Natalie Dinsdale is fine with being called a mumpreneur, but she says people may not realise what a big compliment it is.
“The mumpreneur label can mean a lot of people don’t take you seriously, which is a bit frustrating,” Dinsdale says. “But we’re juggling challenges no entrepreneur is. I’ve never met a man who is as efficient or as effective as a mumpreneur has to be.”
Dinsdale says Australia is set for an increasing number of mumpreneurs and they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.
“Having a baby doesn’t mean your brain cells die, or your career drive. There is a new mumpreneur economy coming, as more women reject the inflexibility of corporate life, and we’re ready to prove to the world we’re serious,” she says.
Dinsdale has a three-year-old daughter and is seven months pregnant. Her Mamadoo business is three months old and is a collection of over 25 stores run by mumpreneurs, but with the convenience of one checkout.
She decided to pursue a supermarket model after her plans to launch a boutique site of baby products floundered when she discovered there were hundreds of similar sites already out there.
“By connecting all these mumpreneurs, we get power in numbers so we can offer a massive range and get serious traffic,” Dinsdale says, adding the business model allows her to scale quickly, with plans to one day rival Westfield in regards to product range.
Mamadoo now offers maternity, baby and child clothing, toys, kids’ manchester, decorations and furniture.
Stockist partnerships vary and are based on a commission model. Some stockists also pay annual fees and have access to greater promotional opportunities.
According to Dinsdale, Mamadoo currently stocks over 3000 products with the range growing every day.
“Being a mumpreneur, you’ve got to juggle a thousand more things than other entrepreneurs and you do not have the time to faff around. You have to become ultra-efficient, you plan every minute of the day,” Dinsdale says. “Decisions are often made on instinct, as there is not time for anything else.”
Dinsdale is focused on growing the business and will be targeting international suppliers.
“Our key objective is giving mum’s choice to buy exactly what they want and to run their own businesses,” Dinsdale says, adding she plans to go international eventually.
Rose is the current head of growth at Rampersand Ventures. She was formerly a reporter at StartupSmart.
