Under the charge of Rachael MacLaren, the humble doormat is being revamped. Her company, Adoremat, offers custom designed doormats that are functional and attractive – a venture that Rachael is deeply passionate about. But starting out in a regional area, particularly with a niche business, has not been an easy journey. Based from her home in the Coffs Coast, Rachael launched her own business after seeing an opening in the market for custom designed doormats. She credits today’s technology for the ease with which she can run Adoremat from her own home. It has allowed her to manage her day-to-day schedule however she wants, while still working on other business. Rachael also attends networking events within her local community, which can be difficult when juggling family and business. For wider exposure, though, she turns to the Australian Businesswomen’s Network, which provides her with an abundance of resources like podcasts and tutorials. Whenever she feels the pressure growing, she likes to connect with professionals who ‘talk the talk’ and other successful Australian Businesswomen’s Network members. Through their stories of success, failures and lessons, Rachael has been inspired to keep going and persevere. The ABN’s BOOKED for Lunch segment has also led her to helpful business literature and links to resources she would not otherwise have heard about. Rachael’s passion for custom design doormats began when she and her husband bought a floor mat rental business in 2005. Rachael began using the mats in her own home and quickly realised that there was a market for them.
“These mats worked brilliantly and I couldn’t work out why no-one was providing them for homes,” she says. It took her six years to establish the business, but it has now allowed her to do something she loves and from which gains immense satisfaction. “I enjoy seeing the great response I get from customers,” Rachael says.
Despite the benefit of flexible hours and a manageable schedule, Rachael has faced some obstacles as a businesswoman getting started in a regional area.
For one, marketing her product on a national scale proved difficult with a tight budget. Since discovering the benefits of Twitter through a tutorial by the ABN, however, Rachael has overcome the distance barrier. She has even been approached by an artist in the UK, with whom she now collaborates by putting her images on mats. But there has been a more constant, frustrating, challenge. Rachael has had to contend with the opinions of naysayers, which she explains has been a constant mental battle. “Everyone seems to have an opinion and judgement in small towns,” she says. Learning to filter and manage outside opinions, whether positive or negative, is an invaluable skill for those just starting out, she advises.
Rachael MacLaren was interviewed as part of the Australian Businesswomen’s Network’s ‘Beyond the City’ initiative, which highlights the achievements of women in regional and rural Australia. You can read more profiles here. And, for more information on you can connect, learn and grow, regardless of your location, learn more about the benefits of membership.
