This mother’s determination to remain a stay at home mum has seen herself pick up a business that has been with her since the age of 5. We catch up with Amanda Reid to talk about her passion, her positive message for the world and her aspirations on being an educator.

“The inspiration behind my business is to remain a stay at home mum.  I have a ‘Fly in Fly Out’ husband and a now five year old, and wanted to be able to stay home with her! I have knitted since I was about her age but taught myself to crochet about this time last year to make her a mermaid tail blanket and it went from there. It’s something that’s very portable and I can do in the evening whilst relaxing but I can also take it on journeys and waiting rooms”

Amanda’s positivity and sheer determination is so infectious, you can’t help but love her for that zeal of life – something that is missing from alot of tired, overworked mothers with toddlers these days.“My positive message would be to push through the knock backs and not to get upset when something doesn’t sell. I think it’s like most things – somewhere there is a buyer for everything – and if you can find something you love doing that pays some bills you are on to a winner.”

And when we heard that Amanda will be celebrating the grand ‘five o’ this year, we were stumped at how much she was just on a roll. A woman on a mission, she stands by the motto that ‘age is no bar’ to virtually anything and it’s never too late to start anything including a lovely family.

Amanda is no stranger to the brevity of a successful small business either. There will be times when something just won’t sell. But Amanda keeps her business experience interesting by using her daughter as a barometer.

“I try to make things that my five year old loves in general and although I don’t always get it right, I know I have it right when she says “if it doesn’t sell, can I have it, and if it does – can I have one in pink please?”

With an industry that fluctuates so much – one minute organic soaps are the ‘in’ thing and the next minute we’re looking at sustainable wooden teething rings – it is hard to make a product that every parent is going to jump on immediately. But Amanda knows that trial and error is the best method at surveying what parents really need.

“It’s hard to say what my best seller is or could be as I am still very much testing the waters – but so far I would have to say my playmats which turn into toggle bags seem to sell the best – and I like to do different themes – so far ocean and farm – but the next one I make is going to be little critters!”

Amanda hopes to spread her positivity further by creating a teaching atmosphere.

“Going forward, I would really love to start teaching local classes for beginners to learn to knit and crochet. It can be a little isolating working from home. Ultimately my dream would be to have a small yarn shop where I sell yarns and all things related alongside classes.”

Have a look at Amanda’s Facebook page ‘Amanda’s Woollen World’