The Belly Bed is a specialised and advanced maternity airbed that offers pregnant women a variety of sleeping positions not possible on a conventional bed and helps to assist women suffering with pregnancy related disabilities – such as pubis symphysis pain (pelvic pain), sacroiliac joint dysfunction, sciatica pain, lower back pain and hip pain - to find a comfortable sleeping position. The adjustable cavity pillow allows you to lie on your belly or side comfortably and can be adjusted to accommodate your growing belly right up to full term. The Belly Bed is completely safe and is now being recommended by obstetricians and physiotherapists throughout Australia.
The Belly Bed is a great idea, but can't have been easy to bring to life. What's been your toughest challenge?
The toughest challenge for me was in the designing of the bed. Being an absolutely new product to the market, a lot of time and finance was invested into the many prototypes and trialing of the product. It has taken the best part of 6 years to finally arrive to the birth of the Belly Bed.
What's been the best piece of advice that you've been given?
The best advice that someone told me was “That an entrepreneur works on their business not in their business”. I have always tried to stick to this philosophy by delegating when and where possible in order to free up my time so I can keep working on the PR of the business.
You're also a Mum of 5! What "How to" can you share with our Business Bakers?
People often ask me “How do you juggle being a mother of 5 children and run a business as well?” My advice to them is to be as organised as possible, right from organising the kids wardrobes and rooms through to having a system in place for everything. The less clutter and mess at home and knowing where everything is makes day to day living a lot easier and of course less stressful.
Michelle, why did you get into this business?
I hate having to have "conversations" with staff. I have always been one of the girls having a laugh and then to have to switch that off and have hard "conversations" because you are unhappy. I find that difficult. Also if you have to let someone go, that is very unpleasant. At the end of the day though I say to myself constantly "What is best for the business?" and try and remove how I feel personally about the situation. 
Actually that I haven't had to worry and we have done ok.
I think one night after we hadn't been opened that long, everyone had gone home and I sat down, looked around and thought I made this, I actually did it. 
I would try really hard to be less obsessive about the business as a whole. I would be thinking about it 24 hours a day, about how to make it work, I haven't been very good at balancing my life and switching off and definately at times it has been all consuming. At the same time if I didn't do that it might not be where it is today. This year though I am trying to realise I have a fantastic team who know what they are doing and can let go just a bit.
The idea that I can create amazing experiences for people. When I have an incredible conversation with a client and both of you go away feeling completely uplifted. 
It doesn't matter how amazing your staff are, how much your friends and family are committed to you and your vision, no-one will ever care about your business as much as you do...and be ok with that.
I would love to put some money into my garden the rest I would put into Missy's Place number 2!
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