A market aimed at giving mums in business a step up celebrated its first anniversary this month.
The Collective Marketplace was first held at Forum North last June.
Pioneered by Whangarei entrepeneurs Jane Frazerhurst and Brooke Gibson, the market is a free event selling everything from food to fashion.
The pair, who were both part of an online support forum for self-employed mums, saw a need for an affordable, child-friendly alternative to outdoor markets.
Ms Frazerhurst said some of her peers were trying to supplement their family income by selling wares online.
"There's only so much you can sell without buyers actually seeing and feeling the product though. We wanted to provide a solution which would work with their needs.
"These were women that chose self-employment as an alternative to going back to work full-time," she said. "So quite a few of them had very young children."
Ms Frazerhurst said a closed-in venue with baby-changing facilities was a top priority when it came to planning the initiative.
"We were not only thinking about stall holders, but also their customers," she said. "A lot of them sold products for babies and small children, and most of us know how difficult it is to shop with a toddler on the loose!"
Despite an apparent demand for the first market, Ms Frazerhurst says she was concerned about the ongoing viability of the initiative, after just 30 stallholders booked a spot.
"We had a huge amount of interest but not many of those actually booked a stand."
Those fears were soon abandoned though, when the first Collective Marketplace received some repeat bookings.
The reputation of the market gained traction online and within six months the number of stallholders had doubled.
"Our Christmas market sold out," said Ms Frazerhurst. "We had to move out into the hallways to accommodate everyone!"
Both women run the quarterly market around their respective businesses. Ms Frazehurst runs an online support forum, The Motherhood, whilst Ms Gibson operates Thrift Nation - a second-hand clothing boutique.
They gain sponsorship from other established businesses to cover the costs of advertising and keep stall costs to a minimum.
Despite working more than 40 hours per week, they both said the benefits of being self-employed and helping other mums to grow their businesses was worth the effort.
The next Collective Marketplace, sponsored by online magazine Creative Junction, takes place on September 23 at Forum North.