We were super lucky to be able to sit down with the gorgeous Amelia from Tilda & Moo this month to chat all things business and mum life. Amelia is the sole owner and creator of some super funky little children's bibs and it such a positive and happy person to be around. Make sure you read all about our chat with Amelia below and be sure to check out the super generous discount she is offering all our readers at the bottom of this interview.
When and how did the concept for Tilda & Moo come about?
When I was on maternity leave & our first little lady was just 4 months old and starting solids. It was at that time that I asked my partner for a sewing machine for my 24th birthday, never having sewn before (other than a pencil case in year 9 textiles class) I decided I would give it another try. The day I got it I made a “happy birthday table cloth” and used it for my birthday dinner. It makes an appearance at everyone’s birthdays now and I cringe every time I see it because the edges are sooo bad haha!
My next project was to make a bib as the ones we had were all super tiny and I’d been gifted a heap of colorful fabric from my mum. My best mate then asked me to make her one for her little babe, and then family & friends started asking and it kind of just went from there.
Where did your business name ’Tilda & Moo’ come from? Is there any meaning behind it for you?
I feel like this is probably how most business names are created haha which is associated with our babies! When my first was born, we introduced her to a little cousin of mine and when asked to say “Matilda” she responded with “Tilda” and we have rolled with it ever since. “Moo” is a childhood nickname of mine that I am still referred to to this day, so I just put two & two together and that’s how I came up with Tilda & Moo.
What was your background/what did you do before you had a family & ran your own small business?
Majority of my working years were spent in the surf clothing retail industry. I was a sales assistant for many years before moving into management roles. I did a bit of everything in store including sales, stock control, visual merchandising, assistant manager, store manager and I was aiming for area manager before I took a step back to regroup as I had started to lose my passion for the job. I have always wanted to have my own business though, and at that time I thought it may have been opening my own surf clothing store.
What do you love most about running your own business?
My gosh, do I have to pick just one thing? Ha! I love that there is no limit to what I can aspire to achieve. I love working alongside, discovering & collaborating with like-minded people in the business. It also provides me with the flexibility to be able to hang with my girls, even if I am under the pump making bibs, we can still crank the music and have a little boogie.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face regarding working from home and being a mum?
That I can’t do it all. Trying to find a balance between biz life & family life is really tough. A lot of people think that working from home is the easiest job ever, but it’s actually the complete opposite. It’s also super hard switching from “biz mode” to “Mum mode” but it helps that my workspace is in the spare room at my parents’ house and I can close the door at the end of the day.
What are some of the things you do to combat those challenges?
Well, it’s still a work in progress. But to try and help with family life we have a diary on our kitchen bench that keeps us up to date on what everyone has going on, what bills are due, what’s on at kinder for that week etc. We also have a weekly planner for our meals, that way we at least have an idea in mind and can get a bit more organized to do a bulk grocery shop when we can.
But in my business, some would say I’m a *bit* of a control freak. Those who know me well may use a different word haha. But it’s been a big learning curve for me to reach out & ask for help within my business. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my team of supporters who help me on the daily. I think nearly every family member of mine has offered their time at some point which I am extremely grateful for.
In saying that, my nan is the only one I trust to be behind the machines haha (but god she is good!) and my mum is my number one market helper, who also washes all the towelling and fabrics, provides us with lunch and pretty much anything else she can do to help out when needed, especially when it comes to the girls.
Where do you hope to see your business in the next five years?
I always find this question so hard to answer. Things change all the time and dream opportunities arise that you thought would be a few years off, and you just have to jump on them and give it your all. I do have a few very exciting collaborations in the pipelines and I look forward to bringing them to life!
What do you like to do when you need some ‘down time’?
Hang out with my little fam. We have been lucky enough to take them on a few mini holidays this year which has been really nice. Also love to go for a walk down the street to get an ice cream, watch a good movie, listen to a podcast (I’ve recently discovered some really great ones), catch up with friends & family, and when I get the chance I love getting a massage!
What is your go to date night with your partner?
Do these still exist? Haha! Well safe to say they don’t happen as often as we’d like, but when they do we like to go out for dinner, see a movie, or simply watch a good series on Netflix once the kiddies have gone to sleep. We always say “we should do this more often” but time normally escapes us - seriously, how is it nearly June already?
What is your advice for any Mumma’s out there that are thinking about starting up their own business?
Just go for it. We all start somewhere, don’t let the fear of failing hold you back. You can’t fail if you don’t even try. You’ve got this! X
Amelia has very kindly offered all of our readers a HUGE 15% off when you use the code 'FAWNANDFINCH' at the checkout! You can shop their entire range by clicking the 'SHOP NOW' button below!
You can also follow along with their journey and keep up to date with all their fabulous bibs on Amelia’s social media (click the icons below to check them out) xo
