This week, we talk to Angelique Woodburn, founder of The Midnight Gang, maker of Bed Mates which are artistically designed, waterproof bedsheets that keep the bed protected as children undergo their bedwetting phase. An experienced entrepreneur, Angelique took inspiration for this venture from her experience in dealing with her child’s bedwetting problems and put an artistic spin to the traditional plain white and disposable bedsheets in the market.
ISB: What is the inspiration behind The Midnight Gang?
AW: Before I started The Midnight Gang I founded a children’s clothing label called Howi. It was my first experience owning my own business and I was hooked! After my third child was born in 2016 I decided to sell Howi and start another business, The Midnight Gang. At the time my six-year-old was in nighttime toilet training and the only options for waterproof sheet protectors were either disposable or plain white and looked like a hospital sheet. I thought how wonderful it would be to have the beautiful artwork featured on all the kid’s sheets and quilt covers on the waterproof sheet protectors. So, I decided to do something about it and created Bed Mates!
ISB: While you’ve had experience in starting a business, what unexpected challenge did you face in getting this venture off the ground and how did you overcome it?
AW: At the very beginning of The Midnight Gang I decided to make organic quilted blankets. They were really beautiful, and in the lead-up to the launch seemed to have lots of great feedback and interest, but once we launched they weren’t selling very well. They were quite expensive as they were organic cotton and weren’t essential items. I realised pretty quickly they were not going to be a sustainable product for my business. At the same time, I had the idea for the Bed Mates and realised how important it was that our products solved a problem. If we could help other people and offer them a solution to a problem, then we were on the right track. We phased out the quilts and launched our Bed Mates and we’ve never looked back.
ISB: What makes your brand’s offerings stand out from other waterproof bed sheets in the market?
AW: The main element that is unique to us is the stunning artwork that is featured on our products. We work with Australian artists who hand draw all the illustrations that we print onto our Bed Mates and every illustration has a story or meaning behind it. It makes our products not just one-dimensional. Yes, they are a practical must-have for every family, but they also carry a story with them via illustrations that are also connected to a charity where we aim to raise money and awareness for different causes.
ISB: How beneficial is it to have your husband now working with you in the business?
AW: It is not just beneficial, it is essential! Our business got to the point where I could no longer ‘do it all’. We moved our stock from our garage with me packing every order, to a 3PL warehouse with a team fulfilling each order. However, I still couldn’t manage on my own. Through a business coaching group, my husband and I completed a wealth dynamics profile (a personality test for people in business) and it highlighted to us the importance of finding someone who was strong in the areas I lacked, and vice versa. Sure enough, my husband was the perfect fit to complement me in the business.
ISB: What is the secret to gaining an 80 per cent increase in revenue that The Midnight Gang achieved in just two years despite the pandemic?
AW: I am a creative personality which means I get distracted easily and find the boring mundane tasks really difficult to do. However, we’ve seen that when you just consistently do the small things, big changes occur. We also like to plan the day before it starts. This really changed the momentum of our business. We’ve also identified the importance of accountability. There needs to be someone in your business keeping you accountable. For me, it’s my husband. And lastly, it’s important to spend time reflecting on your business. We have weekly meetings to reflect on what things are or aren’t working and we are constantly trying to refine and improve our practices. Without time set aside to reflect, it’s very easy for the business to start drifting and by the time you notice, it can often be too late.
ISB: How do you see The Midnight Gang growing in the next couple of years?
AW: We have big plans for The Midnight Gang and we are excited to see where we can take it. Reflecting on the growth we’ve experienced over the past few years has given us the motivation to keep striving forward. We have a brand new product we are hoping to launch in March this year and we are taking on more and more stockists. So, our goal is to just keep chipping away and working towards The Midnight Gang becoming a household name in kids’ bedding.
