This attorney-turned-momtrepreneur fills us in on the major career switch — with two very little ones, to boot. My favorite part of her business? Those “after” shots.
What business did you start up?
A professional organizing business, Organizing Philly, that helps residents and business-owners maximize their space and simplify their lives. Read more
A recent, much-anticipated appearance in Oprah Magazine’s Holiday Gift Guide (!!!) will give you a window into the up-and-up success that Two Blue Peas has had since its inception. Sarah’s frank comments about the ups and downs of running a momtrepreneurial business are, of course, a sigh of relief….since of course we all have those. Don’t forget to check out their adorable website, too.
With the New Year comes my usual list of 359,224 resolutions, the first of which is always to travel with my family more than we do. And how clever of Corinne–she figured a lot of it out for us! Thanks to yet another mom full of gumption and the ability to create what was missing for us all, Have Baby Will Travel is the go-to site for our (and our children’s) wanderlust.
What business did you start up?
Have Baby Will Travel – an online guide for family travel with babies & toddlers. It features destination information, useful links and articles, packing lists, and first-hand accounts from parents of trips they’ve taken with their babies and toddlers. Read more
This musical momtrepreneur has become a tastemaker in the music industry, all because of her devotion to great tunes. Might I suggest that you check out a playlist on her site and listen while reading this interview? You will thank Val later.
What business did you start up?
I started a boutique music website, Valslist, that targets the over 25 crowd. Many in this age group have lost track of music and find it hard to keep up with new music. So Valslist does it for them. We search for the best new artists and introduce you to music you might not find on your own. We collect the best tracks, list them on our site in easy-to-download playlists, and add new music each week to keep you current. We take the hassle out of the music search and help you get great music back into your life and onto your iPod. We’re an iTunes Affiliate, so the format is familiar.
What motivated you to do it?
I’ve been a serious music lover my entire life. I’ve always been the music “go-to person” with my friends. The older I’ve gotten, the more requests for help I’ve gotten, which proved how out of touch with music busy adults get when real life, family, kids, and career start to take over. I thought if I provided a user-friendly website with a great list of the newest music, as well as some vintage oldies sprinkled in, I might help people get back into the music scene, effortlessly. Music is such a part of life, everyone should have it.
How many children do you have, and how old are they?
I have four boys, ages 24, 21, and twin 17-year olds. They had a lot to do with me starting this business!
How long have you been running your business?
My busines is 2 1/2 years old. I launched the site in August of 2007.
How long did it take you to start becoming profitable and/or successful, however you choose to measure success?
My website is an iTunes Affiliate – iTunes pays me for every song that I sell on my site. They don’t pay a lot, so my website was never intended to be a big money maker. It is intended to launch my brand. I’ve gotten a paycheck from iTunes every month since I launched, so people are buying from my site. But the biggest measure of success was when the biggest music analyst in the industry, Bob Lefsetz (an industry favorite) wrote about Valslist. He touted Valslist as a fresh new idea in a struggling industry. He said I’m a (human) music filter which is necessary because there’s “too much” music out there to weed through, most people don’t know where to start. He said “whoever owns the filter owns the future of this industry.” Needless to say, my inbox was jammed the next day by artists, managers, producers, etc. and I’m still catching up a year later! Very quickly many other opportunities came along; presenting shows, artist interviews for my podcast series, linking with the Lollapalooza Music Festival in my home town of Chicago, etc. The biggest surprise? The day after Lefsetz wrote about me, I received an email from David Gilmour of Pink Floyd who praised my website and my ‘eclectic mix of music’ and asked my permission to use my site as an example for his UK Radio Broadcast Associates!
How did your family react to you starting your own business?
My family has been great, with a few surprises along the way. My husband is in business and is completely behind me, offering ideas and strategy. My boys are older so I’m obviously not balancing young ones and this – that would be harder, as I’m on my computer in my office all day every day. But some days the boys make comments like, “How many hours have you been on the computer? You’re in the same place you were 9 hours ago.” Also, sometimes it’s tricky due to the product I’m selling. Sometimes its awkward when your mom knows more new artists than you do when you’re a college kid. But all in all they’re very proud of me and support me all the way.
Easiest part of your job?
Listening to music. I’m so lucky to be making a job out of a lifetime passion. I will never ever tire of trying to find the next new artist.
Hardest part of your job?
Two sets of balancing acts: 1) Stopping the work to get my other things done (household things, meals, kid stuff, other obligations…) I’m so passionate – almost obsessive about the music that it’s really hard to turn it off! 2) Getting it all done – the business has gotten so busy and multi-faceted, I’m almost running every minute to get things checked off the to do list. I’m dealing with artists, magazines, blogs, doing playlists for those, music things for my community (pro bono), all on top of my marketing strategy – we’re doing an iPhone App and pitching some big businesses now. I have 5 college interns working for me but it’s busy just to delegate things. I’m a right brain creative first and foremost: following a structured business plan is not so easy for my personality type!
What skill would you most like to improve?
Organizing and budgeting my time. It’s been a huge learning curve coming from being an at-home mom for 21 years, where your day is laid out for you with schedules and obligations with the kids. Now my day is a clean slate for ME to prioritize; that’s much harder. Every day I challenge myself to follow my to do list for that day and not deviate!
What, if any, tools or advice do you wish you knew then that you know now?
I wish I knew more about press/news releases: how they’re used and how to write one. The PR and marketing aspects of the business are the most challenging for me. Not that I don’t like them or understand their importance and role in my success, but rather, they exhaust me! I LOVE the creative side of the marketing – and think I’m pretty good at it – but the PR side is way too busy for me – I’d much rather hire that part out!
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?
I had an idea for a business and made it happen. I want Valslist to become a household name for finding great music, and my brand exposure is growing every day. The fact that it’s an internet business is even a bigger deal for me: I’m 52 and didn’t grow up in the cyberworld, but I’ve learned something new every day and I’m not afraid to say yes and try new things.
Favorite part of a typical day?
Sitting down to plan my workday. I’m like a kid at Christmas. Every facet of my business excites me because the sky is the limit. The music industry is really struggling; it’s a great time to have a fresh new idea. But in the end, my biggest thrill is knowing that somewhere out there I’m helping a busy person find new music – effortlessly – and I know how good music makes them feel.
Anything else I should have asked you that you should answer?
I need to give accolades to my husband for supporting my endeavor because I don’t have to pay the rent with my Valslist paycheck; it makes it a more stress free startup. For some who do need to support themselves, a startup is trickier.
A few more questions, just because American Express should be featuring more momtrepreneurs…
Childhood ambition….to have my own business – something creative.
Fondest memory….the birth of each of my kids.
Indulgence….to sit and read (type A’s rarely do this!).
Last purchase…..skinny leg jeans to wear with boots.
Favorite magazine…..MORE and Architectural Digest 
Inspiration…..life outside the box: discovering the new.
My Life…..and everything in it is a gift that I appreciate more every day.
Why didn’t I know about this business when my kiddo was a baby?? I’d have moved to Canada immediately had I known. Kudos to Stacey for creating a company to serve every new mom in need.
What business did you start up?
One Tiny Suitcase – a baby equipment rental company serving clients in Calgary & Edmonton, Alberta in Canada .
What motivated you to do it?
Traveling with my twins when they were just babies made me realize how unrealistic it was to be able to bring all the gear we needed with us. I wish there had been a company like mine when I traveled to visit my parents.
How many children do you have, and how old are they?
My twins (boy/girl) are 5 now.
How long have you been running your business?
My business opened in May 2006 and I am now starting my 4th year in business.
How long did it take you to start becoming profitable and/or successful, however you choose to measure success?
My rate of growth has been in direct relation to how old my children are. I started the business in part so that I could be home with them. I couldn’t grow the business as fast as I wanted to then, but now that they are starting school I have been able to do things like open a second location, expand my product range, etc. One Tiny Suitcase was profitable after the first 2 years of running it very part time.
How did your family react to you starting your own business?
I don’t come from a family of entrepreneurs and I left what my dad considered a really good job (good pay, pension, etc.). In the end, my family supported my decision to try and create a business that supported my desire to stay at home with the twins for as long as I could. There have been ups and downs but I know I can always count on my family to help me out when the hiccups happen.
Easiest part of your job?
The best part: talking to excited families about their upcoming family vacations. Grandparents are always so excited when they have a baby coming to stay with them, too.
Hardest part of your job?
The hardest part: running a home-based business, I have some customers that pick up gear from me directly. Making sure the dog, kids and husband are quiet when someone is at my door as well as having the house clean and presentable is tough.
What skill would you most like to improve?
My sales skills! I have a hard time really ‘selling’. I like talking to my customers and making recommendations for gear I think would help them enjoy their vacation but there isn’t a lot of ‘up-selling’ going on. My customers appreciate that I am a mom as well and can relate to the stress of traveling with young children.
What, if any, tools or advice do you wish you knew then that you know now?
In the beginning I kept telling myself that I would ‘try’ running this business. I always wanted to give myself a way out if things didn’t work as expected. I know now that as long as you are willing to change and adapt when plans don’t go as you thought they would, you can be successful. The ideal business I pictured in my mind when I started is not the business I am running today but that ‘imaginary’ business just wasn’t profitable. If I had stuck to that ‘ideal’ I would be out of business today.
Can you recommend 3 essential websites for moms in, or going into, business?
BizyMoms.com
Lisa Druxman’s column on being a Momtrepreneur
TheMompreneur.com – Calgary’s local resource for everything mom and business.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?
I’m really proud of some of the press coverage I been able to get for One Tiny Suitcase. My kids have been able to participate in some of the television and print coverage. They are always so impressed when they see pictures of themselves on TV or in the newspaper. That’s cool! Getting PR coverage is hard work but that hard work has resulted in a lot of free advertising I could have never afforded.
Favorite part of a typical day?
Typical? There is nothing typical about a day running One Tiny Suitcase, raising twins, preparing meals, cleaning the house, walking the dog. I like the unpredictability of each day. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
A few more questions, just because American Express should be featuring more momtrepreneurs…
Childhood ambition….to become a lawyer.
Fondest memory….finding out my husband and I were having twins.
Indulgence….my dog walkers, they help keep me (and my dog) sane during the week.
Last purchase…..expensive facial cream (on Ebay).
Favorite magazine…..In Style, totally not work-related, full of stilettos I will never wear, and a great escape.
Inspiration…..successful entrepreneurs who have made it big.
My Life…is going in the exact direction I want it to. My goals are in sight!
