Adelaide founder Monica Jones explains why she built milestone systems instead of more parenting products, and how evidence shaped My Binkie Bear’s growth.
What’s happening: This week, Dynamic Business sat down with Monica Jones, an Adelaide mum and the founder of My Binkie Bear, a brand creating structured, evidence-based systems for developmental milestones like pacifier weaning and toilet training.
Why this matters: Jones’s approach, grounded in months of academic research before product development, offers practical lessons for founders entering established markets where trust and credibility determine success.
Jones started My Binkie Bear after identifying a gap that was hiding in plain sight. Despite significant demand for toddler milestone support, few brands offered structured, emotionally safe, evidence-based systems for transitions like pacifier weaning and toilet training.
“I was balancing a high-pressure corporate career with complex challenges at home and quickly realised how little guidance existed for parents during these milestones,” Jones explains. “The parenting market was saturated with products and online courses, but not with support. That distinction became the foundation of the business.”
Instead of creating another parenting product, Jones focused on addressing common stressful issues through structure, psychology, and play.
Research over assumptions
Before designing anything, Jones spent months reviewing academic research across developmental psychology, attachment theory, occupational therapy, and paediatric urology.
“This helped identify the real drivers behind milestone resistance, especially the role of emotional safety, readiness cues, and sensory regulation,” she says. “Basing development on evidence allowed us to differentiate early and build credibility in an industry where trust is everything.” The approach also influenced her choice of niche. Pacifier weaning and toilet training impact almost every family, yet the market had very little structured, guided support.
Jones recognised that parents don’t struggle with a lack of options; they struggle with unclear direction in a time-constrained world. “Creating step-by-step frameworks that reduced decision fatigue became a key strategic differentiator,” she explains. “This shifted the brand from product-based to solution-based, which has strengthened customer loyalty and improved repeat purchase rates.”
The brand also leads with education-focused marketing. “We intentionally lead with content that teaches, explains, and uses active metaphors to achieve perception shift,” Jones says. “This approach has delivered significantly higher engagement rates, lowered acquisition costs, and built a community that values expertise over trends.”
When setbacks become data
Like most founder-led businesses, Jones faced challenges that ultimately strengthened the business. Balancing work, family, and a startup forced her to build systems focused on long-term value rather than instant wins. Manufacturing challenges required rigorous testing, safety checks, and redesigns. “Delays that were frustrating at the time ultimately strengthened product integrity,” she notes.
Entering a sensitive segment of the parenting market meant proving credibility before pushing for scale. Jones focused heavily on expert consultation, transparent education, and consistent messaging to build trust. “As any business operating on social media knows, criticism comes with the territory, especially when challenging popular but unsafe parenting hacks,” she says. “Staying grounded in evidence rather than reacting to trends became a guiding principle for the brand.”
Despite being early in growth, several outcomes have confirmed strong product-market fit, including high customer satisfaction reflected in five-star reviews and repeat buyers, strong engagement from early childhood professionals, expansion into national online retail including Baby Bunting Marketplace, and early direct-to-consumer expansion into the US, Canada and Europe.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Jones offers clear advice rooted in her experience. “Solve a real problem, not a hypothetical one. The deeper the pain point, the stronger the demand,” she says. “Patience compounds. Brand trust is built through consistency, not speed.”
She encourages founders to treat setbacks as data. “Challenges refined our systems, sharpened our messaging, and shaped the brand’s identity.” Jones also emphasises the value of feedback. “Listening to parents and educators has driven more innovation than any brainstorm ever could.”
Her final piece of advice centres on intention. “Build with intention. Being niche has been one of our most powerful strategic decisions.” My Binkie Bear is focused on purposeful, sustainable expansion. The company is launching a pilot programme in multi-care environments and looking to partner with allied health professionals. Jones is preparing for broader retail rollout across Australia and planning international expansion into the US, UK, and Canada.
“Our long-term vision is to become a global leader in early childhood milestone support, helping families navigate some of the toughest moments with confidence, calm, and connection,” she says.
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