After the birth of her second baby, Amelia Liew went in search of a wearable breast pump that didn’t have restrictive cords or get in the way of her time with her active toddler. Breast pumping can be difficult and she wanted to find a better, easier solution. On discovering the Imani i2, she has never looked back and wants other mums to have the same, positive experience she did. She launched her business, Little Vessels, with the idea of sourcing products that will help to liberate and empower fellow mums and help make their lives a little easier. Here she shares her business journey so far.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
When I had my 2nd baby, pumping exclusively became extremely challenging because I also have a toddler to tend to. I found being restricted by the cords and having to lug the heavy battery (pump) after my very active toddler around the house very frustrating. I started to look for different options, and a more efficient way of pumping. I stumbled upon the Imani i2 wearable hands-free breastpump, trialled and tested it for myself and loved it. I couldn’t believe New Zealand is missing out on this – what a great product at a great price point! I believed there would be a demand in New Zealand and decided I wanted to share the goodness I found with all other breast-pumping mothers.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I trialled and tested it and making sure that the Imani complied with all regulations, I bit the bullet and decided to import the pumps into NZ. It wasn’t easy, as this is totally out of my comfort zone. I am actually a dentist by trade, not so much a business woman. Having to learn the ropes from scratch was a monumental task – learning how businesses in this industry run, designing my own website, marketing on social media – the list goes on and on. We are still a pretty new business and there is a lot more to learn along the way, but it is very exciting.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
A big breakthrough was when I started receiving a little more recognition from mothers other than my own friends, who were willing to give the Imani a go. A small business like Little Vessels truly thrives on its customer support and we would be nowhere without it. The best part is when they come back with raving reviews – it reminds me why I started this business.
