From Redundancy to Global Success: How HeyDoodle Founder, Beatrice Toh, Repurposed her Architectural Training to Create a Global Kids’ Product Hit.
Melbourne-based mother of three, Beatrice Toh, left a long career in architecture to turn her side-hustle into her now full-time gig. Beatrice founded the multi-award-winning HeyDoodle range of eco-friendly silicone playmats and creative play products in 2019, after recognising a gap in the market for products that combine education, fun and sustainability.
Today, HeyDoodle sells online and is stocked via more than 800 Australian retailers and trading in more than 25 countries and growing rapidly.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
I am a Master of Architecture graduate and a registered architect. I’d been working as a full-time architect for many years and my husband still runs an architecture firm. My eureka moment came amid experiencing the onset of the construction industry slump at the same time as my early years of parenthood in 2018-19. The slump hit us hard and it was quite an uneasy time for us – as for many in our field.
In addition to all the professional pressures at the time and like most mums, I was constantly on the hunt for ways to keep my kids entertained while encouraging their development and eco-consciousness.
As a parent looking for a convenient, affordable and mess-free solution for busting boredom that isn’t screen-based and can be used anywhere, especially when we were out and about, I recognised a gap in the market for a product that combines education, fun and sustainability.
So effectively my self-funded startup turned full-time small business now reaching a global market and still rapidly growing, HeyDoodle has flourished from my personal solution to a product range used by tens-of-thousands of families, allied health professionals, educational institutions, within hospitals and soon, within aged care facilities too.
What inspired you to start your business?
As mentioned, I struggled to find creative play products to really inspire my children so it was a gap in the market that motivated me to create HeyDoodle.
I am so proud of the HeyDoodle range because it’s made with kids and mums in mind. Simply draw, erase, repeat. The range is reusable, mess-free, versatile and sustainable.
HeyDoodle is made to inspire imaginative young minds, enhance fine motor skills, and offer a sustainable solution for parents and caregivers looking to reduce waste while keeping kids entertained.
The HeyDoodle range is made from FDA-approved food-grade silicone and provide oodles of hours of educational play through drawing, colouring, tracing and problem-solving activities.
Along with my genuine passion for eco-friendly products and commitment to social responsibility in business, motherhood played a pivotal role in inspiring the birth of HeyDoodle. I’ve involved my three kids in various aspects of the business (especially product-testing) and I love that they’re learning such invaluable skills at an early age as a result.
Where is your business based?
HeyDoodle is based in Richmond, Victoria.
Today, HeyDoodle sells online – www.heydoodle.com.au – and is stocked via more than 800 Australian retailers and trading in more than 25 countries and growing rapidly.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
Admittedly, I was initially hesitant given I’d had no experience in making kids’ products and eCommerce but I found my training in architecture really helped on that front.
Among my first steps were to ensure I could make and manufacture the product range. By repurposing my architectural experience, I’ve been able to utilise my skills in problem solving, design, effective collaboration and strategies for mastering silicone manufacturing and working with partners to test and develop new ideas, to ultimately create an innovative product range that’s filling a market gap.
I did my research. Considered my target customer and then jumped right in. Not too unlike the journey of parenthood actually, diving into creating a HeyDoodle eComm platform and now nurturing its growth is certainly proving a wonderfully wild experience.
I did carefully consider the pros and cons of leaving architecture for the world of e-commerce full-time, especially with little experience in the field, but I’m so glad that I embraced the challenge.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
Our brand identity was defined from the very outset of the business and although we’re not closed off to evolving, we’ve remained true to our values.
We have a strong value proposition in the sustainability and reusability of our products and highlighting this – across our digital channels, in packaging, in our tone and even in the partners we’ve chosen to engage – has been constant and helpful for growth.
We use social media platforms to engage our customer base and we use strategic paid marketing and editorial media engagement to spread word of HeyDoodle and what the business is all about.
Carefully selected brand collaborations – eg with institutions like museums, zoos and cultural organisations – have been crucial to keeping HeyDoodle exciting in such a saturated market as kids’ toys. By collaborating with the right brand partners, we’ve been able to significantly increase our exposure to the right audiences.
We also exhibit at relevant trade-based expos and fairs right across the world and that has helped to get HeyDoodle products across the more distribution points that I’d ever thought possible.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
There have been too many challenges to list in entirety but among the key challenges are:
Poor manufacturing outcomes: where mass produced goods did not match samples. We had to check our products one by one which was extremely tedious and time consuming. We overcame this challenge by switching manufacturers and introducing more stringent quality controls during manufacturing.
Competing in a crowded market: It’s hard to compete against so many ‘big kids’ of the toys-based market. We differentiated ourselves through focussing on the sustainability of our products, educational designs, expert-backing and using high-quality materials. Winning awards and collaborating with renowned institutions further validated our unique value proposition to help us stand-out as a relatively small player in such a massive market.
Scaling internationally: Expanding into global markets required navigating logistical complexities, cultural differences, and varying customer expectations. We showcased HeyDoodle at prestigious trade fairs, designed localised products, and partnered with distributors to establish a foothold in more than 25 countries now and counting. Strategic collaborations, like the Australia Zoo range, also helped open doors internationally.
I’ve learnt that we need to be resilient - every problem has a solution. I've learnt that planning ahead is key, but being adaptive is also just as important as many things change along the way.
How do you stay focused?
Admittedly, this is a constant struggle and one I am still learning to master. Being pulled in so many directions and with varying degrees of importance does make it hard to remain focussed – a challenge I imagine many owners of small businesses face.
As CEO and Founder, I am involved in all important decisions and I try to focus on the most pressing tasks that only I can tackle as priority; and lead my team in a way that’s encouraging and clear so the process of delegating other tasks is more effective.
Having a team of staff and a support network I can count on really does help to remain focussed on the big picture for HeyDoodle.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
By making choices that centre on our customers’ wants and pursuing strategies that align with our brand identity (as opposed to too much toe-dipping which can be tempting) has helped to grow HeyDoodle in a way that’s sustainable.
As a mum of three, I personally fit the psychographics of my target customer so I always had confidence in HeyDoodle’s potential to fill a gap in the market for products that combine education, fun and sustainability. However, confidence – even an ample amount of confidence – in not enough in such a competitive market.
Again, it’s a steadfast commitment to our brand identity: blending playfulness with professionalism in our branding – that helps us to stand out from the pack and appeal to both parents / caregivers as well as to children.
Working with suppliers has very much aided our ability to innovate and stay ahead. I visit our suppliers and really get to know how they work to educate myself on the ins-and-outs of our product manufacturing. Doing so helps me to adequately grasp which boundaries can be further pushed for product innovation.
Strategic collaborations via partnerships with brands that naturally share our values is also working wonders for HeyDoodle.
Corporate responsibility and community support is another key focus for HeyDoodle. We give in a number of ways to worthwhile causes and communities. I wish I could say this is true for more toy-based businesses but the reality is that it isn’t and our customers seemingly recognise that.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
I have five top tips:
Focus on your niche: Identify your target audience and tailor your products and messaging to resonate with them.
Start small but dream big! Begin with a manageable idea that aligns with your passion and skills, but don’t be afraid to envision where you want to take it, and back yourself to take it there!
Be true to your identity but also remain adaptable: Entrepreneurship is full of challenges, from unexpected setbacks to steep learning curves. Know your identity as a brand and remain true to that identity but also, be open to opportunities and flexible enough to move with what’s needed for your business to grow.
Build a support network: Running a business can be lonely, you need to have people around you who get your struggles and can provide sound advice.
Factor in your wages into your expenses as early on as you can to build a sustainable business model.
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
I take in a lot of parenting industry-focussed news – not just because it relates to my life at this point in time but importantly, it helps me understand my customer. I also listen to eComm-centred podcasts like Add To Cart whenever I can.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
Business podcasts because they motivate me.
Who is your business role model? Why?
David Green of Hobby Lobby. He built his arts and crafts-focussed business from the garage, but even through massive growth, he didn't waver on the values and vision on which it was built upon.
How do you balance work and life?
Definitely something I’m still trying to master. As a mum of three young children and a full-time business owner that’s just coming out of infancy, I’d describe it as a beautiful act of spinning plates… on a unicycle.
For me, remaining intentional is key. I make a point to carve out pockets of time for specific reasons.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
I love reading fiction novels but I am a binge reader so sometimes end up with an opposite effect to rest!
Getting a good massage or taking a warm bath on the other hand, does help to decompress. And as a full-time working mum of three, it’s vital that I do decompress at times.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
Really focussing on growing our business base in the USA – which is one of 25 countries HeyDoodle currently trades in and building stronger connections within all of our existing markets.
Of course, we’ll continue to innovate in terms of product design too which is very exciting.
How can our readers connect with you?
Email info@heydoodle.com.au
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beatricetoh/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeyDoodleAU/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heydoodle_
Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/heydoodleau/
