Meet Beatrice Toh, founder of HeyDoodle, the Aussie brand turning everyday moments into creative adventures for kids. What started six years ago as a clever fix for a doodle-obsessed toddler has grown into a thriving business with more than 450,000 products sold across Australia and beyond.
HeyDoodle’s signature product is a reusable silicone placemat that kids can colour on again and again: just wipe it clean and start fresh. It’s the kind of simple, sustainable idea that parents love, and it’s built a loyal community of customers who buy, gift and come back for more.
In this exclusive interview, Beatrice shares how she went from architect to entrepreneur, the challenges of getting a product on retail shelves and what’s next as HeyDoodle goes global. Let’s meet this local legend!
Tell us about HeyDoodle. How did it get started?
So about 6 years ago, my toddler was four at the time. She was an avid drawer, colourer, and doodler, and we found ourselves without paper very often, and it would be an issue. You know, she would have nothing to do. So when this idea hit me, I knew it was going to be a game-changer.
HeyDoodle is actually a silicone placemat. A very simple idea. The kids colour on it. All you need is a wet wipe and the colours come off. So you can reuse the mats over and over again.
Where did the name HeyDoodle come from?
This is my favourite story. So my daughter, who was four at the time, struggled to pronounce her G and D. And so we had a Google Home device that she would try to activate and she would say, “Hey Doodle, play my favourite song”. And that was the moment when it hit, you know, I am going to call the business HeyDoodle.
What’s been the secret to building your loyal following?
We’ve just put a lot of focus into the products that we’re creating. Making sure that they are useful resources. I think that’s what parents resonate with. They recognise that it’s not a toy. It is a resource to take out when you go out for meals or if you have long waits at the hospital and you know that your child is doing something meaningful.
My favourite words to hear are from the parents who come back to say, “I was gifted your product”. We find that those parents come back and they buy them as gifts for someone else. So we have this beautiful customer life cycle of someone who’s been gifted, becoming a giver. And that’s how we’ve grown.
What challenges have you faced in growing the business?
Every day is a challenge. We’re constantly learning. Starting this business on my own meant that I wore every hat from designing to manufacturing to packing at the warehouse to customer service and it was a lot to take in.
But on top of that, I was learning everything on the go. I was a trained architect before this. So I went from designing buildings to now deciphering cash flow spreadsheets and product management cycles, international freight. I think the key thing for me throughout every stage was to just remain adaptable.
VistaPrint believes in supporting businesses like yours. As a customer of VistaPrint, what are your favourite products xand how do you use them?
We use posters and signage, pull-up banners, and giveaway boxes. All of these we do through VistaPrint and even all the way down to product inserts and packaging our e-commerce orders. We ordered lots of postcards and stickers too, as well as T-shirts for us to wear at trade shows and markets. The team wears it as well in the warehouse. It just looks really on brand!
Ready to build a brand that stands out? VistaPrint has the custom marketing tools, design services and merch to help make it happen.
Follow @vistaprintaustralia on Instagram for more branding inspiration and catch more Aussie #LocalLegends on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@vistaprintau.
