Suffolk Mumpreneurs reveal lockdown born business…

Thea Evans and Denise Milner used their time during lockdown to take a leap of faith and launch their online business My Rockabye, a marketplace that brings together a whole host of independent brands selling items for babies, toddlers and growing kids.

The two Suffolk-born mums have been developing the idea for some time now, but with Denise being furloughed from her full-time job and Thea welcoming her second child, it presented a unique opportunity for their emerging business. My Rockabye is unique in the way that they only partner with independent baby and children’s brands.

Evans explained: “I decided I wanted to start a marketplace years ago, then life took over and the idea was put on the backburner. Years later, after my first son was born, it seemed there wasn’t a go-to place online for all the wonderful brands I had unearthed when I was dressing my firstborn.

“Then, Denise and I chatted one day, and we decided to work together on something creative. Neither of us had felt fulfilled in corporate jobs, and although parenthood was rewarding, the desire to create our own business still burned strongly. So, the partnership was the natural next step, like a jigsaw fitting into place.”

“Since the pandemic, we are seeing a huge emphasis on supporting independent brands, which is at the core of our business. To have so much time at home, juggling parenthood and homeschooling, developing the business has been really refreshing. The more we discussed it the more confident about it we became,” said Milner.

This year has highlighted the power of coming together and, with the community at the heart of My Rockabye, both Thea and Denise are passionate about representing independent brands and spreading small business love.

“We are lucky enough to have an amazing selection of brands to launch with. These range from weening equipment to personalised and handmade clothing, to more established luxury brands. We also have a few unique brands that offer more specialist products,” comments Milner.

With the closure of many high street stores, the duo are proud to back the ‘small shop’ movement, building a community of small businesses that provide an alternative to mainstream children’s brands. With the recent shift in consumer buying, pushing more businesses online, both Denise and Thea are confident that through social media, influencers and a deep knowledge of digital marketing they will see their business flourish.

You can shop MyRockabye here: http://www.myrockabye.co.uk/ and keep up-to-date with everything the duo get up to on Instagram – www.instagram.com/my_rockabye