This week’s Ambassador Feature is with Julia Simmonds, itchy baby co.

2017 Gold winner of AusMumpreneur Making a Difference (Business) award

*****

 

Tell us about yourself and your business?

Before having my two children, Christian (6 years) and Sofia (4 years) I worked as a pharmacist and later combined my pharmacy background with a Masters degree in Communication to influence government health policy. Three years ago I founded itchy baby co. which offers a range of natural products to target eczema and itchy, dry skin, as well as offering health information and tailored advice and support to families suffering with eczema. Currently we employ five staff, have a customer database of over 32 000 families who have bought our products, as well as a social media community of nearly 100 000.

 

What was your inspiration for your business?

Itchy baby co. came about because of my own need to end my little boy’s suffering with eczema. I used my background as a pharmacist to research and then formulate natural ingredients which had properties which could help manage eczema. I began sharing these products with my friends who were struggling to manage their children’s itchy, dry, eczema skin. Following this feedback I decided to reach out to help more parents in the same position as me, wanting desperately to manage their child’s eczema. And so itchy baby co. began.

 

 

Did you have any experience in running a business or in this industry before?

Before itchy baby co. I had no experience in running a business, or in skincare product development.

 

What’s your point of difference that makes your business special or unique?

My background as a pharmacist has been critical to my business and also my first hand experience in knowing the challenges eczema brings to a family. These both allow me to support families with eczema and the challenges it brings.

 

What have you learnt about yourself since becoming an entrepreneur?

Having the energy and motivation to keep getting stuff done and how quickly you need to swing between different parts of the business.

 

What are some of the challenges you’ve faced and how have you overcome them?

The greatest challenge to date has been product development. At itchy baby co. we are all about quality natural products as we are dealing with the comfort and health of babies and children and their skin. We now have a range of products and as we use all natural ingredients, achieving cosmetically acceptable products without using additives and stabilisers in our formulations has been very challenging.

 

What lessons have your business taught you about life?

‘It can’t be done’ is never the correct answer, either is ‘I can’t do this’. There’s always a way if you want something enough.

 

If you could go back to when you were starting your business and give your younger self some advice what would you tell her?

You can’t achieve your life’s work in a single day, week or year. Have a plan and understand things take time.

 

What’s next for your business?

This year we plan to strengthen our market share through online and also distribution through pharmacy.

 

If you could change the world, and money was no object, what would you do?

Discover a cure for eczema.

 

To learn more about itchy baby co., please visit

Website: itchybabyco.com.au

Facebook: facebook.com/itchybabyco/


Nominations are open for the 2018 AusMumpreneur Awards!

 

Proudly presented by AusMumpreneur and The Women’s Business School, the AusMumpreneur Awards recognise the best and brightest in the Australian mumpreneur industry, acknowledging success in business, product development & innovation and customer service at a glamorous awards event held in Melbourne. Previous AusMumpreneur of the Year winners and finalists have been featured in national media including Sunrise, The Today Show, Today Tonight, Cosmopolitan, and the Herald Sun and The Australian since winning this award

To nominate yourself or a mumpreneur you admire, please click here. HURRY! Nominations close 29 June 2018.