Momtrepreneur: internaht

This month’s Momtrepreneur is a mother of three (which includes a set of twins!) from Dresden, Germany.

Annett worked at a large German financial institute for nearly two decades before leaving her position and founding internaht, a children’s clothing company.

Full of bright, graphic, high quality pieces, internaht clothing is built to last–and perfect for handing down from child to child.

I asked Annett a few questions to learn more about her work and her process–and hopefully get some helpful pointers for other ladies out there looking to start their own businesses.

Tell me a little bit about your business. When did you start it? What inspired you to get it going? Did you start before or after having your kids?

My name is Annett Winkelmann. I am the founder and creative genius of internaht. At internaht we do “simply beautiful children’s fashion”.

Since I was a teenager sewing has been my great passion. After the birth of our three children I seized the opportunity: I quit my job with a large German bank after almost 20 years, and started internaht. What a change, as you can imagine! No more Powerpoint, Excel and office chit-chat, but instead sewing machines and fashion shows!

Sewing is a nice hobby, but it also made me very demanding, paying lots of attention to small details in the daily things we wear. Personally and for my children, I find it difficult to find high quality clothing that meets our expectations. Also, I am convinced that our kids do not need a lot of clothes, but the items should be durable and of high quality.

So, with the motto “our fashion looks good until the kids have grown out of it,” we develop a small but exquisite children’s collection that brings a sparkle to any kid’s eye! And makes the household burdens for mothers easier. 😉 We only use natural fabrics (cotton and linen, as well as some ecological fabrics) that keep their form and color even after numerous washings, that do not have to be ironed, and that survive many days in kindergarten.

Our own kids and our friends’ kids test the products of internaht every day, and they are proud of them!

internaht apple hoodie

Well, what balance are you talking about? 😉 Honestly, this has been the subject of numerous discussions. I feel guilty very often. From experience and from talks with other moms I know I am not the only one with this kind of struggle.

But on the other side… running your own business gives you so much more flexibility. No demanding bosses, you are the boss instead. You can organize it in such a way that there is enough time with the family in the mornings and late afternoons / evenings. Grandma and kindergarten are a big help, too. And many things I simply do when the kids are in bed, late at night.

The best reward is still when the kids see something we have done at internaht and their first reaction is: “Can I have one, too, please?!”

Without our kids internaht would not exist. It’s as simple as that.

internaht long sleeve monkey t-shirt

For internaht–with its focus on children’s wear–really the life with our kids inspires me most. Their role plays and fairy tales give us ideas. The summer vacation on the sea, their games on the beach lead us to whales and pirates. Beach dresses are fantastic for long summer days by the sea…

Besides that, there are many other sources of inspiration. Gorgeous pictures on Pinterest, for example. Inspirations come from fashion and architecture of Scandinavian countries and from France. There are beautiful magazines out there. Talks with our friends, other moms, our customers, the Etsy Street team… just be open to new ideas, they are everywhere around us!

internaht kid’s beach dress

Really take your passions, see what drives you, take all your energy, and make it happen! Don’t think too long, simply do it!

On your way, there will be few obstacles for sure… but don’t give up! Get the support of your friends and family. Also there are other great teams out there to help you. Your local sewing club, the community cafe around the corner, an Etsy steet team in your area. Go and see them, they are full of ideas and helping hands. And don’t sit silently in a corner waiting to be discovered. Maybe, who knows… go out, present your ideas in your neighborhood, put your products on display in handmade fairs, be proud of it! It’s made by you!

Annett has been kind enough to offer Cuddles and Chaos readers a 10% discount in her shop with discount code “CUDDLES.” Head on over and let me know what you get!

internaht whale hoodie

 If you’re interested in being considered for a Momtrepreneur feature (or if you know someone you think would be perfect), shoot me an email at jen@cuddlesandchaos.com.

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