Archive for the ‘women business owners’ Category
Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
Lanae Paaverud, the Social Networking Nanny, understands the power of online networking. She spent 10 years building an online retail business as an eBay seller, and progressed to her own retail website, three years ago. Through these experiences, she acquired valuable knowledge about online sales and networking.
When Facebook and Twitter were introduced, she was interested in – and curious about – these new social networking tools, using them to promote her business. When her social networking efforts successfully drove customers to her company, her friends wanted to know how they, too, could leverage these tools to increase awareness and sales for their own businesses.
“So many people were unaware of social marketing’s benefits and asked me questions about getting started,” Paaverud explained. “The interest was apparent, and I knew this was a great business opportunity.”
Minneapolis-based Paaverud launched Social Networking Nanny in the summer of 2009. After
brainstorming a name for her company, she incorporated the word nanny because “a nanny comes in and teaches you.”
“I teach people so they can take over their own social networking efforts. Ultimately, you’re the best advocate for your own business,” Paaverud continued.
Like other mom entrepreneurs, Paaverud strives to balance her career and family – a husband, a 19-year-old son, and twin 18-year-old daughters.
The key to a successful work/home balance is honesty and communication, which Paaverud embraces in all aspects of her life.
Her family supports her business endeavors, calling her “cool” for being entrepreneurial. Hoping to be a good role model for her kids, she encourages them to think independently, solve conflicts, collaborate with people and work hard. Her kids, who have inherited the entrepreneurial spirit, help with the “behind the scenes” work, and have started their own businesses, as well.
Paaverud learned about The Mom Entrepreneur Support Group through social marketing channels and loves the group’s information sharing.
“Other mom entrepreneurs really know where I’m coming from,” she said, adding that The Mom Entrepreneur members all have common backgrounds and challenges – like running a business while tackling laundry and other household logistics.
Her advice for other mom entrepreneurs is to combine their product, their passion and information sharing. Communicate about the “human side” of your business and collect input about your product.
“People think that social networking requires a huge time commitment, but you could spend as little as 10 minutes per day on Twitter and Facebook, just to remind people that you’re out there and you care what they think.”
To learn more, visit www.SocialNetworkingNanny.com.
Tags: online networking, social networking
Monday, June 14th, 2010
Yvonne’s Invitations & Favors is a Long Island home-based online wedding invitations and favors company, fulfilling orders nationwide.
Shirley Yvonne Vitelli, the company’s founder, operates a unique online business model, offering “red-carpet personalized service” that impresses even the most demanding brides. The company’s customized, friendly service takes the fear out of ordering invitations online. Yvonne helps clients every step of the way, with flexible phone appointments to answer questions and provide support. They provide free instant online proofs and can print and ship the same day on most orders.
Their best selling products are invitations, followed by favors and accessories. Their most popular themes include beach/destination, hearts, autumn/fall and fairy-tale weddings.
Shirley started the company as a hobby, and says it’s been tremendously fulfilling to nurture and expand her business. According to Shirley, self-fulfillment leads to happiness, and happiness is the key to healthy relationships and a happy home.
To maintain a healthy work-life balance, Shirley regularly schedules quality time with her two young
children. During family time, Shirley makes it “completely about them,” putting away her laptop and work projects. And when she works with clients, she focuses on them exclusively. A night owl, Shirley works mostly in the evening after her children are sleeping. That way, she can tap into her creativity, uninterrupted.
Shirley’s biggest challenge is being a “one-woman show.” She’s not only the head of the company, but also the accountant, publicist, sales rep, etc. Like many mom entrepreneurs, her resources are limited, and she has found huge value in networking. By securing key partnerships, especially with other vendors, she increases referrals, advice and bartering opportunities.
Shirley’s strong retail background includes Hallmark, Victoria’s Secret, Bloomingdale’s, Elizabeth Arden and Bed Bath and Beyond. She has “worn many hats” in the retail industry, including store manger, retail trainer, corporate buyer and recruiter.
Shirley credits her mom with being her biggest source of inspiration. A successful career woman herself, Shirley’s mom demonstrated how to juggle career and family and maintain a healthy work-life balance. While her family is supportive of her business endeavors, Shirley’s biggest supporter is her husband, who also happens to be a hands-on dad. She values the partnership they share and truly feels blessed to have a husband like hers.
Shirley’s advice to other mom entrepreneurs: when you start to feel guilty about not spending “enough” time with family or at work, remember that quality is more important than quantity. When you’re with your kids, focus exclusively on them and when you’re at work, concentrate on the task at hand.
For more information, visit www.invitationsbyyvonne.com.
Tags: brides, invitations, wedding favors, wedding invitations, weddings
Sunday, January 18th, 2009
Baby Fish Mouth is the brainchild of two friends who met in college and always talked about doing something big together. But soon real life intervened – careers, marriages, children. Even though life took them in separate directions after school, they held on to their friendship and their dreams to work together someday. Then one summer, Danielle Hughes went to Cindy Lyons with an idea.
The company, established in 2007 combines these two mom entrepreneur’s love of movies with their passion for children and desire to do something they truly enjoy and feel proud of.
Recently, we caught up with Danielle, mom to one son, to learn more about how this economy has affected her family and the business.
Here is her story…
How has this economy affected you, your business and your family?
Luckily it has not affected us that much – yet. Business is slower, but January is always bad for retail so I am hopeful things will pick up. I also freelance copywrite to help pay the bills and have noticed a slight downturn, but again, I am confident things will get busier soon.
How are you making lemonade from lemons? 
Many people tend to cut their advertising and promotion budgets during a recession or economic downturn. But statistics prove that businesses who continue to spend on advertising actually increase their sales. So even though times are tough and business has slowed, we are taking out an ad with other Mompreneurs in Peter Shankman’s HARO (Help a Reporter Out) Newsletter for Valentine’s Day. This will give us exposure we need to 50,000 media outlets and other businesses, and by offering his readers a promotion code, hopefully spread some goodwill in return. I am confident that this lemon will result in pitchers of lemonade for our business!
Any encouraging words you would like to offer mom entrepreneurs?
Find a supportive community online to help you navigate the world of small business. I was lucky enough to find The Mom Entrepreneur Online Support Group. The women are not only smart, but willing to help others without asking for anything in return. Don’t be afraid to use the resources around you and ask for help. Pride has no place in business.
For more information, visit bfmwear.com, or email Danielle@bfmwear.com.
Friday, January 9th, 2009
Stacey Kannenberg is a serial entrepreneur. She is an author, publisher, motivator, consultant, spokesperson, successful blogger and most importantly…a MOM. In 2004, she established Cedar Valley Publishing, 2006 Stacey Kannenberg Unlimited, 2007 Mom Central Consulting and in 2008, Mother Talk.
This mom entrepreneur is the epitome of the phrase…”if you want something done, give it to a busy person.”
As the “Get Ready to Learn Mom”, Stacey is a nationally renowned education expert and award winning author with an expertise in children’s education, and “Mom-entrepreneurship”. When Stacey is not busy running her two publishing companies or consulting, she is spending every possible free moment with her two adorable girls. Here is her story…
How has this economy affected you, your business and your family?
My husband and I are both entrepreneurs – he runs his family tool and die company, which started seeing a shift in contracts moving overseas in the 90’s. I have learned from watching him.
He noticed the trend and started to diversify his customer base to include clients from all industries, looking for specific niche markets that would be a good fit for his company. So when I started my publishing companies, my marketing plan was diversified to cover many niches so that if one industry failed I would have other avenues to pursue, such as grandparents, parenting groups, bookstores, schools, preschools, libraries, etc. Looking back, that has been the key to my success.
How are you making lemonade from lemons?
I continue to look at obstacles as opportunities. I have seen the results of what hard work can bring within four years and I am looking forward to see how I will continue to evolve in the future.
My kids think it is hilarious that you don’t have to be a teacher to write successful educational
books or that you don’t have to speak or write the language to release a Spanish book. To quote my seven year-old daughter Megan, “Just hire a translator, duh, anyone can do anything as long as they put their mind to it.”
Education is a recession proof industry so it helps that I sell books geared for ages 2-6 involving the Kindergarten and First Grade curriculum. I also have my consulting work that allows me to work with brands, authors and other mom entrepreneurs as a way to keep myself diversified.
Any encouraging words you would like to offer mom entrepreneurs?
My husband gave me a crystal clock in 2004 to celebrate Christmas. It had Cedar Valley Publishing’s logo engraved in white on it with the following phrase that he coined:
The Dream is Clear
To Believe is the Reward
To all the mom entrepreneurs: congratulations, you already have your dream started, keep believing and continue to surround yourself with a network of people who believe in you and your dream. It’s not going to be easy, so keep jumping those obstacles and may you get to a point where everything isn’t a struggle and it seems as if good things magically appear from nowhere. That for me is the reward!
For more information, visit cedarvalleypublishing.com, cedarvalleypublishing.com/blog, momcentralconsulting.com, mothertalk.com or staceykannenberg.com. You can also reach Stacey directly by calling 920-994-9906 or emailing Stacey@cedarvalleypublishing.com.
Monday, January 5th, 2009
Mom entrepreneurs Shannon Wilburn and Daven Tackett are the founders and owners of Just Between Friends, which offers children’s, teens, and maternity clothes on consignment at seasonal events around the country.
They started the company in 1997 with the hope and dream of making a little extra money and clothing their children at the same time. In just 11 short years, that goal has been accomplished as well as so much more.
Unfortunately, their franchise has not yet reached New England. After reviewing their website and
informational videos though, I am in love with the idea. In New Hampshire, we have the Children’s Orchard, which has a small selection of kids clothing and items. And when you try to sell merchandise to them, you are offered very little money in return.
Shannon and Daven are moms to two children each who were all very young when the company started. Three are now teenagers, and what a great life lesson they have been exposed to – their moms creating and growing a multi-million dollar business. Here is their story…
How has this economy affected you, your business and your family?When gas and everything else goes up, families still continue to have the same needs for their children as they always have. Like other parents, we may not be able to provide for all of our kids’ wants, but the basic needs are still the same and JBF offers families an affordable way to buy what they need, while offering an excellent way for moms and dads to sell the gently-used items their kids have outgrown or no longer use.
How are you making lemonade from lemons?
When the economy turns to lemons, Just Between Friends’ kids’ consignment events offer more 
than 115,000 American moms the sweet deals they need for their children to make endless, refreshing lemonade.
JBF makes good sense in any economy, but when times are tough, we try even harder to get the word out so that any mom who wants to can participate as a consignor, shopper and volunteer. We know how sweet saving money can be and that making money is even sweeter.
“Just Between Friends franchise owners are savvy, bargain shoppers who know best how to save money in every aspect of their family budget,” said Daven. “We love it when a mom ‘gets us’ and lights up at all of the great bargains she finds at our sales. But it makes us even happier to send out large checks after each sale and know that we have helped hundreds of families make their mortgage or car payment that month.”
Any encouraging words you would like to offer mom entrepreneurs?
Focus on your passion and let it sweeten your life and your career. If you love what you are doing, others will feel that energy and enthusiasm and embrace who you are and what you are about. You will be tested and tried, but remain focused on what you love and why you got into your business in the first place.
For more information, visit jbfsale.com.
Friday, January 2nd, 2009
Susan Levine, mother of two, and grandmother of two, is the owner and creator of
50somethinginfo.com, which she established in 2008.
50somethinginfo.com is the one stop source of pre-screened information dedicated to the 50something lifestyle.
Sue’s idea was to create a website where information wanted by 50somethings could be sorted and culled by a real-life reliable librarian, and delivered simply and quickly. She wanted a resource for people who didn’t grow up with computers and the Internet, but still wanted to use them to enhance their lives.
Sue found a niche market with a need and delivered a solution. Today this mom entrepreneur’s website delivers the best of the net to adults 50 years old and better. Here is her story…
How has this economy affected you, your business and your family?
I stopped monitoring our retirement savings losses at 20%. I no longer open any statements.
How are you making lemonade from lemons?
My husband and I share three octogenarian parents. We have a daughter about to be married 
and two active granddaughters from equally motivated parents. I think it’s safe to say that we are truly part of the “sandwich generation“.
I noticed that boomers and seniors were becoming more and more savvy at using the computer but were unable to extract the information they desired for their changing circumstances. The reliability of information was questionable and the volume of links overwhelming.
I decided to utilize my library background (MLS, UCLA, 1971) to create a
boomer search engine that was not only easy to maneuver, but also supplied exactly the information requested. I studied website criteria for aging eyes and applied all the ingredients to make 50somethinginfo.com the only website of its kind. It is a one stop source of pre-screen information dedicated to our 50something lifestyle.
Any encouraging words you would like to offer mom entrepreneurs?
These are challenging times. Challenge yourself to become aware of all your interests, talents, and education and apply them to a niche that is under served and very needy.
For more information, visit 50somethinginfo.com or 50somethinginfo.blogspot.com. You can also reach Susan directly by emailing Susan@50somethinginfo.com.
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
Whippersnappers Studios is a boutique children’s photography studio. Owner and founder Lisa Flynn, mom to two boys, admits the idea was born from her wanting a better way to get her children’s’ pictures taken.
Lisa and her husband opened their first studio in June 2006 and decided to franchise in 2007. The franchise business is still in its infancy stage, but the company was recently featured in a national magazine. And the first franchise has been sold in Fort Collins, Colorado.
This mom entrepreneur has weathered the economic storm by focusing on core strengths. Here is her story…
How has this economy affected you, your business and your family?
Oddly enough, I think it’s made our business model stronger. When things are going well, you tend to scrutinize your business model less, and therefore not be as efficient as you could be. Although our appointments in our flagship studio were down in November about 50% from last year, we actually netted more by focusing on our core strength – a quality product coupled with a fabulous experience.
On the franchising side of the business, this economy has created many more prospects as smart, talented people are being laid off. We are hearing from a lot of moms who want a creative business opportunity that is kid-friendly, and allows them a flexible schedule.
On a personal note, I think that this economy has taught many parents (myself included) about being a little more responsible in what we model for our children, and a little less excessive in what we provide for them just because we can.
How are you making lemonade from lemons?
We strive to position ourselves as a quality service that is important to parents. As such, we don’t discount our session fees for fear of giving it a “cheap” feel. However, we’ve had many clients express that they need a little break in this economy. So we offered a “Fill the Gaps” promotion to our current clients, where we sold our available sessions for 25% off our standard session fee.
Additionally, I’m very excited about a public service campaign that I’m helping spearhead to promote shopping with locally owned businesses. It is our hope that by educating the public as to the true importance of supporting “main street”, we will rebuild our own economy and save our community.
Any encouraging words you would like to offer mom entrepreneurs?
Hang in there! Many people have great ideas, fewer actually take the risk to make them a reality, but fewer still have the perseverance to stick with it – especially when times are tough. I expected to work long hours (at home and a work), and I expected to get knocked down a few times…but I don’t think I expected to get kicked (repeatedly) while down.
Of course, as a mom entrepreneur, the “kicks” can come in many forms, and with a range of force—from a bad economy, employee difficulty, or unreliable vendors to having little (if any) “me” time, a sick baby, or the death of a loved one. So, again, hang in there. When you get knocked down, pick yourself up. Repeat as needed. And never forget that you are one of the lucky ones—living your dream, pursuing your passion. Be patient, be strong, and remember that if it was easy, everyone would do it.
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