Shanti McIvor Baba Slings

Local mum celebrates 10 years in business... and still thriving!!

Sunshine Coast business Baba Slings is celebrating its tenth birthday and director and creator Shanti McIvor is taking time to reflect on ten years of growth, initiative and commitment.

As the creator of Baba Slings and an at home mum, Shanti McIvor started her Sunshine Coast business with a great idea and minuscule loan of $1400 from the Maleny Credit Union. Now ten years on Baba Slings is a nationally and internationally recognized brand in the parenting market, and was recently rated as the most popular baby sling in Japan.

The concept for Baba Slings began ten years ago whilst Shanti McIvor was pregnant with her second child, she now has five! After looking unsuccessfully for a sling to fill all her needs as a mother she decided to create her own.

Starting on a shoe sting budget she set out to make a baby sling that allowed for comfort, bonding, breastfeeding, multiple positions and a touch of style. The result was Baba Slings and the business took flight from there, doubling in size almost every year. From one sling the range has grown to incorporate different choices in fabrics as well as embroidery, organic cotton and a boutique line using her own designs.

It's this initiative and hands on business approach that has seen Baba Slings continue to thrive and grow through all challenges to now celebrate their tenth year in business!

When the economic crisis loomed large over Australian businesses this year Shanti McIvor took it as a sign not to downsize, but to look towards the future and focus on growth. This year she has been busy looking for new markets and distributors, traveling to countries such as the USA and New Zealand to make connections and contacts and plans are also afoot for new product lines and concepts.

A local success story that started with a good idea, initiative and a lot of commitment to see it through to ten years! To help celebrate Baba Slings, has opened a shop for the public at its refurbished warehouse at Hunchy (see details following page).

Shanti McIvor puts Baba Slings' success down to facing challenges, such as the recent economic downturn, with positivity, commitment and belief in her product.

'The Baba Slings' team is very proud to be selling a local Sunshine Coast product on the international market,' said Shanti McIvor of the upcoming anniversary. 'I started on a budget so small its almost embarrassing, but I really believed in my product. I think in hard economic times its really important to stay positive in business and really focus in on growth. I am so proud of the Baba Slings team and all the effort we have all put in be able to say that we are still in business and still thriving and growing ten years on.'

Growing up on the Sunshine Coast, Shanti McIvor incorporated family and friends into her business as it grew. Now the Baba Slings team has just completed refurbishments of their distribution warehouse on the Sunshine Coast and has opened it to the public as a shop, which also sells other quality baby products - just in time for their tenth birthday.

New shop now open to the public - Located at Baba Sling Warehouse on the road up to Montville, Sunshine Coast. 486 Hunchy Rd, Hunchy, Qld, 4555.


Buy a Baba Sling now at www.femail.com.au/baba_slings_boutique_two_colour.htm