#awinewith Jamielee Stewart
MEET Jamielee, Founder of Mini + Me
You can find them here:
Transcript
Danielle Lewis (00:07):
Jamie Lee, welcome to Spark tv.
Jamielee Stewart (00:09):
Hi.
Danielle Lewis (00:10):
Thank you so much for coming on the show. I'm so excited because I love how networking and all of the things we met in Perth at a social club community event and two people who didn't know anyone at a networking event and now we're a podcast, so it's so good.
Jamielee Stewart (00:31):
That's
Danielle Lewis (00:31):
Right. Let's start out by just telling everybody who you are and what you do.
Jamielee Stewart (00:37):
Hi. So I'm Jamie Lee and I own a kids bakeware brand that focuses on bringing high quality, miniature sized bakeware for kids to the market. That's pretty much what I do.
Danielle Lewis (00:50):
I love it so much because, so we were just talking about this, that it's so different. Obviously you see so many parents interacting with their kids, but they're doing it in the kitchen with full size stuff, so it's so genius to have miniature sized things, which is so cute. But how did you even come up with the idea for miniature kids?
Jamielee Stewart (01:15):
So I think I intertwined both my patients. So I've always loved kids on the side of my jobs. I've always been a babysitter nanny. I used to be like, I am a qualified chef back home. That's what my full-time job was. So it's actually coming from my passion. And then when I was doing it with baking with the kids in the kitchen, this is previous to me having my son, I noticed that it was really awkward for them to use these adult sized cooking utensils. And I was like, why don't I create miniature sized kids, bake wear that fits within their hands and it makes it easier for them to use in the kitchen. Such an important life skill for children to have. Yeah, so that's where it came up and I decided to just go for it. So I sort of intertwined both of my passions together. I
Danielle Lewis (02:03):
Love it. It's so cool. And it's interesting. I remember once my sister saying to me, and this is where my adults, not one my kids, but she's like, how do you know how to cook everything? And I'm like, I don't know. But I'm like, it's such an important life skill. We need to be able to feed ourselves.
Jamielee Stewart (02:19):
And it's so creative as well. And I think it's so important for kids to independently do it in the kitchen as well. Obviously you are there to guide them, but then let them be creative by themselves and explore. And I know sometimes when they're at a young age, it's frustrating, but it's so important for them to learn this, especially from a young age and you're creating memories with them in the kitchen as well. There's so many reasons behind why I started it all while trying to keep it all sustainable as well. That is important to me. I try to use that in my own personal life as well. That's
Danielle Lewis (02:54):
So cool. I love it. And what was the process? I mean, obviously you were a chef, you had this idea, you worked with kids, you then had your own son. How did it go from idea to actually having these amazing bakeware? How did that process look for you?
Jamielee Stewart (03:14):
A lot of challenges.
Danielle Lewis (03:15):
Yeah.
Jamielee Stewart (03:17):
I love it. Always, always, which I think any product based business or any business, you have challenges, but in particular when you are getting these samples done and talking to your manufacturers, it is a process, a lot of back and forth. And sometimes, well, they're pretty good with language, but I think there's sometimes a barrier where they don't quite understand what you're saying and the idea you're trying to bring to life. So that was a challenge. I think you've just got to go for it, and that's what I've done. Not having any fear or not trying to let your doubt and fear get in the way. I think that's really what stops a lot of people from bringing their passion and ideas to life. Like I said, there was a lot of challenges, but we got there.
Danielle Lewis (04:00):
Oh, that's so true. And I mean, it is interesting being a product-based business versus a lot of people are in service-based industries where you can just whip up a website and start selling services
Jamielee Stewart (04:14):
Easy. It is. My partner, he has service base, obviously businesses too, and he literally said that he started up within a couple months and mine took over a year to start up. It's such a complete different process. It's quite straightforward for them at the start.
Danielle Lewis (04:31):
Yeah, it's so true. I mean, even if you think about, so products just getting samples, it's all just time that you just have to wait and go look at it. No, that's not what I meant. Try again.
Jamielee Stewart (04:44):
Some of my samples were complete. Oh, yeah.
Danielle Lewis (04:50):
But
Jamielee Stewart (04:50):
Learn, I believe all this happens in life. We learn from these experiences.
Danielle Lewis (04:56):
I love that. And it's so true because that's the whole business journey mean even after you get the samples, right, there's good, there's so many other things that you have to learn in business to start selling and customer service and shipping problems, and there's always going to be
Jamielee Stewart (05:13):
Challenges. Many different areas. There is. And I think everyone would be doing business if it was easy, and that's why it's hard and you've got to be quite resilient to be in business.
Danielle Lewis (05:23):
Yeah. Oh my God. Exactly. And now I think you were, so it took about a year to manufacture and get it all right. And then you said, I think when we met, you were just launching at that point, is that right?
Jamielee Stewart (05:36):
Yes, I did. And it was a bit delayed. Again, there was so many delays in launch, but even when I seen you even getting it when it was in Fre port to where I'm holding all the products and that I had obviously lots of pre-orders as well, and people were still understanding. It was a couple of days late, but even that was an absolute night. But it's okay. We got there and like I said, you learn from these experiences. So I literally launched, I think it was a week after I seen you.
Danielle Lewis (06:10):
Wow. And it was
Jamielee Stewart (06:11):
A go.
Danielle Lewis (06:12):
And what was that process? What did you learn in the launch period?
Jamielee Stewart (06:17):
Oh, a lot of patience.
Danielle Lewis (06:21):
Excellent.
Jamielee Stewart (06:23):
What else did I learn? Patience. To be very solution based, you have to come up with solutions quickly. When problems arise, you can't just leave them sitting there. Sometimes I'm a bit of a procrastinator and I leave things to the side if I dread
Danielle Lewis (06:38):
It.
Jamielee Stewart (06:40):
You can't leave it in business. You have to keep on top of it. So when there was issues arising in that launch period, I had to be on it. I had to provide a solution, get it sorted so we were running smoothly. Yeah,
Danielle Lewis (06:54):
Yeah. It's so true. And I think again, that is just every step of the way in business, isn't it? Just finding solutions to problems.
Jamielee Stewart (07:03):
Yeah.
Danielle Lewis (07:04):
Oh my gosh, it's really interesting. And what about life before business? So you mentioned you were a qualified chef. What was your career path? I'm always interested in people's journey before they got to business. Were there any,
Jamielee Stewart (07:20):
I'll just try to do it briefly because sometimes I'm not So
Danielle Lewis (07:24):
Go for it. Go
Jamielee Stewart (07:25):
For it. So pretty much, I was a chef in New Zealand. I was a chef in a winery. I was a comedy chef, so I was the third chef in charge, and then I sort of got no more opportunities to go up higher and what I do, and I'm always like, I love learning and I get bored of my job if I'm not giving opportunities, given opportunities to learn more. So then I went to a cafe and I was the head chef there and love that, and I still love it. I loved being chef. It's just creating food. Then same thing, I couldn't really go into a higher job role there, and I was like, well, I don't know. I've always wanted to go overseas and health in some way at some point in my life. So I decided to, I'm very spontaneous. I decided to go to Thailand and teach, well, I'd done my teaching certificate over there and cultural course over there, and then taught in Thailand as an English teacher. So I've done that for a while.
Danielle Lewis (08:19):
That's so different
Jamielee Stewart (08:23):
I know. But I love kids as well, and I've always wanted to go overseas and do that. So I done that. And then my sister was living in Perth, well, she still is here now, and she's like, what are you going to do next? And I was like, I'm not ready to go home yet. I was like, I'll stop over in Perth and then go to Europe and travel there and be a nanny or something random over there. And then I came here, but then I met my partner.
Danielle Lewis (08:48):
They always sell a spanner in the works. They
Jamielee Stewart (08:52):
Always, it's unexpected five, half years later. So we're here and I've got my son. And I think having Bo, I went through a really tough time with pregnancy and post pregnancy as well, and I ended up having spinal surgery and I wasn't able to if I was just normal and I would've went back to being a chef after him, but I wasn't able to stand. I'm still not able to stand now for longer than eight hours. And to be a chef, you need to be on your feet all the time and I need to lie down and that kind of thing. So that's when obviously I was pondering on those ideas and I had had it written down in my notes on my phone for ages, and that's when I was like, this is the perfect opportunity for me, why I'm a stay at home mom. And I just felt like it was the right time. I think when you're ready to,
Danielle Lewis (09:46):
Wow, isn't it interesting how you could absolutely look at that experience in your life and kind of fall apart? You would be very warranted.
Jamielee Stewart (09:56):
I did. I did actually. I did fall apart.
Danielle Lewis (10:01):
Good, good. That's part of the process.
Jamielee Stewart (10:05):
And then you come back better than ever. Yes, absolutely. Yeah. No, yeah, there's still struggles with that in my day-to-day life now I'm still navigating. Obviously we don't have family here, everyone's back in New Zealand except for my sister, but she has her own son and all that kind of thing.
(10:29):
But navigating life now, having a business compared to previously, it is a challenge trying to, and I think that's my biggest challenge at the moment currently is trying to, I know you're never going to have a perfect balance, but trying to have somewhat balance between looking after your personal life and then being the mom of the family, doing all that side of thing, and then being a support partner for your partner in business and then keeping your own business afloat. And that is like, that's what I'm trying to balance at the moment. And I knew, so when I started my business the first six months, sometimes you've got to sacrifice things short term. So that's what I had to do with my business to get my business properly up and running and launch. In those first six months, I had sort of lost all my looking after myself, my exercise, which I knew was so important for my back and not giving my son as much undivided attention and my family and giving my relationship that nurturing. Like yes, it's not sustainable long term, but short term. I had to get that. I just had to do that in the short term to get my business up and running and for it to be able to be worth it.
(11:47):
But now in the last month, I am getting back into because it is so important to look after yourself if you have a business. So I am getting back into looking after myself and that downtime, I suppose.
Danielle Lewis (12:02):
Yeah, and it's interesting, isn't it? Because you're right. I think there are seasons of your life where sometimes you do have to, I know we don't like the word hustle anymore, but hustle a little bit harder than you would like and make those short-term sacrifices. But I love that it's swinging back around and you are able to take a little bit more time. Is there anything that you do right now to make sure you get time for yourself and your family and your partner? Have you got any tips for us, all of us, not balancing things well,
Jamielee Stewart (12:34):
I think so. Do you know one thing that I think is really important before starting a business, I done a lot of, before I actually had my son that year before I fell pregnant with him, I had the best year I'd ever had in my life. I was the healthiest, physically, mentally, all that sort of jazz. And I had done a lot of work within myself. And I think if I hadn't done that, I wouldn't be where I am today. And I think it helps you build a lot of resilience and you come into situations where you could normally be really stressed and react to situations differently. So coming into it more mindful, more mindfully and calm and saying that I have not been like that. Obviously I've tried to, but I haven't with a few times, which we're only human.
Danielle Lewis (13:25):
Yeah, totally.
Jamielee Stewart (13:27):
But I do find, so I do yoga and I've literally just started getting back into it now, and that yoga is sort of my yin, it calms me at those mindful practices of meditation and all that type of thing really keeps me grounded.
Danielle Lewis (13:42):
Yeah. I am such a big fan of yoga. I really struggle to meditate. So because I'm just,
Jamielee Stewart (13:48):
Everyone does
Danielle Lewis (13:49):
It before, but yoga, I feel like it tricks you into meditating because you're kind of still moving around and you find yourself in this pose where you're trying to hold on. But it's like a trick trickery of meditation. That's why I like yoga.
Jamielee Stewart (14:04):
So that's what I've started to get back into now is my yoga and meditation and manifestation. I truly think manifestation is so, so powerful. I know there's people out there that probably just think it's
Danielle Lewis (14:19):
Woo woo. Yeah,
Jamielee Stewart (14:21):
Yeah. But honestly, I think it is so powerful. Obviously you have to take action afterwards, but it is powerful. There has been times in my life in the last few years, about four years that I have manifested it into it's come to life.
Danielle Lewis (14:40):
Wow. What is your manifestation practice look like? What do you do?
Jamielee Stewart (14:46):
So I combine my yoga and my affirmations. So I do affirmations as well. And my meditation, did I just say that? Meditation. Meditation and manifestation altogether. But genuinely I do it in the shower. I feel showers are quite cleansing
Danielle Lewis (15:05):
And I've
Jamielee Stewart (15:05):
Got no distractions around me. It's just me in the shower and I just close my eyes and I just envision what I desire in life or what I desire in life at that moment. And because your brain doesn't, when you tell your brain these things, it doesn't know any different. If you keep telling your brain you are this or that, it's going to believe it, that it literally doesn't know any different. So yeah, that's what I do. It's I envision what I desire and I just keep doing that. And then like I said, you've got to take action on it as well. You can't just stand there and manifest and expect it to just be there within the
Danielle Lewis (15:42):
I would like to be a billionaire. Thank you. I am a billionaire. Absolutely. You've got lots of can do. Nothing.
Jamielee Stewart (15:50):
No, I've listened to quite a few podcasts about it as well. And it's nice to hear a lot of other people as well that have businesses that are on a larger scale than mine, much larger. They do a lot of self-development and inner work. I don't know if you know of Erin that used to own triangle, this
Danielle Lewis (16:13):
One? Oh yeah, Erin, something. I
Jamielee Stewart (16:16):
Absolutely love listening to her, and she is one of those people. She's done really well in life, but she has done a lot of inner work, but she's actually done a post triangle. So once you sold it,
Danielle Lewis (16:29):
Well, it's interesting because I think with her as well, triangle was massive and it actually became really overwhelming for her. And I think she felt like she lost a lot of herself, which is I think why she got into the inner work, the manifestation, all that I was like, but it's so interesting how we can learn from other women in business who have gone through the challenges before we go, okay, maybe we need to do that step before as we're going through business. I love the shower idea though. So I do mine while I'm trying to fall asleep. I do it and I visualize the dream life and all that kind of stuff, but I love the idea of when you're in the shower, you're so relaxed. It's such a beautiful state to be in, which I think helps manifestation.
Jamielee Stewart (17:15):
And I do do breathing with it as well. And actually before I start doing that in the shower, because I feel like water is cleansing, it's quite cleansing. I envision breathing in and then breathing out all the, if I feel like I'm holding any stagnant energy in my body or any al doubt and just envisioning that, breathing that out and letting it go. And then when I breathe in and inhale, whatever, I know that sounds crazy, but whatever. I
Danielle Lewis (17:41):
Love that
Jamielee Stewart (17:44):
Body, that negative energy out of my body and inhaling more than positive. Yeah.
Danielle Lewis (17:51):
Oh my God, that's so good. I love it. I love it. No, I mean it's really important though because I think we've said that a few times on this podcast episode that business is really hard whether you are starting out, whether you are launching, whether you are scaling, it's always hard. There's always a challenge. There's always something to think about. And if you get wrapped up, it's so easy to get overwhelmed. So actually having a self-care practice, whether that's manifestation or whether it's the yoga or whether it's something, but something that actually grounds you and helps you manage the I agree, is just so important.
Jamielee Stewart (18:28):
It's interesting. I just want to quickly say this because I just thought of it then. So last week on Sunday, I was in the shower and I'd done my routine that I'd done for some reason. I don't on Sundays normally. And I literally, so what I wanted for the week or what I desired for the week was sales support and solutions.
Danielle Lewis (18:52):
Love it.
Jamielee Stewart (18:53):
Sales. I literally got a wholesale order in the day after I had all these sales come through. I had two people that I felt very supportive by that just one was completely ranging someone else in a product business, and there was another one as well. And then I had these solutions that I was providing for these issues that I was having. And I said to my partner, it just seems so, it's either because I did manifest that or it just happened to be a coincidence that it happened on the week that I did.
Danielle Lewis (19:29):
Oh my God. I love it though. I mean, if there is a hack to being more successful in business and it's manifestation, let's do it. Why not?
Jamielee Stewart (19:41):
Exactly. And like I said, you've got to take action as well. And I think when you focus your energy into certain places, it's going to work. So like I said before, I had to sacrifice short-term, other things in my life. I had to put my energy into this business to get up and running. So I believe that where either you focused your energy into and put the energy into is going to your relationship or your kid, whatever.
Danielle Lewis (20:07):
So true. Now you mentioned wholesale orders. So is that kind of a new part of the business? Are you actively seeking wholesale or what's your plan and how are you going about it? I know some people in product-based businesses might be going, how did you do that?
Jamielee Stewart (20:23):
Honestly, I just winged it. I had three people approach me at the start, not long after I had launched and I went, oh my goodness. I was going to eventually wholesale, but not after six months into business where I'd sort of found my feet and I knew what I was doing and how I was working my business, but I can't say no to these opportunities. So my first, actually, wholesaler was the one that did reach out, and she's actually in Perth. So I've got three on board now, and I've still got another three that are wanting to order in end of June instead of July as well. But I did just wing it. And I think it's really important to ask questions as well. If you don't know, ask one. Don't be afraid to ask them, because I did used to have that little thing in my head going, it's embarrassing not knowing the answers to these questions, you should know. But I just sort of let that go and went, what? Ask questions,
Danielle Lewis (21:18):
Definitely.
Jamielee Stewart (21:18):
You don't even know the answer if you don't ask. So she was actually one of them that actually did give me a few pointers, which was really kind of her. And like I said, there was a lot of trial and errors and challenges in that as well, because I was winging it and I didn't have probably as much knowledge as some people do, but it's working.
Danielle Lewis (21:38):
Yeah, I love that though, because you are so right. Don't let not knowing all the answers hold you back from an opportunity. And I'm always surprised. I know I'm the same. I always go, oh my God, I'm supposed to know everything. And I feel bad for not knowing everything and asking questions and all those things. But I'm always surprised when I do ask someone a question how helpful they are. They're like, oh, and they'll just rattle off the thing and I'm like, oh yeah, okay, I get it. So happy to. And they don't think anything less of you. It's literally in your own head, have these thoughts.
Jamielee Stewart (22:13):
It's literally your own thoughts in your own head that's getting in the way, and they're more than happy to help most of the time.
Danielle Lewis (22:19):
Yes, that's so true. Oh my gosh, I love it. No, it's just so funny because it's one of those things that we all do to ourselves. We do. And I
Jamielee Stewart (22:27):
Think it's partly our ego as well. We need to stick out of our ego and just do it. Just ask questions.
Danielle Lewis (22:35):
I love it. No, that's so true. And what's next for you? What's coming up?
Jamielee Stewart (22:43):
The unknown?
Danielle Lewis (22:44):
The unknown that we can be sure of? Yes,
Jamielee Stewart (22:51):
There is a few things. So there's so many. I just have ideas coming in all the time of all the products I'd like to bring up, but obviously I can't bring 'em out at once. So it's one thing at a time. And my partner said, just slow down one thing at a time. I'm like, I know you're right, but I just want to bring everything so excited. So there will be hopefully some new products coming out at the end of the year, especially in our sprinkles muffin pan range, because that has been a bit of a, I suppose, game changer in the muffin pan industry
Danielle Lewis (23:19):
Because it combines the hard tin and the silicon, doesn't it?
Jamielee Stewart (23:24):
So it's like combining the old traditional stainless steel with the modern day silicon. So it's not flimsy, it's sturdy, but it's still non-stick and easy to pop out. So good. So we will be expanding in that range in particular. And a few other things, like I said, I still haven't figured out exactly what I'm going to bring out this year. Many of them that I do want to bring out. And then just wholesaling, I need to get into more paid marketing as well. I haven't actually, mine's just been organic breach so far. I literally haven't done any, which I know it's time to. I think that's one of the things that I've been putting aside because I dunno how to do it, but that's one way is learning. So I'm actually going to start doing that this week. And then, yeah, then I'd like to ideally go to a few larger events as well. I think they're done for the year. I normally at the start, so hopefully the start of next year, go to a few of those big expos that are in Melbourne and Brisbane. And actually there is one other thing that I'd love to bring out this year, but I think it's going to be next year, and that is to do with recipes.
(24:40):
Cool. I'm finding it really hard at the moment with sharing my baking and cooking because I don't want to give everyone my recipes. People can find that before I have released my cookbook. I've just got to be careful with that. So that is one thing, because people really want my recipes. I'm like, I can't give them to you. I'm sorry,
Danielle Lewis (25:08):
But you'll be able to buy my cookbook doing my waiting list.
Jamielee Stewart (25:11):
Exactly. And that will be a combination of recipes, easy step-by-step recipes to do with your kids, and then also recipes for moms as well, or dads or whoever's using the book. So it'll have a combination. So that's another sort of project, and that's literally been in the works for seven years and I'm nowhere you finished it. Oh my gosh. I think I just slowly add to it as the years go and I create the recipe and it takes time. Everything does take time. If you want to do it properly, it takes time. So that's pretty much what the future holds for me as I know. So
Danielle Lewis (25:50):
Good. I love it. I love it. And look, we could talk all day, but let's leave the Spark community with one last piece of advice. So as you reflect on your time in business, what is one piece of advice that's kind of been a great guiding force for you that you would give to another woman in business or another female founder who's currently on their journey?
Jamielee Stewart (26:14):
One thing I would say is do that inner work on yourself, if you can possibly do that before you start business. Honestly, it changes your perspective, the way you cope, your coping mechanisms, like the way you cope in situations, the way you react, all that sort of thing. And I know this is probably something that everyone else says, but just go for it. If you have a passion and you really want to start a business, you'll find a way. If you really want to do it, you'll do it and just go for it. Don't let your doubt of fear get in the way. And I'm assuming there's probably a lot of people out there that have said the same thing, but it's so true
Danielle Lewis (26:51):
And
Jamielee Stewart (26:51):
It's worth it. It's absolutely worth it. Even though there's so many curve balls that come along the way. You figure it out. You do.
Danielle Lewis (27:02):
It's a passion.
Jamielee Stewart (27:02):
You love it. It weighs it up.
Danielle Lewis (27:05):
It's so true. It balances out. The challenges are balanced by the fact that you are so into what you're doing.
Jamielee Stewart (27:11):
Yeah,
Danielle Lewis (27:12):
Incredible. Jamie Lee, thank you so much for sharing your business journey with the Spark community. You are absolutely incredible and such an honor to chat to you.
Jamielee Stewart (27:24):
Thank you so much.
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