Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Aileen Cox Blundell, Founder of Baby Led Feeding, located in Swords, Dublin, Ireland.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is called Baby Led Feeding. It is a destination for new Moms to help them feel at ease with weaning their babies. My customers are predominantly women between 28-38, although I have occasionally seen the odd rocking Dad cooking my food too.
Tell us about yourself
I started Baby Led Feeding in 2015 after watching a TedTalk by Jamie Oliver titled 'Teach Every Child About Food. My baby was tiny, and I'm not sure whether it was the hormones, but I felt such a strong urge to make a change for him and my family. It wasn't just about baby-led weaning.
It was about cooking healthy food, making healthier choices, and trying to manage as a busy working Mom at the same time. I've always loved cooking. When I left school, I started training to be a chef, but I wouldn't say I liked busy restaurant kitchens and instead honed my skills at home. So, when I weaned Oscar, I took photos of all the recipes I was feeding him along with cute baby, messy pictures of him enjoying eating.
I plan to make a book to give him when he was 21. You know, the embarrassing speech your Mom gives on your birthday. Well, I had visions of that right from when he was tiny. When Oscar was one year old, my Mom saw the book and said, 'you know, other people would benefit from seeing your child eating crazy things like kale pesto and beetroot hummus. It would help if you tried to publish it for real. So I sent in a proposal to a publisher.
Who came back and said, 'yep, it's a great idea, but no one has a clue who you are. Perhaps you should go and start a Facebook page and see how you get on first. So I did. And within four months, I had over 10,000 engaged followers. I had been on tv, radio, and in numerous magazines with photos of my messy baby eating delicious food. And then I got a book deal. My first book was published in 2017, and my second in 2019.
Between Instagram and Facebook, I have 260,000, growing by about 1000 new moms weekly. This year I launched my first solo product - Baby Led Weaning Flashcards. These were designed to help Moms in the kitchen. Almost like I'm there with her in every question she has. Before Baby Led Feeding, I used to talk about how much I loved my job. I was a graphic designer and couldn't think of doing anything else.
It was my life, and I'd hop out of bed every morning feeling so lucky to do something I loved. Imagine completely changing careers at the age of 40 when you think like that! I am now a qualified health coach and am in 2nd year of a Nutritional Therapy degree, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else with my life. I love helping parents. I love seeing babies eating and trying new foods, and I especially love working with those fussy eaters and making life easy for parents again.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I am getting DMs from Moms who I have helped—hearing their stories and knowing that I am helping. Also, seeing my book become a number one bestseller. 🥳
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Knowing how to switch it off is tough! I find it hard to put my phone down and not look at messages in the evening. I also get excited about new things and find it hard to stick with one thing and finish it properly before moving on to the next. I see a lot of days, I juggle so many tasks and then beat myself up when I don't get them all done.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Believe in yourself! You can spend many wasted years thinking about good ideas and never doing anything about them.
- Start with just one and watch it grow! Also, surround yourself with people who will cheer you on!
- Even if you don't have them in your life, make connections online and find new people.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.babyledfeeding.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babyledfeeding
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babyledfeeding/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/babyledfeeding1
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aileencoxblundell/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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