Tegan Charles

1) Billy & Beau is a kids clothing brand developed by myself, Claire and my sister Mill. I have 4 kids and Mill has a little boy, Billy. My youngest is also a little boy named Beau – and so the name is born! We wanted to offer our customers awesome kids (mostly unisex) clothing where the items are well-priced, great quality Wardrobe staples, all while looking on point 😉. We have designed our pieces with comfort for busy kids at the forefront of our minds!

2) Our kids inspire us! I am lucky to have both boys and girls, so I am always listening to what they find comfortable, what’s on trend etc We want our passion to come through, so if our kids love something that we come up with, we share that with our customers so that they can love it too! There are also a tonne of small online businesses that inspire us regularly with their hard work and dedication.

3) Work hard and don’t stop  learning! What we know now compared to what we knew when we started a year ago is crazy! We knew enough to get started but it’s incredible what you can learn just keeping your eyes and ears wide open. Ask questions, do research and fully support your fellow small business mates – we’re all in this together and they can often teach you a lot too!!!

4) A lot of fun… half of the time I want to make the clothes in my own sizing, maybe that could be a future venture 😉

5) In 5 years I’d love to have a large customer base full of happy, repeat customers that genuinely just love our gear the same way we do. We are certainly building that way, but as with small business this takes time. We would love this to be a full time job!

6) Everything we sell is a must-have item 😜! Our items are unisex for the most part and we have started building our base with awesome staples like our Billy Ripped-Knee jeans, Basic Tee, black Skorts, awesome crew socks and ultimate
anytime/anywhere accessory in our little leather bracelets!

7) You can shop our products at www.billyandbeauclothing.com
Instagram: @billyandbeauclothing
Facebook:
Billy & Beau Clothing
Email:
billybeauclothing@outlook.com

1. Tell us about your small business

Maddison & Amber is a fashion online boutique based in Melbourne, named after my third baby, Madison Amber. The idea of starting the business was brewing when I was pregnant and later diagnosed with a high-risk pregnancy that required me to be bed bound for a good 4 months! I’ve never been one to sit still and with the luxury of ‘not allowed to do any work/chores’ by my high risk obstetrician, I started to do my research and sure enough, not long after our third baby was born, Maddison & Amber was launched.

Our styles are sophisticated, classy and elegant. We provide clothes that can take you from the day and into the night, from boardroom to a fancy dinner reservation, and from weekdays to weekends. We prioritize in comfort and having items that can be easily dressed up or down according to your occasion. So whether you are a corporate woman, a mum, young professional, or just simply any women who love good quality and affordable fashion, we’ve got you covered.

2. How did your passion for fashion come about?

I grew up watching my mum looking so nice and presentable all the time. She believes that it is important to take pride in how we carry and present ourselves. So it is kind of natural to me to also love looking presentable most of the time. With that kind of mindset, I guess the passion for fashion came very naturally to me. I’m all about choosing the right style that is versatile and long lasting.

3. How do you juggle being a mum and working a business?

Oh gosh! Don’t we all live in juggle street everyday? It is extremely challenging, and I don’t think there’s such thing as balance, especially at the early stage of the business anyway. I try to do most of my work when the kids are not around, ie: when my older kids are at school and the little bub is having a nap, or in the evening when all the kids are in bed. So most nights, I will be up til midnight doing work, or catching up with the house chores.

4. Most important business tip you could share?

Starting a business can be daunting for anyone. But if you don’t try, you will always wonder and live with ‘what if’ for the rest of your life. So go ahead and give it your best shot.

5. What’s your favourite item you sell and why?

No bias but all of them! Otherwise I wouldn’t stock them in the first place.

But if I have to choose, I would say I’ve been wearing a lot of Katy dress and Wild One Cardi on the weekend just because they are so comfy, and Leta dress and Victoria dress to the office (I love a good classic and elegant look when I’m at work).

6. What is a must have in everyone wardrobe?

As mentioned earlier, I’m all about choosing the right style that is versatile, multifunctional and long lasting. Therefore, I believe that every woman must have a good classic black dress and trench coat in their wardrobe. Our Nara and Leta Dress are good examples of classic black dress that can be easily dress up or down. Just by adding heels and accessories, you can easily achieve that elegant and classic look. At the same time, you can easily dress it down to a casual setting just by simply pairing them with sneakers. So it’s a WIN-WIN.

7. Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 years time?

I hope in 5 years time my business will be well known Australia wide! I also hope that soon I can be in the position to provide employment opportunity for people out there.

8. How can we help build this dream, where do we shop or find your amazing products?

As we all know, retail is a very competitive industry. It is very difficult for small businesses to compete with the big brands. It is important for everyone to understand that when you are supporting small businesses, you are supporting someone’s dream, not some CEO’s lunches. That dream could belong to a young entrepreneur, or a mother who is being a role model to their children, and so on.

For us, every sale that we make means the world to us! And we thank every single one of our customer from the bottom of our heart. My kids are still very much ecstatic and jumping in joy every single time we receive an order. So next time if you need a new outfit, please support and find us on our Facebook and Instagram Page @maddisonandamber. In addition to our quality and affordable clothing, we promise you a next day dispatch and free shipping for any order $80 and above.  So definitely check us out!

I love getting to work with these amazing small businesses but also I’m a really personal person so the fact that I get to know them on a more meaningful level I love.

If your looking for something new to wear this spring make sure. you head over and check out all the amazing styles they have on offer. I love my goodies from them so I know you will.

Until next time, happy shopping xx

INPERSPECTIVE DESIGN BOUTIQUE:

1) Tell is a little bit about yourself and your business.
We are a mother daughter duo whose love for fashion has been brewing for some time and so our dream of starting our online boutique has begun.

2) Who inspires you and why.
Our inspiration stems from making women feel confident in what they wear and being affordable.

3) What’s the most valuable business tip you could give someone?
The most valuable tip we would give is believe in yourself! Don’t be afraid of buying online and  contact us regarding any queries. You name it, we’re here to help!

4) What is it like working as a mother and daughter team? Who dose what?
As a mother daughter team we’re flexible in helping each other. With 16 month old Oliver and 5 week old Ella, we shop at our suppliers weekly. Sarita is the Instagram guru and mum, Pauline packs and sends.

Lets Talk Styling!!!!!!

1) How do people work out what size to buy when buying online?
Generally stick to your usual size, read our descriptions on each garment as we give recommendations. We are also working on a size guide.

2) What are things to keep in mind/look out for when shopping online.
When buying online things to keep in mind are –
A. Know what you want
B. Know your budget
C. Compare prices
D. Get feedback

3) What’s your favourite styling tip.
Our favourite tip to stylish dressing is plan outfits and buy mix and match pieces.

4) What is a must have item in everyone’s wardrobe?
Must haves for every woman’s wardrobe are
A. Little black dress
B. A classic white tee
C. A great fitting pair of jeans

These ladies are so inspiring, I love a mother and daughter team! I’m so passionate about supporting each other and these ladies have put together some really great tips and tricks for us. Lets face it, we are all time poor and all shop online so head over, check them out and support these local mammas!

Thank you for both taking the time to inform of all these great tips! Head to @inperectivedesignboutique to shop up a storm.

Thanks for the opportunity to talk about my small business on your blog. I’m a mother of two girls aged 13 (yes extremely challenging) and 10. I have another job working as a practice manager for a surgeon and Eastern Eclectica is my side hustle. I opened a bricks and mortar shop almost 2 years ago, with a view to it becoming my main focus but unfortunately life had other plans for me. So now my shop is mainly subleased and I am focusing on the online side of the business and I also do a few larger markets, such as the Boho Luxe Market and The Big Vegan Market and my first Mind Body and Spirit Festival coming up later in the year. I have also recently started to manufacture my own label, Eclectic Bohemian. I have previously had jackets made in India and now I’m focusing on rayon dresses and blouses manufactured in Indonesia, as it’s closer to visit and so far easier to deal with. Next will be to use my own fabric prints but I’m easing into it using their fabrics to start with.

In the online world, I am inspired by people such as Jenni from Styling Curvy, as she has such a strong message about empowering yourself to love you for who and how you really are. I also have my business coach Georgie from The Women’s Collective, who is an Instagram wiz and an aesthetic Queen! The most valuable business tip I actually learnt from Georgie, is that “You” are the difference to your business. I was searching for what makes me different from every other online Boho store and essentially she pointed out it was me and I should use that to propel my business. I do find it a bit uncomfortable sharing a lot about myself online but I’m trying to become more confident.

Being a mum and working 4 days a week, plus my side hustle is a tough gig! I don’t recommend it honestly, if I had a choice, it think if you can put all your eggs in one basket business speaking, it does make things a bit easier. Obviously finances are often a factor in how you can drive your business, and at this stage mine requires me to work both jobs. Parenting is a tough gig regardless in my opinion and I’d love to have unlimited time to spend with my girls but we are all more than just a mother, so squeezing everything into 24 hours is always a juggle.

I’ve always loved clothes and shopping! I also love to travel and spend a lot of my time when away shopping for treasures. I would always have friends say they loved what I had come home with. When my husband and I moved to Thailand a few years ago to start another business, I decided to start my online business so I could share what I would buy overseas with other people and friends. Not everyone can travel readily and not everyone has the patience to trawl though many shops to find the gems! I’m always inspired by the colours and holiday vibe that comes with being away somewhere tropical and especially warm weather.

When people are shopping from my online store, I always recommend to check the description for sizing advice. I always try to give as much information as I have and often will have a guide based on my size and which size I would wear. I also encourage people to message me if they’re unsure. I can always measure certain parts or discuss over the phone or send extra photos. I’d rather make sure you receive the right size than have to return things, as I always feel disappointed when that happens to me.

When shopping online, always beware of companies using big brands photos and sending you fake copies! There are so many companies out there now that will advertise a photo of Spell for example and then send you the cheap China copy. There are so many imitations of every brand now, it’s very hard to know what you’re actually going to get. Even as an experienced online shopper, I still get caught occasionally. As for how to be sure, it’s tricky! Check if they look to have their own photos, or the same model throughout their stock or any real life photos of people wearing the item. Otherwise buy something inexpensive first so if it’s a knockoff, you haven’t lost too much money, or ask around online.

Being from Melbourne, my favourite styling tip is usually to do with adding layers underneath to make the most out of lighter dresses and skirts. I’m always adding legging underneath a dress with long boots, or long sleeve scoop neck tees, so I can wear my boho dresses even when it’s cold. I also do the same with my vintage style tees, layers underneath so you can see the logo and just wear a cardigan or denim jacket over the top. Bohemian style is usually flowing and loose so it allows for layers and I love the comfort factor. Also don’t pigeon hole yourself because of your age, wear what makes you feel happy. I always hear people telling me they’re too old to wear this dress or that print! If you love what you’re wearing, you will glow because you feel happy and beautiful within yourself.

My last question about a must have in your wardrobe, is probably a denim jacket as it pairs perfectly with all prints and patterns and of course I think everyone should have at least one boho printed flowing dress. They’re perfect to make you feel feminine and brighten up any day, even with layers underneath.

So I hope I have given you an insight into myself and Eastern Eclectica. We are in the process of selling our house and moving down towards the Mornington Peninsula, so maybe if we get the right property, I can open from my home and have a small shop set up there. There’s always something happening it seems, so trying to keep up is sometimes a challenge! I think most mums feel like that though don’t they?

Leighann xx

I have loved getting to work with Leighann, she has some stunning pieces in her collection perfect for this spring sunshine we have been having. Head over to @eastereneclectica and shop up a storm 🙂 thank me later 🙂

xx

1) What is your small business?

1)Tell us about yourself and your small business?
I’m Lisa, I’ve worked as a full time dental hygienist/therapist for past 15 years. While I love my job, I found I liked it more when I wasn’t working long hours. I’ve always loved luxury accessories, so I guess my business started from there, I wanted to provide high quality leather accessories at an approachable price. I started my business for more of a creative outlet rather than a financial one, but I’ve been surprised and humbled  in the past year by the amount of people buying my products and supporting my business. I’m ecstatic!

2) Who inspires you and why?
My mother has been one of my biggest inspirations. She is now retired, but was extremely hard working. A typical day for her would start at 4am and sometimes she wouldn’t stop until 9 pm or later. She worked for market gardeners, so it was a laborious job, but despite that dinner was always cooked, laundry for the family of 5 was always done and the house was always clean inside and out. Her work ethic inspires me, so on the days where I have worked a 10 hour day and have multiple orders to fulfil/personalise, I think it isn’t so bad when I think how hard my mother worked for us.

3)Whats your most valuable business tip?
I’m still learning as I go and I suppose that would be a tip in itself – always be open to learning and making mistakes. If you’re thinking about starting a business, just do it, there’s never a perfect time to start.

4) Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 years time?
To be honest I’m not sure where my business will be in 5 years. I would like to be able to run All My Luxe full time and be big enough to offer employment opportunities for others. However, I would be happy and grateful if I was still enjoying what I do now and making my customers happy.

5) Whats your favourite product and why?
I love my zip card holders! They are compact in size and all your cards are so easily accessible, plus I think they look really nice even if I say so myself.

6) How do you juggle working full time and also running your small business?
It’s challenging, mainly because there’s not enough hours in the day, but also very rewarding. I love personalising products and fulfilling orders. I take care and pride in my work and when I receive a nice review or message from a happy customer it makes all the hard work worthwhile. I’m also very lucky as I have a very supportive partner that will run the household when I’m swamped with the business.

Because of being so time poor, I feel one of my business shortfall is the lack of social media posts and interactions. It’s something that I will have to allocated more time for and work on.

7) What do you do for you time?
I love wine, food, chocolate and cheese …. Haha, and how could I forget … coffee!

I have 2 beautiful dogs to keep my weekends busy. I like keeping fit and catching up with friend when I can find the time .

Thank you so much to All my Luxe for being apart of our latest small business blog. We all know that I am a massive sucker for anything personalised and I love all the products, I also think that the quality is amazing as well so its a win win if you ask me.

Well until next time, head over and shop up at storm,(@ALLMYLUXE   check it out on insta)  I know I will be, and keep warm.

Tegan xx

1) Tell is a little bit about yourself and your business.
I’m a stay at home mum with 2 toddlers (mum of boys) and I love everyday I spend with them. I started this business bc I wanted to dress my boys the way I liked, and be more durable and fun.

2) who inspires you and why.
What inspired me was having young girls and ladies (mums) who were sick of not being able to buy clothing that fit comfortably.

3) what’s the most valuable business tip you could give someone?
Work from your heart always

4) where do you see yourself and your business in 5 yrs.
in the same place with my little family being there at every mile stone for I believe time is quick and I won’t get that time back watching my kids grow while working from home is my goal set

5) how do you juggle being a mum and running a business, what’s your go to self care tip.
How do we do it I don’t know but we do somehow honestly woman are just amazing we juggle in the most unexplainable way

6) what do you love most about your small business?
Watching and being with my kids

If you haven’t already, head over to Emilys Instagram @beatthreadslove and check her out. The ideas are endless and her clothing so so comfy. You can send through you design or leave it up too Emily to have a play and create something new for you. The quality of clothing is next level, I have lived in mine and its still the same as the day I got it.

It’s safe to say that Emily is a working mum who loves her family and now gets to work around the kids and do what she loves. That sounds like a pretty good way to be if you ask me.

Until next time happy shopping xx

Tegan xx

SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS

1) Tell is a little bit about yourself and your business.

B & M was founded by best friends Belinda and Mel. Bel & I are both mumma bears (5 kiddies between us). We are also both nurses! B & M was created because we LOVE fashion and shopping and we absolutely LOVE online shopping! Infact alot of our purchases were made online, but we often struggled to find the outfits we loved in our size! We wanted to create a space that was inclusive of all women.

2) Who inspires you and why.

We love supporting other women especially those that give back to our community. One of our biggest inspirations is none other than Emmylou Mcarthy from Emmylou Loves. We had the pleasure of meeting Emmylou at her Instagram workshop. Not only is that woman gorgeous, she’s also super funny and a huge inspiration as a business woman and entrepreneur. We love her outgoing, contagious and hilarious personality. She also knows how to rock a bikini!

3) What’s the most valuable business tip you could give someone?

The best business tip we can give anyone is always be genuine! Always stay true to who you are and what you believe and you shall succeed in your business. By staying true to yourself you will actually enjoy running your business. Your customers & followers will be drawn to your honesty and will be more likely to recommend you to their friends and family.

4) How do people work out what size to buy when buying online?

The question we get asked the most about sizing and from personal experience always read the description of the product! A great product description will not only tell you what the material is like but should tell you what the fitting is like! Always check the companies size guide and Measure Measure Measure!!!! We cannot stress the importance of measuring yourself! Get yourself a measuring tape, If its a top measure your bust (holdunder your armpit and follow your nipple line around your back), measure your waist (the narrowist part of your waist line, usually where your belly button is) and measure your hips (the widest part of your thighs). For bottoms, again measure

Your hips, and waistline. If you get stuck look at what sizes you already wear. A great product we found is the ZOZO suit! Its a super sexy suit purchased online that incorporates the use of an app to measure your whole body! Its AMAZING!
*ill put a link in for the ZOZO suit.
If you get stuck always send the company an email to ask about the fitting and sizing! Most companies are more than happy to help their customers with making the right decision.

5) What are things to keep in mind/look out for when shopping online.

Things to look out for when buying online!
Firstly check their refund policies! At B & M we are more than happy to return and exchange a product if it isnt the right choice for you. Always remember as a courtesy, to send the product back in its original condition. If the product is faulty in any way we will refund your purchase. A happy customer is a returning customer!
Look out for online specials! The internet is a crazy competitive world, in order for us to get your attention we always have specials!

Let’s face it things are bloody expensive these days! We have families, we know! We hardly ever buy anything at full price, thats why we are committed to keeping our costs down for our customers.

I have loved working with these ladies, the passion for fashion that they have is amazing. They had some really great tips for shopping online that I think we all need to make sure we follow. I love the styles they stock, I find them super easy to wear and comfortable.

find them on Instagram and give them a follow and check out there online shop

@b_and_mboutique

Until next time happy shopping xx

Support Small Business- The Tribe of Two 

1) Tell is a little bit about yourself and your business.

My name is Jess,I am mumma of Two beautiful but crazy kids & engaged to my partner of 13 years! I work part time plus run our new small online children’s store ‘The Tribe of Two’. Owning a store has always been something I have wanted to do. It wasn’t until having my 2nd child Aria that I started REPPING for other small business. This is when I decided to just go for it. I didn’t really have any reason not to so I did!

2) Who inspires you and why.

My children are my biggest Inspiration! They are the reason I push myself & open my world to new opportunities. Everything I do now is for them and I want to do the best I can for them & their future.

3) What’s the most valuable business tip you could give someone?

We are still so new to this whole owning your own business thing! It’s so rewarding but I think the best advice I could give is to listen to your customers their opinions matter, their suggestions matter. I have relied on my customers/followers to give me feedback to continually improve.

4) What is it like working with kids and kids fashion.

Having kids myself that are young (3yr old & 1yr old) I have found it a lot easier to open a store for children.  I am constantly shopping for them which is so helpful for my business to keep up to date with trends etc.

5) Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 yrs.

Our future goal for the business is to have a complete range of all our OWN designs! All designed by us! We have just made some of our own T-shirt’s so this is our first little step towards this!

6) What is a must have item in every kids wardrobe?

Must have item in any children’s wardrobes are ‘basics’ so plain tees,rompers – we currently sell ribbed flutter rompers & ribbed basics which have been a huge hit! But are so valuable in your children wardrobe! They are so versatile and go with everything! You can use them for layering, by themselves or even under jackets.

I would love to thank Jess for taking the time to answer these questions and for all her kids fashion tips. please head over and support her small business @thetribeoftwo (Insta) I love working with other small businesses and I watching each other grow. P.s Her kids range is so adorable.

Till next small business blog, stay warm if you’r in cold Melbourne and make sure you take 5 minutes of selfceare time for you this week.

Tegan

XX