Meet Jenny Raymond
Founder of Mamazou
Jenny launched the Mamazou parenting forum in December 2014, an idea born from her own experiences on other parenting websites. Here she shares her startup story…
Tell us about Mamazou.
Mamazou is a safe, judgement-free social space for parents (and parents-to-be). It offers access to blogs, forums, giveaways, short videos, discount codes, an online shop and much more. Our members are worldwide and we are proud to say that we are a closed-knit, friendly community.
We are preachers of our tagline ‘Perfectly Imperfect Parenting’ because there’s no such thing as the perfect parent.
What inspired you to start your own business?
Like most mothers to be, I spent my pregnancy ‘googling’ symptoms until I became overwhelmed with all the information that Google had to offer. I then moved onto other parenting forums for advice but found that the majority were cluttered, overbearing and opinionated. It was then that I saw a lack of social space for “real parents” to not only read but to talk and engage with one another without the side serving of judgement. That’s when I had my light bulb moment and decided to create my own. It has also been a mission of mine to include dads as much as possible.
How did you turn your idea into a reality?
Lots and lots of hard work, dedication and determination. To start, I seeked a web designer along with a lawyer. Soon after, I found an incredible graphic designer. I had a vision in my mind and knew how I wanted the end product to look. I also invested the majority of my savings into creating the company which was a huge risk and I’m hoping that one day, it will pay off.
What is the most challenging aspect of running your own business?
I think juggling my time — there is always so much to do, but not enough time in the day to get things done. There’s also that “What if?” that tends to spring to mind quite often, and then the self doubt settles in which is a challenge within itself….
Do you have any top tips for getting your business in front of new audiences?
My top tip so far would be engagement. It’s so important to engage with your target audience, get to know them and vice versa. I want my audience to know that I’m 100% real, caring and passionate about what I do.
What do you enjoy most about working for yourself?
I get to be there for my daughter. I love the flexibility. I can be a full time mother for H when she needs me. Work falls around her agenda, not mine. My office can also be taken anywhere around the world which is a huge plus — the choice of office location is endless which works wonders when you need a change of scenery.
What’s your secret to balancing a growing business while raising a family?
Good question. I think organisation is key. I often have endless to do lists, but it helps me plan and organise my time accordingly whilst working out what is a priority and needs to be addressed urgently.
What’s next for Mamazou?
Gosh, I have some very big things planned for Mamazou but unfortunately I can’t spill too much yet… However, in the meantime, we do have some very exciting collaborations over the next few months and we’re hoping to launch an app at some stage also :-).
To find out more about the Mamazou community visit their website: http://www.mamazou.com/
#MumsTheBusiness
