Christine Kininmonth TV Newsreader

Christine Kininmonth's TV newsreading career took a huge swerve when she became pregnant with her first child.

"I was demoted and subsequently made redundant - and it was the best thing that could have happened to me."

Christine used the opportunity to launch Belly Belt, a kit that elasticizes waistbands to turn jeans and pants into maternity wear.

"I'd been wearing my badly sewn homemade prototype of Belly Belt on the newsreading set. I had to wear suits and you simply couldn't buy a smart maternity suit then. My idea was a huge help to me, and I thought others might benefit from it."

This was nine years ago, and Christine's company Fertile Mind now sells Belly Belt into 23 countries.

"We even have Belly Belt's packaging translated into Japanese, German, French and Spanish."

Christine didn't have any business experience, but she was lucky to meet her business partner (who did) when she tried to sell her car. "I'd run out of money and was forced to sell my car to pay a bill - Peter was looking for a car for his mum. It was a stroke of great luck and shows that being talkative can get you places!"

With her background as a journalist and TV newsreader, Christine was four years ago asked to be a panelist on ABC TV's New Inventors.

"I love seeing people at those very scary beginning stages of business. Part of me wants to scream 'It's too hard, don't do it' but I know how much pleasure I got from seeing my invention on the shop shelves."

And, if TV and her business isn't enough, Christine's a mother of four daughters aged from 10 to almost two.

"I could work every day but I try to limit it to three a week. It's not ideal on either side, but it keeps me reasonably connected to home and work life."

Fertile Mind (www.fertilemind.com.au) now employs seven people and distributes maternity and breastfeeding clothes and accessories, including Belly Belt.