WHAT IT TOOK TO LAUNCH ARGUABLY THE MOST SEXY, TREND SETTING, EMPOWERING MATERNITY LINGERIE COMPANY ON THE GLOBE WAS FOR TWO PRETTY SPECIAL WOMEN TO FEEL ORDINARY AND FRUSTRATED.

Lisa Ebbing couldn't find the beautiful feminine lingerie she was used to wearing pre-pregnancy. Her very good friend Ange Crosbie felt the same way and came whole heartedly on board and together they formed HOTmilk. Their world was soon filled with design specs, fabrics, manufacturing, marketing and business meetings... not to mention juggling their families!

5 YEARS ON - HOW DO I FEEL?

Exhausted, fulfilled, rewarded in my work, totally in love with my family and thrilled that HOTmilk has made a positive difference to mothers across the globe.

To this day I believe the greatest affirmations of what we have achieved come from mothers all over the world, taking the time to email us and say 'thank you'. Thank you for making me feel like a woman and giving me the option of feeling sexy and feminine during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding.

As with any business, there also come challenges. I dont think I ever envisioned how all-consuming HOTmilk would be of my time, my family and the sacrifices made in order to keep the momentum of growth going. It was an over zealous achievement to have entered our core markets of New Zealand, Australia, UK, Europe and the USA within five years and still thrive. However, we weighed the options, took the challenge and came through on the right side!

I'm exceptionally proud of what both Lisa and I have achieved and also the commitment we have all put into making HOTmilk what it is today. We have an amazing team behind us and extremely supportive families and friends that help in keeping us in tune with the very delicate and difficult work/life balance. I can easily become consumed in the business and forget that excerise actually keeps you healthy, time for yourself keeps you grounded, and takeaways are not always considerate of the waistline!

Over and above everything else, my greatest achievement in this lifetime is being a mother and hopefully a wonderful role model for my son in the future.

5 YEARS ON - HOW DO I FEEL?

The business is at its strongest point, we are ready and poised and feel so much satisfaction about what is about to happen, so I know it's all going to be worth it.

I'll be honest and say I expected things to be different, for it to be somehow easier by now, but one of the biggest lessons I've learnt in life is, nothing ever happens as fast as you want it to! Businesses do take time, a lot of hard work and sacrifice, mostly within you personally, your health, wellbeing and relationships. I think the past year was the hardest, but I do feel we’re going over this phase and into the next, the most exciting phase to date.

It's amazing to see our progression, to feel the energy from the women our lingerie affects. To see the positivity out there about our brand and to see that we really are making an impact on this planet, that we have helped shape a revolution in how women now feel they can portray their pregnant bodies and feel confident and proud to breast-feed.

On a personal note, I have pledged to take more time for me this year. Last week I had my hair dyed professionally for the first time in four years! Next comes exercise... I might think about that tonight while I watch greys anatomy on the couch eating chocolate!

Q: Do you mind working with so many women?

A: Not at all, actually some of my best friends are women. My mother was a woman too. The HM team are a great bunch of level headed team players and are all very easy to get along with. So its a lot like working with a bunch of blokes really, only less crass.

Q: As a man, what is it like working in lingerie?

A: Well I never wear it at work. Seriously, its odd really, when you're hanging with the other fathers at the school gate and Bruce the builder asks what you do, it can feel a tad emasculating to admit you work in women's underwear. But then some men think I have it totally sorted being surrounded by sexy lingerie all day long. But its not really like that. Not really. Some men can be so immature, right girlfriends?

Q: What's it like working closely with Lisa, your wife?

A: Just like marriage really only at work I get paid to be bossed around by the missus. So better than marriage I guess, except for the sex. Hasn't always been easy I'll admit as lines can get blurred. But you just gotta work that stuff out to find a happy medium of work and play within your relationship. I'd say now we have a better relationship as a result.

Q: Do you mind working with so many women?

I'm used to it... I work with women and then go home to my wife and daughter, so it's fair to say that I'm surrounded by women! This doesn't leave much time for grunting, beating the chest or sharing my 'expert' knowledge on sport, but I try.

We have a great team at HOTmilk and we only employ the best people who meet all of the HOTmilk beliefs. In this case they just happen to be women; they're great colleagues and we all bring a real energy to the business.

Q: As a man, what is it like working in lingerie?

Well it's interesting to say the least and it certainly doesn't provide your typical water cooler conversations.

As a man I came into this thinking Bra = Cups + straps, wind the clock forward a few years and that formula looks quite different (too many components to list here).

The business has evolved incredibly in such a short space of time and it's satisfying to know that we have carved the 'sexy' niche in the market.

Q: what does your wife think of you working at HOTmilk

My wife shares my passion for HOTmilk and she is excited by the prospect of needing to replenish her HOTmilk supplies should the time arise.

I might add she is somewhat amused at times of my knowledge of lingerie, mind you, so am I!

Q: Do you mind working with so many women?

Not really, some of them act like blokes anyway, farting and belching. Actually thats not true but they really are very easy to work with, it’s a great team and we always have a laugh.

Q: As a man, what is it like working in lingerie?

Well I'm adaptable... It can be a little strange at times when people ask what you do. I went from driving diggers and building foundations to working within the lingerie industry, try explaining that!

Q: What's it like working closely with Ange, your wife?

Easier driving diggers.