I tried a search to see if such a post had been made in the past but couldn't find one. If anyone knows of one, please direct me to it :) I'd love to hear about how all these wonderful businesses started up, how long they've been at it, and successes and hurdles along the way, etc etc. I think it would be SUCH an interesting read...

Ok, who wants to go first? :)

~Ana

I started BeniBoi Designs in Oct. 2001.
It started off as a diaper business with some blankets and misc. other baby things on the side.

I named it after my inspiration.....my third child Beni.

I found that my site appeared on google searches and I got orders from around the planet with requests for my products.

Then, people occasionally asked for specific items I didn't offer and I would attempt to make many of these requests.

I then thought.....man.....these diapers are a lot of work for little pay back. If I don't source out and get other seamstresses it is a nowhere future for me with these. I have gone this way and that way feeling out various directions to go (gifts for all ages?, clothing? what to create?)

Many a time I have applied the brakes on my endeavors in order to not go too quickly in a direction which will tie me to a course.:D

I would say that my wahm bus. has been a success in that it is always wanting to take off at warp speed even though I am fighting it every step of the way.

I am actually going to head off in yet another direction very soon. I am going to incorporate the BeniBoi concept into my new venture.

Now.

Let's hear from wahms who have gone with the oppurtunities and not fought them!!!!!!

Well... I started Mrs. MacADoo's originally because my mom kept telling me "You could make that!" when I was ordering cloth wipes and wet bags from other WAHMs... I was going to just make some for me and that be the end of it... But, she kept telling her doula clients about it and then she started carrying some cloth diapers... It was just inevitable that it would happen... Really, I don't think I learned to sew a straight line until like my third order (:o)!!

So, I wouldn't say that I started Mrs. MacADoo's, but rather, that Mrs. MacADoo's started itself!

I officially opened for business last April and got a little website set up through MSN groups... At that time, it was more fun making the web site than sewing (LOL!) and sometime in May (I think) I stumbled across Amity's... This was really a turning point in my actual "store front" because I was then linked up with www.wahmservices.com and to a professional web site...

So, the Mrs. MacADoo's that you all know now was a brain child of myself and Inkprince.com and I love it!

I really don't think business has been "booming" - although I'm very grateful for what I've got. I think that I try really hard to make sure my clients are happy, and I believe it shows because they keep coming back. ;) I have made what I've put it, but have yet to pull a real profit - mainly because I keep buying fabric! HA!

Hopefully, I can get a super-duper serger or sewing maching at tax time and that will help speed things along a bit (my sewing machine is my mom's - it's like 25 years old! LOL!)...

Mainly, it has been a real learning experience for me. I've tried some things and had them back-fire (anyone remember those vinyl lined wet bags? ick!) and then tried some things that have been pretty successful (new wet bags and the mama pads especially). It really has taught me to appreciate buying from other WAHMs and has increased my patience ten-fold...

Hopefully, next year, my sister will join in with me and we can make Mrs. MacADoo's something really special. She's learning to sew and is eager to do something with her newly acquired skills!

The next phase of Mrs. Mac's will be zippered wet bags - I'm trying to do something innovative in that department... something different and unique that will be able to last you through more than one baby's cloth diaper life... So, we'll see... I was planning on launching the zippered wet bag in January, but *sigh* don't think that will be happening... But, soon, mamas!! Soon!!

This was fun... Thanks for reading - helped me be a bit more grateful for where I'm at and how far I really have come... :D

The best experience I have had being a WAHM is Tuesday Bear...not only selling but BUYING! For those of you who have not yet experienced the Tuesday Bear Syndrome- what are you waiting for? Tuesday Bear mamas are fantastic- fun and wonderful customer service and there is such a vast selection of fantastic products - something new every Tuesday! Find bracelets (hint! hint!), diapers, diaper covers, soaps, bath fizzies, quilts, baby shoes, children's clothing, playsilks, toys, purses, and more~ each item offered only at Tuesday Bear, and many are one-of-a-kind. I feel honored to be part of such a smart, creative group of women.

And you know...it IS Tuesday!

www.tuesdaybear.com/entrance.html

~H

I see I am in good company with Heather right above me :)

I have been a WAHM for about 4 years. Started off with Maya Wraps, and I was the first to wholesale from a WAHM (Kissaluvs). I later began making my own diapers. After the birth of my sixth child, I introduced Not Just For Nursing Necklaces and they took off, and were so successful and supplies took up a LOT less room, so I stopped selling diapers (but not making them lol). Earlier this year, I took a break and began selling my children's clothing on Ebay, it was overflowing our closets! On Ebay I saw some cute boutique style clothing, but I didn't like the $200 + prices, so I decided to make my own! Soon I am selling boutique clothing on Ebay :).

Enter Tuesday Bear. I always thought it was such an amazing concept - bring together the best of the best and have them sell items you can't get anywhere else. Wow. I joined Tuesday Bear about two months ago - and I really love it. The WAHMs there are supportive of each other, if anyone ever has a question - be it a sourcing, customer service or even web design, someone has the answer! I can't wait to see what the coming year will bring to My Child's Garden as I grow with this amazing store.

Oh yeah - we are as eager as everyone else to see what is in the stores every Tuesday :)

Cool thread - I can't wait to see the other posts!

i've been "in the wahm biz" seriously for about 16 months, before that i would just make diaper or wipes for friends and family that would ask or for craft shows. i started making pocket covers/diapers not too long ago because i had run out of soaker material for aio's and fitteds. LOL there is a much higher demand for pocket diapers than there is for just cute covers i noticed so i try to focus mainly on pockets now (but i still do custom orders for other diapering items when i have the time). i have a hard time keeping up sometimes now that i have 3 kids (plus a new puppy thank you very much dh! LOL) but i love making diapers and wipes, i think once my kids are older and out of dipes i will love it even more. :D

when teddy started up tuesdaybear.com she told me the door was always open for me to start selling there but i just didn't have enough time to devote to it right away. after a few months i *MADE* the time and i jumped into tuesdaybear.com, i knew i made the right decision! the group of wahms there are so "unique" everyone has something just a little (or way) different to offer. if i could afford it i'd probably buy 1 of everything each week. LOL i like being able to shop at places that i can get more than 1 style of something kwim?

(sorry if this is all jumbled sounding, i am trying to keep my new puppy off the keys LOL)

edited to add...

ROTFLMBO patsy, you are the center of a tuesdaybear sandwich! LOL

The next phase of Mrs. Mac's will be zippered wet bags - I'm trying to do something innovative in that department... something different and unique that will be able to last you through more than one baby's cloth diaper life... So, we'll see... I was planning on launching the zippered wet bag in January, but *sigh* don't think that will be happening... But, soon, mamas!! Soon!!

ya know, I have a zippered pul bag that I've had for about 4 years I think. It was made by fiona'sdiaper or fionasfavorites. Something like that. Some of you may remember her. Anyway, it looks pretty simple to make, though it is flawless. This thing still looks great after 100+ washings! I think there is a great market for a simple zip wet bag (that is still affordable :lol), as I don't think I've seen any like that since then.

quote:
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ya know, I have a zippered pul bag that I've had for about 4 years I think
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geez! must've been a good bag... i've only purchased one zippered wet bag and i've been using it fairly often in a rotation of about 4 other drawstring bags and mine is falling apart... is that wahm still in business? do you have her email? i'd love to *pick her brain* about the zippered bags..

I've been a WAHM for almost 3 years (diapers first, then Garden Fresh Body) and I'm still waiting for success. My experience is that I've invested a ton of money and am desperately trying to break even, but I probably never will. In the spring we'll probably use whatever tax return we have to pay off the remaining business debt, sell off everything I have at cost (or try, anyway) and call it quits. :(

I'm glad to hear that others have a much better time of it! I think that just shows that it isn't "in the cards" for me and my life - God must have other plans for me that involve NOT running a business. ;)

Thanks for sharing everyone! Keep em coming...so interesting and inspiring too :)

Genevieve, I tried to click on your website, but it wasn't going there for some reason. What's the addy? Or is it down? I'm sorry you're having a rough time of it. :( I'd like to see what it is you do...

Ana

Well, I've tried a couple of things:

The easiest is to sell used baby items.

I also used to make mosaic tiled picture frames. Yes, people bought them (thank you!!!), but they were soooo hard to make (grout's a PITA to work with), shipping was high....and they were easily broken. :(

Then I tried to sell organic clothing, but didn't really try hard to do that. Some items I had for a year and just finally sold this summer for incredibly cheap prices. A lot of the clothes I gave to a pregnant friend who was into organics.

Let's see....I've seen some businesses which have stuck around for years: Kissaluvs (new owner), Luke's Drawer's (new owner), Stacinator, Araspants/Harmony Threads and Tami's Soaps. I would guess those women are/were turning profits, but please correct me if I am incorrect. LOL!

IMO? The easiest and best business is manufacturing cloth pads. I say this b/c you don't have to buy a ton of stuff to start up. You can buy some cheap, cheap flannel on clearance at Joanne's, a sewing machine from Goodwill (tune it up first), and start selling here at AW. From there, use those profits to put up a web site/meta-tags, serger, etc.

Oh, and you could use metal snaps at first instead of buying an expensive polactyl snap press.

Of course, some may not agree on the pads and there is always bull-crap (legal stuff, fussy customers, etc.) to deal with no matter what, but that one strikes me as a low-cost start up deal. And yes, I've sewn many, many pads (I began way back in 1997!) LOL! I still have those pads, too, and they are in surprisingly good condition.

I'm going to post what I just put up on our website. :)

Stacinator the company started at the very end of 1999 with some prototypes and swapping among friends. We established a business January 1, 2000. The fleece covers were our original product. In the beginning, I logged many hours at my sewing machine turning out covers as fast as I could. During the pregnancy of my second child, I realized that there was no way I could continue to do all the labor involved with producing covers. Since May, 2001, all diaper covers have been sewn by an excellent group of seamstresses. They are so important to me. I value them immensely. Without them, there would be no Stacinator cloth diaper covers. In September 2003, I added an assistant here in the office with me. She is an extraordinary woman and I'm proud to have her working here. So, what started as a one woman endeavor, has turned into a beautiful group of people turning out thousands of diaper covers per year. I am truly honored to have such wonderful people helping Stacinator grow and promote cloth diapering.

******
Now, to clarify a bit. I accidentally made it sound like fleece covers were orginally created by me. I'll have to fix that mistake. They were not my invention. What I meant was that the fleece covers were the first thing I made at Stacinator. The So Simple! and wool followed.

I've only worked out of a hole for a few months stretch. For the most part, I broke even those first 3 years. After the 3 year mark, things started changing. Now, I feel like I have a real shot at using this business to support our whole family. It may take a couple more years though.

I consider myself successful, but not because of money. I never had much ambition before this. To start something from the very beginning and take it to this point has been really satisfying. I have a point every year where I want to quit. However, overall, I am pleased with the company and what we have available. The super people working with me really lighten the load too. Then, there is the goal of my dh quitting his job (60-70 hr weeks) that motivates me too.

The only drawback to all of this is that now some people feel I am *too big* and somehow without feelings. I'm pretty thick-skinned, but I am still a person. I love to post here and I always feel like I can only represent my company and never really myself. Sometimes I feel like the supreme thread-killer too. :D

I love these kinds of stories too. Thank you for starting this thread.

Originally posted by Freckle~Face
I think that just shows that it isn't "in the cards" for me and my life - God must have other plans for me that involve NOT running a business. ;)

I'm a WAHM failure too - I keep telling myself that it is just not ment to be, but I still feel bad about it. Maybe we should start a support group for former WAHMs. ;)

The only drawback to all of this is that now some people feel I am *too big* and somehow without feelings. I'm pretty thick-skinned, but I am still a person. I love to post here and I always feel like I can only represent my company and never really myself. Sometimes I feel like the supreme thread-killer too.



Not ME, Stacy! :) I for one, am always soooo excited when I see that someone's business started with just themselves sewing and has moved onto a new level with seamstresses and office help! WOW!

I think that's WONDEFUL!

Can I ask how many folks sew for you and if they are local? Do you need a sitter for your 3 while you are working?

I began making Bear Bottoms in June of 1999. We had just moved up to Alaska, and Aristocrats were the only thing working for us. I loved the pull-on soaker style but wanted something easy care, so I played around with fleece and came up with my design. I posted on Amity's for 12 testers, and the rest is history. From that moment I have been struggling to keep up with demand!

I still sew everything myself. When we moved to Florida in early 2000, I had a period of time where I shut the business down due to morning sickness and overall poor health for me during the pregnancy. Didn't help that dh was working 80+ hour weeks and I was working about 30, pregnant and unwell, with a 1 year old. We came here to run a bagel store/coffeehouse and I was doing the books. So the biz took a back seat for a while...then Jake was born and I lost tons of blood and was sick...then the bagel store was sold and dh was unemployed...then Jake was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in July 2001. It has been a bit of a roller coaster! We have had just about every major life stress you can imagine, all packed into under 2 years.

All that to say, that is part of why after almost 5 years in business, I am still kind of "small." I took a big break there, and for a very long time was doing only in-stock. I felt like I was disappointing customers, and was e-mailed constantly for a while with questions, which I always answered overly optimistic about when I'd be able to sew significant stock again.

Then things finally calmed down and I began taking orders and rebuilding my business. I added Herbalmama.com, because I love crafting with herbs and had some good recipes I wanted to share. Genevieve - my sales at Herbal Mama are pretty low, always have been. I wonder if it's the nature of the herb/body product biz that it is difficult to get going? More so than dipes or clothes, I think. I just keep doing it because I love it, but honestly I think I am losing money on it...and then I have to clear out stock before it gets spoiled. It's a tough biz to run because of that. I also can't buy at the quantities needed to lower prices, which I know would help sales. And I insist on buying only very high-quality, organic herbs that cost about twice as much as the cheap stuff (but are very much worth it, I think!).

I'm writing a book! Sorry. Anyway, I stopped taking custom orders for Bear Bottoms because once again, I had a hard time keeping up with demand. I decided to wholesale them only because it is much easier for me to sit down and do a big order and put it in one bag and ship it, than to handle dozens of small orders, the printing of receipts, packing, shipping, etc.

I am very happy with where I am - I have several thriving wholesale accounts and just the right amount of work. I don't know that I will "grow" any bigger, because I am in massage therapy school and moving in that direction. I plan on offering all kinds of massage-related items to clients and fellow LMT's, though, and doubtless they will find their way to Dancing Bears. :) And I know that if at any point, I want to grow bigger, I can do it.

Fun thread. Thanks everyone for sharing!

Originally posted by JustAmina!
Not ME, Stacy! :) I for one, am always soooo excited when I see that someone's business started with just themselves sewing and has moved onto a new level with seamstresses and office help! WOW!

I think that's WONDEFUL!

Can I ask how many folks sew for you and if they are local? Do you need a sitter for your 3 while you are working?

Thank you very much Amina. That is really sweet. It has been one crazy ride. :D

I use a very small factory in Indiana. She produces her own line of products and does contract sewing for me. She in turn, employs anywhere from 1-4 seamstresses depending on the level of work she has to accomplish. For the most part, 2 seamstresses work on my projects. They are fast! They turn out 500-800 covers in a two week period.

It is a really neat place. The owner is an incredible person. She is loyal and honest to a fault. Her primary seamstress has worked for her for almost 20 years. One seamstress retired from her place 2 years ago. The other 2-3 seamstresses revolve a bit, but they are very well taken care of by the owner.

I don't use a sitter anymore. Sometimes, my boys will go over to a friends house and I work while the baby naps. Hiring the part-time office assistant has helped tremendously. I used to work in the evenings, mornings, and during nap time. That left my older two in front of a DVD too often.

They all do play together for at least a portion of each day. I use that time as well as possible.

Before my assistant, I didn't use a sitter, but I felt really stretched. Actually, occasionally, I did use a sitter, but not on a regular basis.

Since I had some stress-related problems (bizarre migraines) in 2001, I've always been determined to take care of myself and family first. My motto the last few years has been, "If you're going to take home a part-time wage, work part-time."

This isn't a helpful motto in the first few years though. One really needs to put in the hours to get it going.

Thank you again for your nice words.

-Stacy G.
Stacinator

I love reading all the stories. And Stacinator - well STac, i think you've "made it" since you're everywhere! LOL. When I see you in magazines and catalogs I always smile to myself that i "know" you. lol

My roads been rocky personally. I started when Zoey was 5mos old - we were Baby Basix back then and me and a friend hooked up. I did tiedye, she sewed over the head towel bibs and slings. We dropped the slings cuz there was too much fear of liability on her and her dh's part and insurance was unaffordable. Then she decided to go back to work 3 days a week and pulled out of the bibs too (tho they're still my favorites lol and just got some back that i'd loaned out to use for Roman). I kept tiedyeing.

So its been about 3 years now I'm in business. I changed the name to dragonfly Tiedye what...almost 2 years ago now? (i'm awful with time).

Anyway, I find that for the most part I break even. I actually made a profit last year of $2k. Shipping kills me. I spend about half of everything I make on shipping. And I trade way too much. lol. But its so much fun.

I'm negotiating another child to babysit . Whether that happens or not, I think I'm going to continue selling tiedye but I'm probably going to drop to only one custom slot per month and concentrate on auctions, instock and send in your stained stuff.

and playsilks. I really love dyeing silk.

We're adding playstands to my site now with hand dyed silk scapes. They'll go up on the site the 1st of the year. So hopefully that'll boost sales a bit too.

anyway. I guess i'm rambling. I'm not a huge success by any means. But I do make money here and there to cover bills and my kids always have a lovely Christmas because of my biz

after reading all these it makes me realize just how lucky i am to have found homemaker's when i did.
here is my blurb from my website:
I am a stay-at-home homeschooling mom of 4 precious little blessings, ages 8, 5, 4, and 1.
That is, a stay-at-home homeschooling mom that just happens to get a weekly paycheck!

I started with the Homemaker's Idea company in June of 2003 when my husband and I found that he was working way more overtime than either of us liked. We had watched one of our close friends replace a full-time income with this business, and I liked the fact that Madolyn, our founder and president, had built this company on strong Christian morals and values. We decided (a bit reluctantly because of my poor experience with direct sales in the past) that I could at least give it a try.
We were both very skeptical, and really only expected it to last a couple of months before our "luck" ran out.
But, after those first couple of months, it just kept getting better! My business just took off -- and I wasn't doing anything extraordinary. I just followed the company's simple plan. My husband and I now just sit and marvel at what this company offers -- not only is it meeting our financial needs, but I am a better wife and Mommy because I get some time just for me. The time hangin' out with "the girls" has really been rejuvenating for me while also increasing my self-confidence. It feels so good to be contributing to the financial needs of my family and taking some of the burden off of my husband. AND we get more time with Daddy! And the extra perks are just incredible.
The free and discounted product has made gift-giving less of a financial strain and has allowed me to decorate our own home to my little heart's content! Speaking of perks, I haven't even mentioned "the biggie!" We are now anxiously awaiting our family trip I am earning -- to Hawaii!! -- something that this family never would have experienced if it weren't for The Homemaker's Idea Company.

Look closely at this company and compare it to others in the market. You will soon see that there is no-where to go but UP!
After having begun this business with no experience in this field whatsoever, I can honestly say...
If I can do this, ANYONE can do this!

.................................................. ............................................

after reading all the trials some of you mamas have been through, i just feel so blessed to have found homemakers. i know madolyn personally (company owner) and know that she went through what a lot of you are going through, 32 years ago. but she didn't quit! and now she has a great company to show for it -- we even got the BBB award for complaint-free! can you believe that? all those years and all those customers, you'd think SOMEONE would be unhappy -- but they make SURE they aren't.

anyway, this is starting to sound like spam, so i'm going to quit now because that's not my intention. i just wanted you mamas to know that it CAN happen for you -- don't give up!

love,

The only drawback to all of this is that now some people feel I am *too big* and somehow without feelings.

I'm sorry, I take it from that sentence that some negativity has been directed towards you. :( That's truly unacceptable, afterall, many of us would like to see our businesses take off, and when a WAHM's does, it should be celebrated, imo. :) Congrats to you and all the others.

And I like what was said about defining success. When I posted this, I didn't mean necessarily "fiscally" successful. We define our own moments of success ~ I'm still in the early stages, and my successes have been things like setting up my website, making my first bulk sale to a yoga studio, and creating a workspace that is functional, all while raising my little munchkin. :) I'm still "in the red" so financially, success is yet to come!

I just find all your posts very enlightening, and I hope that *nobody* here feels alienated because their business isn't doing as well, in whatever terms. I just think we can all learn from each other...

~Ana

Hey Mama,
Well I made products for my family that people loved. I am quite shy and it was and still is at times, hard for me to market them.

I started selling them a coule years ago at my girlfriends Folkart Store in Florida.
This year I began to offer them here.

I am educated somewhat in what I do-I think that is important.


I sell bulk herbs, essential oils, soap, beeswax candles, and more.
So it really helps if you can guide people through their questions.
Sometimes I jsut do not know the answers so I tell them.
Hoenstly is very important to have a reputable business.

Shipping I think is very important too. I have 2 ship days.
Usually Tuesday and Friday. That way, people arent wondering when they are going to get their stuff.
Once in awhile I jsut cannot make it to the PO on the day I planned-but most mama's understand that.

I jsut feel that if someone has paid me via paypal-I need to work hard to get their order to them quickly.
I think that helps.

Try to make time to talk to people.
I confess, since October, I have had a hard time getting back with people jsut wanting to chit chat because I had hundreds of soap bars to make, cut, wrap, ship.....
Beeswax ornaments to make by hand. Etc..... For the holidays.
But those that felt offended I think understood that I was really busy and struggling to get everything done by myself.
The exciting thing is that I did it!!!!!
Now- things are slowing up so I am better at chit chat these days.

People are important-take time for them- if you offend, ask forgiveness.
Get your product out as soon as you possibly can.
Communicate well.
Be thankful!!!!
Your customers could shop anywhere, yet they are choosing you.
It is an honor :)

I started Ara's Pants in March of 1999. I started with just a one page site (anyone remember that?) and only sold two types of pants. My goal was to be able to pay our car payment, little did I know "clothes for cloth diapered babies" would be in such demand. I've continued to grow and grow. I still sew everything myself, but not for much longer. In the spring we are going to have our most popular items sewn by a company in Seattle.

And profit wise, well, my dh was able to quit his awful 60+ hour week job this year and go to work for himself and he only has to work 30 hours/week. Yay! So, Harmony Threads is bringing in 1/2 our monthly income and we actually have lots of family time.

Stacey, I have mixed feelings about having it done by someone else. I also feel maybe people will not consider me a wahm. I'll still be doing some sewing, but there is just no way I can keep up with demand. I am constantly turning away clients plus I am forever behind!! My turn around time is awful :( I just feel like I am not a good wholesaler as long as some orders are taking 6 weeks to complete.

thank you to the OP for starting this thread, I have found it very inspiring and helpful.

I have been in biz locally for ten years, but didn't open The Sage Mama until October 02. This year was ok, I had a REALLY slow first half, but then did ok last half. But, life has been taking me in a lot of different directions and now I'm refocussing. In January The Sage Mama will be offering in stock items and a wholesale site too. I have been doing new product dev, and am hoping to target the independent toy stores this year.

wish me luck, my dh wants to switch careers this year, so I need to make this work! Alison, your story is an inspiration to me.

OrangeStarfish started sometime in 1999. I'm still hanging in there with diapers all over my desk. :)

My start was with Ebay and grew from there. When I feel as if I should get out of the business(and get "a real job"), a customer always writes a nice e-mail and it encourages me.

I've been wanting to expand into my own diaper line--I bought Genevieve's (aka Freckle Face) Hip Huggers diaper biz over a year ago. It seems like a natural progression. It's just been a time and financial issue (single mom). I'm now revisiting the idea of making cloth diapers. Then I'll see if my customers are still interested in the used diaper side of my business.

As far as profits go, I'm finally at the break-even point. However, this month has been the slowest ever. Maybe Ebay is taking me over. :eek:

I've noticed over the years when I don't put much energy towards my business it goes south. The moment I start focusing business gets better.
I believe in what I'm doing, so I'll keep going.

Yvonne

Thank you mamas! I have really enjoyed this thread and I hope more Amity WAHMs post their stories. They are so inspiring.

I have been a Creative Memories consultant for 2 years now and it is not working for me. For one, I have a PT "real" job that I work at 3 days per week, and my son has 3 hours of therapies that need to be scheduled on my off days. So I find that I never had the energy to really work the business like I needed to, in order to be successful. But I really feel like I would have found the energy if I had the passion. Which I didn't.

So I am still a CM consultant, but am only ordering every three months to keep my customers in product and am searching for my true calling. I keep telling myself that I am too smart and too creative to not be successful at *something*.

I love to sew. I love natural parenting. I love learning. I love helping people. Somewhere in there is a career for me. My 2004 plan is to complete Doula certification through CAPPA and to possibly start selling as a salesperson through Mother of Eden's direct sales company. We'll see.

In the meantime, I hope to hear more stories of women pursuing their dreams!

I started Blue Ladybug almost 5 years ago. I wanted to help pay the bills and get us out of debt. It's been a lot of work and demand is always higher than I can output. But, we're almost out of debt (except for the house) and next we'll be trying to get dh a job closer to home. He drives almost 1.5 hours one way, but because he works in Wash DC, he makes much more $$ than he can out where we live (country boonies).


Business has been constant and grows every year. I have way more wholesale requests that I can ever fill. I've had people sew for me in the past, but my major seamstress moved and now I'm solo for a while. We've been working on moving production to a sewing company, but I keep dragging my feet. I want the biz to grow, but then, I don't. It's a big jump and I just can't decide if I want to go there. Unfort, I can't keep up with demand on my own. I've recently met with a business consultant to work on a business plan for the future. That was a bit scary! LOL He saw this grand mega enterprise and I just wanted to grow a little. But, now I know where to go and what to do.

There is a lot of satisfaction in starting and maintaining your own business. It's not for everyone, and there are many days when I'm ready to just chuck it! But some days, it sure feels grand!!!

I started Essential Mother just under a year ago.
A friend of mine had been listening to me recommend all sorts of products that I use.
I was sending pooeple here there and everywhere to buy slings, cloth diapers, diaper salve, toys, books etc.
Eventually she told me that I spend all my time sending people places and I would save time by starting something that brought all the items together.
I sat on the ideas for awhile before I took it seriously.
It took me a long time to think of a name and it was actually my husband that thought of it.

I had a hard time figuring out how to start it all.
I had the website and bartered with a friend to have it designed.
I decided that if i waited for the money to start it....I never would.
So I am using a credit card with very low interest that we already had but didn't use.
So I just ordered up everything and took the "build it and they will come" attitude. ( I really like that movie :-)
I had a table at the local LLL table and did so well that I sold almost all that i brought and was able to pay off the cc. But of course then i needed to buy more stock.
So it is a back and forth dance with the credit card, but I am definately making headway and can see the light at the end of the tunnel of being debt free.

I just keep woith the idea that I need to put in a few years of building up a good reputation of quality products and wonderful customer service . Slowly i am having repeat customers and word of mouth is wonderful!
I am finding more avenues to advertise in, although I know I need to spend to advertise and I am trying to be frugal.
LOL
I have to really pick and choose where to advertise.
I am planning to do more shows at both LLL conferences and the local homeschooling conferences(where the art supplies will probably do really well!)

I figure I just need to slowly get my name out there.

Many friends have said that it takes a good 3-5 years to really see a strong profit and have built a solid repeat customer base.

We'll see what happens.
I am excited! I find satisfaction in being able to promote other WAHM businessesand help support them by carrying their products.
I enjoy talking about products that have enriched my life and my family's lives. Everything I carry is something that we have tried, enjoyed and now I want to promote as something that may also enrich another families lives.


What a great thread!
I have enjoyed reading about everyone's experiences.

Thank you for all the supportive comments. I still get pretty giddy when I see my stuff somewhere. :D AnaYoga, no one really did anything directly to me. What I meant by that is that occasionally, the product or company just gets picked apart because it is perceived as a larger company w/out that cozy wahm feeling anymore. I actually think it is pretty warm and fuzzy still. :)

Allison-contracting out worried me too. It is so worth it though. I figure, it is still my design yk? It will still be your wonderful design too. Having shorter turn around and less stress overall makes the whole endeavor worthwhile.

I think it is great that your dh quit his job. I think mine could actually take the plunge now, but he has a set $$ amount in mind before he does that. I cannot wait until he does it.

Thank you to everyone for your stories. They are so fun to read.

-Stacy G.
Stacinator

What a totally cool thread!!!!!! I love reading your stories,Mamas!!

My Willow Tree began *officially* this year....where I live there is a major lack of anything AP.....so I started making nursing necklaces for a local LLL group....friends told friends,orders started coming.....then people starting asking for other products....it just kinda took off! Id say 20% of my business is from people locally,and the other 80% is online.Next year I plan on going into some new lines as well.

Thanks for starting this thread!

Thanks Mama started up in January 2003 with only a total of a $200 investment since that was all I had. In the first few months I made back my original investment and have been slowly growing every since. In nearly every month I have had profits to grow the business or to help toward our living expenses which is a true blessing. I have a list of products that I am planning to add to my inventory, but I refuse to go into debt to do that so I am adding slowing as the business grows.

I spend about 20-30 hours a week processing orders, ordering more inventory, answering emails, marketing, going to the post office, etc. I do most of my work after my ds goes to bed for the night. I probably do about an hour a day with him playing next to me((((( Recently I've started letting my ds have some computer time after I was done with some work. He loves it!! Today he sat on my lap and eagerly pushed the buttons on the keyboard on an online Elmo game :)

Wow thanks! SO interesting. Just bumping this in case anyone's missed it or wants to contribute :)

Wonderful stories everyone!!! It's been fun reading...

Ana

bump

Kristin's Cloth Pads started in June of 2000. I began making pads with a 3 yard cut of flannel and my 6 year old 129.00 Sears sewing machine.

There was always more demand for pads than I could possibly take orders for. I often had to close temporarily to catch up on orders and then catch up on things around our home.

Business was great right up until I decided to close down after the FDA regulations were "discovered".

So, manufacturing a product is a time-consuming thing for a busy family and I can see very clearly why Stacy and Allison would want to have their products manufactured for them. (BTW, I still completely consider your businesses as WAHM - you built the biz to where it is and *your* family benefits from that hard work!)

Anyway, I think that manufacturing any product is probably not in my future. It takes so much time away from my family and is difficult to keep up with especially if you have product that is in demand. I am in "limbo" right now, but do plan to sell my cloth menstrual pads pattern for home use.

Also, what Kristerae said is very true. People *are* important - take time for them. Customer service is extremely important.

Okay.....Katie needs her "nee-nees" .

Great thread...thanks to the OP and to all who replied and bumped.

Excellent! Thanks for sharing Kristin.

Anyone else?

The story of Roxanne Quimby is the stuff of entrepreneurial legend. A divorced mother living without electricity, she teamed up with Burt Shavitz, a reclusive beekeeper, and in 1984 began selling items made from beeswax. Over the years she built that crafts business into Burt's Bees, a leading natural personal-care brand. Last fall Quimby, who'd bought out Shavitz when he retired, struck a deal to sell 80% of the company to AEA Investors, a private-equity firm, for more than $175 million. She plans to donate half the proceeds to a land trust to establish a national park in northern Maine and is now even weighing a run for that state's governorship.


Burt's Bees was a result of having my kids. I'd been an artist, part of a generation that was very critical of capitalism. When I was 25, my husband and I bought 30 acres of land and built a cabin in the Maine woods. I washed diapers in water heated on the wood stove. I lived that way because I didn't want to compromise; I didn't want to be part of the problem. It was difficult--there was an amazing amount of hauling things--yet I loved it, because it was a chosen challenge. But after my marriage broke up, I realized my informal vow of poverty was limiting my children's choices. I had traveled; my parents had given us a great education--my sisters are both M.B.A.'s. To give my kids opportunities I had to start a business.

At 36, I met Burt. He was selling honey on the side of the road. I stopped to buy some on my way to my waitress job. We became romantically involved, and I started helping him with the bees.

Immediately, I saw a business opportunity. Burt was selling honey in gallon jars for 12 bucks. You could get more money by selling it in smaller containers to tourists. So I took over the business end. I put honey up in cute little beehive-shaped jars. I made pretty handmade labels and started making candles out of the beeswax. Then I took them to the little craft fairs in the little towns. I'd make $200 a day. It gave me such a sense of accomplishment. Nobody told me what to do, when to be there, and how long I had to stay. That wonderful sense of independence was just intoxicating. And I thought, This is for me .

At the fairs, I focused closely on what sold the most and tried to figure out why. I didn't know it then, but it was like having one focus group after another. I learned, for instance, that when people pick up a candle, they turn it over. For some reason they want to see the bottom, so I made sure the candles were nicely finished with a sharp knife to smooth the mold.

In the early years, I had some midnight-of-your-soul type of times. Once, I came home from a fair and found the window in my cabin blown in. Snow was all over. It was 20 below and 3 in the morning. I hadn't made any money and the car had just barely made it there. I really believe that success is just getting up one more time than you fall. It doesn't come from one brilliant idea, but from a bunch of small decisions that accumulate over the years. And you shouldn't underestimate the amount of work that's involved, the amount of fear that's involved.

I'm not sentimental about products --they perform or they don't. We tried lots of different things. One was beeswax lip balm. It was clear, very early, that people bought lip balm 10 times faster than they bought beeswax furniture polish. Next was a moisturizing cream. It sold better than the polish too.

Success doesn't come from one brilliant idea, but from a bunch of small decisions. By 1993, we reached $3 million in sales. That's when I realized I had to leave Maine. The disappointing thing was leaving my employees, mostly moms who'd been on welfare. But I never lost sight of the fact that the business needs were most important, that we needed to go to somewhere more business-friendly.

I think Maine has a chip on its shoulder when it comes to businesses. Once we were investigated by the Department of Labor. The investigator visited all the home workers. He went to see this lady who had a preschooler. She was rolling up sheets of wax into candles, and in between each sheet was a piece of tissue paper. He goes, "Does your child help you with this?" She says, "Well, I have her take the tissue out." She did that to keep the little girl busy while she rolled candles. We got fined $10,000 for a child labor infraction. Though I won on appeal, these things take an enormous amount of time and mental energy. I thought, This is ridiculous, and I'm not going to stand for it .

We looked at a lot of states. We chose North Carolina, which had an aggressive business-recruiting machine. In Maine we paid 8% unemployment tax. In North Carolina, it's 1%. But I didn't anticipate one big difference. In Maine, I'd start people at $5 an hour. In North Carolina, nobody would work for less than $10 an hour. Immediately, I had to get rid of any item that was handmade, including candles, which were half our sales. It was like lopping off your arm. I didn't know if we would survive it, but it was the right thing to do.

I tend to be very uncompromising. My dad was a despot, and I got that from him. Though I used to see it as an attribute, I'm trying to modify this "my way or the highway" attitude. For instance, we put our product in cases of six, and Target wanted them in two. We'd be using three cardboard boxes instead of one, which I opposed. I kind of said, "Screw you, I'm not using three boxes." I felt I was right because we were drowning in waste on this planet. Now I think there was probably a way to have worked through that. Many times there's a solution buried in there if you just take away the layers and keep after it.

I always knew I'd sell the company. I took on all comers. Some were more serious than others, but they all wanted to play the game. The negotiation would always break down over price, so we hired an adviser who has her own company. She was entrepreneurial, and we figured we'd be more important to her than to a big investment bank. After we brought her in, it took a year to make the sale. I'll continue on as CEO because I don't think the company would survive my leaving right now.

What motivates me to keep building the company is not money. I live a simple lifestyle; rice and beans and the little Maine town I live in is fine. I'm in it for the challenge; it's about the game. The money is just kind of the score. I'm still very curious about how far I can push this.

Originally posted by arasmama
Stacey, I have mixed feelings about having it done by someone else. I also feel maybe people will not consider me a wahm. I'll still be doing some sewing, but there is just no way I can keep up with demand. I am constantly turning away clients plus I am forever behind!! My turn around time is awful :( I just feel like I am not a good wholesaler as long as some orders are taking 6 weeks to complete.

I started back in late 1999 when DD was about 4 months old. I originally only made wool covers. I wanted to add a little of the islands in there somewhere so DH suggested the Hawaiian prints on dipes. I auctioned off a few things on eBay and Mother's Nature and then all of a sudden I had people e-mailing me for custom orders.

After a while I couldn't keep up and I thought of hiring some help. What a disaster that turned out to be! I won't go into detail (that could take days! LOL), but let's just say she screwed up BIG TIME and I had to sew 200+ covers in 3 days for a really huge wholesale account. Luckily DH knew how to sew (simple straight lines, but it still helped LOL) so he could help me a little. The only breaks we took in those 3 days were to feed & bathe the kids and put them to bed. DS#1 was still nursing and I was PG at the time so it was realy rough.

I don't know how, but we did it! After some much needed sleep, I channeled everything I had and gave a piece of my mind to that so-called "help" I hired!

I have yet to find help! Because of my previous experience, I'm a bit skeptical and a little weary - but I SO desire some help - and SLEEP :eyes: - Anybody interested in a job? LOL!

I usually 'work' after I've put everyone to bed. I usually sew until 4 or 5 a.m., then try to get some sleep until 7 or 8 a.m. when DS#2 wakes.

I do have to admit, I am a bit of a (quality) control freak. I mean, after all, it is MY name on the label. There have been times, namely recently, since the birth of my third, I've seriously contemplated selling Lambkin because I cannot keep up and I feel so stressed and pressured. Lately I've learned to just chill and kick back with the kids when I feel like that :D .

Ok that Burt's Bees story was SO interesting. Thanks for posting! I also thought the following bit was kinda surprising (but kind of not, if ykwim). I think many of us here would be "guilty" of this too! lol

Once we were investigated by the Department of Labor. The investigator visited all the home workers. He went to see this lady who had a preschooler. She was rolling up sheets of wax into candles, and in between each sheet was a piece of tissue paper. He goes, "Does your child help you with this?" She says, "Well, I have her take the tissue out." She did that to keep the little girl busy while she rolled candles. We got fined $10,000 for a child labor infraction. Though I won on appeal, these things take an enormous amount of time and mental energy. I thought, This is ridiculous, and I'm not going to stand for it .