Felicity Frankish is mum of two girls, Cassandra (three) and Vivienne (one), and owner of the website The Baby Vine. She loves writing and reading and day trips out around Sydney with her girls.
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I was working for an online parenting magazine and about to go on maternity leave. I had always wanted the freedom to write what I want and offer parents informative and educational articles. Going on leave gave me the push and drive to do just that.
Tell us about your business.
We place an emphasis on meaningful, useful and worthwhile content that parents can not only relate to, but gain from.
Our digital parenting magazine offers researched articles from experts, developmental play ideas, personal stories, fun videos and amazing giveaways all work together to share everyday parenting experiences in all their variety.
From choosing the best bassinett for your baby to baby sleep and feeding, we cover a whole range of topics from a number of different angles.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?Â
We run weekly contests on our Facebook page @babyvine, so make sure you head on over and check us out!
List awards/certifications/accomplishments.                Â
Our biggest accomplishments are our engaged Facebook and Instagram pages. They are a testament to the service we provide to parents.
Where is your business based?
We are based in Sydney, however, we are a national company.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
There was lots of planning involved, but the biggest thing I had to tackle was the brand name and image. I put together a business plan which gave me a clear idea of what I hoped to achieve and how to go about that.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Facebook has been our biggest driver. People are all too keen to share on that platform. Pinterest is also becoming a big one for us and I am excited to watch it grow.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Doubting it all. You just have some weeks where it can all become a bit much, and you just want to throw the towel in. It is so much easier working for a boss than being a boss.
It can be hard to keep myself motivated along the way and make sure I am on target with my goals for the business.
How did you overcome these challenges?
Talking, talking and more talking. Then tackling the next problem. Being able to chat things out with colleagues and then dive straight back in getting me back on track as soon as possible.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
As above, mostly with the help and support of colleagues in the process.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
We aim to offer parents educational and informative articles that they can actually gain from. We don’t feed into clickbait or the latest fads. We want our informative posts to be real and useful.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
Delegate. I like to take everything on at once until I burn out. Instead, I have been working out where my strengths lie and delegating the rest of the tasks. This has really helped.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
Don’t give up until you’ve given it a good crack. Things don’t happen overnight. If something isn’t working, reevaluate and try something else! It’s all about learning.
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
Facebook groups! There are so many supportive groups out there for mum entrepreneurs. They are amazing places to chat, get support and advice. I have learned so much from them.
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
If only I got time to read. When I do, it’s a slow process of 5 minutes each night before bed. One of my recent favorites was Gone Girl.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
At the moment we are working on SEO on our site, so that’s my main driver. I am taking an online course and delegating to some experts! I like to know what is going on but I know when to step back.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?Â
Seeing our newsletter grow. We haven’t sent one out in a while, due to lack of time! I want to get that backup and running so our audience sees all our articles.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @thebabyvine
Facebook www.facebook.com/babyvine
Pinterest www.pinterest.com.au/stylishfindsbv
Website www.babyvine.com.au