Anna & Oskar was founded as a small business in Kreuztal on July 4, 2017. A lot has happened since then.

A passion for minimalist design gave rise to the need to meet these aesthetic demands in baby's first-time outfits. From the very beginning, the goal was to focus more on parents themselves: to find out what THEY like. Clean cuts, reduced to the essentials, and the use of the highest-quality materials. 100% owl-free – the promise to all parents who simply can't stand the sight of it anymore. These were the core elements of Anna and Oskar. In 2019, Caro took the step of building a sustainable company and putting her products into series production. How did a hobby become a profession?

Caro tells...

I'm not a trained seamstress and acquired the necessary know-how through YouTube videos and books. The most important thing: not a day went by without me at the sewing machine. I developed my affinity for clear designs and formal language during my studies, when I worked in a designer shop for modern interiors in Düsseldorf. I absorbed books, magazines, and of course blogs on the subject and constantly ordered new materials to implement every little idea. Not everything worked out; I had to pay my dues and was my own harshest critic. From the very beginning, however, I also sought feedback from others. "How much would you pay for a diaper bag like this?" and "What would be important to you in a diaper backpack?" - with these and many other questions, I annoyed all the mothers around me. From the very beginning, I fought against the image of the "sewing DaWanda mom." One of the most important steps was to build my own website with an integrated online shop. Today, with DaWanda dead and handmade markets full of diaper bags and pacifier chains, I have many opportunities to present my brand differently.

"From the beginning, I fought against the image of the sewing DaWanda mom"

These are the first steps that helped me tremendously to get started as an entrepreneur while also being there for my family. Here are my most important learnings:

• Just do it! Registering a business with the city costs 20 euros and takes five minutes.
• Become visible. I had to step out of my comfort zone and tell everyone about it. Join Facebook, open an Instagram account. I can vividly remember sitting in front of my computer and watching the first visitors come to my website ("There! A visitor! There, another one! Oh, the first one's gone again! Look, there are already three people on my website!")
• The ONE Thing. Do ONE important thing every day that will move you forward. In the beginning, I often got bogged down. There's so much to do and so much more I could do! Now I think of one (!) to-do for each day that's so important that it wouldn't matter if I didn't get anything else done that day. Effective time management is more important to moms with businesses than to anyone.
• Independence: no Dawanda, no Etsy, no Amazon Handmade. You can get your own website with a shop for €180 a year, including hosting and all the trimmings. The money you save on commissions is better invested in Google or Facebook advertising.
• Sell ​​everything from the beginning. What should happen? I offer all customers a right of return from the start. If a return does occur, you get valuable feedback for your product and get to know your target audience better! I've even sold prototypes. With the relevant information, of course! But that way, I quickly recouped my material costs.
• Involve the family. We celebrate milestones together, and everyone pitches in when needed. I listen to my husband's opinion before making any financial or strategic decisions.
• Organize childcare. I have my "free Friday"—the kids are with grandma, and I have time for my business from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. On this day, I complete conceptual tasks, create content for social media, or draw new designs. I can also write invoices at 10 p.m. after a long day.
• Set goals: generate your first €10,000, get your first 1,000 followers, get your first press mention... there are many possibilities. Write it down on a mind map and stick it inside your bathroom cabinet—it works wonders!
• Going the extra mile: Netflix evenings are over. If you want more, you have to do more. And with children, the only time left is often the evenings and lunch breaks.
• Family time is quality time: turn off your cell phone and be present. I involve my children in all daily tasks like ironing, cooking, tidying up, etc. They're always with me. If I say, "I need to wrap these packages for half an hour," everyone is fine with it.
• Mindset work. For me, that was the key. Podcasts, books, blogs about online business, but also motivation, success, and self-love. Only then do you have the strength to work hard, sell authentically, and stand up to pessimists.

"Netflix nights are over. If you want more, you have to do more."