Jan Cowell is the founder and shoemaker behind Buddyx Designs, a small, heartfelt business crafting handmade leather shoes for little feet. With a love of vintage design and a deep respect for traditional shoemaking, Jan began her journey at her kitchen table, making shoes for her daughter when she couldn’t find anything that met her standards of comfort and quality. Today, she continues to handcraft each pair with care, ensuring they honour the natural shape of children’s feet while embracing the beauty of meaningful creation. Here Jan talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the inspiration behind her business, how she balances work and family time, the challenges she has overcome, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The Passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
Coming from a creative family background and having an obsession with shoes from a young age, I started making clothes and shoes when I was a teen. My curiosity got the better of me and I began exploring the shoemaking world. At the time, there weren’t courses available to learn the skills I needed so I was mostly self taught. Many years later, I discovered the footwear course at TAFE and I also worked with some talented bespoke shoe makers, fine tuning my skills and learning as much as I could along the way.
I have a love of historical and vintage garments and footwear and take a lot of inspiration from past decades. I guess some of my designs are a ‘nod’ to the wonderful hand me downs and keepsakes I grew up with and my passion for past designs.

The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
When my daughter was two or three, I found it really hard to buy shoes for her that fit well and that I actually liked. Everything was the same, mass produced, badly sized and poorly made. So, I started making shoes for her. I found that I really enjoyed playing with the leather. The textures, the colours and the scale of them was just too cute!
I ensured (and still do) there was enough wriggle room for little toes, I could use great quality leathers, and that they actually were designed to the natural shape of her feet.
I never started out with the intention of it turning into a business but since recently leaving a job with a big corporate company, I decided to take the plunge. Up until then, I was happy selling at markets, making and gifting to friends and selling in local co-op stores.
The Innovation: What was your biggest breakthrough?
Creating the website (with a lot, and I mean a lot) of help from my family has been amazing. I have been relying on the big Aussie and global handmade sites, but having your own site gives you more control as well as a sense of achievement.

Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Having a family is definitely the biggest and most wonderfully rewarding decision by far.
Deciding to start a small business and follow my dream is pretty crazy. I couldn’t manage at all without the love and incredible support I get from my family. Being able to bounce ideas, look at things with fresh eyes, make mistakes and learn from each other is priceless.
It’s taken me a while, but I’ve learnt to ask for help and not to stress about things I can’t control. Prioritising, having a routine and going with the flow are my ‘go to’s.