#79 From Doodled Dreams To Dragons' Den With Creator Of Mood Bears Joanna Proud

Update: 2025-06-08

Description

In this episode I speak to Jo Proud, the founder of Mood Bears - emotional support bears designed to help children (and adults!) understand and express their emotions. Jo shares her incredibly inspiring story, which began with a late-night idea that was born out of her own mental health struggles. From creating her first prototype to importing a shipping container full of bears from China, Jo discusses the challenging and gratifying journey of building her business. We also delve into her personal life, touching on her upbringing and the choices she made to go against her mother's wishes to be a housewise, plus her one-of-a-kind experience on Dragons' Den, and how her resilience and drive have shaped her into the successful entrepreneur she is today. Jo provides valuable insights into not just her business growth but also the importance of mental health advocacy and how Mood Bears have impacted countless lives in homes, schools, and hospitals. Tune in to hear this compelling conversation on overcoming personal and professional challenges to create a product that brings happiness and emotional support to many.

Find the Mood Bears website here

Find Mood Bears on Instagram here

Don't forget to join the conversation with me on Instagram here

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Thank you so much to Sophie Griffiths for supporting this episode. You know how it is, you spend loads of time and effort on your Insta content, and then only a handful of the people in your audience actually see it. If you’re stuck in that constant frustration and would like closer to 80% of your audience seeing your content then Sophie has a £3 per day ad campaign that might be for you, and she’s spilling her secrets on it totally free of charge!
Sophie is an absolute pro when it comes to the big and bold marketing moves you need to make in your business, so whether you need support on paid ads or access to her mastermind or mini mind to help you level up your business, I strongly suggest you check out Sophie’s work. If you’re keen to learn more about her listen back to episode 75 of this very podcast and then head here to find out more.

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01:16 Meet Jo Proud and Mood Bears

02:18 Jo's Early Life and Family Dynamics

03:54 Breaking Away and Pursuing Education

07:38 Mental Health Struggles and Coping Mechanisms

16:06 Creating Mood Bears: From Doodles to Reality

20:28 Challenges and Successes in Business

26:39 The Power of Poems and Teddy Bears

27:50 Impact of Mood Bears in Various Settings

31:05 Journey to Dragons' Den

36:19 Life After Dragons' Den

38:32 Personal Reflections and Mental Health