Mompreneurs
San Diego Mompreneurs
San Diego Mompreneurs who have turned their "Ideas into Income"
Women-owned businesses are growing. Between 2002 and 2007, the number of businesses owned by women jumped 20 percent. Meet four local women who launched successful businesses inspired by everyday life.
Quicklinks:
Kathryn Cloward, Guardian Foods, Natural Kids, Kathryn the Grape — Just like Magic
Kristine Currier, Owie Pillow
Kelly Morse, Joggermom
Linda Byerline, Happy Heinys
Rochelle Drumm, babychix
Tips for Women Entrepeneurs
Kathryn Cloward,
KathrynCloward.com/companies
The Products
I own three companies in three different stages of growth. In 2005, I launched Guardian Foods, which provides food products for nonprofit agencies nationwide. Then in 2008, I founded Natural Kidz, an e-commerce business aimed at providing families with convenient access to eco-friendly products. Finally, I created, authored, and published “Kathryn the Grape —Just Like Magic” (2010) and “Kathryn the Grape’s Colorful Adventure” (2011).
The Inspiration
The inspiration behind the “Kathryn the Grape” book series came from my mom and my childhood softball coach, who gave me the nickname. In early 2009, when I was going through a divorce, the concept of this book character gained momentum. I woke up at 3 a.m. with the desire to write about Kathryn the Grape, a high-spirited, multi-dimensional messenger of important life lessons.
After writing on my own for months, I invited Jody Duhamel to co-author the first book. We decided to independently publish “Kathryn the Grape—Just Like Magic” as a result of attending the Moms In Business Unite (MIBU) Conference. There, I was advised to publish and market my books independently. I started researching independent publishing and never looked back.
The Life Lesson
My parents raised me with the work ethic “Do your chores first, then you can go out and play.” I have carried that lesson through my life. I work early in the morning and while my son is at school. He is my greatest inspiration and his happiness is my gauge for success.
Kristine Currier,
OwiePillow.com
The Products
The Owie Pillow alleviates seat belt pressure against a motorist’s abdomen. The pillow can be used by any motorist—in both cars and planes—and is especially helpful to pregnant women and those suffering from abdominal injury, surgery or pain.
The Inspiration
I initially came up with the concept of the Owie Pillow when I was pregnant with my daughter. I felt a lot of discomfort while driving and thought a cushion would provide relief. I made a prototype.
A big factor in launching the Owie Pillow was Moms In Business Unite (MIBU). This organization hosts an annual conference for women who want to start a business or make an existing business more profitable. Their Inventor’s Showcase enables women to exhibit inventions at the conference, and attendees vote for their favorites.
I applied for the Inventor’s Showcase at the 2010 MIBU Conference and was selected. I was on cloud nine! I did not win the inventor award, but MIBU helped me take action. Instead of just thinking about my product, I built the Owie Pillow Company.
Kelly Morse,
Joggermom.com
The Products
I am in the niche market of selling baby strollers and accessories. While I specialize in jogging strollers, I also know a lot about strollers for multiples because I am a mother of one—plus triplets! We’ve tried them all—quad, triple, twin and single strollers. Our favorites are jogging strollers because they are easy to maneuver, and they keep us connected to the outdoors, and each other.
The Challenges
One of the primary challenges [of running my own business]is creating balance. You have to carve out time for family, business, and yourself. This involves breaking your day into thirds. As all mothers know, this is almost impossible, so I adjust my goals to meet my family’s needs. Balance is always in motion.
When I first started my business in 2007, my oldest son was in kindergarten and my triplets were in preschool two days a week. I used that time to work. I also worked early in the morning and late at night. Now, even though my kids are in school all day, I’m still trying to figure out how to do two things at once—like folding laundry while preparing dinner. Yeah, sometimes dinner gets burnt, but things get done.
Linda Byerline,
HappyHeinys.com
The Products
I was inspired to create reusable cloth diapers by the need for a non-off-gassing product for babies. I never knew that disposable diapers off-gassed [released chemicals that have been trapped or absorbed into a material] and that our babies were breathing in the small particles of chemicals until it nearly killed my daughter. By switching to cloth diapers, my daughter’s need for medication and hospitalization decreased by 50 percent.
I don’t want any other family to go through what we went through, and if we can help just one baby, it is worthwhile.
The Challenges
One challenge was learning how to run a business without a business background. Everything we have done has been trial and error. We have had periods of too-fast growth and we had to learn how to moderate it properly.
Every day in business brings new challenges that we need to overcome.
Another challenge is balancing work and home. Moving our business out of the home was one of the best things we ever did. Now I can easily turn everything off in the evening and not worry about business until the next business day.
Working every day from the time you get up till you go to bed is not healthy for you or your children.
Rochelle Drumm,
www.BabyChix.com
The Products
I began forming babychix after spending time at my mom’s house. She frequently made flannel and paraffin wax diapers for baby showers. I took one home with me and began researching similar products. I found no ceramic keepsake diapers on the market—only items such as booties and blocks. After years of developing a variety of prototypes, I finalized the samples and went into production.
Now, we not only offer signature ceramic diapers, but also personalize them with babies’ names, initials, custom phrases and the company logo. Customers use the ceramic containers for baby shower floral arrangements, nursery décor and gifts for new moms. We’ve also expanded our line of unique products—while staying true to our vision.
The Challenges
“One challenge was learning about the legal aspects of starting a company. Another obstacle was finding dependable manufacturers who were willing to work with a startup. Finally, I had to face fear. Once I believed in myself, the fear went away and my excitement and energy grew. Doors continued to open!”
Tips for Women Entrepreneurs
“Do what you love and the rest will fall into place. Take your passion and run with it!”—Kelly Morse
“Owning your own business requires dedication, focus and perseverance. A business mentor once told me, “Everyone wants to make the money, but not everyone is willing to do the hard work.”—Kathryn Cloward
“We often decide to start a business to be able to work from home and care for our kids or work better hours, but our life becomes overrun with the business and we end up working more. Set [aside] eight hours a day to work and only work those eight.” —Linda Byerline
“Attend the Moms in Business Unite Conference. Believe in your product, service or idea—it is incredibly rewarding to see it come to fruition.”—Kristine Currier
Moms in Business Unite Conference
August 3, 2011, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
UCSD, Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice
5998 Alcala Park, San Diego www.momsinbusinessunite .com/san-diego
NAWBO, National Association of Women in Business, San Diego
Offers networking, conferences, workshops, resources and much more. The BRAVO Awards celebrate the achievements of women business owners. May 18, Marriott Courtyard Airport Hotel at Liberty Station. 877-866-2926; www.nawbo-sd.org.
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Ronni Rowland is a “mompreneur” who opened her own Writers Workshop and teaches creative and essay writing to children.
Photo Credits: Donna Wright (Kathryn Cloward), Kristine Currier (Kristine Currier), Kelly Morse (Kelly Morse), John Trice Photography (Rochelle Drumm).
Finding Your Mompreneur Mojo
Finding your Mompreneur Mojo: How one mom's success story can help you to have the family and the job of your dreams!
Bring home the bacon or play “this little piggy?” Work outside the home and feel perpetually guilty and exhausted, or quit your job and feel perpetually broke (and exhausted)? For years, these were the tough choices mothers faced. Maybe we could do both—work and parent—but could we do both well? It’s a question that, these days, seems positively antiquated, says Kimberley Clayton Blaine.
“Thanks to the Internet and to the skills we women have developed from our years in the workforce, we have more options than ever before,” says Blaine, licensed family and child therapist, mother of two boys, and author of The Go-To Mom’s Parents’ Guide to Emotion Coaching Young Children. “More and more moms are crafting lives that have ample time for both work and family—and we’re doing it well.”
Such is the story of Blaine herself. A licensed family and child therapist, she spent many years dedicated to her career, working with small children and their families. But when she started a family of her own, things changed. Blaine wanted to spend more time at home with her own children, but she didn’t want to give up the career she loved and had worked so hard for. Thanks to technology and her own business savvy, she didn’t have to.
“As a mother, I found myself online looking for answers to the questions I had,” explains Blaine, “and I also found myself looking to connect with other women and mothers like me. But I failed to find one place that encompassed all the things that I was looking for. So I decided to create it.”
As a licensed therapist, Blaine knew that she had something to offer, and as a social media-savvy woman, she knew that she had the tools necessary to connect with people. For Blaine, the opportunity that working in a digital world has created has given her the chance to live the life she wants. She has the family time she desires and the career she always dreamed of. Read on for ten tips that Blaine says will get you started on the path to your own dream job:
Find a need to fill. Make sure that your venture fills a need in the existing market. Is your product or service something that is different from what is out there already? Is it better, faster, bigger or more innovative? Consider these questions as you weigh the pros and cons of going out on your own. When Blaine started out, she saw a niche that needed filling—solid parenting advice in one, convenient place—that she was more than qualified to fill. Everyone has her own expertise, interests, or an eye for where something is missing. Tap into that to create your own success.
Test market your idea before you take the plunge. Before you drop everything (your steady paycheck included) and start your new venture, it’s a good idea to “test market” your idea. You would start out doing this work on the side before you resign. Get your first customer or at least some healthy interest before you take the full-time plunge.
Pay attention to your gut instincts. Some of the most successful businesses got their big break because they were on the cutting edge of a new trend. When Kimberley first started her online venture, social media, like Twitter, wasn’t nearly as popular as it is now, but it became one of her biggest outlets for making connections in the online community to drive traffic to her sites. At the time, it may have seemed to some that the time she devoted to Twitter was a waste of time, but she knew she was investing in something important. Today, that has paid off.
Figure out how to transfer your workplace skills to your new venture. Whether it’s people skills you’ve picked up from dealing with clients, marketing know-how, or even just your admirable work ethic, tap into that skill set and transfer it to your new venture.
Assemble a top-notch team. Approach your new business venture just like you would anything at your old job. As you are getting started, understand that you’ll have to serve as your own team for a while, but down the line expect to do some hiring (and have a plan in place for it). During your early days as a one-man show, make sure you are always on the lookout for talent so that when you are ready to expand, you can hire the right team.
Stay connected and engage your audience at all times. Social media is making it easier and more convenient than ever for mompreneurs to stay connected. You can blog and comment during naptime, or introduce a new product while you wait in the pick-up line at school. Blaine cautions that while staying connected is great, it often isn’t enough to take you to that next level. Go the extra step and engage in conversation with those you are connected with. That’s where the true rewards lie.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. We all have our strengths when it comes to business. But that also means we all have our weaknesses as well. When it comes to the areas that are outside of your expertise, don’t hesitate to ask someone to help you. Kimberley surrounded herself with mentors and contacts for the areas of business that were not her strong suit, and she called on them when necessary.
Stay true to your brand. Don’t be quick to jump at the first opportunity that comes knocking. Stay true to who you are and what you know feels right. For example, Blaine was recently approached by a well-known brand to be a spokesperson. While the exposure would have been great, she didn’t feel right about the partnership, because it went against some of the values she had built her brand on, so she turned down the opportunity. Remember, the Internet is forever. Whatever you say and do online will never go away. Be wary of attaching your brand and your name to something that may not be right for you in the long run.
Go for the gusto. A big break can change everything. Just because you are going out on your own it doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve to be backed from the big players. Getting one big sponsorship can open the doors for plenty of other big opportunities, and it helps to legitimize your brand and give you some credibility. It took Kimberley three years of promoting her brand and showcasing her expertise before she landed large sponsorships like Sony, Vimeo, and Yahoo! It took a lot of persistence on her part to get her foot in the door. Remember, companies are not going to come looking for your talent—you have to be the one to put it out there.
Realize that being a mompreneur won’t be easy. But if you’re doing it right, it will be exhilarating. Of course, you’re going to get tired, and at times the work is going to pile up. That’s why it’s so important to feel passionate about what you’re doing. Knowing that you love your entire life—your kids, your customers—will keep you running the race.
“The mompreneur life doesn’t necessarily work for everyone, and it’s certainly not perfect,” Kimberley concludes. “I still have days that are stressful, and I still have moments when I feel like I’ll never get it all done. But I enjoy what I do so much that at times I forget I’m paid. And that’s how I know that I’m doing what I love to do and that I’m doing the right thing. Do what works for you and what makes you happy, and your own success story will begin to write itself right before your eyes.”
Meet One More Mompreneur: Rochelle Drumm of www.babychix.com
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