Lisa Warner

Updated March 2009

As a young mother, Lisa Warner struggled to get her family to gather around the dinner table and talk. In a flash of inspiration, she wrote questions on some pieces of paper. The homemade cards transformed her family’s mealtimes. In 2008, Lisa decided to help other families communicate by turning her cards into a business, and Fink Cards was born. Building on the successful launch of the Family Edition in 2008, she now offers a range of products to encourage family interaction, which are available on her website, through online retailers and in stores across the UK.

Why did you decide to start your own business?

I had four children by the age of 25. I was a stay-at-home mother for the best part of two decades. Three years ago, my husband bought a business, and I helped him run it for two years. It was an intense, amazing learning experience. When it was over, I asked myself, “What next?”. I wanted to do more than just go back to being a mum.

How did you come up with the idea for Fink Cards?

When my children were young, I wanted us to sit round the table. I had an image in my mind of this family laughing and talking. It was so far from what we had. With four small children, there was a lot of arguing and complaining. To distract the kids, I made some cards with questions on them. They were just cut-up bits of paper, but they loved them! Fifteen years later we have exactly what I wanted: we gather around the table every day and sit there chatting for hours. We’ve got a really close family bond.

What is the goal of Fink Cards?

Fink stands for “Family Interaction Nurtures Kids” and our aim is to get families talking. That’s what our first product, the Family Edition, is all about. It seems so simple, but not many families these days gather round the table. In fact, some don’t communicate at all.

You’ve just launched a Fink Card pack for teenagers. Can you tell us more about it?

After the family edition was so well received, I realized there were things we needed to discuss with our teenagers: teen pregnancy, obesity, drugs. To get people talking about these tough issues, I created the Teen Edition with Sarah Newton, a teen expert, author and TV presenter.

What have you enjoyed most about creating and running Fink Cards?

I love hearing from parents. After Christmas, I received several wonderful emails, including one that said, “Your cards brought together all the members of our family, aged 7 to 70!” I also hear from a lot of teachers who have bought the family pack for themselves, then used the cards in the classroom. A teacher emailed me the other day and said the children in his class are always asking, “Can we have another go?”

What advice do you have for other female entrepreneurs?

• Have a positive attitude. It helps you look for solutions. Otherwise, problems can seem insurmountable.
• Know what’s important to you. At Fink Cards, we believe in open and honest communication. That’s the basis for the way we run our company.
• Learn from your mistakes. I’ve made quite a few, but when I look back they always seem to have led me in a new direction.
• Gain an in-depth understanding of your product and market. When I launched Fink Cards, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my product.
• Network. A network of people gives you a whole wealth of experience and knowledge to tap into, which is invaluable if you haven’t been in business for 20 years.

How do you see yourself as a role model for other women in the UK?

I’ve spoken to a lot of young mums. It’s been great to be able to say, “I was a teenage mum. It doesn’t mean you need to write off your life.” I would like my experiences to inspire and motivate them. If I can do it, anyone can.