Today we say hello to Antonia & Karen of Kiddiebase – Make sure you enter their giveaway at the end of the post 🙂

Who are you?
We are KiddieBase – co-owned and directed by Antonia and Karen. Antonia has two sons and Karen has four sons – all under 6 – the youngest was actually born the day after KiddieBase launched at the end of September! We both live in Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire although we are originally from Birmingham and Bolton respectively. We met through a post-natal group we both attended nearly 4 years ago now!
What do you do?
KiddieBase is an online shopping emporium packed full of interesting stores all selling wonderful baby, children’s and maternity products – gifts, toys, clothes, art, accessories, slings, travel, personalised products and so much more! We are different to other shopping sites in this sector because our site is actually a platform where approved retailers host a branch of their store and sell their goods to their customers themselves. We also have an information area where we provide a range of useful information including hospital bag and holiday packing lists, recipes, tips for entertaining children and information on homeopathy and nutrition.
When did you establish your business?
We have been evolving our ideas since January 2010 and then we launched www.kiddiebase.co.uk in September 2010.
What made you start your own business?
In our research we found so many lovely products from small retailers that are only available in a limited way and nothing that actually brought them together on a quality baby and children’s focussed site – we thought it we could help retailers of new or growing baby and children’s products businesses, many of who are women combining their businesses with their families like us, then that would be a wonderful thing. We are keen to try and establish a family-friendly business for both ourselves and anyone that comes and works with us as we grow!
What do you love about working for yourself?
When we work long hours and late nights it’s because we want to and because we’re building our own company!
Is there anything you would go back and do differently if you could?
Not much actually (yet – it’s still early days!). Maybe we would have worked a lot harder in the earlier part of the year rather than ending up with so much to do in the pre-launch timeframe which also coincided with the summer holidays and the third trimester of Karen’s pregnancy – on the otherhand though we’re both deadline-driven people so it was probably always going to end up that way!
Finally If there is 1 thing that you could tell other Mums who want to start their own business; what would it be?
Antonia & Karen would like to treat one lucky reader to an item from Kiddiebase up to the value of £10 or £10 off a larger item! Visit their store and come back here and let me know which item you would buy if you were to win & you never know you just might be lucky! (You must complete this to enter)
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Follow me on twitter @SoniaThorpe
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Follow Kiddiebase on twitter @Kiddiebase
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Tweet this – “£10 to spend at @Kiddiebase up for grabs on @SoniaThorpe blog http://thismummyloves.blogspot.com”
74 Comments
retweeted as @Bobbity666
Follow @Kiddibasde on twitter
Follow you on Twitter as @Bobbity666
Retweeted as @Bobbity666
If I won I would put it towards an Individual Fingerprint Charms as I have just had a new baby and this would be a very unique memory.
Have retweeted..x
@StomaFreeBuddie
Am Now following HiddieBase on twitter too.
@StomaFreeBuddie
Am now following you..x
@StomaFreeBuddie
My son loves Dinosaurs, so would definitely put it towards the Triceratops Dinosaur Lamp
@StomaFreeBuddie
I'd choose the Teddykompaniet Diinglisar Cow Baby Slippers / Booties 0-3m
Have tweeted too!
Skibz Dribble Bibs – City Stripe is really sweet
Have tweeted as @kasiulek1
I follow @KiddieBase on twitter as @kasiulek1
I follow @SoniaThorpe on twitter as @kasiulek1
tweeted as @marzutek
Following you (@SoniaThorpe ) on Twitter.I am @marzutek
I already follow @KiddieBase on twitter
I am @marzutek
I would buy Teddykompaniet Diinglisar Cow Baby Slippers / Booties 0-3m
I love the pretty plaques girls wall letters x
I've tweeted @EmRobo
I follow kiddiebase on twitter
I follow mummy loves on twitter
I've tweeted @ericahughes
Following kiddibase on twitter too @ericahughes
Following you on Twitter @ericahughes
Love the wheely bugs!
I love the look of the dummy clip http://www.kiddiebase.co.uk/detail.asp?id=2067&n=Heimess-Baby-Ladybird-Clip-Dummy-Beads . Looking for something diffrent for my new little neice due next month
tweeted too @ashlallan
follow @kiddibase too, @ashlallan
already follow you @ashlallan
i would choose the Melissa and Doug Take-Along Tool Kit
tweeted as @emmacella
following @Kiddibase @emmacella
already a follower @emmacella
Wow, great comp. @emmacella
tweeted as @PaulaHaylock
following @Kiddibase
already a follower
So many lovely things to choose from! think I would buy the Parental Control Advisory hat – fabulous!
I'd like the Chilly billy (or Jilly) Snowman – can't make up my mind!
Twitter: Emma1111111 and I am a follower of both you and @kiddibase
I am on Twitter as @netcurtains and now following you and Kiddibase
Blue Puppy Shoo Shoos 0-6 mnths – they'd look gorgeous on my little boy (once he's born!!)
I have tweeted too
@justforcomps
Thanks for a lovely competition. x
I already follow @KiddieBase on twitter
@justforcomps
I already follow you on twitter @justforcomps
I have subscribed to this blog
I would put it towards the Triceratops Dinosaur Lamp – dinosaurs never go out of fashion with my children and they need a new lamp.
Such a gorgeous site, makes it very hard to choose! I do love the Just Nipping Out Set, especially the Berry one!
I love all of the Totseat highchairs – can't decide which pattern best…
I would get a gorgeous wooden personalised heart bunting, for each of my 3 girls – made by Ambrina 123
Tweeted @wendymcd83
Thank you xxx
Follow @Kiddiebase
@wendymcd83
Follow @SoniaThorpe
@wendymcd83
I love the Christmas Rocks T-Shirt!
I have also tweeted the competition 🙂
I follow @Kiddiebase on twitter 🙂
I follow @SoniaThorpe on twitter 🙂
Have also tweeted, I am @missingsleep
I would put it towards a T-shirt from Preschool Punk 🙂
I am following @kiddiebase, I am @missingsleep
I am following @SoniaThorpe, I am @missingsleep
Melissa and Doug Make and Paint Wooden Train looks fab! My son would love doing this, keep him out of mischief for 5 minutes 🙂 Thanks x
Am also a follower of both you and kiddibase on twitter
I would love one of these tiny initial charms. For Lara or course!
http://www.kiddiebase.co.uk/detail.asp?id=2021&n=Initial-Charm
Have tweeted.
I would it towards ALL MY PRECIOUS THINGS Keepsake Gift Box by East of India. This would be perfect to store all my precious things relating to my son in.
Tweeted x
Now following @SoniaThorpe x
Already follow @kiddibase x
Would probably have to be towards the initial necklace! I've wanted one for aaggeees!
I've tweeted x
Already following you at @SoniaThorpe
(@second_time_mum)
Already following @kiddibase on Twitter x
Wow, great comp. If I'd won I think Id put the voucher towards a silver finger print necklace…
http://www.kiddiebase.co.uk/detail.asp?id=391&n=Silver-Fingerprint-Necklace