For Las Vegas entrepreneur Richelle Shaw, dating three men in three cities didn’t add up to a winning proposition at first. No, this isn’t a Sex and the City rerun; it really happened and, after a few major bumps in the road, there is a happy ending.
Forty-year-old Richelle Shaw has a green thumb when it comes to turning a company into a mega-success. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a business she owns or someone else’s. For starters, finding out that more than 300,000 Americans lose their phone service each month because of missed payments was the premise for Shaw’s company.
As fate would have it, she built a multimillion-dollar company, and nowadays many fledgling entrepreneurs have her to thank for turning their businesses around. How-to advice can be found in her book, “How to Build A Million Dollar Business in Las Vegas Without the Casinos,” or you can check out Shaw’s coaching program. To read a free chapter of her book click here: FREE CHAPTER
No, this isn’t a sneaky sales pitch because Shaw isn’t your run-of-the-mill entrepreneur who turned to coaching to make a living. Quite the opposite, this single mom is incredibly successful in her own right and has a passion for helping others attain fame and fortune.
If you read the answer to the first question I asked her, you might be as curious as I was. And it takes a lot to get my attention. Bottom line, I just had to know. How can I be like Richelle?
Your six-employee firm reached $2.37 million in sales last year, what inspired you to start your company?
SHAW: I am the only female African-American public utility in the nation. I own FreshStart Telephone. I was dating three men in three different states and had a high telephone bill. I was selling advertising, and the vice president of a local telephone company asked me to come and work for them. I did–was promoted six times in five years and grew the company from $300,000 to $36 million. I ended up buying the company from my boss. Lost it all after the 9/11, World Trade Center tragedy and rebuilt it back to $1 million in about six months.
What is unique or special about your business that gives it an edge over your competitors?
SHAW: I understand how to market. The customers drive my business. Actually, the results from marketing campaigns drive my business. Not what I think, not what my friends or staff think.
Recent breakthrough?
SHAW: I understand that what I did was unique, and it was actually a template for business building. People kept asking me how did I do it, and I started coaching and consulting entrepreneurs to do the same things. The best thing is that now I have consulted with entrepreneurs in more than 47 different businesses and determined that no business is different. My strategies and techniques work for any kind of business.
Were there any challenges that you experienced along the way that appeared to be more difficult because you are a woman?
SHAW: When I first decided to buy the business, I went to SBA. I was approved based on my credit and experience; however, they did not like the business. SBA told me that I would never be able to compete with AT&T. Eight years and almost $100 million in sales between the two companies, I think I learned how to compete. Also, I found a venture capital group [that] was going to give me $5 million; they asked for an engagement fee of $75,000. I wired the money and never heard from them again. Just dumb! So when I bought the company I had to start with no money in reserves. I created a deal with my boss to finance the company with receivables, but I had to get new business fast. We sold off the less profitable divisions and laid off staff to make it work. Then, after 9/11, I was forced to start over. This time, with no customer base that I could leverage, no cash and no credit because I had to file bankruptcy; so I had to use my creative sales and marketing skills to rebuild. The best thing to ever happen, because when things turned around, I did not owe any loans or half of my company to any other investors. Were these challenges because I was a woman, I am not sure, but they were difficult.
Did you need to have a certain mindset to achieve success?
SHAW: I have had every obstacle I think there is, including being diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. I tell entrepreneurs when I speak that I was young (27), black, female and a little chubby. What did I have to lose? I just kept my head down and kept working. Even after I lost it all. Was it hard? Yes. Did I cry? Yes. Did I stay in the bed for a week? Yes. But then my mind started working again, and I went back out there to put another deal together. I also became a true student of marketing. Not the kind they teach in college. . . . Funny story:
Went to UCLA and graduated with a history degree. So after my business failed, I thought maybe it was because I did not have an MBA. So I enrolled at UNLV for classes. Because I had no business classes, I had to take basic business classes. At the time I owned workz.com that I purchased out of bankruptcy court, and it contained [more than] 4,000 articles about small business and how to grow online. Back to UNLV, I opened the textbook and went to the internet section and it said–a great place to find resources and information about starting a business online is workz.com. What? The same website I owned, in the textbook? I decided that as an entrepreneur I could now focus on what works, allow the results to rule (not the textbook) and keep doing what I had been doing.
Has the media picked up on your story and what have you done to attract them?
SHAW: Yes, I have been featured in USA Today, Wells Fargo Online, Black Enterprise, Entrepreneur and Smart Money. Then, after USA Today and Smart Money, I began to write my book, “How to Build A Million Dollar Business in Las Vegas–Without the Casinos.” It is about my successes and failures building my business, and a step-by-step guide to build a business from scratch without money, without a big client and the essential fundamental skills to make it work every time.
Can other individuals reproduce your business model?
SHAW: Yes, absolutely. They can reproduce the business model even if they are not in the telecom industry. I have helped entrepreneurs including a performing arts school, a gynecologist, urologist, music store, CPA, solar screen provider–even a psychic!
What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
SHAW: Lots of books! I read daily. Lots of marketing books–anything by Dan Kennedy. The Ultimate Marketing Plan is my favorite.
What ways have you found to be most effective in marketing your product or service to get sales?
SHAW: I practice what I call the 5 Star System. It starts with the three R’s. Reactivation, Retention and Referral. Each one of these has a system to bring in business daily. The fourth piece of the star system is new-client acquisition through lead generation, and the fifth piece is a multi-media marketing funnel.
I don’t just do one thing. I don’t know one way to bring in 84 customers but 84 ways to bring in one. Currently in the telephone business I have 84 ways to bring in a new customer. From joint ventures with bankruptcy attorneys to charity events. It all works. What took my business from ordinary to extraordinary was when I implemented them all at the same time each month. This is what I teach business owners to do now.
What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream but don’t have the confidence or who feel they don’t have what it takes to succeed?
SHAW: You have nothing to lose! If you are waiting for the perfect time, perfect never comes. I was waiting for the perfect time to have a child and it never came–but I was blessed when I least expected it, and everything is just fine. The same with the business. Just start! Every day you wait, you are losing money.
As you know I love getting feedback, so let me know how Weekend Entrepreneur can continue supporting your goals and aspirations with the best content around.
When I told my daughter that Austin must be doing something right, she said, “Austin Powers?” Once I stopped laughing I was able to share stories about a few new business owners I met in Austin, Texas, and how they possessed a refreshing burst of enthusiasm that I wanted to bring back to Los Angeles.
The first entrepreneur I met when I arrived was Penny of PennysPastries.com. She sells the tastiest chocolate chip cookie mix on the planet from her website. With flavors such as Chocolate Chip Indulgence, Peanut Butter Obsession, Black Magic and Chocolate-Chocolate Cherry, you’ll undoubtedly find something to delight your palette.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t send a shout out to one of the entrepreneurs I met when I was leaving. Sue Rostvold of VerySuperCool.com gave me a box of greeting cards. (Yes! They really are cool.) Her tagline for VerySuperCool.com is “Green greeting cards with soul, because every dog has a story.” My friends fell in love with these adorable cards the moment they laid eyes on them. The heart-warming picture as well as the sayings inside each card makes them memorable.
Here are some of the vendors Jeannette Peten, CEO of BiGAustin, had on hand to display their unique products at the BiGAustin Marketplace last month. It’s always nice to know what entrepreneurs are doing in various parts of the country, so I will continue to share my finding with you as I travel to other cities.
Mileagelogger–Manuel Fernandez
Whether you’re a sales rep, small business person or travel for your company, to claim your miles from the IRS you need to track your miles for the IRS. Finally, Mileagelogger has made this easy. Mileagelogger created and offers the world’s first and only wireless GPS-enabled system to track those important miles. It provides IRS compliant business mileage log books without you lifting a finger. Make your life easier by visiting mileagelogger.com.
House By the Side of the Road–Susan Belisle
For several years Belisle owned and operated a small bed and breakfast in Baltimore, Maryland. And although the rooms were quaint and the customer service fabulous, guests kept coming back for Susan’s special gingerbread pancakes and waffles. After her guests requested a way to make her morning treats in their home kitchens, Susan decided to work with a professional blender to turn her from-scratch gingerbread pancakes into an easy-to-use mix. Now living in Austin, Texas, Susan offers her mix under the Morning Sunshine brand. Available in a 2-pound, beautifully designed copper-colored pouch, her mixes are available online at gingerbreadpancakemix.com.
Chocolatecture - Kathleen Grandfield
My gift from BiGAustin was a lavish gift basket made by jewelry designer and Certified Chocolatier, Kathleen Grandfield. It was delicious and included an eclectic mix of chocolate items including hearts, musical instruments and bats. Her website is kathleengrandfield.com Dsdel Ideas–Deborah Evans-Lombe A gifted artist, Evans-Lombe uses her graphic design and fine-arts background to offer a full line of pet cans that celebrate the loving attachment between owners and their pets. Deborah also has a line of original pieces and limited-edition, signed prints all executed in black and white. This series, called Accordance in Black and White, is stunning in its simplicity while also celebrating and respecting diversity in our community and the world. Visit dsdelideas.com.
Zhi Tea–Jeffrey Lorien
We heard it repeated time and again at the BiGMARKETPLACE: The Zhi Tea experience was not to be missed. With beautifully designed tins of loose teas, Zhi Teas are smooth, pleasant and unexpectedly delightful. All teas offered by Zhi Tea are organic and fair trade gourmet loose teas. They also offer fabulous steeping devices. zhitea.com.
Mexican Masterpieces LLC–Julieta Alcantara
Hand-loomed and hand-embroidered pillowcases, wonderfully colorful throws and thoughtfully produced table runners in vivid colors are the focus of Mexican Masterpieces. This small company offers the best selection of hand-made products, elaborated by Mexican artisans using pre-Hispanic techniques. Alcantara’s carefully selected pieces are as much a history lesson of a people as they are beautiful, sincere works of art. mexicanmasterpieces.net.
Keynamics LLC–Greg Bright
Does your back ache from sitting too long in front of your computer in an uncomfortable chair? How about leaning over your laptop until your shoulders feel stiff and painful? Greg Bright addresses these common problems with his line of ergonomic office products, innovative laptop stands and BodyBilt chairs. With Bright’s products you’ll start to feel more energized immediately. He has a great selection at keynamics.com.
Do you have a unique product or service? Let me know because I am always interested in hearing about what entrepreneurs are up to.
Melissa DeMordaunt and Krista Lewis put their feet down and decided to be stay-at-home-moms. When faced with the dilemma of working a day job and being away from home, DeMordaunt’s mind was made up. She candidly said, “Flexibility is the main advantage. Once we became mothers, neither of us wanted to be tied to an hourly job or a place where someone else was dictating our schedule. We love that being an entrepreneur doesn’t mean you work less hours, it just allows us to be mamas for our day job. We get to continue to utilize our minds and education, interact with people, and improve our creative and problem-solving skills. It is the best of both worlds.”
In November 2006, they joined forces and started SnugaBug. They weren’t aspiring entrepreneurs at the time (DeMordaunt has a degree in social work and Lewis has a nursing degree). But when the idea for the Warmsie® came, they ran with it.
Personal mantra?
DeMordaunt: Great things come in small packages (we are both 5′1″)
Business mantra?
DeMordaunt: NGU–”Never Give Up.”
Tell us about your product and what it was like to take an idea from concept to getting it up and running.
DeMordaunt: What all mindful parents need for their babies-on-board is a base layer. The Warmsie is all about function and style. We have made a onesie and pant set out of a soft, high-tech wicking fabric for babies and toddlers. A thin layer that will pull moisture away from babies’ skin; something a baby can wear under regular clothes, replacing the onesie. Each set is trimmed with a contrasting print making them chic so that it isn’t ” just” an under layer.We have learned so much throughout the process of turning our idea into a real product and creating a business based on that product. It was significantly harder than we thought it would be, but much more rewarding than we imagined it could be.
Originally, we were naïve in thinking that we would be in business once we secured the specialty fabric, came up with a pattern, designed the look and got them into stores. True, those were the major issues, but the real work and time went into the minutiae. The topics where we donned our problem-solving-creative-NGU (never give up) hats were in the details: hang tags, branding, packaging for stores, size tags, logo, packaging for our own retail site sales, designing, thread color, waistband size, website, product pictures, return policy, marketing. Phew. The list goes on.
Was there a turning point for you when you knew you could succeed with your business idea? DeMordaunt: Originally, we made the Warmsie sets ourselves. At the point where keeping up on orders cut too much into our time as mothers, we searched for a manufacturer. Walking into a factory and seeing a large room full of seamstresses all working hard on Warmsies was a eureka moment for us. It hit us. “Wow, we have created a product and now others are working on our invention!” It was incredibly exciting.
What tips can you give others who want to embrace their dream, but don’t feel they have the confidence to move forward?
DeMordaunt: Talk to people about your idea. Getting positive feedback was key to our confidence in starting SnugaBug and creating the Warmsie. Once you have made your decision to go forward, jump in with both feet. Success will depend on the energy and persistence you put into your idea. Never give up.
How did you get financing for your company?
DeMordaunt:We have self-funded and boot-strapped to this point.
How long did it take before your business became profitable?
DeMordaunt: We were profitable our first year.
What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business? DeMordaunt: Willing and able friends. We have received so much help from family and friends. The StartUp Princess organization has also been very helpful.
What’s next?
DeMordaunt: Bigger sizes, new products and more stores.
Applause to Melissa DeMordaunt and Krista Lewis for being inspiring role models. Do you have a personal mantra that you would like to share with us? Or something that helped you get through tough times? If so, let us know. In fact, whatever is on your mind we want to know and we want to continue supporting your dream. Holla back!Cheers, Michelle Anton
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist” is a cliché I’ve recited more times than I care to remember. But I just met Lisa Akers, a real-life rocket scientist. Her Denver-based company, Be Still & Knit, offers classes and clothing for children and the women who love them.
This upclose and personal interview with Lisa Akers reveals what she’s up to… from stumbling blocks (a coach who didn’t work out) to a peek at what’s she’s planning to do next to increase industry awareness. She’s a smart cookie.
When did you start your business and what inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
AKERS: I started my company, Be Still & Knit, in the summer of 2005. I left my corporate job as a rocket scientist (yes, really) in late 2003 to birth my daughter. It was a huge shift for me to go from the world of high science, high dollar and high-risk satellite business to the world of diapers, baby food and midnight feedings. To top it all off, we moved from our home in Connecticut to Denver for my husband’s work (in my 35th week of pregnancy). So here I was, a new mom in a new town, with no friends to speak of.
I desperately needed to do something and meet people or I was going to go nuts! So, I went to moms’ groups, I went to churches and I went to the parks to meet other moms. It worked for a while, but my drive as an engineer really made me want to do more–I wanted to have something that I could call my own.
I was wandering through Target, buying diapers, when a learn-to-knit kit caught my eye. It was not completely out of character, since I had been crocheting since I was 6. I brought it home and learned to knit. It wasn’t the most beautiful of shawls (at least in my eyes), but it garnered me compliments every time I wore it. Before long, I was making shawls and teaching classes to my new friends.
What gives you the edge over your competitors?
AKERS: I think that my concept for teaching classes is unique in two ways. First, I come to my students and work on their schedule. Being a mom and not owning a brick-and-mortar store, I have a lot more flexibility in when and where I do my work. Secondly, I believe in giving people a skill and a philosophy. I want all my students to walk away with confidence in their abilities. Often with lessons in stores or at craft events, the instructor only wants to present the material and get it over with. I go one step beyond the skill and talk about the more emotional, spiritual and relationship aspects of knitting/crocheting. I want to create a community of knitters, not just a collection. With my clothing, I create classic designs out of materials that are easy-care, that are high-quality and long-lasting, and are widely appealing to moms and grandmas. What sets me apart is the fact that my designs are easy to wear and easy to care for. Busy moms don’t need fussy clothes.
Was there a turning point for you when you knew you could succeed with your business idea? If so please describe.
AKERS: It came this past January 2nd. I was celebrating the holidays with my family when my business phone rang. I answered it, and on the other end was a high-end local boutique that wanted to start selling my products. It was the confidence booster and energy behind my new success. I was doing OK before, but that moment I realized that I could do so much more!
Have you noticed certain advantages to being an entrepreneur versus having a day job?
AKERS: Well, it is great to have the personal flexibility of working for myself. I can schedule my days, weeks and months to best suit my own demands as a mom and wife. On the other hand, it’s much harder to keep focused when I’m the only one setting the agenda.
When I had a day job as a rocket scientist, I felt much like a firefighter. Some days were incredibly busy with solving problems, explaining concepts and running tests. Other days were just a waiting game. I find that with my own business, every day is incredibly busy. When I am working for myself, my brain is on overdrive coming up with new products, class ideas and marketing concepts. I have a journal that I always carry with me that I use to write down the ideas I have but don’t have time to do right now. Each six months, I sit down with those ideas and see if I should implement some of them and eliminate some of the things I’m currently doing.
How long did it take before your business became profitable?
AKERS: I was profitable in my second year of business. It took about 18 months to comfortably profit from what I do. My business is pretty seasonal, too. I teach a lot more and sell a lot more product in the winter. I’m trying to shift that around, but there’s something about having wool in your lap in August that isn’t very appealing!
Has it been difficult to get financing for your company?
AKERS: I have self-financed. I used my credit card to get started and, fortunately, I have a very low interest rate.
Did you have a mentor? If so, how was it helpful?
AKERS: Well, I did have a coach, and she really wasn’t that helpful. I loved getting her ideas and putting some of them to work. However, I trusted her ideas and concepts without doing any of my own research and without running it through my own filters. Unfortunately, her ideas led me away from my core business and were a big distraction for my first 18 months. Once I refocused on my business of creating a knitting community, then I was more profitable and more successful.
I’ve found that other moms who are in business are far more valuable as mentors. They have made a lot of the mistakes I made and are willing to share. It’s great to have a community of like-minded business owners to reach out to when you have a question or need some advice.
What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
AKERS: The most valuable thing for me has been two moms’ networking groups. We meet twice a month and we get to talk about how business is going. We share ideas on marketing, websites, events and getting clients. We critique each other’s new products, and we get new ideas on how to best run a business and raise a family.
What’s next for Be Still & Knit?
AKERS: My plan is to start holding weekend retreats for fiber artists. We’ll have classes on fiber projects, meditation, prayer, exercise, nutrition and community building. I want to bring the peaceful aspect of fiber arts to the knitting community and create a stronger community of knitters.
Let us know what’s next for you and how we can help.
For Denee Forbes, an unforeseen challenge paved the way for a new mommy-friendly venture that she launched without borrowing a cent. “Women are great multitaskers, and there are so many things in business that can be done from home these days,” said Forbes.
Realizing that as her bump grew, her favorite stainless steel navel ring might be risky, she began exploring her options. Forbes was already aware of the potential harm associated with a navel piercing in pregnant women. She said, “It pretty much starts cutting through your skin. Some people do make it through the ninth month if they don’t get big, but they’re usually bleeding and in a ton of pain.”
Forbes couldn’t find any safe solutions when she checked out websites, maternity boutiques and piercing shops. But before long, she stumbled across an answer that came in the shape of a nontoxic flexible tubing that was already enjoying multiple uses. It is uncanny that the same tubing doctors relied on for open-heart surgery was popular with body artists wanting to create raised circles just beneath the surface of their skin.
Ingenuity and creativity were soaring the day Forbes used a piece of the bendable tubing and two end balls to cap the openings of her first custom made navel ring. She knew that she was on to something unique when her invention lasted throughout her pregnancy. This was the first step for her business, Pregnancy Piercings.Today she sells 14-gauge, 2-inch barbells that can be cut to size. They come in nine colors, including pink and blue for those who know what sex their baby will be.
Having jump-started her biz on eBay, Forbes said, “EBay is a great way to start a business; even a ‘crazy’ idea like Pregnancy Piercings got noticed there. I started out selling one a week just to see if anyone else might want to keep their navel ring through pregnancy, like me!”
Forbes, wants to inspire other women to follow in her carefully chosen footsteps: “My plan for the future is to help other moms who quit their day jobs to stay at home with their little ones.” She is the proud mommy of 2 children, her 5 year old daughter was the inspiration for launching Pregnancy Piercings and her son is 10 months old.
I would be remiss if I didn’t send a BIG thank you to my new friend Heather Ledeboer of Mom4Life.com. She introduced me to Denee Forbes and several other people who have inspiring stories. Stay tuned because I promise to share their stories right here in the near future.
Let us know about your entrepreneurial dreams. Your feedback is important to us.
When we heard about The Poem Lady, the brainchild of Jill Starishevsky, we were all ears. Besides the fact that she is on a mission, several things got our attention. Starishevsky is a mom, a wife and a prosecutor of sex crime and child abuse in New York City with more than a decade of experience. The other thing, is that we had no idea you could make “good” money writing poetry.
Starishevsky recently returned to work after maternity leave and, like many of us, she needed a creative outlet. She said, “I had drafted poems and speeches for family and friends for years and decided that this would be a natural segue into a business.” And that’s exactly what happened. She started The Poem Lady in 2005, and its success gave her the funds to launch her new venture, HowsMyNanny.com. With a passion for protecting children, Starishevsky created an easy-to-use service that enables anyone to communicate problems he or she witnesses to parents, keeping nannies on watch and children safe.
HowsMyNanny.com has become a media favorite. Recently Jill Starishevsky shared her story with Donny Deutsch when she appeared on “The Big Idea.” In addition, Hows My Nanny has been endorsed in the New York Daily News and was featured on “Good Morning America,” CNN and Fox. But before the nanny biz took off, The Poem Lady was paving the way to a bigger dream. Here’s the story behind the story.
What was it like to take an idea from concept to getting it up and running?
Starishevsky: My product is personalized poems for birthdays, anniversaries, baby and bridal showers, bar/bat mitzvah candlelighting ceremonies and speeches for all occasions. The only thing I had to do to get up and running was to establish a website and strongly encourage word-of-mouth referrals from my many satisfied clients. Once I developed a name for myself, it just took a bit of networking to keep the momentum going.
How did you use this business to fund your other business?
Starishevsky: I had come up with an idea for a business that would take some capital to start and some time to grow (HowsMyNanny.com). It required the establishment of a sophisticated website, the manufacturing of stroller license plates and other related costs. In the meantime, I needed something that would bring money in while I was getting the other business off the ground. I knew starting a website to write poems would have little overhead. In fact, when I first got started, I didn’t even purchase a domain name. I used a free web hosting service (poemsrus.biz.ly). I still apply the majority of the income from The Poem Lady to HowsMyNanny.com to cover some of the monthly fixed costs.
Have you noticed certain advantages to being an entrepreneur versus having a day job?
Starishevsky: For the first 15 months of my younger daughter’s life, I was a full-time entrepreneur while I was on maternity leave. Besides the advantage of being able to create my own schedule, I found that there were no limits to what I could do next. It spawned a great deal of creativity. As I write this now, I am both an entrepreneur and back at work full time. At times it can be challenging, but anything worthwhile is.
How long did it take before your business became profitable?
Starishevsky: Since I rely heavily on word-of-mouth referrals and post advertisements on numerous free sites, I have few, if any, fixed costs. As a result, the business became profitable as soon as it started. It gets busier around certain times like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, and the summer is a busy time for bridal showers. I knew I was on to something big when I started getting the same feedback from my candlelighting ceremony clients–they kept telling me I wasn’t charging enough.
Are there any challenges that you experienced along the way that you had to overcome?
Starishevsky: I really enjoy solving the puzzle of writing a meaningful poem from the personal information provided. So much so that sometimes I would finish a poem quickly and want to immediately send it out to the client for his feedback. My husband had to constantly remind me that I should not send out the poem until I received payment. I was more interested in their reaction than in getting paid. I learned my lesson the hard way, as we often must; I was burned two or three times. One time, I spent five hours writing a best man speech for a man who was leaving for his cousin’s wedding in Italy. I sent him a great speech and he never sent payment. Since that time, I have gotten better about treating the business like a business. However, every once in a while when I write a really sweet poem that I know the person is going to love, I still get so excited that I take a leap of faith and send it out right away.
What resources were most helpful to you when you were starting your business?
Starishevsky: When I first started out, I sought out message boards related to baby and bridal showers. I found that there were quite a few requests for poems that went unanswered. I answered every request I saw with a free poem and signed it “Jill–the poem lady.” After a few weeks, I developed a reputation on the message boards and people started posting messages like “Looking for the poem lady.” That was truly an invaluable source of marketing. I still frequent the message boards on occasion, as I enjoy the feedback.
A few months ago, a woman in a baby shower forum asked if anyone could recommend an inscription for a locket that she planned to give to her 10-year-old daughter from her new baby brother. I wrote back and suggested: “Though a decade apart, you’re always close in my heart.” The woman just adored it and went on to order a poem to accompany the locket.
After I got burned a few times by people who did not send payment, Paypal became a much-appreciated resource. I also learned the marketing value of writing an article. I wrote an article called “Top 10 Tips for Writing a Great Candlelighting Ceremony Poem” for a website that provided information on planning a bar or bat mitzvah (MitzvahChic.com). I have gotten some good referrals from people who have read the article and liked my work.
What’s next? Starishevsky:I have used my experience as a prosecutor and my writing skills to create a very important book intended to teach children about child sexual abuse prevention. It is called “My Body,” and I hope to have it published this year. It is my hope that the book enables parents to begin a dialogue with their children about a subject that is often considered taboo until it is too late. It is a short-term goal of mine to have Oprah find out about this book and write the foreword in an effort to make the subject more palatable for parents.
Share your dream with us. It doesn’t matter if you are up and running or just thinking about it. We want to know what’s on your mind.
When Patrice Meluskey and Penny Domschot put their talent and ingenuity together they whipped up an outstanding formula for success. These two stay-at-home mommy moguls created Baby Celebration L.A. from their kitchen tables. This is the only event where new and expectant mothers can trendset like celebrities and find all the hippest, exclusive baby products on the market. And by the way, this isn’t the first big idea Meluskey and Domschot have launched.
If you have ever considered marketing to mothers it’s a great, hot market. Mothers in the U.S. today are controlling more than $1.6 trillion in household spending annually.
Baby Celebration L.A. expects to draw more than 20,000 attendees. Here are the details:
WHEN:
April 12 and 13, 2008
Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Admission $10; 12 and under Free
WHERE:
Los Angeles Convention Center Hall K
1201 S. Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90015 www.lacclink.com
Meluskey and Domschot own www.seascapeproductions.com, an event production company. After creating the San Diego Interior Design Landscape Expo, a wildly successful event that changed the face of consumer trade shows, they sold it to DMG World Media, an international exhibition and publishing company with revenue of $293 million. This dynamic mommy duo made a name for themselves without sacrificing their stay-at-home mommy status.
HOW THEY GOT STARTED
It all began when they met while planning parties and carnivals at their children’s elementary school. Their friendship and passion were the fuel that got their jointly owned company up and running.
After the sale of the Interior Design Landscape Expo, Meluskey and Domschot began to notice a missing stitch in the mother and baby industry. While there were all kinds of interesting and chic products that catered to this demographic, it was impossible to access all of them in one place. For expectant moms, driving the distance between shops could be time-consuming, making it impractical to venture beyond nearby retailers. So out popped Baby Celebration L.A., a one-stop solution to finding all things hip for baby and mommy in one place.
This do-it-yourself duo has spent the past few years building the Baby Celebration L.A. brand to ensure that only truly unique, innovative products are displayed at the annual two-day event. With clear vision and business savvy, they are building an empire and changing diapers at the same time.
When I read my e-mail and found this resource, I started to do the happy dance. Why? Because it’s an option to one of the biggest dilemmas many people are facing: “How can I make money working from home?” It’s a question many stay-at-home moms ask me, and it’s a situation fledgling entrepreneurs often face, too.
Carol Clark
Finally, we can recommend an idea whose time has come. Needlestackjobs.com is the brainchild of two savvy women, Kathleen Wiant and her former employer, Carol Clark. If someone asked me to compare it to another company, Careerbuilders.com and Monster.com are two companies that immediately come to mind. However, Needlestack Jobs has carved out a niche by offering listings of professional, flextime jobs that allow you to perform purposeful work as well as tend to other aspects of your life, such as kids, aging parents or starting a business.
By the way, if this doesn’t apply to you, please forward it to a friend. This isn’t a trend, it’s an epidemic, statistics indicate.
This is what the experts are saying:
1. “92 precent of American workers feel that they don’t have
enough flexibility at work to meet the needs of their children and
families.” Source: Workplace Flexibility 2010
2. “77 percent of workers expect to work for pay after they
retire.” Source: Pew Research Center
3. “74 percent of men rate having a work schedule that allows them
to spend time with their families as very important.” Source:
Workplace Flexibility 2010
4. “66 percent of woman who left their jobs for family reasons want
to return to work.” Source: Center for Work-Life Policy
5. “25 percent of all working moms are dissatisfied with their work/life balance and are actively seeking jobs that will provide them with more flexibility.” Source: Careerbuilders.com
Kathleen Wiant
6. “63 percent of workers between the ages of 50 and 70 say they
will work part-time before full retirement.” Source: Watson Wyatt
Worldwide
7. “55 percent of mothers said they did not have enough time to
spend with their children.” Source: Workplace Flexibility 2010
The good news is that Needlestack Jobs doesn’t charge a fee and has quality jobs in a variety of areas of interest. My curiosity got the best of me today, so I called and spoke with Kathleen Wiant, co-founder of Needlestack Jobs. She was an absolute delight and answered every question I had.
Check out her website and let us know what you think of needlestackjobs.com. It’s a user-friendly website I liked.
Applause to Kathleen Wiant for following her heart and, in doing so, finding a better way for all us to proper in these uncertain times.
"Thousands of people have found a way to live the lifestyle of your dreams – and now you can, too. Over a hundred weekend entrepreneurs share their secrets. It’s all the information you need..."
We have learned so much throughout the process of turning our idea into a real product and creating a business based on that product. It was significantly harder than we thought it would be, but much more rewarding than we imagined it could be.
