I made it a point to actively engage with parents on various platforms, sharing valuable sleep tips, showcasing the Baby Sleep Pods in use, and promoting positive feedback from
customers. This not only helped build a community of parents around the product but also contributed to increased sales and visibility.Carlene Rotblat
When Carlene Rotblat became a mom in September 2017, her world flipped. Sleep—or the lack of it—took over, spiraling her into postpartum anxiety and depression. “I was a prisoner in my own home.
I was absolutely terrified about ruining my baby’s naps and I can count on one hand the number of times I left my house in the first four months,” she recalls. A sleep consultant’s controlled crying only made it worse. “That sleep consultant used controlled crying which fuelled my anxiety. I wished there was another way to sleep train and a way to leave my house without panic,” she says. After her second daughter arrived in 2020, the nurse turned sleep consultant launched Sweet Dreamers, offering gentle sleep support with no tears.
Her next move was Baby Sleep Pods, born from a need she couldn’t ignore. “As a sleep consultant, I have often been asked how to support baby sleep when outside of the house,” she says. Blankets over prams weren’t safe, and she refused to settle for that. In October 2023, she debuted Australia’s first safety-tested blackout pram cover—100 percent permeable star mesh blocking 97 percent of light.
Cradle to creation
Exhibiting at baby expos and markets provided a direct and personal connection with parents. These events also provided an opportunity for me to answer questions, demonstrate the product’s benefits, and gather invaluable feedback from parents.
Carlene highlighted that one of the most important strategies that contributed to the growth of Baby Sleep Pods was creating a customer-centered product that addressed a clear market gap. She explained, “Before starting the business, I noticed that many parents struggled with finding an effective and safe solution for their babies to sleep comfortably while on the go.”
Although there were a few options, she felt none fully addressed the specific needs of both parents and babies—especially in terms of safety and comfort during outings. By identifying this gap, Carlene was able to create a product that not only provided a solution to parents’ challenges but also helped enhance their children’s sleep quality, which every parent desires.
She also leveraged her existing network of sleep consulting clients, who became some of her first customers and remain the most consistent sources of sales. She mentioned, “Their support was crucial in the early stages of the business.”Through her practice, she gained deep insight into the struggles parents face, allowing her to develop a product that was deeply informed by real-world needs, ensuring Baby Sleep Pods resonated with her target market from the start.
Carlene also stressed the importance of social media exposure in building brand awareness and expanding reach. She stated, “I made it a point to actively engage with parents on various platforms, sharing valuable sleep tips, showcasing the Baby Sleep Pods in use, and promoting positive feedback from customers.” This helped build a community around the product and contributed to increased sales and visibility.
Exhibiting at baby expos and markets also provided valuable opportunities for direct connections with parents. Carlene added, “These events helped solidify Baby Sleep Pods as a trusted brand and allowed me to connect directly with my target audience.”
Growing pains and gains
To differentiate Baby Sleep Pods from competitors, she made a conscious decision to prioritize safety and quality. She shared, “I wanted to build a product that not only met but exceeded industry standards, giving parents peace of mind knowing their babies were safe.” A standout feature of Baby Sleep Pods is its safety-testing and approval by multiple reputable safety organizations, including INPAA and ARPANSA. This, she explained, ensured that the Baby Sleep Pods not only offered comfort but also protected babies from environmental factors like UV radiation.
The UV rating from ARPANSA was particularly important to her, as she noted, “UV radiation is a real concern for babies, and by having the Baby Sleep Pod tested and approved for UV protection, it gave parents a product they could trust to safeguard their babies during outdoor naps.”
Carlene Rotblat explained that Baby Sleep Pods stands out by offering the only Australian pram covers that are safety-tested, approved, and endorsed by INPAA. She said, “Our products are designed with meticulous attention to detail, featuring high-quality, air-permeable mesh for optimal airflow and sunshade capabilities.”
She added that they stay ahead by continuously innovating to meet the evolving needs of parents, ensuring their products enhance both the comfort and well-being of children. As a small business, Carlene mentioned, “I am able to keep in touch with many of our customers in order to educate on the use of the product as well as take on suggestions on how to improve the product and make it even better, which I have actually done.”
Carlene Rotblat shared that starting Baby Sleep Pods without any background in e-commerce or website design presented significant challenges. She mentioned, “The learning curve was steep, and it took time to understand the nuances of running an online business, managing a website, and optimizing for customer experience. These were areas I initially had no expertise in, but I knew they were crucial for success.”
To tackle these challenges, Carlene leaned heavily on available resources, particularly YouTube. She said, “There is a video for nearly everything, from how to build and optimise a website to how to manage inventory or improve product listings.” She added that platforms like YouTube allowed her to quickly learn practical skills without the need for formal training. By following step-by-step guides and experimenting with different strategies, she gained more comfort with the technical aspects of running her business.
Persistence pays off
I’ve realised that failure isn’t something to fear—each
mistake or misstep has been a learning opportunity. Embracing this mindset has helped me stay motivated and keep improving.
Carlene also emphasized the importance of being adaptable. She reflected, “Since I didn’t have the luxury of expertise from the start, I had to figure things out and pivot when necessary.” This process, she noted, taught her that it’s okay not to know everything at first and that continuous learning is essential for both personal and professional growth.
She stated that one of the most important lessons she’s learned is the value of persistence. Carlene explained, “It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks and challenges when starting a business, but I discovered that small, consistent steps forward lead to big changes over time.” She also realized that failure isn’t something to fear, as each mistake has been a learning opportunity. This mindset, she mentioned, has kept her motivated and driven to keep improving.
Ultimately, Carlene concluded that the journey has been challenging but rewarding. She said, “It’s taught me not only about e-commerce and website design but also about resilience, resourcefulness, and the importance of maintaining a growth mindset.”
Carlene advised, “My advice is to identify a genuine need in the market and develop a product or service that addresses it effectively. Focus on quality, safety, and customer satisfaction, and be prepared to adapt and learn continuously.”
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How do you build a business from scratch, with no e-commerce experience? Find out in this Founder Friday with Carlene Rotblat, the innovative mom behind Baby Sleep Pods Founder Friday, founder friday Dynamic Business
