Jungle Lane - In the spotlight

Alicia Blanchard, Managing Director of WEE RASCALS

Tell us a bit about yourself?
You know these questions are always the hardest to answer. We generally can tell each other about many things, but when it comes to ourselves it is definitely not a task easily written. I am a wife and mother, a daughter and a sister, an aunt, a cousin and a grand daughter. I live in Auckland, New Zealand with my husband and 2 kids, who I love dearly. I love to be creative. Whether this is playing and learning with my children, painting, cooking, or whether for one of our businesses that we have under our 'BJ Creative' banner, which includes things like website building, design, product development, and more. I like to do things and of course be successful, but I also like to fly under the radar and not be in the spotlight (ironic as this is what this section is called). However saying that it is nice to be noticed by people in the same industry.

Tell us more about your business and what pulled you to this line of work?
We (my husband Hamish & I) started Wee Rascals so that I could stay at home with the kids. We wanted to offer quality products to new parents, that we had tried and tested ourselves. As new parents we found it daunting to know the right product that would benefit our baby, and after purchasing many products that in someway let us down, we thought it was important to get the quality items out and readily available to other new parents. Initially our intention was to have a website retail business, but after much research we found there were already many businesses out there with the same visions and goals. Our plan evolved as we thought it would be best to support other businesses with the same ideals.

What is your belief?
It has always been the saying that "everything happens for a reason". Although spending many years saying it, it has only been in the past few years that the light has really shone on this for me. My life has lead me to the point I am now, the decisions I have made, whether good or bad at the time, have lead me to now. I am pleased with the way things are going so far, and I guess if I really understood and took notice of this saying I would perhaps have fine tuned my decisions. However lessons needed to be learnt and understood, to help me with where we are now.

What do you like best about your work?
That I can do it from home, which allows me to be my own boss. It also allows me to take time out with my family when ever it is needed.

What has been the most memorable part of your work to date?
I am not sure if there has be a part that I would say as most memorable, but it has always given me a buzz when other businesses come to us and say 'we want to stock your products in our store'. It tells us we are heading in the right direction.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
Many things I think, perhaps my parents may give you a different story, but I remember wanting to be a Mum with 14 kids (yes I too laugh at that now, having only 2 to deal with). At various times I also wanted to be a nurse, a defense lawyer, and can remember a time when I set up a gift wrapping shop in my room and would charge to wrap gifts for people. Funny that no one ever paid me on that one. But I guess business owner would sit with that venture.

What is the best advice you have been given?
To believe in yourself and trust your own instinct.

What is the smartest thing you have done with your business?
Getting in some Sales Agents to service our customers and expand our business on the road.

What is your favourite thing about your business?
I am not sure if there is a single thing about our business that I like the best. I enjoy almost all aspects of it.

What is your favourite product or service, your business offers?
It would have to be our Baltic amber infant teething necklaces. They are our hero product. They were the start of Wee Rascals, and they saved us when our daughter started teething.

What are your best tips for starting up a successful business?
Believe in yourself and the products or service that you are promoting. If you do not believe in what you are doing or in your products, then no one else will either.

What advice can you give about life in general?
Whatever idea you have in you head, action it today. As today is all you have...