Naomi is up for eight categories: Rising Star, Sustainability, Sustainable Product, Product Design, Product Innovation, Retail Business, Women Will Change the World, and Overcoming the Odds.
The AusMumpreneur Awards presented by The Women’s Business School celebrate and recognize Australian Mums in business achieving outstanding success in areas such as business excellence, product development, customer service and digital innovation. The awards are designed to recognize the growing number of women who successfully balance motherhood and business in a way that suits their life and family.
Eco Crayons is a South Australian business, owned and operated by mumpreneur Naomi Parsons, handmaking natural, non-toxic, plant-based art products for children. Eco Crayons and Natural Eco Paints are unique as they are coloured with pigments from plants, vegetables, roots, seeds, and flowers, making them environmentally friendly.
Sustainability is high on Naomi’s agenda and all her products and packaging, with exception of the paint brush, are compostable or biodegradable, making them a completely sustainable product with a small carbon footprint. Naomi is a single mum to two children, Arleena (9) and Cohen (2), she was a special education teacher before branching out into business.
Naomi is delighted to be named as a finalist and is proud of her achievements, particularly because it has been a long year for her personally with 3 major surgeries, a hysterectomy and double mastectomy, 10 weeks off and 4 in hospital, yet she has kept her doors open, the products coming, new sustainable packaging and 76% growth in sales.
The recognition of the uniqueness of her products and sustainable business practices is the icing on the cake. There are many benefits to balancing business and motherhood as Naomi explains:
“I LOVE THAT I CAN WALK MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL; THAT MY LITTLE BOY CAN PLAY AT HOME WHILST I WORK; THAT I CAN CREATE MEMORIES WITH MY CHILDREN DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS."
"I LOVE EDUCATING AND INSPIRING OTHER PARENTS ABOUT ECO PRODUCTS, NORMALISING THAT PARENTING IS TRICKY AND THAT IT IS OK NOT TO BE 100% EVERYDAY; WATCHING CHILDREN CREATING AND HEARING THE CONVERSATIONS THAT PARENTS HAVE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, THAT ARE PROMPTED THROUGH USING MY PRODUCTS, BRINGS ME JOY.
I LOVE THE FREEDOM THAT COMES WITH BEING A BUSINESS MUM."
It can be challenging to be a successful business woman whilst raising a family and Naomi gives this advice for others thinking about starting their own enterprise, “My main advice would be that business is not always smooth sailing, we all feel uncomfortable and uncertain, but being outside of our comfort zone means that we are challenging ourselves to learn and grow, personally and in business. Be true to yourself, love what you do and be prepared to ride the waves”.
The winners of the 2021 AusMumpreneur Awards will be announced at an online event in September.