In a nutshell, Alpha Bettys was created as my weapon of choice against Post Natal Depression. I’ve hidden it from most for a very long time, but now I’m ready to be honest. Prior to having my son, I enjoyed a successful career in the branded clothing industry, looking after sales, product development and brand management for well known labels. The career involved a lot of travel and time away and
that wasn’t the ideal that I had for motherhood, so I didn’t return. When our boy was 6 months old I was diagnosed with Post Natal Depression but declined suggestions of medication or support until he was almost 2 years old. When I started upon my journey of help, I quickly hit a wall because there is a shut off at the child’s age of 2. I no longer qualified for the PND group (all be it by a few weeks), and the ‘regular group’ didn’t feel like it was on the same page as me, or even the same book. A year previously I had an idea for a Christmas jumper but didn’t act upon it (because I had a 1 year old and was categorically exhausted!) Christmas was rolling around again and the idea was still there. For a moment I felt defeated by PND and the health channels that help battle it…..but the moment I decided to have a go at producing the Christmas Jumpers and put the wheels in motion…..I started to feel better. Not all day everyday….but a definite improvement. And with each sale came a lift to my mood, a smile, a return to my old self and a New feeling far more fulfilling than hitting targets for the big brands. December passed and I realised I needed to progress to another design or put it to bed until next Christmas. I didn’t want that lifted feeling to go away and the clouds to return, so ‘Made In Southsea’ was born and Alpha Bettys grew. Soon it’s our 1st Birthday. In the past year the brand has grown to include T shirts, sweat shirts, baby grows, baby changing mats, nursery artwork, cushions, tote bags and personalised customer orders. Alpha Bettys has just started work on its third Collaboration with a local like minded business. We attend a monthly market in our home town of Southsea and are slowly launching online too. I was awarded a place on the NatWest E-Spark Entrepreneur business course, which I have almost completed and am focussing on moving Alpha Bettys to the next level. Whilst spending the maximum amount of time with my family and being the Mumma I wanted to be…..a happy one!
