Naomi Raybould found inspiration from her mother, Jenny, who successfully managed a demanding career as an educational psychologist while raising three children with her husband, Hugh.

Raybould, now 39, recalls how her mother would prepare a family dinner regardless of her long day. She fondly remembers her mother cooking in the kitchen, sometimes still clad in her work coat. “I always remember her in the kitchen … sometimes she’d still be wearing her coat.”

Today, Raybould has a profound understanding of the balancing act faced by ambitious women with young families. She is the proud founder of Beyond Nine, a thriving maternity clothing line, and the mother of three sons, aged five, seven, and nine. She launched her brand on September 1, 2017, with a single jumpsuit design, and shortly after went into labor with her second son, Raffy.

In a race against time to meet the minimum order quantity required by her north London factory, Raybould recalls, “I was checking sales between contractions” until she achieved her sales goal. Once she hit ten jumpsuits sold, she felt ready to welcome her new baby: “When I hit ten, I thought, ‘Okay, I can go and have this baby now.’ ”

Fast forward seven years, and Beyond Nine has flourished alongside Raybould’s family life. The collection has expanded to include dresses, knitwear, and outerwear, achieving a remarkable 90 percent growth in sales over the past two years. In 2023, the turnover hit £4.2 million, yielding a pre-tax profit of £330,000, with projections indicating sales could reach £7 million in 2024.

Despite her passion for fashion, Raybould initially envisioned a career in education, influenced by her parents’ teaching backgrounds. However, a distaste for primary school work experience led her to transition into social policy research after earning her degree in social science from Cardiff University, before moving to the BBC to work in market research and marketing.

During her twenties, she faced health challenges, including a serious thyroid cancer diagnosis that required multiple surgeries and isolation for treatment. Additionally, her family endured a tragedy when her brother, Ben, was severely injured in a car accident abroad, prompting Raybould to reassess her life’s direction. “I’d had this easy, privileged life until this point, and then I remember thinking that life is short and so you have to go after what you want to do,” she reflects.

In 2015, she tied the knot with Miles, her brother’s university friend, and their first child, Rufus, was born soon after. Transitioning to motherhood proved to be a challenging time, leading Raybould to experience an identity crisis that many women encounter after childbirth. “I remember in the hospital, just after I had him, [the staff] started calling me ‘mum’ because they couldn’t be bothered to learn my name. And I thought, ‘I am Naomi, I’m not just mum.’” In hindsight, she suspects she might have had undiagnosed post-natal depression.

After taking a year off for maternity leave, Raybould sought flexible working arrangements, which were initially denied at her job. She then moved to Plan International where she successfully negotiated a job share, allowing her to dedicate time to develop Beyond Nine during her days off.

During her first pregnancy, she identified a gap in the market for stylish maternity wear that she found lacking. Disappointed by the offerings available, Raybould sought inspiration from high street brands and her mother’s vintage jumpsuits, leading to the inception of her own design.

With a £4,000 loan from her father, which she repaid over the following years, Raybould created prototypes and launched her online store while on maternity leave. The launch day fell just before her due date, marking the start of her entrepreneurial journey.

From fulfilling the initial 80 orders while caring for Raffy in a baby carrier, the business gradually expanded, although the COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated its growth, with a single evening generating more sales than the entire previous month.

Today, Beyond Nine’s customer base also includes women who are not pregnant, comprising 70 percent of their sales. Raybould acknowledges that the brand appeals to women undergoing significant life changes, providing them with adaptable clothing that remains stylish.

While the original north London factory continues to play a critical role in production, Raybould has expanded her suppliers to include facilities in Turkey and Portugal, aiming to scale operations efficiently. She recently brought an operations director onboard to enhance financial management, ensuring the well-being of her staff and suppliers remains a priority. “I never want to jeopardise that, so if I’ve got someone in the business who can properly manage cash flow and forecasts, it’ll allow me to take more risks,” she said.

Cash flow constraints remain a challenge for Beyond Nine, with Raybould contemplating seeking investments, albeit with caution regarding potential partners. “But it would absolutely have to be the right investor. I’m not interested in growth at all costs,” she insists.

Reflections

My role model … my husband Miles, who has supported the brand’s growth and manages a significant share of home responsibilities. My best decision … hiring optimistic individuals and investing in their growth while accommodating flexible work schedules; 80 percent of our staff are mothers. My worst decisions … hiring individuals who don’t align with our positive culture, as they can hinder a rapidly growing business. A memorable moment … overhearing a customer in a fitting room who unknowingly referred to me, the founder of Beyond Nine, while discussing our trousers, which was both whimsical and humbling. My top business advice … ensure your offering is distinctive or risk being overshadowed.