Mum’s the word

Koolaman Designs

Lisa O’Keefe and Stacey Clayton sell personalised hand-stamped silver and gold jewellery. They employ a team of women who are, like them, geographically isolated.

Their company, Koolaman Designs, won the rising star award at the AusMumpreneur awards.

How did you decide on your business idea?

In 2007 we saw a stamped piece of jewellery overseas and fell in love with it. We thought it was a beautiful piece. After buying one, we realised there was nothing like it in Australia.

Stacey was expecting her first baby and I was expecting my second at the time. Both of us were going on maternity leave, so we had that opportunity of so-called free time.

We didn’t have the pressure of nine to five. We used our baby bonuses as our initial start-up capital.

What challenges did you face when you were starting up?

We live 450 kilometres apart. That in itself created a few issues. I use a radio-phone – mobile phone services aren’t good. We use satellite internet to be online, which isn’t as fast as broadband.

Also, Stacey and I aren’t retailers. I have an agricultural science background, and Stacey was in finance. Learning the online retail world was a challenge. Four years ago was it was relatively new.

It took us nine months to get off the ground – we always say it was our other baby. Then we started to exhibit at a couple of small shows.

We went to an agricultural fare in Broken Hill where our pieces were really well received. It was then that we thought, “Yes, we can do this”. That was 15 months after the initial idea.

Our aim initially was to pay for our groceries each week. We thought that if we didn’t have to put the kids in day care, and we could pay our groceries, that would be fine. For the first little while we never really expected it to become what it is now. However, it did take a long time.

What tips would you give other mums looking at starting a business?

One of the most important things that we found was to find a successful business person, someone that doesn’t feel threatened and is willing to share their knowledge.

We had a fantastic mentor through the early days, and who we still now ask business questions of. A mentor is really important.

You also need a business plan which is always evolving, which you need to revisit all the time.

And to have your family, husband and parents, everyone supporting you. That’s what makes it all possible.