#awinewith Erin Bombell
MEET Erin, Co-founder of Marmee Nurture Ware.
You can find them here:
Transcript
Danielle Lewis (00:05):
All right. Let's do it, Erin. Oh my God. Welcome to Spark
Erin Bombell (00:09):
Tv. Thank you, Danielle. It's lovely to be here.
Danielle Lewis (00:13):
I'm so excited to share your story with the Spark Community. So let's kick things off by telling everyone who you are and what you do.
Erin Bombell (00:23):
Well, my name is Erin and I am the co-founder of Maree Nurture Wear, and I guess I'm the head of sales and marketing for us, our little two person entity. So that's who I am. I've got a background in all sorts of things in marketing and sales, so just sort of fit really. So yeah.
Danielle Lewis (00:44):
Amazing. And so tell me more about the products that you sell.
Erin Bombell (00:50):
Yeah, so we sell breastfeeding scarfs for mums that might feel a bit uncomfortable feeding in public. I know I did occasionally. I was sort of okay with most of the time, but there were those occasions where you're in a pub or old man staring across the room and you're like, ah. So we've designed these beautiful scarves that just clip into any breastfeeding bra, and they're really lightweight, organic cotton. I'm wearing one in my hair actually at the moment, so I love it. Yeah, they're easy. You can put them in your hair around your wrist, in your bag. And our other product is also a, it's a baby wrap, so we call it the Convert me Baby Wrap because it has little toggles on the end that you can actually wrap around your prm. Wow, cool. So I thought that was very handy instead of looking for clips all the time. And our customers absolutely love that. I said it's the best thing ever, which is great feedback, and it's quite oversized, so it can be used as a mat as well as a cover for the baby and the pram, and also being a baby wrap as well.
(02:08):
And with they're sort of our two main products and with the offcuts, so we tried to do minimal wastage, so we managed to do zero wastage with our fabric, which was great. And with the offcuts, we've made baby headbands, we call them Daydreaming imas, and they've got the beautiful filling of the organic cotton inside as well, and also scrunchies as well, which I have here.
Danielle Lewis (02:33):
Oh, I love it.
Erin Bombell (02:34):
So that's us. They're our little products and we just try to make moms feel comfortable and relieve any anxiety pressures when they're breastfeeding as well. Yeah,
Danielle Lewis (02:47):
Oh my God, that's incredible. So when did this start? How long have you been running the business?
Erin Bombell (02:54):
We officially launched last year, but as you'd know, there's a lot that goes into before launching. I came up with the idea probably around seven years ago when I was breastfeeding my first child. And yeah, there was those couple of moments where wraps never fit. They're like, just use a baby wrap. And it was always falling off and I always had to grab my boob and it was just awkward and sort of came up with this idea. And then life got in the way, and then I had baby number just when I was pregnant with baby number two. I went and did a sewing course and I sort of made a prototype, but I'm terrible at sewing. I just realized that I did this class. I'm like, this is not me. As much as I try. And my beautiful mother-in-Law during Covid introduced, she goes, I hope you don't mind.
(03:45):
I told a lady in my book Reading Club about your idea. And so beautiful Donna, who's our other co-founder, her background is in design, so she was working I Billabong or one of those guys at the time. And so it was perfect. She just sort of found my prototype and went, this isn't quite going to work, but I'll make it work. Thanks, Donna. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, it's just been a really lovely fit. I don't know, we've just always been on the same page and just chilled and I don't know, we just sort of go at our own pace. We know that how busy life is and crazy like that. So yeah, it's been a journey. So yeah, 20 maybe three years, maybe four, close to four I guess. We've been working away at it and then officially launched to the market last year at the village markets on the Gold Coast. So yeah, it's exciting.
Danielle Lewis (04:49):
Oh, good. I love it. And so I've got to ask, because it sounds like your relationship with your co-founder is just a dream. How have you gone about navigating that? I know sometimes if it's your idea, your business and then bringing somebody in can be a little bit tumultuous sometimes, but it sounds like you've kind of nailed it.
Erin Bombell (05:11):
We just know that we're a partnership. I wouldn't have been able to do this without Donna. She wouldn't have been able to do it without me. And we just always, when we sit down and brainstorm, we always go at the end. Oh yeah, that's right. We go, that's it. And I don't know, we always seem to be on the same page. It's very bizarre, but it's great. And Donna just moved to Harvey Bay, so it's become a bit harder. We did have an office at her house, but it's great. We just chat every week anyway, and then she comes down and we'll do a market. Yeah, so it's great because we're only catching up once a week at the anyway, so yeah, it's good. It's great. So
Danielle Lewis (06:01):
Good. I love it. So you mentioned markets and then do you also sell online?
Erin Bombell (06:05):
Yes. Yeah, so we sort of launched the website at the same time as we did our first ever market. So we are online just trying to navigate e-commerce and Facebook ads and all the rest of it. So yeah, I'm just doing a course at the moment to get my head around what actually is working out there for advertising. So yeah, it changes. As we know, social media changes every day.
Danielle Lewis (06:39):
The joy is like, we don't have enough on our plate as business owners change the algorithm.
Erin Bombell (06:45):
Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah. So yeah, I'm hoping to finish that at some stage so we can really take off. We've got so much content sitting there and I'm sort of just sitting on it so I can find that right time to use it all because we all know how hard it's to create the content as well and the time. So hopefully we can just move from that and it'll become a bit more organic. So that's the plan.
Danielle Lewis (07:15):
I love it. I love it. You mentioned markets, the website and ads. How have you got your first sales? What's been your kind of marketing strategy to date?
Erin Bombell (07:30):
It was pretty much always going to be the markets. I'm in one stockist actually down at from Beachfront, which is great. So we sort of got in there late last year, so I'm just sort of holding off on stockers at the moment just so I can really see where the income is coming from once the e-commerce ads kick off a bit better. But I ran a few campaigns last year and we got a few sales from that. Not as many as I'd as we always want, but the markets, the markets have been great for us. We found there's been a few sort of at Rabia Town Center and just, it's great because you get that feedback instantly and so many people go, oh my God, these product's so unique and so great, and I wish I had this when I was breastfeeding, but we find get one of our target markets, like the grandmas come up and buy something. The breastfeeding mom, we had this mom come up and her husband just handed her the card, just get this because you need it sort of thing. It was quite funny to watch. I'm like, that's what my husband probably would've do because
(08:41):
We buy anything for ourselves. It's always the kids. So yeah, it's really great feedback doing the markets because it's just instant. And yeah, we're feeling a bit down at the end of last year. We hadn't had sales for a little while, but I hadn't put a lot of effort in either at the same time with end of year school stuff and all the rest. So we went and did a market, it was a nighttime one and we just got the best feedback and we sold heaps of stuff, which was exciting. And it was nice to finish the year on a high to go, oh yeah, this is the reason we're doing this. Just seeing people walk away happy and talk about the product and the materials. So nice. I love it.
Danielle Lewis (09:28):
Well, and I'm guess being able to touch and feel it, the markets make so much sense.
Erin Bombell (09:34):
Yeah, so they're great for branding as well, and just meeting other store holders. A couple of store holders have given shout outs to us as well, which is so lovely. So nice little community. You sort of get just supporting each other.
Danielle Lewis (09:52):
It's so interesting. People say I'm posting on Instagram and look, it depends on what product you have, but it is interesting, a market is a place where there are customers that are coming to buy and you have this opportunity to be there in front of them. I think markets are awesome and markets have launched so many huge brands. You think about Samantha Wills, jewelry, sas and buy, they all started at the markets. Their markets are so good for customer feedback, like you said, sales because you've got customers walking in the door that are ready to buy something. I love the markets
Erin Bombell (10:29):
And I think that's so true in this day and age as well. It's all about the e-commerce, which is great. I definitely want the e-commerce, but I'd love to just always do a market every now and then just to stay in touch with your customer and get that feedback. And I think it's really, really important. So really, yeah, I like socializing. So it's sort of the only time I get out these days, well, I'll kill all the birds
Danielle Lewis (10:56):
With one stone. Right.
Erin Bombell (10:58):
Mom
Danielle Lewis (10:58):
Life. Right. That's so good. I love it. Think's been the biggest challenge for you growing this business?
Erin Bombell (11:06):
Just time. And I think that's with anything in life really. You finally think you're in a routine, you get the hang of it and then something changes and you're like, explode. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And then you've got to reset again and come back. So I feel like I've just had a bit of that moment. The whole family was sick almost for the whole last term it felt like. So I just really wasn't putting in the time that I wanted to. And then you start getting annoyed at yourself and getting down on everything. So yeah, one of my friends told me once she started at the markets actually, and she's doing really, really well now, she said, just don't ever give up. So I always remember that. I'm like, yeah, just don't give up. You just got to keep going. And that's great about having a business partner too, because we keep each other fed with that energy I guess. So yeah, it's nice.
Danielle Lewis (12:03):
Yeah, I always found that with a co-founder when I was feeling like shit, they were positive and they were feeling like shit. I was positive. So we kind of seesaw each other out a little bit.
Erin Bombell (12:14):
Yeah, it is a great little balance. It's really lovely. And years ago I did a wedding business. My God, really? It was right before Covid, so it was a bad timing. But yeah, and it's so much, I remember calling friends and going, what do you think about this? And you feel like you're interrupting people's time, whereas when you've got a business partner, you just get to go, Hey, let's work this out. And yeah, it's nice. It's a lot more pleasant.
Danielle Lewis (12:46):
Totally. I think it's, people always say, find your community, and I think that's kind of the delight of having a business owner. I mean, is that you do have somebody there who is equally as obsessed or almost as equally obsessed as you.
Erin Bombell (13:05):
It's true, Donna. Sorry. Passionate. And I love it because when we get together, we're just like, ah. And she'll think of stuff sometimes that I don't think about or she'll remind me of things. And I do the same with her and I'm like, oh, well, we have actually done all this. And we're like, oh, we have done a lot.
Danielle Lewis (13:22):
Yeah, it's nice having someone in your corner that gets it, but also encourages you to reflect and celebrate your wins as well.
Erin Bombell (13:32):
Yeah, yeah, definitely. And you'd know there's so much to the business. It's not just being on Instagram every day. You've got to do all the behind the scenes, the admins, get the website bill, do the Xero, all the accounting stuff, and come up with campaigns and come up with new designs and all the rest of it. So yeah, there's a lot of work before just doing the content. So
Danielle Lewis (13:57):
Yeah, it does feel like content is the only thing people think you've got to do, isn't it? Yeah, I, I'm just a reels expert at this point, but it's so true. There's so many things that you don't see behind a beautiful brand that's out there. How do you find the juggle? Do you have any strategies to keep yourself sane in business?
Erin Bombell (14:25):
Well, my, I call it my mommy day, Donna, and I always say, happy mommy day. I love that. I find I go for a walk, I'll drop the kids off and I'll go somewhere near the ocean because I'm lucky enough to live near it, and I'll go for a nice walk, and if it's warm enough, I'll jump in the water. And I find that's me time. That's sort of the me time I get for the week. And it also, it just makes my mommy day so much more relaxing and yeah, I don't know. It resets me away from my other, the paying job I call it.
Danielle Lewis (15:02):
Yeah, totally. And I love that as kind of a marker of going, okay, this is the day where I get to do what I want to do. Let's kind of bookend the real life stuff and do something that's fulfilling and that makes you feel amazing and that calms you down, and that lets you go into that business day feeling really grounded. I like that. I think that's an awesome strategy.
Erin Bombell (15:30):
Yeah. Yeah. It's just sometimes I'm like, oh, I've been walking too long. I really need to get back, need to sit down and get going. We need
Danielle Lewis (15:37):
To actually do some work today, ladies.
Erin Bombell (15:39):
Yeah. Because sometimes it's a really nice day. Oh, I've got to get in there. No, it is, it's nice. And we've both made sure of that because Don will be like, oh, I'm running late. I'm finishing off my run, or I'm like that. It's like, fine. That's part of who we are. That's part of our values, and we don't want this to be something we don't like and we just want to make it happy and fun, and we want to just make people feel great. And I think that how you are feeling portrays out there to the public, I don't know, you might put something together and it's just not calm as it should be, and I feel like it always gets picked up somehow. So we try to keep it calm on our end.
Danielle Lewis (16:31):
I like that. And I think that we talk a lot about starting a business for that freedom and flexibility and to live our life to our values. And sometimes I think we forget about that and we don't do this stuff. So I absolutely love that you are like my vibe or our vibe is being calm, experiencing nature, doing it, our pace, keeping the passion alive, and actually walking that talk and making sure that you prioritize that at the start of the business day. I just think we talk about it a lot, but don't actually do it all of the time.
Erin Bombell (17:08):
Yeah. Oh, totally. Yeah. I find, because I work from home and I'll get to my desk and I'm like, did I actually have a lunch break today? Because you sit there and you're like, yeah, and then you get to the week and well, that's not good.
Danielle Lewis (17:26):
I have the reverse problem where I have 1700 lunch breaks and then do the work. I work from home and I'm like, oh, what snacks do I have in the house?
Erin Bombell (17:39):
I do have days like that. Don't get me wrong. Yeah, those days you just can't switch on properly. It's hard because I guess even when I did work in an office, I think I had those days as well, you'd just be chatting to everyone and Yeah, totally
Danielle Lewis (17:54):
Got to go down and get a coffee and then, oh, just meet someone along the way. I've taken my bad habits from corporate into my work as well.
Erin Bombell (18:06):
Yeah. It's hard to just stay grounded daily and we're just human beings. We we're not robots. So if we don't have those days and we are not going to be good the next day, obviously saving energy somehow. Yeah.
Danielle Lewis (18:19):
Yeah. And it is interesting. I mean, my husband says this to me if I'm on the laptop in front of the TV too, he's like, you've been doing a few late nights recently, maybe don't forget you need rest. And I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But it is so true. I feel like when we keep pushing ourselves and pushing ourselves, you are right. You said it before in the sense that people can feel when it comes from a chaotic place and you want the calm energy to flow through into the stuff that you put out. I think you're right. I think people can feel it, and I think that we don't do our best work when we're a little bit chaotic.
Erin Bombell (19:00):
No. And it's hard these days because we're contactable all the time and it's so hard to switch off and have those moments, and I'll take my phone with me, but I'll put it in my pocket. It's just there. So I know what time it is really and how far I've walked. I like to go, oh, I did that today. Yeah. Because it is important to just have those times away from technology because it just is everywhere all the time. So yeah, I think, yeah, little bit of peace always helps.
Danielle Lewis (19:33):
I love it. I love it. Yeah, totally. But it is important. I think it's totally important on all levels of business to preserve why you got into it in the first place and preserve your energy as a human being as well.
Erin Bombell (19:49):
Yeah, totally. So yeah, we want moms to feel less anxiety, so we don't want to be like that ourselves. We want to. Trust me, there's days where I'm like crazy lady all the time actually feels like, but yeah, we know it's hard enough being a mom, and if you can just take one little thing and make mom feel better about herself and more comfortable, then yeah, that's what we want to do. And yeah, it's just nice to see people walk away with a smile. It's nice.
Danielle Lewis (20:21):
I think it's incredible. So what's on the horizon for you for the next six months? What are you working on?
Erin Bombell (20:28):
I just want to nail this advertising. So that's really what we'll be doing. A few more markets and loving the village markets. They're pretty much our go-to. They're amazing. Yeah. Yeah. Lots of amazing brands started there as well, so I'm like, oh, I'm going to follow in their footsteps.
Danielle Lewis (20:46):
Absolutely. I love that. That's good intention.
Erin Bombell (20:49):
Yes. Yeah, so just trying to nail that advertising and get some really cool content out there. And yeah, that's pretty much our six month plan. Just markets nail that and then move on to the next thing. So
Danielle Lewis (21:05):
Awesome. I love it. Well, you are absolutely incredible. Now, I always love to wrap these podcasts with one last piece of advice. So reflecting on your time in business, what would be a piece of advice that you would give to another woman on her journey?
Erin Bombell (21:27):
Just let it go. If you're having a crap week, that's fine. Just move on to the next, because we're all going to have those weeks where we're exhausted and we can't fit it in. We just can't physically fit it in. And it's okay. It's okay to just say, walk away this week, come back next week. It'll still be there.
Danielle Lewis (21:47):
Oh my God. It will still be there, won't it? It'll still be there. Oh my God. I literally, I'm going to take that advice to heart. I've had such a busy week and I've got a big conference on tomorrow, tomorrow's Friday, doesn't matter when, and I've just had to say that to myself this morning. You are going to get nothing done tomorrow. Just be present. Listen, enjoy. The work will be there on the weekend next week, whenever it happens. So I love that. Let it go and the work will still be there.
Erin Bombell (22:22):
Yeah. Sorry, I can't help with the workload, but
Danielle Lewis (22:26):
The world won't fall apart though. You're giving me life here.
Erin Bombell (22:30):
Yeah, exactly. It's all because I think as women, we talk ourselves into the worst scenarios and we overthink everything.
Danielle Lewis (22:40):
Spiral out of control. Yes. Spiral.
Erin Bombell (22:41):
Yeah. Overthink. Yeah. We always think we're not doing the best that we can and we all are. Women are amazing. We are just the ultimate multitaskers and I think every woman is just bloody fantastic inside and out, and I love women supporting women. I think what you are doing with Spark is just amazing. So thank you for letting me be part of this. Yeah, sorry.
Danielle Lewis (23:06):
Power to the women. You're incredible and what you are doing is amazing, so I love having you in Spark. Awesome. No, I couldn't agree with you more. And not just the Spark community, but I agree. Women are bloody amazing. We are so strong and we're so work, family, business, we are literally take on the world and do it and do it well. And I just think you're right. We are amazing and we should recognize that in ourselves a little bit more sometimes.
Erin Bombell (23:39):
Yeah, definitely.
Danielle Lewis (23:41):
Tell
Erin Bombell (23:41):
Each other every day. Thank
Danielle Lewis (23:42):
You. Thank you so much for sharing your story with the smart community. It was a pleasure to have you on the show, and I can't wait to follow your journey.
Erin Bombell (23:51):
Oh, thank you. It's been awesome being here. I love talking about mommy. So bring it on.
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