From Maternity Leave to Entrepreneur: Naetive Studio’s Inspiring Journey
Meet a powerhouse entrepreneur whose handcrafted mugs have caught the eye of major influencers like Molly-Mae and Stacey Solomon. One of her biggest hurdles? The ever-familiar “mum-guilt.”
Hailing from Cardiff, Mollie Warrington started sketching her business plan while pregnant and took the plunge to launch Naetive Studio during her maternity leave in 2022.
Academic experts highlight that women often face additional challenges, feeling the intense pressure to be the “supermom” who can seemingly do it all.
Fortunately, there’s a strong push in the entrepreneurial ecosystem to uplift female business owners, making it easier to turn dreams into reality.
After settling into a routine insurance job post-university, it was only when the pandemic hit that Mollie, now 30, found the time to hone in on her business idea.
“I was stuck at home for eight weeks, and I noticed how influencers always had a stylish cup but never shared what they were drinking from,” she recalls.
“I thought, ‘I’m going to create a cup that everyone will want to talk about!'”
With a degree in interior design, Mollie always dreamed of crafting something uniquely hers. When she discovered she was pregnant, she decided to use that precious time to lay the groundwork for her entrepreneurial venture.
“I dedicated my nine months of pregnancy to map out my maternity leave plans and saved diligently to ensure I would be financially secure during that time,” she shared.
“I just knew it was time to start my pottery business!”
Mollie emphasized the importance of not putting pressure on herself. Once her baby, Rio, settled into a routine, she began creating mugs.
“I had the baby monitor beside me. Whenever he cried or stirred, I’d check on him, and once he was back to sleep, I’d return to my little mug project,” she described.
Initially, she crafted about 15 mugs weekly when she launched in July 2022, with limited releases that sold out in mere minutes.
Fast forward, and she now leads a team of 12, producing 400 custom orders each week with her pieces available in stores like Anthropologie!
Much of Mollie’s growth trajectory has been fueled by creating mugs for influencers, hoping they would share them with their followers. And they did—Molly-Mae Hague featured her work, leading to a staggering 40,000 visitors to her website in a single day!
“I didn’t even think about what would happen if she shared, and suddenly we were inundated with traffic without enough stock to meet the demand!” she chuckled.
That experience taught Mollie valuable lessons about scaling her operations. Today, she operates from two production units to keep up with the growing demand.
However, the journey hasn’t been devoid of challenges.
“Mum guilt hits hard. Even the simplest things can make me feel guilty, like the weather being bad—something I can’t control,” she confesses.
For anyone contemplating starting a business while on paid leave, experts recommend reviewing your employment contract closely.
Dr. Lauren Josie Thomas has spent the last year researching the challenges female leaders face, highlighting that while entrepreneurs share many obstacles, women often navigate these waters with fewer resources.
One significant barrier noted is childcare, compounded by society’s expectations to “have it all.” It’s an overwhelming balancing act—being a partner, a parent, and a business leader all at once.
Dr. Thomas also pointed to the glaring disparity in funding for female-led businesses compared to their male counterparts.
Recent reports reveal that female founders are less likely to secure crucial funding for their businesses and often face gender bias.
Dr. Thomas recounted stories of women who felt compelled to hide their family lives from potential investors—removing wedding rings or deleting personal social media.
According to the latest government survey, only 16% of SMEs in Wales report being women-led.
Yet, organizations are stepping up; since 2016, Business Wales has supported nearly 4,000 female-led startups, accounting for over half of all supported businesses.
In total, they have assisted over 6,400 existing female-led businesses with their growth strategies—proving that there’s a thriving ecosystem ready to support women entrepreneurs on their journey!
