Hampstead Business Mums - Natasha, KULKIDZ

I have met Natasha before over a glass of wine at Freemasons Arm during a Hampstead Mums run "Mums Night Out" (we organise it once a month). She is a really vibrant lady, sporting amazing red lipstick and just a really fun lady all around. She runs a contemporary online childrenswear store called Kulkidz.

 Did you choose to live in Hampstead or did it just happen that way?  

We used to live in Queen’s Park and even though we liked the area we wanted to try something different.We actually looked on the map and asked “where is the greenest area in NW London?” and found this cluster that comprises Golders Hill and the Heath and the Extension and knew immediately we needed to live here. Luckily enough, we found a great flat right across the Extension.

Describe your family. (Age/gender of members). 

Me and my husband 38 and our 2 year old boy.

Please describe your business. When did you start it?

I run Kulkidz Contemporary Childrenswear Online Store (www.kulkidz.com) which is an online shop that sells all of my favourite European brands of babies’ and children’s clothes. We started the business plan early last year and after designing the website and buying of merchandise. The shop went live this April 2015.

What drives you to run your own business? 

I have been in the Fashion industry (as a womanswear designer) for 17 years and always had a passion for clothes, fabric and everything in between. After having my son I had to weigh the pros and cons of getting back to work as late hours and lots of travelling are a big part of the business and decided I was going to translate this career into my new lifestyle as a mum and wife and decided to create Kulkidz. 

Having my own business means I can organise my time in a way that suits everyone and I don’t have to sacrifice seeing my son growing up while still keeping my career. It really is the best of both worlds – even when he sits on my laptop and erases half a day worth of work…lol

Is your other half supportive? In the family home? With the business? 

My husband is really supportive and the biggest push to make Kulkidz a reality actually came from him. He has always believed in my talent and also the need of still being “part of the world out there”, as being a mum sometimes can be really reclusive and lonely.

Even though he also has his own business to run, he helps in many topics of my business and is also quite hands on at home with our little man.

He plays an enormous part in this crazy journey which is having a family, where both parents have start-ups and VERY opinionated 2 year old storm at home.