Toys:as a parent you will undoubtedly be very happy that it exists. Suppose you had to entertain your kids all day long 😉 . But have you ever wondered where all the trendy toys nowadays come from? Debbie Spelt founded her own webshop in 2004! May we introduce…
My name is Debbie Spelt, 43 years old, married and mother of two beautiful daughters:Lisa (15 years) and Lynn (7 years). Always busy and busy! My husband always says “If Debbie is bored for 5 minutes, she creates again for 10 minutes of work” and that's kind of right. Sitting still is not for me, I am always busy finding new things where I can lose my energy, both professionally and privately. I also love Spinning! I can really lose my egg in that and clear my head for a while. I also love to travel, experience things, see and read. To still get the necessary rest, I like to dive into a good movie or book or go for a walk with my dog Anouk.
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What kind of company do you have and how did you get there?
I founded TrendySpeelgoed.nl in 2004. Actually as a test company because I was curious about the new phenomenon “web store”. As a marketer, I wanted to know how people can find you and why they want to spend their money with you. And what could be more fun than learning in practice. At that time, there was still not much experience and information available.
So I was already on the internet a lot and often saw super nice trendy toys on foreign sites that I couldn't get here in the Netherlands. Why not? That was the seed that germinated and from which my webshop originated in 2004.
What do you get the most satisfaction from when you look at your own company?
TrendySpeelgoed.nl has grown very quietly but steadily and manageably. From an online store with the laptop on the kitchen table and the stock in the garage, to a beautiful company in Oss where we combine office and storage. We currently ship over 10,000 orders on an annual basis. In September we will also open a physical location where we will sell trendy toys. Nice against the flow of online so now also to offline 😉 . I definitely think that has potential and opportunities. Super fun new challenge again.
Do you still have a job next to your company, or do you have your hands full running it?
I've got my hands full! I consciously do not count all the hours, especially not with the integration of mobile and I-Pad I am working on my shop seven days a week. Even on the toilet I still answer questions via email, Facebook and Twitter. We do have a mobile stop every evening after 8 p.m. Then everyone in the family is only allowed to check their mobile during commercials on TV, otherwise we will never get to know each other. The mobile also stays downstairs when I go to bed. No business in the bedroom!
How do you divide your time between your work and your private life, is there a balance?
That is and will always be difficult. You always feel guilty towards either your family or the company. But on Tuesday afternoon I consciously distance myself. Then I pick up my youngest from school and the neighboring children also play with us. On Wednesdays I work from home so I can also update the house a bit and have time to do something fun with the kids in the afternoon if they want to too. They often want to meet up with friends themselves. But there is also the space to do that at our home.
What is your 'ultimate' goal when you look at your own business and your family?
With the arrival of the store we will have a busy time in the coming months! I did, however, discuss the idea and plans for the physical store with my husband and children. I only wanted to and could do this if they supported it, but they thought it was a great idea. I think that in terms of the number of working hours and also the size of the company, this is a bit the max. If we grow even bigger, I have to hand over a lot of things and I don't like that. Now the variety is just so nice. From purchasing to marketing, but also packing orders in the warehouse myself, I am involved in everything! My family is also involved in my business. They regularly help out at trade fairs and events, but not all of our lives revolve around the company. Fortunately, there is still plenty of room for private activities.
What advice would you give other moms if you heard they were considering starting their own business?
Oh think about it very carefully, because… once you start for yourself you will never switch again. At least, if you really feel passion and fire for your own company then you are always working on it. That is nice and good, but you have to want and be able to. It is also nonsense to think that you are only really busy with it for the first few years and then that it is there and you can take it easy after that. I still hear this regularly, but that kite is not going up, not in this time. It's tough and tough!
Would you like to add something to the above that we haven't thought of?
I would like to explain that TrendySpeelgoed.nl is not just a toy store. We focus on toys and games with added value for the development of children. Trendy toys that kids can get to work with actively or creatively. For example, look at the letter game mat that MamsatWork reviewed a while ago.
No battery-operated toys, no licenses like cartoon heroes or heavily promoted and advertised toys on children's TV channels, but trendy toys that conquer the market on their own because children like to play with them themselves! We scour the world for these unique toys. We design toys ourselves, we import a lot of toys ourselves and we choose the coolest currants from local distributors and wholesalers.
