The shrewd 'eye for an opportunity' of a female entrepreneur is giving parents throughout the UK a high-quality alternative to big chain stores and mass-produced children's clothes.
Danish-born Malene Stanley, who lives in Redditch, has used her experience as a mum of two to launch a new website providing her own range of clothing for both boys and girls.
Called Kids Should Be Kids, Ms Stanley said she wanted to provide an alternative to the fashion of dressing children as "mini adults".
She said: "We have a tendency in the UK to dress kids like adults and this is something we wanted to put right.
"When I used to go back to Denmark, I made a beeline for the shops and brought lots of different outfits for my two girls.
"When we got back to England, I found that lots of parents were asking me where I had got the clothes from and whether I would bring some back for them the next time I was out there. This got me thinking and the next thing you know I'm starting my own business."
Spurred on by the initial interest, Ms Stanley sourced a number of licensing agreements with Scandinavian products and began to look at ways of designing a purpose built e-commerce website that would act as a single point of contact for the business.
With help from Business Link West Midlands, the website has had more than 1,000 hits.
Ms Stanley said: "It's always a big challenge and a certain leap of faith to start your own business, especially when you've got children to take care of.
"However, I received the right help exactly when I needed it and knew that there was a definite demand for what I was offering.
"Once the business is firmly established, I will get the chance to spend more time with my two girls, which is really important."
Her young family was another reason why Ms Stanley chose to launch her own web-based firm and she said she hoped it could help other parents.
She said: "I'm a big fan of flexible working and this is something that the UK is sadly lacking in.
"As and when the company expands I would like to provide employment for mums and dads, who can plan their hours around looking after their children."
Richard Stannard, adviser at Business Link West Midlands, said: "We are gradually seeing more and more female entrepreneurs seize the moment and use their skills to start their own businesses.
"Malene has done just that and has a really strong product with a clearly defined market. Make no mistake - this firm will be a huge success."
