MEDIA RELEASE
THE NEW GENERATION OF MUMPRENEURS
Nowadays, motherhood, far from converting a woman’s brain inexorably into pumpkin
purée and leaving her incapable of discussing anything beyond nappy contents, seems to
have the reverse effect. In fact, it is the spur she needs to dump her unfulfilling office job
and set up her own business. Until recently, many mumpreneur businesses have been
based on children and their needs. There is nothing that shows up a gap in the market
quicker than hunting in vain for something for your baby. However, there seems to have
been a break from the traditional trend, recent research shows the latest “hot” career for
Mumpreneurs is wedding planning
As shows such as ‘Bridezillas’
have raised the profile of wedding planners in Australia,
this has led to a rapid growth in the industry in the last couple of years.
The Australian
Academy of Wedding and Event Planning has seen a 250% increase in it’s enrolments so
far in 2008 compared to the same time period in 2007 and over 72% of these have been
Mum’s looking for an alternative to returning to work. Kylie Carlson, the Principal of the
Academy, says “The key drivers for these women are: flexible hours, an office at home, a
creative outlet and, oh yes, an excuse to buy the latest glossy bridal magazine. Wedding
planning offers all this and more.”
On becoming a wedding planner and combining it with motherhood, Kylie had this to
say: “I receive daily inquiries about how wedding planning can fit in with the lifestyle of
a mum and I’m very frank and honest about the roles we play. While television and the
media may have glamorized our industry, the real truth is - this is hard work!! However,
it works perfectly for those looking to mould their hours around their family, having said
that, this job is not for the faint of heart or the easily offended. If you get your feelings
hurt easily, look at another profession. If you aren’t able to move at the speed of light and
multi-task at the same time, consider another job. To be a wedding planner you need the
patience of a saint, the skin of an alligator and the soul of an artist. All attributes
possessed my Mums the world over!
Top 5 tips if you want to be a successful wedding planner:
1.
Take a training course
2.
Get help setting up your business
3.
Get connected and network with your suppliers
4.
Attend regular seminars, workshops and conferences
5.
Keep up to date with trends and do plenty of research
NEWS 
