To get annoyed by Mummy Businesses

[NeilFan]

You know the type cake making, knitting, cup cakes, carding etc. Generally SAHMs whos kids are now at school and feel the need to go back into work but can't really be bothered. They pick up some hobby that people have diplomaticaly said they are good at and think it can be a business. Only know one person who actualy has a talent for their business choice, all of the others would be better just asking for cash directly rather than palming off sub standard products onto polite friends. Same goes for all of that pampered chef and candle who are even more deluded. My first post on mumsnet but this stuff really annoys me!

Oh, I know, Less, it was tongue-in-cheek, and I appreciated it. I was probably only after some sympathy, martyr etc...I should have got over it by now, it was 2 years ago, but, God, don't ever do it.... it's too hard.

I totally see your point and I've just started what you could call a 'mummy business'. If people want teeny slivers of cake piles high with butter cream or overpriced kitchenware, they'll seek them out, it makes me really uncomfortable when a 'friend' relationship turns into a 'sales' relationship.

It's always awkward selling to and being sold to by friends, which is why I've not told any of mine what I'm up to: a. because I don't want to put them in that awkward position and b. I feel a bit 'shy' about putting my work infront of people I know- what if they think it's crap?!

However, I don't feel shy about putting it in front of you lot my Clay things

That sounds geat, welcome, and very insightful. Best of luck.

Laura Ashley started her business up from her kitchen table while bringing up her two children.

Her widower, Bernard, started up the Laura Ashley Foundation after her death to help people to realize their potential and release talent.

OP I see the point you're making but my point is that a small home industry can be the start of something amazing that provides jobs and reaches across the world.

They are always featured in Red magazine, 'Sue lives in Chipping Norton with her investment banker husband'; oh yes of course she does and that is why she can afford to make bunting for a living.
OP I am with you on that one..........

I do know what you mean about pressurising friends. It is not on. My ex neighbour got involved in Arbonne, and all she would do would be pressure me to buy stuff. I ended up avoiding her, which was a shame as it soured an otherwise nice relationship.

I work freelance, and an arm of my business is something people generally view as a "mummy business" Facepainting. I do not work for freinds. I learned early on when I moved to our old village working for freinds was awful. Even though I had sent them a contract in advance with price etc, they still tried to pay me less than half my fee and treat me like crap, (I had already given her a mates rates fee) ok this was one person; but I did one party then swore never to work in the village again, unless as a volunteer for a fundraiser. For the record there are loads of "mummy business" style facepainters out there who are unskilled, untrained, uninsured, and inexperienced. But there are lots of us who are all of the above and sought after for a high quality of work, not just on kids.

I still don't see anything wrong with getting out there and making an effort to stay busy though. Although pestering is irritating.

I intend to use my skills to boost our pocket money when dc's are older. But I am realistic that that is just what it will be. No way could I make a living. I have done nice quality (I think so but I could be deluded ) children's clothes that have sold at craft fairs and make the cost plus a profit (as long as you don't care about the hours!). I also do really good cakes. No way would I approach friends. For a start they're all as poor as me! And I think the problem comes when people are using it as something to brag about or show how jolly clever they are. People who have a skill and quietly sell the fruits of their labours do quite well on a small scale. And a few, the first to jump on any given bandwagon, might even make their fortune.

Molehillmountain - if you start small and sensible you can make a helpful contribution and find you end up surprising yourself.

Solidgold "Mumtrepreneur" - shudder

That's what I can't stand, not the businesses themselves. Good on them for doing it, but the media use of terms like 'Mumtrepreneur', Mummy Business etc just contribute to the massively unhelpful labelling of mothers as somehow a bit 'other'. And also seem to imply (to me at least) that the enterprise is somehow a bit less valid (It's not a real business, it's a business run by Mothers)

I hate the terms Yummy Mummy, Slummy Mummy, Mumtrepreneur, Mummy Porn (Yeeuch) etc. It just reinforces stereotypes about women and it makes me itch

Sorry, bit off topic there

welcome, I love your buttons, they are lovely. I may have to buy some!

"Bunting Gate" ended up running for months, infact its tremors can still be felt 2 years later! Basically my friend was bullied and emotionally blackmailed pressured into buying a load of bunting for her DDs birthday party, despite already having some. The seller showed her examples of some very pretty and nicely made bunting that was sort of shabby chic from which my friend chose the type she was forced to buy wanted.

When the bunting came on the morning of the party (a week later than promised) it was shabby and not at all chic. Clearly it has been thrown together at the last minute, not sewn properly, attached to fraying tape etc. The "friend" then informed my friend that the cost would be twice as much as quoted because "you chose the most expensive fabric", despite this being one of the options offered at the base price.

My friend then, understandably objected to this and pointed out that what she got was most definitely not what she ordered and said that she would just do without. The seller went into orbit, kicked off in no small way and spent the rest of the day ringing round trying to get parents to not take their child the party! She made such a fuss that my friend had to stop taking her dd to a particular playgroup as it was full of the sellers cronies.

She still gets filthy looks from certain people in the village, and I have been uninvited to an event (well told it was cancelled when it wasnt!) when someone realised I was her friend. On the other hand, she has made herself look a total fool and is not well thought of by the parents who heard about it, especially those she tried to get to not attend the party. I was by that, it was such a vile thing to do.

It was sheer madness. Oh and the "business" was never heard of again, we suspect that my friend was the only customer she had ever had!

bogeyface That is awful what a cow (buntingwitch not your friend!)

I have no issue with people with a genuine talent - be it artistic, foody, crafty using their skills to make money. If their product is good and priced appropriately there is no reason they shouldn't do well - be that to earn a bit of extra money or with a view to running a larger business. In that respect YABU.

However with regards to people making tat and then touting said wares all across Fb YANBU - AT ALL! I am absolutely sick of all the 'like my page - I make hideous creations out of cheap elastic and buttons!' 'Share my page with ALL your friends!! Look I live 280 miles from you but I do facepainting!' and so on...

Sorry but if your product is shit I'm not going to 'like' your page. End of.

Buntingwitch :o

I smell a new nickname, as she has been "fucking X" until now!

buntingwitch as a nice ring to it I feel

But it keeps landing in my head as BuntingBitch......:o

Let's hope so, sharklet. I have sold thirty or forty items to non friends (nice people that I don't know!) albeit over three years so I think i might be able to do it. Feet on the ground. I thought my first target would be to cover the cost of the dc's Christmas stockings this year. Luckily my dh isn't a stockbroker so no lifestyle magazine articles here

Would you rather they were on the dole?

I second the person up thread who complained about undercutting the people trying to make a proper living out of it. My dad did hobby upholstering really but charged people a fair price because his instructor asked him not to undercut the going rate. He donated the fee he charged to charity but didnt tell his clients that in case that made him more popular. Unless you try selling to the general public and/or at a fair price you'll never know if your product is good.

Do these sort of people undercut other businesses though?

Most of the time I've seen cupcakes or bunting or crafty stuff for sale it seems very expensive.

I've seen cupcakes for £3 at the local 'farmers' market' - I don't know if they are made by the wife of an investment banker or someone else, but they're still a glittery rip-off.

I am starting a business. I am a mother. I find the term 'mummy business' insulting.

Outfoxed, the people the OP's talking about wouldn't be on the "dole". Their household income would be far to high to qualify.

Oh yes undercutting can be a huge problem. Example - facepainting as obviously it is what I know about, if you use safe professional products, have undertaken some training, and have public liability insurance, CRB Checks - those things are over heads, as is your childcare costs, transport etc. Doing a kids party for £50 will leave you out of pocket. You would more likely be charging £150 upwards (depending on how long the party is / how many kids etc.) but you find people doing it, normally as they have "had a go" at the school fete adn think they can make a job from it. And the sad thing is that kids can be put at risk from spread infections, allergic reaction to non-skin safe products all kinds of stuff, general bad hygeine practices... etc.

I have no problem with folk setting themselves up in a small business as long as they do it properly and safely :)

YANBU, I'm sick of the sight of cupcakes, they're mingdog. Now if it was a nice Eccles cake or a good savoury pie or pasty, yeah you'd have me money. Well that's what Greggs is for, I don't need no glittery shit covered cake.

A really good cupcake is a wonder to behold stuff in your face. Out of the couple of dozen cupcake makers I've met in the line of duty, professional pie seller only two are any good! One is a mummy, the other does it for a living.

I would NEVER pay more than £1 for a cupcake. Even a damned good professional one!