You’ve probably already heard about this month’s Inspiring Parent; if you haven’t heard the name, you will have heard of the brand. Sally Bunkham is the brains behind Mums’ Back, a luxury gift brand that was inspired by her experience as a new mum and the drive to create a flexible family lifestyle.
Over to your Sally!
I’m Sally Bunkham and my business is Mum’s Back. We sell unique, luxury gift for mums focussing on the yummy stuff denied in pregnancy (things like Rioja, cheese, pate, Prosecco, Gin etc). We also raise awareness of perinatal mental health issues and £1 from every package we sell goes to the charity PANDAS Foundation.
I had my babies very close together. There is only a year (and 12 days!) between them. During these close pregnancies I really missed all the stuff I wasn’t allowed…the second one really cemented this feeling! Just as I was allowed these things again, I was pregnant again and then had another nine-months abstinence period. My husband bought me a lovely little package of cheese and wine when my babies were born and it was my favourite gift because it was purely for me, and had an undercurrent of appreciation for my journey as a mum and the things I’d been through with pregnancy, childbirth and becoming a mum. That’s where the business idea first came from.
It also became apparent that with two babies under two, the cost of childcare was going to be insane. It made sense to try and do something ourselves. My husband is a web developer and we’d wanted to start some sort of business together for ages, but never had the right idea….until now! Sadly, after my second daughter was born, I was struck with a horrible period of PND. I didn’t realise I had it for far too long because the symptoms I had weren’t the “normal” ones associated with the illness. I wasn’t sad and I bonded with my babies well. I was incredibly angry and frustrated and was racked with guilt. It got so bad that I self-harmed. It took a long time for me to get help. Once I was finally on the road to recovery, I realised that this wasn’t an uncommon scenario. This is where my social aim for the business comes in and why it’s such a large part of what we do.
Before I had the kids I worked at a University (Sussex) where I organised events and activities to get students interested in business, so I suppose a lot of the information got under my skin and had a positive impact. I saw entrepreneurs from all walks of life. It made me realise that you didn’t have to be an Alan Sugar type of person to start a business! You just needed common sense and a good idea. Those years listening to others’ stories did me the world of good and gave me a lot of inspiration. My husband is also the source of a lot of my inspiration and a great support. Especially as he is my Head of Tech!
My old job involved a lot of networking. I’ve always enjoyed that side of things and business calls for a lot of that, so that has stood me in good stead! I have also always enjoyed writing and had to do a lot of that in my old job. So blogging came fairly naturally to me and has meant I’ve been able to do some really cool stuff, like write for The Independent. I also had to do a fair amount of public speaking in my last job; speaking to groups of students and that kind of thing. That has made doing talks easier as well as the more scary and exciting things I’ve been up to in this job like appear on TV and radio.
The biggest challenge is definitely juggling the business and having two small children. It never becomes easy or a skill that I master. It’s a constant juggle. It seems to be a relentless obstacle course that gets trickier at times. For example, this week the kids and I have all been poorly. I think we just have to roll with the punches!
I think what has surprised me the most is
how interested people are in my own personal story. It was a friend who
persuaded me to blog about my experience of PND and actually, without that, the
business wouldn’t be as dynamic as it is. I really feel like the social side is
what makes it, and without that I wouldn’t have done a lot of the exciting
things I have, like be on TV, National papers and radio. I’ve also realised
that it’s not a pipe dream to appear in these places. I’ve appeared on the
front page of the Independent and BBC News in the last year and it’s simply by
providing good content and making journalists lives easier by listening to
their requirements. It is achievable and you don’t have to spend money to do it
either. I’ve also realised how much amazing support there is out there! So many
brilliant supportive communities all at the tip of our finger tips. I’m so
lucky to have met so many amazing women online (like Clara! Sorry to embarrass
you Clara!) (CW: Embarrass away Sally!)
What advice would you give to a parent in the same position?
To a woman suffering with PND I’d say
make sure you talk about it and seek help. My problem for ages was that I just
thought I was turning into an awful person. I didn’t realise that I was
actually poorly and could therefore get better. My diagnosis was actually
really liberating for me. It meant I officially had a problem I could get help
for. More awareness needs to be raised about the different types of PND there
are. It’s not just about feeling sad.
To a woman that wants to start their own business I’d say do lots of research and join some supportive FB groups like the TLC Business Club (Talented Ladies Club) on Facebook and get some advice and support. I would also say start off with the lean business model. Don’t spend lots of money up front. Don’t expect to make much money quickly either. It’s all a very slow burn!
If you don’t already, make sure you follow Mum’s Back and check out their amazing products for the next gift for a new mum (and any mum, to be honest!) I’s like to thank Sally for her honesty about her PND experience and the way she has developed her business and brand.
What can you learn from her story?
Follow Mum’s Back on:
I have a whole host of inspiring parents on my blog, read about their varied careers and lives here.
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
