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| Jenny McLaughlan, Founder of Gemious |
Tell me about Gemious and how the idea came about?
It all started with my second baby, who unlike my daughter
was a terrible teether. He would literally bite me in a frenzied attack to
relieve the pressure on his sore gums. I had to have something to hand, to let
him chomp on with ease. I ended up strapping traditional teethers to myself and
wearing them. It then struck me… this could be a real practical solution to the
problem, if only I could make it look nice and less like a toy around my neck…
make something truly beautiful that to the lay eye would not look like anything
other than a stylish bit of jewellery. After months of research Gumigem was
born, soft flexible silicone teething jewellery – teething with style. Shortly
after that we found the sensory community were buying our products and raving
about them. They served this market well, as kids and adults with a sensory
need to chew were fed up of chewing aids that looked like a disability aid. So
we created the brand Chewigem and began to meet the needs of an older market
who wanted something that did not make them stand out from the crowd but met
their need to chew. Since then we have also branched into innovative kids
clothes, with babygrows which have integrated outfits meaning you can just
‘babygrow and go’ and also ligting up Tu-tu’s . This brand is Moozels
What were you doing before you founded Gemious?
I was on maternity leave in 2010 with my second child from
my role as a Sales Manager with a pharmaceutical company covering Scotland
& NI. I was looking for something to supplement my income, as despite
having a good salary, double nursery fees would leave us with next to nothing
and no quality of life. All I wanted was to cover those nursery fees. When I
returned to work I continued driving the business for another 3 years, working
every evening and weekend after the day job was done. It was really tough, but
I loved the challenge and began to realise I had hit on something that could
take me far beyond my original aim. In Feb 2013 I took the scary decision to
give up that job and focus 100% on the business.
What makes Gemious different from other products out there?
It’s a mum made and thought out product that really meets
the needs of babies and the sensory market. We use our customer base to help us
make decisions
How do you juggle running a start up company & being a mum?
After juggling running a business, doing a full time job and
being a mum, running a business and being
a mum feels like a walk in the park! However its still tough, its not like a
normal job where the office doors close and the weekend is all leisure time
until you return to the office. It's 24/7. I have learnt over the years to
manage my time. I try to ensure when I am working on the business it gets my
full attention and when being a mum I give them my full attention. I manage it
most of the time. It does lead to odd working hours though. I work short school
days and then most nights 7 days a week!
What are the most crucial things you have done to grow Gemious?
Social media has been key and involving our customers.
Expanding across the globe and using experts to help develop our products to
better suit the needs of the market.
Would you say Gemious has changed from the first initial idea?
The initial idea is still the core of the business, but it
has opened my eyes to how much is possible and I now find my brain just works
that way. We have so many ideas, the challenge now is time and money to bring them
to market. But it is very exciting and we have a lot more to deliver!
What’s the biggest lesson you have learned in business?
Nothing just happens, many people say ‘you are so lucky’ but
its not luck, its hard graft, when others are watching Eastenders or in the
pub, I was working. I lost a lot of my social life in the early years and a
good few friends along the way too. But my dream became big and I needed to
follow it. The other thing I would say is picking the right people to work
with. We have a truly exceptional team, and we are a real team. Without them we
are nothing.
What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve faced so far?
Cashflow, just a steep learning curve in managing stock and
cashflow. Not wanting to be out of stock of popular items but restraining
myself due to cash in the bank and factory minimums means sometimes you have to
be patient and that is hard and scary!
Were there any times when you’ve felt like giving up?
Honestly… never… my biggest fear is having to go back to a
‘proper job’. I work far harder for less money than I ever did, but my quality
of life is now much improved. I don’t need a day off to see my children in a
nativity play, if I am stressed I can just get up from my desk and go for a
walk. Its given me freedom and choices and I would hate to loose that.
What can we be expecting from your company in 2016?
We have a really exciting new range coming for Gumigem, 2
more Bubba bags and a couple or really cool traditional teething toys and for
Chewigem some really innovative products that we hope to get to market this
year that will help us reach the needs of even more chewers. For Mooozels we will be bringing outsome very
cool and different bibs.
What three pieces of advice would you offer to other female entrepreneurs especially mothers starting out today?
1. Dream big it can be done
2.Social media is key to success at a lower cost
than traditional printed methods. As a platform its incredible how well
targeted you can be and what ROI you can get, take the time to learn it
3. Competitors will come, but don’t focus on them,
for every second your looking at them you are not growing your business
What’s the most rewarding thing about motherhood?
Watching little people, grow, discover and become who they
are meant to be.
You can find out more about Gemious at www.gemious.co.uk, @TeethingGumigem, Facebook.com/gumigemteethers
You can find out more about Gemious at www.gemious.co.uk, @TeethingGumigem, Facebook.com/gumigemteethers
If you'd like to take part our Motivating Mum interview, please email info@myhospitalbag.co.uk
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