#MumStory: Her Daughter’s Hour-Long Meals Inspired A Business Idea

#MumStory is a series by The Singapore Women’s Weekly to uncover the underrated and underreported moments in motherhood, parenting and everything in between — because we believe every mum has a story worth telling. Got a story to share? Email us at sww@sph.com.sg or slide into our DMs on Instagram.

When Rachel Raeburn's daughter was four years old, she was a fussy eater who was easily distracted and often took over an hour to finish each meal. The sleep-deprived mum found mealtimes very frustrating – until inspiration struck.

Rachel motivated her daughter to finish her food by counting down the number of spoonfuls left. This made her child perk up, then try her best to get to the finish line. It also sparked the idea of creating a plate with numbered pods (one to five) that kids can count to, as they work their way through divided food portions. It was a goal that they could look forward to accomplishing.

“Parents may not realise this but while eating comes naturally, children have to be guided on the process of eating. That is, scooping food, chewing and repeating the motion – most get distracted after a while!” explains Rachel, who came up with the idea for My Story Plate in 2019. 

Turning My Story Plate into reality

“I sketched out the concept and design of the plate and engaged a designer to work on the graphics and dimensions. I got input from my daughter on the designs and colours that appeal to her and are gender-neutral so boys could also use them.”

Rachel reached out to suppliers of eco-friendly food quality materials on Alibaba for quotations – the plate is made of sustainable bamboo fibre, which is toxic-free and has antibacterial properties. The Covid-19 pandemic delayed the production and shipping of samples so the first batch of plates were only delivered in the third quarter of 2022. 

This entrepreneurial journey isn't surprising for Rachel, who is also a public relations consultant. She says she has “always been intrigued with entrepreneurship and admired business owners who have built thriving businesses from scratch”. During her time as a flight attendant, she spent her layover days checking out novelty shops and unique F&B concepts, thinking about how she could introduce them in Singapore. 

“I’ve tried my hand at small ventures,” she says. “I resold organisers (inserts) for handbags, which I purchased from the US. This was before handbag inserts became popular. I’ve also imported a nail printing machine from China. Unfortunately, the technology was way ahead of its time and didn’t catch on.

“I also thought of improving on local snacks such as banana fritters to give it a modern spin!” she laughs. 

How did My Story Plate change mealtimes for you and your child?

My daughter is now more enthusiastic at mealtimes and I no longer have to nag at her to eat faster. I thought it could be because she is now older. However, when she eats from other plates, she tends to get distracted and takes a longer time to eat! So the concept of numbered pods really work as they portion food into smaller amounts and the numbers motivate her to eat continuously. She is also proud to have been a part of the design of My Story Plate and to be able to share it with other children who can benefit from it. 

Before you had your daughter, you went down the IVF route. What was this journey like for you?

My husband and I tried to conceive naturally for about three years before we attempted intrauterine insemination (IUI). And when that failed, we tried in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) – twice – to no avail. 

I experienced a roller coaster of emotions as anyone who has undergone IVF would tell you. There was sadness (the “why me” stage), stress from juggling lengthy hospital visits and work, and loneliness as my hubby was managing many important commitments as well. Let’s not forget self-pity from having to inject a cocktail of medicines on my belly area and undergoing the egg retrieval process, which caused severe bloating and discomfort; hopefulness and anxiety during the two-week waiting period; and finally, disappointment and anger when the pregnancy tests were negative.

Why did you eventually decide on adoption?

I loved reading about families with adopted children when I was growing up. I think adoptive parents are the epitome of love and it’s beautiful to see children thriving in these families. Therefore, when I did not conceive after the second IVF attempt, I did not have any qualms about adopting a child to grow our family. My husband was fully on board. 

We then started our research process, first by speaking to two friends – an adoptive mum and an adoptee – to understand their perspectives. Secondly, through the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), we found a Christian charity organisation, Touch Community Services, which facilitated the adoption process. We were so blessed to have been assigned a warm and experienced counsellor who walked us through the whole process from the pre-adoption workshop and the application of the home study report (an assessment of our suitability to adopt a child), to meeting the birth family, filing to legally adopt our child and finally bringing her home from the hospital. It truly felt like a divine intervention. 

We’ve heard of the long waiting period to get matched with a suitable child, but our daughter became a part of our family within six months of our application for a home study report! It was meant to be, our precious gift from God. Being able to see photos of her when she was born and thereafter cradling and bottle feeding her at two-days-old felt so surreal. tears flowed freely when we first laid eyes on her. 

How do you balance being an entrepreneur and a mum?

I make it a point to not undertake too many public relations projects at any given time. This means earning less but it ensures that I am always there for my daughter and my furkid, a Maltese dog we’ve had for over 14 years. It helps that I work best in the mornings, which is when my daughter is in school. 

When my child was younger, my mum stood in when I was out for meetings on weekdays. I currently have a helper who has been with us for over 11 years. She has been of tremendous help and we can’t do without her!

What obstacles have you encountered as a female entrepreneur?

Heavy lifting at the storage place, collecting stock and being in a secluded, male-dominated environment can sometimes feel intimidating. It is my least favourite part of running a physical product business! Also, as a woman, it isn’t safe for me to go to the storage place at night – something I’d prefer to do as it’s so hot and humid in the day for moving stocks around! And as a mum and the main caregiver, I have to work around my child’s schedule, something I don’t think most dads would have to do.

When do you manage to squeeze in me time? What do you do?

“Me time” is usually spent on keeping myself groomed, from scalp and hair care to facials. I also try to catch up with friends over lunch on weekdays. I ensure that my child goes to bed by 9pm. When she’s in bed, I do a short workout, shower and then wind down by reading, watching self-help and lifestyle videos on YouTube, playing mobile games such as Rummikub (I’m addicted!) or watching Netflix with my husband.  

What are some important qualities you want to teach your child?

Kindness and empathy for others, having good manners, always giving her best for everything that she undertakes. We also hope for her to have love and compassion for animals and to be a good steward of the earth – by avoiding overconsumption and single-use disposables, and recycling plastics and paper. Whenever we are at the beach, we pick up plastic disposables and other trash to prevent them from being washed into the sea. We are also mindful to avoid unethical tourist activities like riding elephants, swimming with dolphins or tiger petting and photography. 

What advice do you have for aspiring mumpreneurs?

Surround yourself with a community of mumpreneurs so you can learn and support one another in your journey. Entrepreneurship is rewarding but it is also very challenging and lonely especially if you are a solopreneur like me. Having someone who understands your struggles and encourages you when the going gets tough will make all the difference. 

Also, try not to let your business overwhelm you and take over your life completely. Schedule periods to work on it while also taking care of other aspects of your life. This includes sleep, exercise and self-care, and making time for family and friends.