The AusMumpreneur Awards, presented by The Women’s Business School, celebrate and recognise 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 recognise the growing number of women who successfully balance motherhood and business in a way that suits their life and family.
Ms Barnbrook is a mum to three neurodiverse kids and a full-time carer to her husband Shane, who had an accident in 2012 that left him an incomplete quadriplegic.
“I'm passionate about my business and working on its growth. I think it's important for women, especially those in caring roles, to find space for themselves in the world when they can be themselves,” she said.
Ms Barnbrook is delighted to be named a finalist and is proud of her achievements, particularly how successful her business has been at providing STEM opportunities for regional children.
“I find the business demands can make it difficult to get to the parts that I find the most rewarding, but when they happen it’s remarkable,” she said.
“We have classroom resources for robotics and STEM for all age groups from Foundation to Year 12.”
Local schools are encouraged to reach out to Board Games and Battlegrounds to see how it can be of assistance.
“Our maker’s space is coming together with two 3D printers, one resin printer, a Janome embroidery machine, a Cricut machine and various media and paints,” Ms Barnbrook said.
“We have a full pink R2-D2 droid that has been rebuilt in our workshop that we use for fundraising.
“Providing a safe space for our LGBTQI+ community members has been an awesome achievement.
“We host a local gaming club, Genderbread, fortnightly for club sessions.”
Ms Barnbrook has found there are many benefits to balancing business and motherhood.
“The challenges of my day-to-day life are hectic, and I am overcoming the odds as a woman in business and as a carer,” she said.
“I wanted a place where my kids would be able to work one day.
“On the surface we are a retail shop with a café inside, but look deeper and you will see it also provides a safe community space for human connection, a large games library, a maker’s space for 3D printing and hobby workshops, and STEM activities for children and adults.”
It can be challenging to be a successful businesswoman while raising a family and Ms Barnbrook gives this advice for others thinking about starting their own enterprise.
“Starting a business is never easy. Be prepared to face the highs and lows that come with it,” she said.
“Remember to stay motivated, learn from mistakes and never give up.
“Your team is one of the most critical factors in your business' success. Hire people with the right skill set, experience and personality. I am incredibly proud of my team.”
The winners of the 2021 AusMumpreneur Awards will be announced at an online event in September.
For more information about the awards, visit www.ausmumpreneur.com or email awards@ausmumpreneur.com
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