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Raegan Moya-Jones CEO and Co-Founder, aden + anais
When Raegan Moya-Jones left Australia in 1996 with her future husband, whose work took him to the United States, never did she expect to start a global business which would one day attract celebrity fans. But after moving to the US, Raegan could not find the traditional cotton muslin swaddling blankets used to wrap babies that were popular back home in Australia. The only options were too small, too thick and/or just did not do the job right. Though disappointed in what the current marketplace had to offer, Raegan saw an opportunity. Convinced that American mothers would love the option of a high quality muslin swaddling blanket, Raegan, armed with over 20 years' sales experience, decided to go into business herself.
Along with a business partner, Raegan created aden + anais, named after their children, and rolled out the first product collection in 2006. The swaddles won over parents, paediatricians and even cultivated a celebrity following - with many Hollywood parents seen using the lovely, light, cotton blankets.
In 2008, Raegan became the sole force behind the company and is now heading a brand with innovative products and partnerships with some of the largest retailers in the United States. Today, aden + anais is sold in over twenty countries worldwide and Raegan has published her first book (2010), Swaddle Love, which chronicles the history, science and techniques of swaddling. In it, she also recounts her personal journey from new mother to business entrepreneur.
Expat Women's Interview with Raegan
Expat Women: Raegan, what gave you the confidence to start a business while also raising a young family?
Raegan: I do not know that there was any confidence involved; I just kind of dived in the deep end! Had I known going in what I would need to sacrifice whilst building the business I am not sure I would have done it. Now looking back with a successful business, I am happy I did not know what I did not know.
Expat Women: You have been described as a "Mom on a Mission" to introduce the benefits of swaddling and great baby products to moms around the world. Do you find that as an entrepreneur, your personal and professional passions overlap?
Raegan: My family and good friends are really what matter in my life. My personal mission is to live life to the full, love with all my heart, make a difference whilst I'm here and go to my grave with no regrets. Everything I do with aden + anais is aligned with my personal beliefs; I run my business the same way I live my life.
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Expat Women: How does the aden + anais Swaddle Love Foundation fit into your mission? |
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Raegan: In the process of writing my book Swaddle Love, I learned about the negative effects that the lack of human contact had on young babies. At the same time, my husband and I were looking into adopting a baby. I was getting nowhere with the process as I was older than 40, and most agencies will not place a newborn baby with parents who are post 40. I was frustrated by this and decided to look directly at orphanages to see if I could "get around the system".
Once I started to learn about the conditions in many orphanages, where babies are left alone in cribs for 18-20 hours a day - as the orphanages are understaffed and just do not have enough people to interact with the infants - I was heartbroken and began to look for an organization that focused on this issue and ultimately "touch deprivation".
There are many wonderful organizations that support orphanages in multiple ways but none that I could find that were specifically focusing on the need for children to be "held". It seemed so basic to me, and having learned about the ramifications of the lack of human contact in the first two years of a child's life, I just could not ignore it... so I started the Swaddle Love Foundation to focus on this issue.
The idea is to help understaffed orphanages around the world hire local women to care for infants. A fully staffed orphanage means a better chance for babies in their care to receive the basic of human connections - touch. Instead of being left alone for those 18-20 hours a day (which research has shown contributes to emotional and physical disorders as well as brain defects, anxiety and depression), hiring additional hands gives babies a chance to be held more often - and local women an opportunity for employment. |
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Expat Women: You are a mother, the CEO of your own business and now an author. What do you find most challenging and the most rewarding about wearing so many hats? |
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Raegan: Most definitely the hardest part is when I need to travel and be away from my girls for an extended period of time. I have an amazing Chief Operating Officer (COO) who has helped me build this business and he takes the travel hit for me a lot of the time, but there are instances where I just have to go. So the most challenging thing is the mother's guilt aspect of my business!
The most rewarding thing about this incredibly full and rich life that I lead is that I have a beautiful healthy family, amazing friends, a successful business and an opportunity to help others through the Foundation. Life has been really good to me (touch wood)! |
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Expat Women: What are your top five tips for women who are considering starting a business abroad - especially women juggling family roles as well? |
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Believe in yourself and follow your instincts; |
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Never ever, ever do anything for "the money;"
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Ask for help with both the business and your family... it is impossible to do it all alone; |
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Ideally, have an incredibly supportive partner; the stress a new business venture (especially a fast-growing, successful one) puts on your relationship is enormous, and if it is not rock-solid to start, you will be in trouble; and |
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Know what you do not know and do not be afraid to admit it (oh except for the one time when you are about to blindly "dive in the deep end")! |
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Expat Women: Finally, what's next for you and for aden + anais? |
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Raegan: I love what I do and I am now fortunate enough to work with an incredibly talented and dedicated group of people from all over the world. I am very happy being the CEO of aden + anais and believe wholeheartedly that we have really only just scratched the surface of what this company can do. I plan on staying put for a while yet. |
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Expat Women: Raegan, we congratulate you on the growing success of aden + anais and wish you ongoing, incredible success! |
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