Kidz Comfort
August 18, 2008 by Tami · Leave a Comment
Rae Lynn Glispin, owner and founder of Kidz Comfort, is our next Ms. Biz! Stop by and check out her My Doudou bed bumper.
Q: Tell me a little about your business (or businesses). For example, what you sell, services offered, etc)
Rae Lynn: Kidz Comfort offers unique and colorful bedding and accessories to help kids rest comfortably and safely. Our bedding items are all made in the USA from high quality 100% cotton fabrics. Our Comforter sets, Bed Bumpers for Big Kids and Toddler Pillows are available in many stylish colors and themes. Lullaby CDs and bedtime story books are a great addition to help make a child’s bedtime experience more relaxed. We also offer all-natural and reusable Kidz Heat & Cool Packs in lots of fun prints for those little bumps and bruises that all kids get.
Q: What is your best selling product?
Rae Lynn: Our best selling product is a toss-up. We have had such great success with our reusable Kidz Heat & Cool Packs and our Bed Bumpers for Big Kids. They are both very unique and something every child should have. And they both make great gifts!
Q: How did you come up with the name?
Rae Lynn: We were trying to capture the real purpose of our site in just a couple short words. We knew these were the words that made perfect sense as our mission is to provide a comforting bedtime routine for kids. What goes along with sleeping but the traditional sleeping zzzzzz’s and a nighttime sky and moon. We added it all into our name so that it was very clear what our site was about.
Q: When and why did you start the business?
Rae Lynn: We have two toddler boys and their bedtime routine was always a “process,” to say the least. We also had concerns about how active they were during the night, often waking themselves up by banging into the wall that runs alongside their beds. Along with that, our winters are very very cold, which often made their walls very chilly. We became concerned that they would get cold during the night if they happened to rest against their walls. That is when we created the bed bumper to hang on the wall, and be removable for washing.
We launched our business in September of 2007, initially only selling our unique and patented Bed Bumper for Big Kids. We began to realize that customers prefer a larger variety of products to choose from and that providing coordinating bedding was important to our continued success.
We are dedicated to continue making our products in the USA and with the highest quality materials.
Q: What was the hardest part for you?
Rae Lynn: The hardest part was taking that first step and actually spending money on the businesses start-up costs. It was a scary thing to commit to. It is also very tough to convince a spouse that isn’t into shopping…although I have to say my Husband has been supportive since the very beginning, so I am fortunate for that.
Q: What motivates you to keep going?
Rae Lynn: I obviously don’t want to be a failure, but more importantly, I want to show my boys that you can accomplish almost anything if you set your mind to it. I never want to have regrets and I refuse to give up. It is an internal drive that women often have to prove what we are capable of.
Q: Any advice for other women wanting to start their own business or ones who have just begun?
Rae Lynn: Research, research, research. That is one of the most important things to do. There are so many resources out there to guide women into and through entrepreneurship. Massachusetts and Rhode Island have www.cweonline.org, but each state has similar organizations that will help propel women into business-ownership. Check with your state’s SBA or SBDC for advice and direction. This has saved us thousands of dollars and provided me with so much information, assisting me to be more successful.
Another helpful tip is to find useful networking groups, both on-line and off. A great group to join is www.mompack.com. It’s a great place to bounce ideas and questions off of other business owners.
Find a mentor. Find some one that runs a similar business and ask to meet with them. It may take a few tries, but you will find some one that is willing to share their lessons with you.
It has been so much work, but at the same time, so fulfilling. I am so proud to have taken this path in my life.
Q: Tell me about you - hobbies, favorite things, etc.
Rae Lynn: My priority has always been my family. We have made many sacrifices so that I could have a large impact on how my children are raised. I now have the best of many worlds, staying home with my boys every Monday and Friday (and of course weekends), working part-time for a non-profit organization, Center for Women & Enterprise (www.cweonline.org), who has helped me get my business started in the first place, and I also am fortunate enough to run my own home-based business.
I absolutely love gardening and have my own small organic vegetable garden to poke around in. There’s nothing like your own home grown veggies. I also love flower gardening, black and white photography and just hanging out and playing with my family. I LOVE eating every kind of food that exists, which is often a curse!
Q: Do you have a discount you would like to offer the readers?
Rae Lynn: Just enter msbiz at checkout as your coupon code and you will receive a 10% discount on all orders.
Thank you, Rae Lynn, for taking the time to answer the questions!
Inspirational Gift
July 26, 2008 by Tami · Leave a Comment
I would like to introduce you to our next Ms. Biz, Elaine Stephen of Inspirational Gift Gallery.
Q: Tell me a little about your business (or businesses).
Elaine: I sell inspirational gift products that I truly believe express God’s word, Christ’s sacrifice and inspire us with messages of love, comfort and joy.
Q: What is your best selling product?
Elaine: Inspirational Jewelry.
Q: How did you come up with the name?
Elaine: I looked at keyword phrases that applied to the goal behind selling my gifts and how tough the competion would be for being listed at the top of the search engines.
Q: When and why did you start the business?
Elaine: I am a Christian woman who for many years dreamed of having a baby and starting my own business. Unfortunately, I never conceived and a brick and mortar retail store required more upfront investment than I had. Even if I did have a baby and a business, I wondered how I could give both a child and a business the attention they both needed at the same time? Finally, it was time to stop dreaming and wondering and start investigating. My mother always said, “God helps those who help themselves.”
My husband and I decided to adopt a child and I decided to start an online retail business. An online business offered low start up costs and the ability to work from home. As my husband and I created a profile for our adoption, I created a new business.
Through prayer to God and Jesus Christ for guidance and patience, my dreams came true. In November of 2002, I held my adopted son in my arms for the first time and my first web site was already profitable! My current web site, the Inspirational Gift Gallery, was published in 2005.
Q: What was the hardest part for you?
Elaine: Finding drop shippers of unique inspirational gifts and keeping my product offering up to date. I advertise on my web site for product submissions but must find the time to search online for and contact drop shippers of new and unique products as well. With almost 500 products offered from many different suppliers, I must set time aside to keep checking for temporariy out-of-stock, discontinued and new products as well as product price changes.
Q: What motivates you to keep going?
Elaine: Faith in the Lord that I am following the right path in my business and personal life to succeed at both and fullfill my dream. Hope for continued and greater success of my business. I pray for wisdom in the decisions I make for my business and how it compliments my personal life. Finally next to God and family my business has become my passion that strives to spread the words of our Lord and the love comfort and joy that belief in Him bestows upon us.
Q: Any advice for other women wanting to start their own business or ones who have just begun?
Elaine: The main ingredients are research, hard work, trial and error and don’t give up! I truly believe that God wants us to succeed. He simply asks us to plant the seeds of our business, harvest the grain that is available to our business, prepare the flour for our business, mix the dough in our business and bake the foundation of our business before we get to savor the bread of our business, which is our success!
Q: Tell me about you - hobbies, favorite things, etc.
Elaine: Taking pictures of my son, campfires at night in the summer, candle night at home in the winter, sewing and crafts projects. Some day I am going to find the time to make scrapbooks for each year of my son’s life, LOL!
Q: Do you have a discount you would like to offer the readers?
Elaine: I would love to offer a 10% coupon code to anyone who reads this article, visits my Inspirational Gift Gallery web site and chooses to place an order and spread a little Christian love, comfort and joy!
Enter the coupon code: IGGBLOG at check out.
Thank you, Elaine, for taking the time to answer our questions!
Loose Lips NY
July 10, 2008 by Tami · Leave a Comment
After a brief hiatus, the Ms. Biz features are back!
This week’s Ms. Biz is Sherry Backman of Loose Lips New York.
Q: Tell me a little about your business (or businesses). For example, what you sell, services offered, etc)
Sherry: Loose Lips New York- Makeup, cosmetics and more. www.looselipsny.com We sell a full line of easy to wear makeup and skincare for the busy woman at a reasonable price.
Q: What is your best selling product?
Sherry: Mineral Foundation and Indelible Eye Gel Liner
Q: How did you come up with the name?
Sherry: I love to gossip and live in New York…Need I say more?
Q: When and why did you start the business?
Sherry: We opened 2 years ago- starting out at ladies night outs and shop and dines in the community- no one was really selling makeup at these and I thought what a great thing to do.
Q: What was the hardest part for you?
Sherry: Balancing my time between work and family.
Q: What motivates you to keep going?
Sherry: When I get positive feedback from customers- How much they love a product etc.
Q: Any advice for other women wanting to start their own business or ones who have just begun?
Sherry: PR and Marketing are key. Make as many connections as possible- you never know where it will lead.
Q: Tell me about you - hobbies, favorite things, etc.
Sherry: My kids, my dog, traveling, going to the beach, spending time with friends, workingout, walking and playing tennis.
Q: Any discount you would like to offer the readers?
Sherry: Use code Biz20 for 20% off your first order at Loose Lips New York.
Thank you, Sherry, for being this week’s Ms. Biz!
Beads of Hope
This week’s Ms. Biz is Staci of Beads of Hope! Please stop by her site for some beautiful jewelry and to help raise money for Childhood Cancer Research.
Q: What kind of business do you have? (what you sell, service provided, etc.)
Staci: I hand make beaded jewelry. Nothing is made until it is ordered. Each piece is unique just like each child is unique. Most of my jewelry is with meaning. I love expression on jewelry. I also have a lot of awareness jewelry that is perfect for gift giving. My favorite bracelet is the “I’m worth it” Made with Swarovski crystals and a message bead of faith. I wear that almost everyday. It reminds me God has a plan and his plan is greater than mine.
Q: What is your best selling product?
Staci: My best seller would be the Continuous Hope necklace. As we all have hope for the future no matter what we have been through or are going through there is hope. It can be made in 18 different colors to represent a lot of different causes.
Q: How did you come up with the name?
Staci: God. I woke up one morning after having a dream/vision. Knew what to call the company, how to make everything, where to buy the products. God had everything laid out.
Q: When and why did you start your business(es)?
Staci: I started this business in January 2002. However it has not been a top priority since Jakob’s health had to come first. I have now made it my top priority. I pray Jakob is on the mend and only going to get healthier. If not I have wonderful friends that can help me now. I started it after my son was born and prayed God to show me a way to bring awareness to how common childhood cancer was becoming. This was his way. Every woman loves jewelry. Most have children or nieces, nephews, cousins. So generally everyone can relate to the struggles of a child.
Q: What was the biggest obstacle you faced?
Staci: Managing a new baby, a son with hearing and speech problems and son still on chemo. Resources of people that knew what to do & not to do so costly mistakes aren’t made. Money!
Q: What motivates you to keep going?
Staci: My children. If they can over come all the obstacles that they have in their short life, I can overcome mine and keep moving forward.
Q: Advice for other women wanting to start their own business or ones who are just beginning?
Staci: Seek out help first. Get a mentor! Don’t ever give up. There are plenty of millionaires that went bankrupt before they made it. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Then jump in and enjoy the ride.
Q: What would you like for the readers to know about you? (Your background, hobbies, the little things you find important, etc)
Staci: I have a wide background. Family is the most important thing. I love to go camping, swimming, travel and read when I get the chance which isn’t to often. Just enjoy each day and live it to the fullest. Life is very short Spend time with those special in your life. No matter what you are doing.
Q: Do you have a coupon code or special that you have going on or would like to offer to the readers?
Staci: They can receive 20% off their first order with coupon #FO2008.
Thank you, Staci, for being this week’s Ms. Biz!
Cheeky Tots
May 19, 2008 by Tami · Leave a Comment
Our next Ms. Biz is Helen of Cheeky Tots. Please stop by her place on the web for some great items for babies and kids.
Q: What kind of business do you have? (what you sell, service provided, etc.)
Helen: We are an online baby and children’s store, we sell a wide range of products including: modern cloth nappies, nappy making fabrics, baby and infants clothing, nappy bags, children’s novelty name plaques, blankets, soft toys and other misc children’s products. We also specialise in embroidered clothing.
Q: What is your best selling product?
Helen: One of our biggest sellers are our range of children’s novelty name plaques, they are available in many fun designs and are personalised with each child’s name.
Q: How did you come up with the name?
Helen: The store was originally called “Cheeky Bots” which was focused around cloth nappies. I then changed the name to Cheeky Tots to be more general, as our product range grew.
Q: When and why did you start your business?
Helen: I started the business after having my son 15 mths ago, I loved the idea of working from home whilst looking after my family. My background is in sales and marketing so it was easy to make the transition into internet trading. I had been a seller on eBay for several years before opening my website in the middle of last year.
Q: What was the biggest obstacle you faced?
Helen: Initially it was being taken seriously by suppliers. It’s very hard to become a stockist when you are still establishing yourself in the marketplace. Also setting up the website and finding suppliers can be very daunting at first as it’s hard to know where to start.
Q: What motivates you to keep going?
Helen: My customers. I have many repeat customers and the more sales that I get, the harder I work. I believe in offering a very high standard of customer service so it’s very rewarding when this is acknowledged.
Q: Advice for other women wanting to start their own business or ones who are just beginning?
Helen: Do your research first before rushing in and spend a little money initially to get a good set-up for your website and be prepared to spend many hours setting your business up. Be willing to learn as you can save time and money by doing alot of the groundwork yourself. Finally, be patient. It is not an overnight thing, it can take many months of hard work before reaping the rewards.
Q: What would you like the readers to know about you? (Your background, hobbies, the little things you find important, etc).
Helen: Originally from the UK, I now live in Melbourne, Australia with my husband and 16 month old son. Our second child is due at the end of this year. I have a creative and arty nature and I love all things colourful, which is why Cheeky Tots has such a bright, fun website. I also enjoy sewing and making products to sell (when time permits!) and I have plans to develop this side of my business in the future. I consider myself to have a fun, easy going nature and I thank my parents for teaching me to have respect for others.
Q: Do you have a coupon code or special that you have going on or would like to offer to the readers?
Helen: Cheeky Tots ships world-wide and we are offering all readers 10% discount off all products until 6/30/2008. Enter discount code FEATURE into the checkout to redeem your discount (cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount or offer).
Thank you very much, Helen, for taking the time to answer our questions!
