“Mummy’s Online!”

After being a high school teacher for 13 years, Fiona decided that she wanted to spend more time at home with her children. While she loved teaching, the thought of having to resume fulll time work loomed in a couple of years when her youngest daughter Emily went to school, so she decided that she needed to create something for herself that would allow her to stay at home with her children, as well as create a challenge for herself. After many shopping experiences searching to find presents for her own children or gift ideas that were not only stylish but unique for someone else, she was astounded with the lack of truly personal gift items. Even decorating rooms or finding suitable toys for her daughters was hard enough, without adding the time, travel, negotiation and tantrums that accompanied such trips. She wanted the shopping experience to be a pleasant and easy one. And thus, Unique Kids was created.

Unique Kids offers a range of gifts and toys for babies, boys and girls. From baby gifts and gift boxes, to toys, accessories, and a full range of bedlinen and artwork, there is something special for every child at Unique Kids.

Fiona is really enjoying the challenge of setting up her own business and running it. Coming from a different profession entirely it has been a steep learning curve, but one that she is happy to embrace and learn from every day. She now does everything online from networking to ordering, communicating with customers and suppliers and finding avenues for marketing and advertising.

Fiona is a member of the following business forums, Business Mums Network, The Messy Desk, She Essence.

Here are her tips for other mums wanting to start an online business:

•    Choose something that you are interested in so your passion can be enjoyed.
•    Get networking……this is a powerful tool for any new business owner. I don’t think that my business would be as far advanced without the help and support of the great people that I have met through the network forums.
•    Aim to create a good balance between work and family as spending more time with your family is usually one of the main reasons for starting your own business in the first place.
•    Above all….enjoy what you do and congratulate yourself on your achievements, however small.
•    Life is what you make it…..so go for it!!!

As well as her mumspace at uniquekids.mumspace.net  she has also just started a blog at www.uniquekids.com.au/blog/ which offers articles, gift giving ideas and product reviews. Keep an eye on this blog as it is new and will be added to continually.