Each and every day, we celebrate the strength, resilience and achievements of women — working mums, stay-at-home mums, friends, sisters, grandmothers, daughters...all the women in our lives who inspire, support and lead. As International Women’s Day approaches, we wanted to spotlight the woman who started it all. Elke Pascoe started this little business with one goal: to provide parents with the products she wished she had access to when raising her children. Today, LittleOak is a team of parents passionate about showing families that there are significantly better ways to nourish their children. Read on to learn a little bit more about Elke’s journey.  

Can you please share a little bit about yourself? 

I’m a mum of three children – Olive in 2011, Freddie in 2013, and our newest addition, Hugh, who was born in January last year. While my background is in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, as a child I was an aspiring paediatrician. I just love kids – the world stops for me when it comes to children. I’ve always wanted to see how I could create a better world for them to thrive and grow into wonderful, kind and healthy human beings – that’s certainly been a passion of mine since I was a child. 

What inspired your passion for helping families?  

When I was eight years old, a community nurse visited my small country town school to shine a light on the plight of famine in Africa. She recounted stories upon stories of hungry, starving children and it was a moment that struck me for life. I may not have realised it then, but this was a moment that really shaped my life, my passion for families and my mission to do what I could to help children and mothers in need. 

How was LittleOak born? 

Before launching LittleOak, I had a strong desire to do something meaningful in the world – I was a single mum with two children at the time and found myself on a journey to find an answer to my young son’s health issues. This led me to look closely at the formula I was feeding him. As I turned over the can and looked at the long list of rubbish, my immediate response was nothing short of shock. Maltodextrin. Palm oil. Corn glucose syrup. And so, so many preservatives. It even had synthetic taurine, an ingredient used in energy drinks, can you believe. I soon discovered that all the formulas available on the market were just the same – full of preservatives and chemically extracted oils. 

Our journey began because I wanted to solve my son’s health issues and provide families around the world with a formula they could wholeheartedly trust. I felt a responsibility to do better for my children, and for children all over the world. And so, LittleOak was born. We believe children deserve the very best nutrition to grow and thrive and it’s still our North Star to this day.  

What inspires you every day? 

I started this company for my children – Olive and Freddie – so they inspire me daily to work harder – with more motivation, drive and curiosity – than the day before. When it gets hard or exceptionally stressful, I look back at my original plan where the opening words “for Olive and Freddie” remind me of why I need to keep fighting to provide children all over the world with the best possible nutrition. With a new addition to the family – my one-year-old, Hugh – my children remain my constant inspiration, driving me forward each and every day. 

What advice do you have for women who are interested in starting their own businesses, or advancing their careers?  

Never compromise, especially if this is about achieving your dream. Push forward every day and make progress, even if it’s just a small step forward.  If you truly believe in what you are trying to achieve, don’t let anybody knock your confidence. And that also means never taking no for an answer.