Business in Profile

Baba Slings

1. Tell us about your business Baba Slings

Baba Slings is an asymmetrical hammock style Baby Sling that first came into being after the birth of my second child Sai-Isa. From its very humble beginnings at Eumundi Markets on the Sunshine Coast, Baba Slings has moved ahead in leaps and bounds on an International level! Recently Baba Slings was awarded 1st place in the leading baby magazine in Japan, this to us is a wonderful achievement considering that Japan is such a quality driven market.

2. Why did you start your business?

I wanted to carry my own child and was not fussed with other carriers on the market, so I decided to design my own, and it struck me that there was a gap in the market, so I dived in!

3. What were you doing before?

I was a mother from a young age and did some travelling in Australia and to India. I also had horses and would teach riding to the local neighbourhood girls. My family are all artists, so sometimes I would make pottery and sell it on my Mothers stall at the markets… other than that I was very much into experiencing and enjoying life rather than be chained to work.

4. Has running your own business lived up to expectations?

Yes 1000fold!!

5. What have you enjoyed the most so far?

I’m a gypsy at heart and love to travel! So far Baba Slings has taken us to many foreign destinations! Such as India, England, Ireland, Dubai, Singapore, Japan, Bali, Malaysia, America, New Zealand, Bali, and throughout Australia many times over! I am writing this from my hotel room in Japan (tomorrow is the start of the Tokyo Gift Show), and by this year’s end we would like to partake in the tradeshows in Las Vegas and France, as well as all our usual Australian trade Shows.

6. What is the biggest challenge?

I would definitely have to say the whole juggling act between family life and work! When I go away to work, it always plays on my heartstrings as a mother in the times that I cannot take the children with me!

7. Do you have any children – what are their names/ages?

Yes, 5!! There is Zach who is 16, Sai 10, Sharmila 7, Vyasa 3 and Little Phoenix who just turned 2! They all love to travel as well.

8. Logistically, how do you manage your work and childcare?

This is always a challenge!! It is easier now that 3 are at school, however the two littlies are still at home. One wonderful aspect of a business such as Baba Slings is that much of my work is done online so I am able to be mobile with my laptop. I can work from home or on the road. This always helps when you have babies at home. Sometimes when working though I feel like I’m a jungle gym with them climbing all over me!

9. What is the hardest element of being a working mother?

If the children are sick! You could be up all night with them, and still have to do everything that there is to do in a day as well as still be there for them. And it never helps if you fall sick yourself!

10. What do you think about 'me time'? With demanding hours as well as small children, do you manage to get it and what do you like to do?

Wow ‘me time’, hum, what’s that? No but jokes aside, I must say it is a precious commodity, however it does happen, although of course never as much as I would like! Having said that I love to go and get a massage when I can. That’s my idea of bliss! I would also love to go horse riding a lot more than I do! Bike riding’s great fun. But probably the top of the list would be just sitting around with dear friends chatting and laughing and doing our tarot cards!

11. Have there been times when you’ve thought ‘this is just too hard!’ and considered giving up your work to become a full time mum?

Yes, there have been a few ‘hand to mouth’ moments, when I have wondered if it was all worth it, but something always happened to pull us through at the 11th hour!

12. Do you have anyone you particularly admire in the business community?

I adore Corinna and Noel Herbert from Snug as a Bug, she’s a bright light, always so lovely and they are both full of helpful advice. Jannine Barron from Nature’s Child in Byron Bay, She has a great range of products that are all Organic and Eco-friendly (and she lives in one of the best places on earth, Byron Bay!!) Linda Quinton from Nature’s Cradle in Adelaide is a well real gem, and she has a similar business concept as Jannine… all great people in business, of course there are too many others to mention here!!

13. Where do you see Baba Slings in 10 years?

I see that Baba Slings will incorporate other products, this we are already doing. I would also like to see Baba Sling become more involved in community in general. We have been staying in Bali this year for a while and I have a dream of opening a clinic for pregnant and lactating mothers here.

14. Do you have any advice for anyone out there who may be thinking about starting their own business?

Yes, I can give you some advice, however it’s not from me, but my son Zach, he gave it to me when riding motorbikes in Bali, however I think that it can be applied to anything in life… Find the gap, get into it and go with the (creative) flow… (Anyone who has ridden a motorbike in Asia will know exactly what I’m talking about!)