In our ‘Inspiring small businesses’ series, we share and celebrate great stories from small business owners who started and run their own business. By bringing you closer to these inspiring businesses we hope that you find motivation, tips, and ideas for building yours. For this week’s interview, we spoke to Kate Bell , Director and Founder of Zip Us In, a company that has created an innovative jacket expander allowing new mums to continue wearing their favourite outerwear all through pregnancy and beyond.

Zip Us In brought to the market the patented universal jacket expander panel (as seen on Dragons’ Den). Our innovative product enables a mum-to-be to expand the jacket she already loves during pregnancy and can also be used by parents when Babywearing.

What's the story behind your business?

In February 2013 on a visit to Weymouth, I discovered that my vast belly would no longer fit in to my lovely jacket. My choice was to either invest in a maternity coat or try and make it through the final 3 months with what I had. With so many other things to buy for the new arrival, I went with the second option. It was on this day that I mentioned to my husband, that somewhere in the big wide world must be an item that can just expand my own jacket. It seemed like an obvious product to me, that surely someone must have invented before now. A google search was fruitless and instantly my creative mind started ticking over. A few doodles took place and the start of a design for the jacket expander panel was born.

What inspired you to start your own business?

 Our daughter was born after experiencing 5 miscarriages. I knew she’d be my last little one and I wanted to keep her close and enjoy every second. Babywearing was a big part of that and when I realised that my jacket expander design could help me carry her inside my coat, I knew I had to make myself one…. Or at least get my Mum to make one for me! 

What is the most difficult aspect of running your own business?

Balancing home life with two daughters, while also trying to run this business (and another) is a constant struggle. We’ve not only dedicated a huge amount of time to build the brand but we’ve also come very close to bankruptcy on more than one occasion. We’ve ploughed so much of our own money in to the company and taken out numerous loans but if I did it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing. Zip Us In is growing from strength to strength thanks to our perseverance.

What is the best thing about running your own business?

I adore working from home and being able to manage my work schedule around family commitments. I’ve never missed a school play, a sports day or a parent conference which is rare for a lot of business owners. I also love that I have managed to create a new invention that will have helped other parents on their journeys too.

To find out more about Zip Us In visit their website or follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.