How does your Girlie Garden grow?!

We've spoken to the two Mums, Helen James and Cathy Caudwell Todd behind the wonderful company Girlie Gardening. Read how they set the company up and their thoughts on being Mums in business...

As we've spoken to both Helen and Cathy, we have colour coded their answers so you can see who said what! Helen's answers are in blue, Cathy's answers are in red.

Where are you based?

We both live and work in North Yorkshire.

Family?

Husband Chris. Kids - lots! Ed 16, Charlotte 14, Lucy 12, William 9, Henry, 5.

Husband, Geoff. Kids: Monty, 16, Henry, 15 (and then I stopped).

What is your background?

Marketing.

Customer Service.

What inspired you to set up Girlie Gardening?

Moment of madness and lots of wine!

Pink watering can and giddy wine drinking!

Were you both experienced/keen gardeners already?

No, but Cathy is. I enjoy the pretty bits of gardening, but have learnt loads.

Ha ha ha! Helen now knows what a Bizzie Lizzie is. Well, she reckons to.

How did you go about setting the company up?

We sat down together and made a detailed business plan and then took a deep breath and went for it!

How do you find your first products - did you go to trade fairs?

We had a small shop in Skipton and went to trade fairs.

Was it a challenge getting all of the logistics of the initial collection together...how did you manage your time when you both have children?

Challenge? Just a bit! Flexibility and supporting each other (and all of our Agents) are everything

Did you do all the work yourself?

Everything from picking, packing, accounts, admin - we even did over 100 parties to pilot the initial concept of our party plan opportunity.

Everything from buying to selling and all the donkey work in between.

Lots of Mums are interested in setting up retail-based companies - either online or in the High Street - but don't know where to start - what research did you find essential?

To pilot the exercise yourself so you understand the business inside out and really know firsthand that it works.

Pilot everything and then do it again. You can't do too much research

You now offer Girlie Gardening as a party plan job opportunity for other Mums - how did you know it was time to move into this area?

We felt retail could be fickle - and that we should take the products to the customers.

It was a natural progression from our shop in Skipton - customers kept asking us to do events.

Did you have professional advice about how to create a starter kit, what commission levels to set etc?

No, we evolved the system - it changes as the company grows.

No, trial and error and, of course, we aim to better than our competitors.

How did you manage Accounts and Tax at the start? Did you do it yourself?

Yes, although we have an accountant who helps with VAT etc.

How did you finance the initial company?

On a shoestring and with our arms tied behind our backs.

Ourselves - that doesn't half focus your attention!

What was your first piece of marketing activity?

Two page spread in Yorkshire Post newspaper.

What is the best free bit of PR or Marketing the company has had?

TV coverage from regional television - great fun, too!

What has been the biggest hurdle to you've had to overcome in terms of business success?

Never having enough money and initially getting known.

Letting people know we exist.

How do you separate working time and family time?

It's all one big jumble! Again, flexibility is key and we encourage the children to join in everything.

What has been the biggest benefit of you being self-employed to your family?

Being able to build a business while still being able to pick up the kids is quite a privilege.

Flexibility (again!), fun and interesting learning curve.

What is the best bit of business advice you've been given?

Don't worry about the mistakes, just learn and move on.

Never, ever give up

Any advice for Mums thinking of starting in business?

Go on, go for it!

Read more about the Girlie Gardening Party Plan Opportunity in work without set hours