We always love meeting inspirational women. This time we connected with Jacqueline Waggett, the mother and the founder of Pacapod, absolutely brilliant changing bags.
I’m passionate about the pursuit of happiness and balance – not just for myself but for people I care about that I cross paths with in life. I feel very privileged to have managed to create a successful business that has brought me into contact with so many other brave souls with wonderful stories of their own – it’s been an incredibly rich journey and one that has changed me beyond my imagination. I’ve always had itchy feet to explore beyond my comfort zones – before children that took me and my partner around the world on a bike and when we returned it resulted in being pregnant with a need to change my job to make me more available to being present for my children. Upon meeting a whole new social group of new mums and wanting to make life easier to getting out and about with the least stress and a new born, PacaPod was born. It’s a design solution that soothed our increased anxieties as a new mum and dad.
Having a new born for us was the most anxiety provoking stage in our relationship and listening to and observing my new mum friends we weren’t alone. , One of the trickiest challenges was remembering all the every changing kit to soothe our babies ever changing needs whilst coping with sleep deprevation. Everyone was carrying 3 bags of kit around, a food bag, nappy bag and their own handbag. I listening to what the mums complaints were and designing out of the PacaPod. This took the form of 3 bags in one creating an organisational system that works together or on their own. Easy to carry, easy to find things, adapts with the changing age of the baby, dad friendly, just to take some of the overwhelming thinking out of getting out and about (and to save a few arguments about who forget to pack the nappies!).
Some good research, taking it one day at a time and an amazingly adaptable supportive partner… we both worked for ourselves so could be adaptable in the hours we working around an 2 year old and a 3 month old! The ultimate goal was not to compromise on being around for the children – I’ve managed not to miss any of their holidays over the last 15 years.
Research, research, research…. Get brave on asking people you admire for help – I’ve never come across a frosty response and been blown away by how much people are willing to help you get on your feet with advice, spreadsheets, contacts… its been such a rich and valuable experience in human nature.
I love change and change loves me. Parents needs and the way they buy has changed beyond recognition over the last 4 years since covid and the increase in buying online and awareness of environmental impact of buying fast fashion. Fortunately these values are at the heart of the brand, we moved to North Devon a decade ago and we are passionate about making the business smaller and more environmentally focused, We’ve moved away from mainstream retailers like John Lewis and concentrating on delivering beautiful quality, innovative bags that are produced in smaller quantities that will allow our bags to be used for many years to come. |
