International Women’s Day — three inspiring women-owned small businesses open up about their paths to success

Necessity is the mother of invention, and so it was for Sydney-based, mum-of-three, Naomi Roberts.

Despite being a senior corporate leader for 12 years, the genesis for her new career arrived at a time in her life when starting a business wasn’t even a blip on her radar.

“A full-time mum at the time, two of my three daughters would have terrible reactions to mosquito bites,” she remembers. “So bad that they’d often be woken in the night after being bitten while they slept.

“I looked for a ‘set-and-forget’ type solution — one that was easy and non-toxic — but just couldn’t find one.”

When Naomi hit a brick wall in her search she decided to come up with the solution herself.

Quash is an indoor
insect trap that traps bugs with a UV light, fan, and glue pad. Non-toxic, and super-easy, it works on gnats, fruit flies, moths, midges and, most importantly for her daughters, mosquitoes.

“Mozzies are a source of concern and irritation,” she explains. “Our biggest predator! And that is scary as a parent.

“We have an increasing number of mosquito species in Australia and they’re getting smarter and more evasive.”

Motherhood proved to be the seed for her career change, and it’s through fellow ‘mumpreneurs’ that Naomi has found the strength to navigate the highs and lows of running her own business.

“I’m now in three female-majority ‘mastermind’ groups and we chat daily to cheer one another on, and to help guide one another over hurdles,” she says.

And it’s this network of women-owned businesses that is top of mind for the working mum this International Women’s Day.

“It’s a day where I pause and celebrate every single woman and girl on this planet, and for me specifically, those committed, driven women in my work life who support, encourage, and lift me up every single day. Without them I couldn’t do what I do.”

When the pandemic-related lockdowns turned much of our cities into ghost towns, the hospitalist industry was one of the hardest hit.

However, while Melbourne-based caterer, Niyoka Bundle — whose company specialised in using native herbs, plants and animals in its food — initially felt the pinch, this enforced hiatus proved to be the catalyst for a brand-new venture.

“As we had more time on our hands during the lengthy Melbourne lockdowns, I began to experiment,” she explains. “What started out as an iced tea made with native ingredients ended up turning into a gin and I knew I had a winner!”

Since launching two years ago, Niyoka’s Taka Gin Co. has become a favourite tipple for Aussies nationwide, but this success hasn’t come without a price.

As a busy mum herself, Niyoka says that the hurdles of child-rearing are one of the most familiar to women small business owners.

“Having children and running a company is hard,” she comments. “I am on the clock 24/7, both as a mum and a business owner.”

For Niyoka, International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on

the gains that have been made over the years — not only for her as a woman, but also as a proud Indigenous woman.

“I come from a family of strong women,” she says. “My Aunties, grandmothers and mothers — they did it all and worked too. I learned so much from them.”

Celebrating the achievements of these matriarchs, Niyoka says that she hopes they’ve helped paved the way for more women to take leadership roles in the workplace.

“Women are an absolute force,” she enthuses. “They are the glue that keeps it together. and in the business world, this is what’s needed — I look forward to a future where more and more women are in empowering positions across all industries.”

After carving out a career helping people to eat better, Melbourne-based dietitian, Sarah Leung, was left hungry for a change in her own working life.

“I was getting burnt out from managing my wellness centre,” she recalls. “My intuition told me that private practice wasn’t it for me, but I still wanted to help people in some way.

“I kept seeing clients with health issues, that could benefit from increased consumption of iodine-rich seaweed. And that sparked an idea.”

Having grown up in Asia where she ate the nutritious food “all the time”, Sarah decided to make it her mission to turn the snack into a pantry stable for Aussies nationwide.

“I wanted to make this underrated, healthy ingredient mainstream, and to make it simple enough for people to use everyday,” she says.

Launched in 2017, Alg Seaweed’s range of products are made using high quality, sustainably-sourced seaweed and are designed to be delicious and nutritious.

While a successful brand now, Sarah’s journey to turn her business dreams into a reality wasn’t without its lows. Juggling two young children with a fledgling company, the entrepreneur had to overcome the conflicting demands of both.

“It took me a year to find my feet between being a new mother and a career-driven woman,” she admits. “I experienced self-doubt and questioned my capability to build a successful business. And, in-between all that, lots of mum guilt!”

This International Woman’s Day, Sarah— who cities her own mum as her biggest inspiration — has some words of wisdom for the next generation of wannabe women business owners.

“Don't underestimate your strength and power — just make a start and enjoy the journey. Overcome the challenges by just going back to your 'why' and tell yourself that tomorrow is a brand-new day!”