Beech Please

Boss Lady behind the brand – Meg from Modern Monty

The moment I stumbled across Modern Monty on Instagram, I fell in love. I was pregnant with Fox and had started collecting special pieces for his pending arrival. Their little Safari set of Beech wood teether toys  caught my eye right away and I eagerly awaited their launch date.

I managed to snap one up and was so excited when it arrived in the mail, lovingly packaged in a little calico bag with a thoughtful handwritten note thanking me for supporting their small business. I added to my collection once their woodland set with a little moose and Fox (how could I not?) were released and of course entered their brand rep search once Fox was born.

We were lucky enough to be chosen and have received some truly beautiful pieces, each made with care and adored by Fox. I have had the pleasure of watching Modern Monty grow as a business and along the way struck up a friendship with Meg who is now one of my absolute closest friends.  She is one of the kindest people I know, a mum, wife and serious Boss Lady. The very first, I hope of many, Boss Ladies Behind the Brand.

What makes you most proud when you think of Modern Monty?

I started Modern Monty when my son Hiro was a teeny, squishy, little thing. Always a fierce career woman, I had expected to want to return to my day job after maternity leave so I was surprised to feel an intense need to be at home with my little one. I started dreaming up ways I could make that happen and Modern Monty was imagined. I am proud of so many things with Modern Monty – creating beautiful, high-quality products, always striving for originality and making incredible connections with so many amazing people. I am most proud that I was able to build this business to the point that I now have the privilege of being able to be at home with Hiro the majority of the time because at the end of the day, family is everything.

Do you have any tips for those just starting out with their small business?

Keep going! You are going to face many challenges as you try and build your business. Every set back is NOT a failure, it is an opportunity to learn. If you accept these lessons with an open mind and heart and keep working on moving forward, your business will only grow.

What is your favorite product – past or present?

Mmmm this is a tough one!! I think probably our new Deluxe Baby Gym. I love scrolling through hashtags like #nurseryinspo and experiencing a feeling of awe at the incredibly, beautiful spaces. It’s my guilty pleasure. When I see our gym styled in beautiful nurseries, I get the same thrill.

Who inspires you?

It’s probably a little cliché, but I will say my mum. She was a stay-at-home mum and put her heart and soul into raising four children in a little Victorian country town, while her own dreams were left on the back burner. She is certainly a feminist and would often express her discomfort at being in the shadows of my dad’s great success in business. Now as a mother myself I empathise with that inner battle between wanting to be the primary caregiver to your child and making some bigger contribution to your community. My mum had greater patience than I, and so after ensuring her children had safely left the nest, she built not one, but two successful businesses centred around children’s education in science.

What do you look for in a brand rep?

Oh so many things! Styling and photograph quality will be the first thing to catch my eye. I love clean, minimalistic, scandi inspired styling and clear, bright photos. Followers or notoriety usually don’t sway me at all – but I do love to see genuine interaction on posts. Even more important than style and the engagement of followers is genuine support and love of small business. When this support shines through in your photographs and your captions, you have pretty much won me over. However, most importantly is the way we connect with one another. Friendly, easy-going and passionate communication is definitely a plus. I am so fortunate to have connected with some absolutely amazing reps, who are like-minded, incredibly supportive and filled with kindness, like my very good friend Rosie.

If you would like to find out more about Modern Monty you can visit their website, follow them on Instagram or like them on Facebook.