Instagram page @tiare_collab and website www.tiarecollab.nz.
Bit by bit, word spread, and some amazing influencers fell in love with my products, helping to get my brand seen. I had zero experience in running a business, so it was a huge learning curve. Every step was trial and error, but seeing my little idea take off has truly made it all worth it.
The Innovation: What Was the Biggest Breakthrough for Your Business?
Even though my business is only young, I’ve had some exciting breakthroughs. One of the biggest was finding a New Zealand small business supplier that allows me to design and create my own beautiful, custom fabrics. This means I can ask my customers what they want and actually deliver it – making them part of the creative process. That level of personalisation is something I’ve always valued, and I love being able to offer it.
Yin & Yang: How Do You Balance Work and Family?
It’s been a journey figuring out how to separate work from home life. When you run a business from home, it’s easy to feel like you’re always working. I’m still learning to set boundaries and schedule my days where I don’t work at all so I can be fully present with my family.
One of the biggest game-changers will be building a work pod – it’s a dedicated space for my business, which means when I’m inside, I’m in work mode, and when I’m out, I’m back to being a partner and mum. Taking family trips away also helps me step away and reset so that I can recharge and fill my cup to ensure I can carry on.
