Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Thursday, October 6th, 2011
I founded The Mom Entrepreneur in 2008 as a way to help myself adjust to the everyday struggles of balancing a family and growing a business. I connected with hundreds of women who faced the same challenges. We exchanged support, camaraderie, trust and respect.
Today marks a bitter sweet occassion as I take the next step in my professional career. On October 1, 2011, The Mom Entrepreneur was sold to Heather Lopez of Heather Lopez Enterprises.
Heather is a long-time member of the Support Group and ambassador of The Mom Entrepreneur. She joined the Support Group back in 2008 when it first started in Google Groups. She has helped nuture what was first a community of a few hundred women become a continually growing and evolving power house of 15,000+ women all over the world.
Heather is also the co-founder of the Super Mom Entrepreneur Conference & Expo and she founded the Super Mom Entrepreneur Grant Fund, a conference and grant dedicated to helping moms grow their businesses through training, networking, and support. Heather also heads a small business/entrepreneurial branding social network, Become Better Brands.
In addition, Heather is the founder of Happy and Healthy Mom.Com, which offers an online magazine, mommy expos, and a product review team for new & expecting moms, focused on the woman behind the baby. She is the co-founder of the Bloggin’ Mamas Cruise Conference being held the Summer of 2012. She is also a key figure in the launch of Connected Through Christ, The Christian Social Network.
I am excited to pass the torch to this passionate mom entrepreneur who has lots of plans for The Mom Entrepreneur, and will take the company to the next level. Watch for announcements about new events, advertising specials, support group discussions, Co-op Shop holiday blasts and much more.
It has been an absolutely amazing three years. I am forever grateful for the caring and wonderful women I have met who continually supported my ideas and goals over the years. I will never forget you. We shared success stories as well as tears. I am a better person because I met you!
You have not seen the last of me. I will be supporting Heather for awhile in more of a silent role. I am also still a member of the Support Group and look forward to continuing important discussions about balancing motherhood and running a company.
At Bisson Barcelona, my other company, I have the great fortune to be working with two clients who keep me very busy. I love the work I am doing with these companies and look forward to continuing to build my relationship with them over the years. My family will also be traveling more and spending as much quality time together as possible before my oldest is off to high school and too interested in sports.
Thanks for a great three years and I will “see” you in The Mom Entrepreneur Support Group!
Monday, July 19th, 2010
In her former life, Mary Murphy was a longtime Kindergarten teacher, making learning fun for young children. Now, as the founder of Hooray for Books (HFB), she offers “Creative classes where kids look, cook & devour good books!” ™
After the birth of her third child, Mary left her teaching job with an idea to start educational classes for young children, teaching them to read and cook in new and creative ways. Local mothers encouraged her to “go for it,” and in 2001, she started teaching a few classes per week.
Mary used her teaching background to create unique, one-of-a-kind programs for her young students. Next, she used her experience as a mom to make the programs attractive for parents, too. She offered 90 minute drop-off classes, allowing parents enough time to run to the grocery store while their kids were in their classes – a win-win for all.
Cooking is something Mary has been passionate about since she was young, so making that activity a centerpiece at Hooray for Books was only natural. Mary is also a self proclaimed “humor expert” creating theme days, wearing costumes to match the theme and greet excited learners with “out of the box” recipes with learning challenges built in.
Her Hopkinton, MA-based company grew due to popular demand. Today, she offers classes for ages 2-
11 as well as birthday parties, summer camps, and book/cook clubs at her two local locations.
The next chapter? Mary is franchising her successful business, with the goal of opening locations first throughout New England and then nationally. As a business convert, she knows moms want exciting, yet flexible business opportunities.
Running a Hooray for Books franchise is that and so much more. Her ideal candidates don’t need a background in education. In fact, she’s considering people from corporate backgrounds who have taken time off from full-time careers to spend time with their children. Franchise owners will receive HFB lesson plans and recipes, as well as personal support and a proven track record. Franchisees can arrange their class schedules based on their own family responsibilities and be part of a fantastic company.
Mary’s advice for others who are considering an entrepreneurial business concept: Go for it. She believes that women are fantastic at finding and filling a need, and then turning it into a business.
The busy mom of five kids (ages 17, 12, 9, 7 and 5) strives to maintain a healthy work-life balance. She finds time in her schedule to work guilt-free, usually from 9 pm until midnight. That way, she can spend quality time with her family, and then carve out a chunk of uninterrupted time to concentrate on work projects when her kids are in bed. (She calls herself nocturnal!)
Mary understands that children’s attitudes towards reading are formed between ages 2-8, and she’s delighted to give them positive experiences in her classes. She enjoys promoting that positive attitude through books, making letter associations through cooking activities, being silly, wearing crazy costumes, planning creative projects for them to enjoy – and watching them learn.
For more information about Hooray for Books and franchising opportunities, visit www.hoorayforbooks.com.
Tags: educational classes for young children, franchising opportunities, Hooray for Books
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008
This was an email I received from my mother. I am not sure where it originated…
Real Mothers do not eat quiche; they do not have time
To make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably
In the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and
Happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough does not come
Out of shag carpets.
Real Mothers do not want to know what the vacuum just
Sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask ‘Why me?’ and get their
Answer when a little voice says, ‘Because I love you best’.
Real Mothers know that a child’s growth is not measured
By height or years
Or grade…
It is marked by the progression of Mama to Mom to Mother.
The Images of Mother:
4 YEARS OF AGE – My Mama can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE – My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE – My Mother doesn’t really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE – Naturally, Mother doesn’t know that either.
16 YEARS OF AGE – Mother? She has no clue!
18 YEARS OF AGE – That old woman? She’s way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE – Well, she might know a little bit about it.
35 YEARS OF AGE – Before we decide, let’s get Mom’s opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE – Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE – Wish I could talk it over with Mom.
The beauty of a mama is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure that she carries,
Or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a mama must be seen from in her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.
The beauty of a mama is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
The passion that she shows,
And the beauty of a mama
With passing years only grows!
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008
Found this great post on Baby Boomba about “how to know if you are a mom entrepreneur”. I got a good laugh from reading this list. It is so true!
- Your healthy lunch includes a slice of bread folded over with some ham stuck in between.
- Sending emails at 3:00 am means nothing.
- Hitting the stop watch as soon as someone goes down for a nap.
- Asking yourself if you really need to use that washroom or is your bladder fooling you.
- The post man/woman only recognizes you with your pyjamas on.
- You time your bookkeeping for the duration of a Wiggles show.
- Your business cards have applesauce stains.
- A Happy meal is a business expense.
- Don’t Call. Contact by email only.
- Typing emails with one hand.
- Forgetting what you did a half second ago.
- Your suppliers know your children by their first name.
- Assume standing position over you laptop for a good 10 min even though the chair is right beside you.
- Diego is sometimes your best friend.
Which ones best describe you? Anything else that should be added to this list?
I founded The Mom Entrepreneur in 2008 as a way to help myself adjust to the everyday struggles of balancing a family and growing a business. I connected with hundreds of women who faced the same challenges. We exchanged support, camaraderie, trust and respect.
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