Kate Morgan
Communities correspondent
Mollie Warrington
Mollie Warrington said she told her partner that they could not have a business and a tidy house when she first started making mugs in her kitchen
A businesswoman whose handmade mugs have been shared by influencers such as Molly-Mae and Stacey Solomon, said “mum-guilt” is one of her biggest challenges.
Mollie Warrington, from Cardiff, started her business plan while pregnant and launched Naetive Studio while on maternity leave in 2022.
Academic Dr Lauren Josie Thomas said women often faced added barriers, including pressure to be “a rockstar working mum who can handle it all”.
Business Wales said it was committed to supporting female entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses.
After settling for an insurance job after university, it was only when the pandemic hit that Mollie, 30, had the time to settle on a business idea.
“I had eight weeks of being at home, not allowed to leave the house. I was watching influencers and they’d always have a cup, but no-one was sharing the cup.
“[I thought] I’m going to make a cup worth talking about,” she said.
The interior design graduate had always wanted to create something of her own, and when she got pregnant, she saw it as the opportunity to take the leap.
“I used the nine months that I was pregnant to plan what I was going to do with my maternity leave, and then saved every month then so that I could be OK in maternity leave.
“I just knew then, I’m going to have a pottery business,” she added.
Mollie Warrington
The 30-year-old said starting a business from scratch had been full of challenges, and she is still learning today
The business owner said she made sure she did not put any pressure on herself, but as soon as her baby, Rio, settled into a routine,
Read More