Home Articles Melinda Weaver, 2012 Anthill 30under30 Winner

Melinda Weaver, 2012 Anthill 30under30 Winner

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What is 30under30?

30under30 is an Anthill initiative launched in early 2008 to encourage and promote entrepreneurship among young Australians. Each year, we invite our readers to nominate young Australian entrepreneurs deserving of recognition for their outstanding entrepreneurial endeavours. More.

Melinda Weaver, VIC (b. 1986)

Name: Melinda Weaver
Age: 26 (Born: April 1986)
Gender: Female
State: VIC
Known for: Baby Ink

If you’re a parent, chances are you have a set of hand or foot prints from your little ones stowed away for posterity. Melinda Weaver saw the strength of the keepsake industry in Australia and decided to introduce a forward-thinking concept into the market: a printing kit free of harmful toxins and chemicals.

Congratulations, Melinda: it’s an enterprise!

Baby Ink makes use of printing technology that’s actually ink-free, and safe for infants’ hands and feet. Kits come in three colours: blue for boys, pink for girls and silvery black for any and all occasions. The brand also sells secondary items for commemorating the prints, including greeting cards, picture frames and coffee cups.

A mother of two, Weaver started her business in 2009 and spent two years researching the market before formally launching her product in February.

“I took my time connecting with the right people, suppliers and businesses that would foster its success,” she says.

The fingerprint technology comes from a somewhat unexpected source, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. Yet this year, Baby Ink has been anything but covert about its presence. Anthillians loved it so much, they voted Baby Ink to number five overall in the 2012 SMART 100 Readers’ Choice poll.

Weaver says she is now finalising a deal with a “major national retailer” to stock the product. Partnerships with brands such as PixiFoto are also helping her to dominate her niche.

The brain of the entrepreneur sees opportunity where others see risk, she says. Small wonder that this mumtrepreneur has likened her business to her third child, nurturing it to life and devoting sleepless hours to its growth.

“I had a toddler and newborn when this product launched,” she says, “so I well and truly had my hands full. My entrepreneurial instincts told me the timing was perfect for the introduction of Baby Ink, so despite personal challenges I pushed ahead.”

From an industry perspective, it should continue to grow into one intimidating brand. Don’t let the cuteness fool you.

Anthill asks: Melinda Weaver, what motivates you as an entrepreneur?

It’s just something inside that makes me work a million hours a week for no pay, that pushes me to do better, be stronger, find a way. I love the high, I brave the low and I crave everything in between.

Baby Ink Video

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To check out the full list of Anthill’s 30under30 winners, click here.

Melinda Weaver, 2012 Anthill 30under30 Winner