MEMO was born from a simple but powerful need for high-quality, naturally derived self-care products designed specifically for pregnancy and early motherhood. Now owned by Lindsey Turner, a project manager, mum and long-time believer in gentle, botanical skincare, the brand continues its mission to make this transformative season of life feel more supported and less overwhelming. After becoming a mother herself, Lindsey struggled to balance self-care with the intensity of early parenthood. Today, she’s committed to carrying MEMO‘s ethos forward, hand-crafting each product with ethically sourced ingredients and a deep desire to help mothers feel valued, nurtured and connected to themselves during a time when their own needs are often last on the list.
The passion: What inspired you to take on an existing business?
Owning a business has always been something I thought I would do, but it never felt like the right time. The idea of starting a business completely from scratch felt a bit overwhelming. Researching suppliers, developing a brand and building everything from the ground up can be exciting, but with a day job and a busy family life, it was more than I could realistically take on. Buying a business that was already established meant someone had already done the hard work of setting it up, and now I get the rewarding part of nurturing it and watching it grow.
My husband actually found MEMO for sale and thought it would suit me. When I looked into it, I immediately connected with the brand. The focus on motherhood and self-care really resonated because those were things I’d personally struggled to find time for after becoming a mum. I’d feel guilty for spending any time away from my baby or that I was missing out on something momentous. I still do sometimes, but I’m getting better at it! I want to help other women experience a bit of luxury and self-care in a way that feels easy and realistic.
The transition: How did you find the process of stepping into ownership?
As with starting a business, stepping into one is also a lot of admin in the first few months – updating registrations, getting access to systems, understanding ingredients and formulas and getting a general handle on how everything runs. It took a while before it actually felt like my business and like, OK I know what I’m doing now. I was also conscious of not letting the ball drop during that transition period. The business was still operating so I had to be there for customers and I didn’t want anyone to think MEMO had disappeared.
All the products are blended, bottled and labelled by hand, so I had to learn how to formulate them myself. After making my first successful batch and seeing my counter with all these beautiful glass bottles, ready to go to a new mother, it made it all feel real.
The evolution: What’s been the biggest turning point or improvement you’ve made since taking over?
It’s still early days for me, having only really taken over this financial year, so I’ve been prioritising getting things organised behind the scenes. My immediate focus going forward will be building visibility – being more active on social media, attending local markets and connecting directly with customers.
I want to maintain what people already love about MEMO while gradually shaping it into something that reflects me and my story too.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance running the business with family life?
It’s definitely a juggle. My husband and I both work full-time, and we have a three-year-old with no family support nearby, so our time is pretty limited.
Right now, we take turns in the evenings. One of us handles bedtime while the other gets a few hours to work. I try to keep weekends mostly for family. It’s not perfect, but it works for now.
I started on this journey to create more flexibility in the long run, so I’m conscious of not letting it take over everything. I am also trying to be more proactive with my own self-care so I have the energy to put into it. After all, that is what I’m promoting!
