Everyday parenting challenges can reveal business opportunities. Nancy Lai joins Adrian Tan to discuss building Playand, a modular foam furniture brand, and A Mighty Mum, a nursing clothing line.
Nancy shares her journey across entrepreneurship and teaching, and how she balances family priorities with product development and running e-commerce businesses. They also discuss bootstrapping, choosing tools, managing time and dealing with self-doubt.
In this episode:
• Creating products around problems encountered as a parent.
• Launching businesses during the pandemic.
• Family priorities, time management and selecting tools.
• Cash flow, bootstrapping and early business challenges.
• Imposter syndrome and advice for aspiring mumpreneurs.
Originally published in March 2025. Brands and business references reflect the original conversation.
Original episode sponsor: Deel. https://www.deel.com/adriantan
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:29 Introducing Nancy Lai
01:25 Nancy’s e-commerce brands
03:27 Startup journey
06:47 Teaching and the pandemic
08:52 Starting businesses during COVID-19
13:28 Family and business
15:52 Product development and parenting problems
22:04 Business philosophy and family priorities
26:44 Time management
27:20 Business and family balance
28:30 Choosing tools
29:40 Starting a business
30:26 Cash flow
31:52 Bootstrapping stories
38:40 Imposter syndrome and self-doubt
46:33 Advice for aspiring mumpreneurs
51:24 Final thoughts
Connect with Nancy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lnancy/
Playand: https://www.playand.store/
A Mighty Mum: https://www.amightymum.com/
More from Adrian: https://www.adriantan.com.sg/
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriantanck/
