Balancing the roles of motherhood and entrepreneurship can be an extraordinary feat, however there are those exceptional individuals who manage to defy the odds and build a business that inspires others to do the same. In this week’s Friday Muse series, we celebrate the remarkable journey of a woman who has not only triumphed as a mother but has also established herself as a proficient businesswoman. Introducing Anna Barlow, the deserving recipient of the Dermalogica x Saben EmpowHER Business Scholarship — an award recognising her accomplishments as the owner and director of Mom Store.
Born from a personal experience, Barlow sought to create a curated platform for parents which only stocked the very best and essential products, eliminating the frivolous items, where they could shop once, ship once, and have everything they needed. Her brainchild, Mom Store, has quickly emerged as an online haven for parents seeking quality products that enhance the joys and ease the challenges of parenthood.
Behind the scenes, Barlow embodies the very spirit of a modern-day superwoman. As a mother herself, she understands the daily juggle of parenting, and her profound empathy shines through in every aspect of her business. With Mom Store, Barlow has created an inclusive space where new parents feel understood, supported, and empowered.
Like many muses that have gone before, Barlow’s career hasn’t been linear, rather a series of life events which guided her to where she is today. Barlow grew up in the picturesque town of Waihi Beach before moving to Thames in the Coromandel where she currently is based. Until late-2021, Barlow was a registered nurse working in various roles in addition to being a marriage celebrant on the side. When Barlow had her son in 2020, Barlow added reformer Pilates instructor to her bow. “When my son was just 12 weeks old, my husband and I added a studio to his physiotherapy business and I’ve been teaching since 2021,” she says. It was during this time that she began Mom Store.
“When I was on maternity leave, I was spending so much money shopping from so many different baby retailers to get the key items I wanted and needed on my parenting journey,” she recalls. “Mom Store is a place where you can get the best of the best in terms of products, customer service and a luxurious shopping experience.”
Barlow’s meticulously vetted curation of products coupled with her real-life experience as a mother is what ultimately sets her online store apart from competitors in the market. “Most of the products we stock we have used and loved ourselves, long before stocking them. When considering the newest and greatest items we ensure they align with values, asking: ‘Would I use it?’ ‘Would I spend this amount of money on it?’ ‘Does it fit with our ethos of being eco conscious and essential?’ ‘Does it look good?’”
Like many mothers and business owners, even the strongest support systems can see them weather their share of challenges. Barlow admits the juggle can be tough sometimes.
“Although my job is flexible and I can work at all hours, it can be hard to switch off and put space between myself and work. The season I am in currently with two children under three does mean that a lot of my work is done after 7pm. It’s tough but I’m just so lucky that for the most part I can just drop everything when the kids do need me,” she says.
Wearing multiple hats is part of running a successful business in any industry, especially in its early stages. For Barlow, when creativity blocks strike, she believes taking breaks and a change of scene can do wonders. “If I’m lacking motivation to create new content I try to take a step back, work on another aspect of the business and come back to it. Often my brain works best in the evenings so I’ll schedule my creative content planning for this time of day when I have the fewest distractions and I can really focus on this,” she says.
“I am actually really bad at relaxing. Ideally I have to leave my laptop at home and leave town in order to switch off from work completely. If I can’t do that, a spa or bath is my go-to. Anything with hot water, a cold drink, and no devices is the best for me to truly relax.”
In terms of what’s next for Mom Store, Barlow is working on her own line of products targeting pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. And if this goes well, Mom Store may expand into wholesale. With the support of her EmpowHER scholarship grant and business mentoring, Barlow is in the process of refining Mom Store’s systems and investigating opportunities to outsource tasks where possible to ease the pressure.
“I’m not a qualified business owner by any stretch, so to get some inside knowledge and mentoring from Natasha at Dermalogica and Roanne at Saben is going to be incredible. This alongside the business course from The Icehouse will really set us up to be able to take Mom Store to the next level,” she says.
For anyone who is looking at launching their own business, Barlow has some sage advice: “Make sure your offering is unique and you are truly passionate about what you are doing. Without this, being in business can be a really hard slog. You need to be able to get up every day and truly put in the hard work and long hours to make what you’re doing a success.”
Quick-fire questions:
The best book I’ve read recently… I’m a big Colleen Hoover fan – my favourite so far has been Verity, if you haven’t read it, you must! Also love listening to ‘Kiwi Birth Tales’ podcast always – love a good birth story.’
Last TV show I binged… I’ve just started bingeing Grey’s Anatomy from the start again, it never gets old.
My favourite place to dine… Our go-to favourite restaurant is Gothenburg in Hamilton, such incredible food.
My hometown’s best-kept secret… Proud Mary’s Takeaway Kitchen – seriously the best burgers around.
The most cherished item in my home… A teddy bear my mum gave me not long before she died, such a special thing to have that now lives in my son’s bedroom.
Three beauty products I can’t live without…
Lately I’ve been saving all my money for… Our overseas holidays we’ve got booked this year to the Gold Coast and Rarotonga.
My favourite New Zealand designers are…
- Saben – they’re a staple in my everyday wardrobe. I have three key handbags that I rotate depending on the occasion and they literally hold my life together. Laptop, keys, wallet, baby things – the lot!
- Marle is my go-to for everything – their pieces are always worth the investment. I’m still wearing pieces that I bought 5+ years ago.
