Cinderella Ate My Daughter for WEMagazine - Women of a Certain Age by Marcia Barhydt

Excuse me; could you give me a boost? I need to get up on my high horse here?

I’ve just finished reading an amazing book that struck every note in my keyboard…Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein. If you believe in Cinderella now, you won’t when you finish this book and what’s more, you’ll be in a much more capable space to survive this stage in your daughters’ lives.

With the full impact of the Feminist Movement in the 1960s, we were all pretty clear that the stereotype girlie girl that we were raised to be had been replaced by a competent, confident new age girl.

At work, we began to chip away at the glass ceiling and more and more of us were able to transcend that hurdle. At home, we began to step out of our role model roles and encouraged our husbands to do the same.

Women now cut the lawn, took out the garbage, both traditionally male tasks, and men began to do laundry, cook the family meal, both traditionally female tasks.

Little girls wore pants to kindergarten or pre-school and they were encouraged to attempt any physical endeavour that caught their eye. Little boys started taking gymnastics, little girls started playing baseball.

Feminism seemed to be working, one small step at a time.

And then, writer Peggy Orenstein wrote her latest book, Cinderella Ate My Daughter.

Ms. Orenstein is a wonderful writer. Going through the pages of her book was like sitting down for coffee together. She’s incredibly well informed about her topic, without being pompous.

And if I were to get to the bottom line about her book, she feels that we have a challenge to find a balance between feminism and femininity. And this balancing is done on a very fine tightrope.

From Canadian bookseller Chapters…” pink and pretty or predatory and hardened, sexualized girlhood influences our daughters from infancy onward, telling them that how a girl looks matters more than who she is. Somewhere between the exhilarating rise of Girl Power in the 1990s and today, the pursuit of physical perfection has been recast as a source-the source-of female empowerment. And commercialization has spread the message faster and farther, reaching girls at ever-younger ages.”

So the solution then becomes a personal choice for every parent. Can we refuse to allow our daughters the thrill of playing dress-up, princess style? Can we refuse to allow our daughters the opportunity to play with sexy Barbie instead giving them flat chested Cindy? That’s what I did when my daughters were first entering this stage. I shake my head now about my altruism and naivety because I now believe that some girlie-girl is essential for all of us.

Ms. Orenstein points out the negatives too – obsession with physical beauty including model-like perfection of face, hair and body. But she also acknowledges that we don’t want our daughters to grow up with no femininity of character.

Personally, I know that I truly believed in Cinderella and that one day a prince would find me and take me away to a charmed life. Sadly, I believed that until near the end of my teens. Sigh.

But isn’t it ok to dream? Isn’t it ok to imagine a beautiful life? Can’t we allow our daughters to dip a toe into this dreamland without worrying that it may taint their sexuality in future years? Isn’t it ok to take a whimsical break from the responsibility of life? Isn’t it ok to just have fun sometimes?

I’m a woman of a certain age and I’m certain that Cinderella can be part of a girl’s balanced life.

©Marcia Barhydt, 2012

Tell us about your company, it’s purpose, mission, target audience, goals, what makes it unique.

The Lakeside Group Assoc. Inc. is an executive search firm based on the philosophy of Total Life Improvement. The Lakeside Group offers career advancement throughout the United States in the Aerospace/Defense, and Alternative Energy sectors. We provide our Clients top talent in these industries while cultivating our network of Candidates. However, our goal is to change the perception that one’s career is the defining factor of their success. Genuine success is measured in several aspects of one’s life such as family, health, spirituality, etc. We intend to be a resource for Total Life Improvement, as well as career opportunities. 

How did you come to work together in the first place?

Cindi: First and foremost I am a single mom. In 2002, my husband unexpectedly passed away. At the time, my daughter was just 15 years old and my son was just 6 years old. This tragedy, as well as other challenges we have faced throughout our lives, have shaped Courtney and I into very committed, strong and determined women.  We have learned to persevere even under the most challenging of times. Although this was a devastating time in our lives, we have each learned a great deal about ourselves and our inner strengths which gave us the confidence to pursue our vision of The Lakeside Group.

In 2006, my industry was caught in the economic crisis. I had been self employed for sixteen years, eight of which was spent as a Consultant/Realtor to a custom home builder/developer. This entailed interviewing and hiring architects, subcontractors and employees; as well as identifying and negotiating on multi-million dollar land development projects and homes.  It became evident that this builder would have to close his doors, so I put together a resume for the first time in sixteen years and sent it off. I was contacted by an executive search firm to see if I would have interest in recruiting. During my time with the recruiting firm, I found that it was quiet similar to my real estate career. Rather than match people with homes, I was matching them with career goals. Unfortunately, due to an unforeseen situation, I was laid off from this search firm. Because of the success I had had while at this firm, I decided to open up my own executive search firm, The Lakeside Group Assoc. Inc. The first person I recruited was my daughter, Courtney!

Courtney: When my mom established The Lakeside Group, I was working part-time as an Assistant Manager and also was a full time student at Baldwin Wallace College. I helped her with the initial setup of the office, computers, phones, etc and would stop by in my free time to assist with the recruiting. After six months, I left my position as Assistant Manager and joined The Lakeside Group full time. I have been here ever since!

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

Cindi: My role in the company is to be a leader and visionary. There is not one part of the company that I haven’t done or wouldn’t do. Because of my background, my strengths lie within marketing, negotiating, business development, and strategizing. I am a “people person” and enjoy these aspects and challenges of the business. On the other hand, I have a great distaste for accounting, research, documentation, and anything that has to do with the computer! These are the areas where Courtney excels and really is my “better-half”. She has also performed every aspect of the business but thrives on areas such as finding Clients and Candidates, digging online for specific phone numbers/names, computer maintenance bookkeeping, and record keeping. We make an excellent team, not only because of our similarities but also because of these differences.

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office.” 

Cindi: Keeping family/work matters separate has been fairly easy. I see these as two completely different subjects, so when Courtney and I are at work, we are focused on our work goals and objectives. In regards to family issues, we handle these scenarios much the same as we did before. When we were both employed elsewhere, we would discuss family issues outside of business hours.

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together?

Courtney: The division of responsibilities has been very clear from the beginning. Usually, the tasks that I don’t want to do, my mom loves to do, and vice versa. Also, I wouldn’t say that there has been much of a power struggle, per se; just an occasional difference of opinion on how certain situations should be handled. For example, we are in the process of creating systems for future employees. While I may feel strongly about one idea, my mom may feel strongly about another. Although this can cause some conflict, this difference of opinion helps us to create a better resolution. Having both of our views give us a perspective that one of us could not reach alone.

Triumphs?

We have shared so many achievements over the past couple of years! We celebrated our first placement together, we saw the business double annual revenues in 2008, we won the Micro to Millions award from the organization Count Me In this past December, we hired our first part-time employee, and in June of 2009, we will hear if we are a finalist for the Cartier Women’s Imitative Award competition. Our favorite motto sums it up:

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving

safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather

to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up,

totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming,

“WOW! What a Ride! “

What do you like best about working together? Least?

Cindi:  One of the greatest benefits in working with Courtney is that I have 110% trust and faith in the person that is helping to lead The Lakeside Group. This is a type of trust that you cannot get with just anyone. Her level of commitment is inspiring and pushes me harder to make The Lakeside Group even more successful. She provides a new, savvy, fresh insight that comes from her generation. Courtney brings out the best in me and has taught me to slow-down and take things one step at a time. I greatly admire her dependability, her unwavering strength, her optimism, and her dedication. It has also been a great pleasure to watch Courtney transform into her own entrepreneur.

One thing I have learned from Courtney is that she is not a morning person! This can make our mornings challenging sometimes, since she is not always open and flexible. Knowing this about her personality, I try to plan important discussions and decision making later in the day. I must say, I consider myself fortunate if this is the worst I have to deal with!

Courtney: I really enjoy working with my mom on a day to day basis. I have gained great insight by working with her on a professional level. My mom’s entrepreneurial mentality has inspired me to exceed in ways that I had never before considered. She has opened my eyes to the unlimited potential I have in myself and the endless possibilities my future can hold. She has exposed me to a broader way of thinking and has taught me the importance of “staying positive”. She motivates me to be optimistic and hopeful even when our situation appears otherwise. So, I would have to say what I enjoy most when it comes to working with my mom is the professional life lessons that I have learned and continually learn in the office.

Of course, there are some things about my mom that drive me a little crazy too! She tends to have an “on the go” type of personality, so she is always doing something and there is always something that needs to be done. At times, this can make work a bit overwhelming. But, I have learned how to deal with these instances and realize that I can only do one thing at a time. 

What, if any, big challenges or little annoyances have occurred as a result of working together and how have you managed to overcome them?

Cindi: One of the biggest challenges that we have had to overcome is working around Courtney’s college schedule while still trying to be productive. Because this is Courtney’s last year, her choice of class times is somewhat limited. However, even with her schedule, she still manages to work 40+ hours a week, even if it means working nights and coming in on the weekends. In addition, there are some things that I hadn’t even realized would be a problem until the situation actually arose. For example, taking a family vacation has become increasingly difficult. If both of us are out of town, there is no one in the office to manage the business. As for the little annoyances, Courtney enjoys listening to music while we work, which is a huge distraction for me. To resolve this issue, Courtney will usually wear headphones or will put the radio on when I am doing something that does not require a lot of thought.

Courtney: One of the most difficult challenges I have had to overcome was the decision to put graduate school on hold. I am a Psychology major and the majority of the careers in my field require either a Master’s degree or a Ph. D. I had originally wanted to pursue my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and start graduate school in the fall of 2009. However, after a lot of thought and consideration, I decided that I wanted to put graduate school on hold and help my mom grow The Lakeside Group. I am excited in the amount of potential the business has and truly enjoy my role and responsibilities. I have not completely dismissed the idea of graduate school, but rather, am considering this avenue a “Plan B”.

What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

Working with a family member can be extremely difficult, but rewarding as well. The majority of your family will not be a good fit; there will probably only be one or two members of your family where this arrangement would be beneficial to both. It is important to be upfront and lay out all expectations, responsibilities, concerns, and limitations prior to entering this arrangement. Also, realize that any one of these categories has the potential to change as time goes on. Seeking outside resources, such as a business coach, can be greatly beneficial. This provides an objective third party which will help to enhance the good ideas from both family members, as well as, sort out the ideas where there are differing opinions. Lastly, take your time when making this decision. There is no reason to rush and sometimes you may have to rely on your gut feeling.

What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

In December of 2008, we were one of five awardees out of 1500 applicants nationwide to receive the Micro to Millions award from the Make Mine a Million $ Business, a program provided by the nonprofit organization, Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence (www.countmein.org). Major sponsors of this program include American Express, Fed Ex, Dell, Cisco and Jet Blue. This organization provides business resources, PR opportunities, education, and community support for women entrepreneurs who are growing their businesses. We spent several weeks completing the application process, which also included creating a video. This application process made us re-evaluate the reasons why we work together, our business plan, our business goals, potential business growth, etc. This process was very beneficial and even helped us to create new goals that we had never before considered. 

We recommend to all women business owners to check out Count Me In. They are currently holding the M3 Race, available to all women entrepreneurs (http://www.makemineamillion.org/race). The Make Mine a Million $ Business RACE (M3 RACE) is a year-long business growth marathon to inspire women entrepreneurs to hit revenue goals and provides resources such as: a personalized business assessment, networking resources, marketing and promotional opportunities, and the chance to win a Grand Prize of $100,000 cash for their business.

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

There are several other divisions to The Lakeside Group that we intend to grow. We are in the process of setting up the Total Life Improvement aspect, which will provide resources to our Clients and Candidates in areas such as health, family, finances, relocation, and others. This will be provided through our website. At the moment, we are looking for other businesses to partner with who have similar philosophies and offer resources or products in these areas that can be featured on our website.

We also entered the Cartier’s Women Initiative Award competition (http://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/site). If chosen as a finalist, we will go to France to compete to be a Laureate. The prize package for the Laureates includes $20,000, business coaching, international PR opportunities, as well as other great resources. We will find out if we are a finalist this coming June. From there, who knows

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

There are challenges in any business, especially when working with your mother/daughter. However, for us, the rewards far outweigh the negatives and we even have a better relationship because of it. We wouldn’t change a thing!

For more information visit www.lakesidegroup.info
 

This article can be read in the Spring/Summer Issue of WE Magazine for Women

Tell us about your company, it’s purpose, mission, target audience, goals, what makes it unique.

Avon is the world’s leading direct seller of beauty and related products, with over $10 billion in annual revenues. Avon markets to women around the world through over five million independent sales Representatives.  As an independent sales Representative, we own our own businesses.  The purpose of selling Avon, is to try to offer men and women the best product in the world with the best value and top notch service.  We also want to empower women to be able to provide financial independence on their own terms.  Avon is diversified so we as sellers can relate to the most people of all different level of socio-economic standings.  It is unique because we can make our own hours and determine how much money we make by how much time we put in.

How did you come to work together in the first place?

Jessica started out as Pamela’s assistant and became aware of the possibilities in Avon.  She was in college and she had to  make a career choice decision.  Jessica had been part-time with Avon, starting a business of her own, and not necessarily serious.  Knowing what Avon has to offer –  the flexibility, the people, the support that is available – was so appealing to her.  Jessica decided to join her mother on her own, without any influence or direction from Pamela.  With a mother and daughter you cannot influence each other in any particular way so working should always be organic.  Seeing successful top people in Avon are, and seeing how self-motivated Jessica is, Pamela was able to balance her work as an Avon Representative and her full-time job as a mother.  Jessica worked full time as an Avon Representative in her senior year.

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

Role – Pamela and Jessica both do their own thing.  Pamela has total ownership of her part of the business and Jessica has full ownership of her own part of the business.  But, we are connected in that Pamela supports Jessica and her team.  Pamela is Jessica’s leader.  We do not consider it to be a case of “my business” and “her business.” Each of us have our own approach.

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office.” 

It’s intermingled with the personal side, but working together has definitely enhanced the closeness that we share.  We are so proud of each other.  We wouldn’t be so close if not for the opportunity to share the business together.   Pamela thinks she is especially fortunate.  We both share the same goal and aspirations and we as a team as mother-daughter at the same time.  Our business opportunity has allowed us to take their non-business relationship to a different level.

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together?

The biggest challenge is allowing each of us to make our own mistakes.  Pamela says that as a mother, letting Jessica make her mistakes and learn from them builds a sense of personal ownership and confidence.  Pamela says that as a mother, it is so easy to want to jump in and help her daughter learn to run her business.  But, in general, there is no need for power struggles with Avon because you are CEO of your own business. 

Triumphs?

Pamela sees her greatest triumph as watching Jessica have a full-time business.  Watching her success to see her be focused and determined to be on the top and doing so well in a short amount of time is beyond rewarding for Pamela.  Since May, Jessica has recruited over 300 team members to work for her team.  Jessica has doubled her work force in less than 1 year.  She’s an executive Unit leader.   She’s critical and a big player.  Pamela thinks that there is no feeling that can describe helping other people be successful and take on and enjoy their business.  The money is great too but Pamela never expected it to be a fulfilling experience.  She never thought it would become so important to her to care about other people and see them be successful. 

What do you like best about working together? Least?

Best: We continually inspire each other on a daily basis.  Pamela is struck by how big of an impression Jessica is making with others for her business.  Jessica has given other the hope of success with Avon and being that she is so young, she is an inspiration.  Jessica’s success has solidified Pamela’s belief that no matter what age you are, you be your own successful businesswoman, especially with Avon. 

Least: There is a fine line of being a mother and a partner in business.  The part where people feel that preferential treatment is being given because Jessica is Pamela’s daughter is the worst for them.  Jessica then feels like she has to overcome these misconception made by others and prove even more that she is worthy.

What, if any big challenges or little annoyances have occurred as a result of working together and how have you managed to overcome them?

Pamela feels like a small challenge of working with Jessica is to let her make her own mistakes.  Sometimes Pamela feels like she needs to answer Jessica’s every question.  But we both are making ongoing progress with learning to let each other make our own mistakes..

What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

Be open to new ideas and criticism despite wanting to hold back due to being a family member.

Make a point to keep business and personal family time separate (although it is tough to do at times when the business is such a big part of both our lives – so much of the time the business and personal time absorbs into each other)

Do not give “preferential” treatment to family members and be sure that spirit of fairness amongst all team members (especially in a group setting).

What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

The opportunity to do an infomercial and a commercial together.

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

Going together on the Atlantis Avon honors trip.  We can’t wait to go have fun together!

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Being on the same mother-daughter team makes everything more meaningful.  Pamela believes strongly that Jessica and she will continue their mother-daughter success and wants nothing else for her daughter. 

 You can learn more about Pam and Jessica at www.youravon.com

This article can be read in the Spring/Summer Issue of WE Magazine for Women

Tell us about your company, it’s purpose, mission, target audience, goals, what makes it unique.

My mom and I are franchise owners of Massage Envy located off highway 360 in the South Grand Prairie/Mansfield area. Our clinic offers different types of massages ranging from deep tissue to Swedish to hot stone and we even have couple massages. Unlike your typical spa, we don’t try to cater only to the wealthy. We believe massage therapy should be convenient and affordable for everyone—which is why we offer a $39, hour-long massage session and are open seven days a week with hours that actually work for working people. That’s what makes Massage Envy so special, in my opinion. You’re getting a quality massage just like you would at a fancy spa, but you’re getting it for a reasonable price. That’s something we all could use these days. 

How did you come to work together in the first place?

I’ve always wanted to own my own business, but I never had a clear picture of what I wanted to do. While working as a lawyer in Houston, a friend introduced me to a Massage Envy clinic near there, and I tried it out. I had such a great experience there and found that I could actually afford to go more often, so I did. I was really intrigued by the business model, too. Applying the membership system to a massage clinic to ensure affordable prices seemed like such an innovative idea. I looked into further and got excited thinking, “I could really do this.” But I knew I didn’t want to do this alone. I talked to my mom and dad about it because my parents have always been my biggest supporters.  My mom, who is a school teacher approaching retirement, was super excited and wanted to be a part of it. We decided to go into the business together as partners to build a business we already enjoyed and could both rely on for our futures.

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

While we are co-owners of the clinic, we share very different roles in the business right now. For me, Massage Envy is my career and so my entire focus is on making it successful. I primarily run the business, making behind-the-scenes decisions and trying to promote our clinic to the public. My mom has a full-time job as a first grade teacher, so she can’t be at the clinic all the time. Eventually after she retires, she wants to take a more active role, but it’s just not an option right now. One of the decisions mom and I made together early on was to hire my older sister to work as our clinic administrator and manage the day-to-day operations. She has wholeheartedly stepped in to make this her full-time career. We really are family-owned and operated now.

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office.”  In other words how do you keep family matters separate from work related issues?

Because my mom is still a full-time teacher, she has chosen a less active role. She leaves most business decisions up to me, so it has not been difficult to keep work issues separate from family issues when it comes to her. She still wants to be a part of making our business successful, so I do come to her with decisions we can make together. Sometimes, when we clash about a decision, we have to take a step back and look at how we would approach this situation if she wasn’t my mother or if I wasn’t her daughter. She’s very easygoing, so we don’t have too many problems. We do spend a lot of time together outside of Massage Envy with our family. It’s important to not let the business interfere with our relationship. My first priority will always be my family.

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together?

Because mom isn’t involved as much with the day-to-day part of the business and my sister is as our clinic administrator, I think for me it has been somewhat challenging learning how to translate my role as a sister to my role as a boss and having my big sister work for me.  With my mom I’m a little more respectful, but my sister is my sister! We’re going to have differences of opinion sometimes. But no matter what, I am truly thankful and proud that my sister has very graciously accepted these roles, and, even when I might have wished I handled a difficult situation or conversation with her better, she has been so understanding and continues to impress me with her dedication to our business. 

Triumphs?

My mom and I both are so proud to be women who are first time business owners. Opening the clinic alone has been a huge accomplishment for us. Since our opening, we have seen more and more people come in each week and are excited to see new clients become regulars. We’ve had a lot of people tell us how great their Massage Envy experience was and that they’ll recommend us to their friends, so that has been a triumph. My mom and I are just so happy and excited to be on this journey together that even the little things excite us. This weekend my family is going to the Mansfield movie theater to see the Massage Envy ad we bought to be shown before movies. I imagine we’ll be pretty proud when we see it on the big screen!

What do you like best about working together? Least?

The best thing about working together is being a team.   We are first time women business owners and we only accomplished that because we did it together.  There is no question that when one of us needs support or an extra hand, the other will step up to the task.  I don’t know that I could say that about anyone else, but my mom and sister.

What, if any big challenges or little annoyances have occurred as a result of working together and how have you managed to overcome them?

I think it can be hard to allocate responsibility between us since we have such different roles in the business.  Although there are positives to being able to make the decisions for our business on my own, it also made it hard for me to handle the stress that goes along with that.  There were times when I felt really overwhelmed and I regret that I sometimes took my frustrations out on mom by being impatient or angry at her (hard to believe, right mom?). Luckily mom is very forgiving, and we both knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel.  Since finally opening our doors two months ago after a year of waiting, things are a little less stressful.  Mom, my sister and I have eased into our respective roles quite well and we each step in to help when we are needed. 

What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

I think working with a member of the family is fantastic because there are so few people you can trust wholeheartedly; however, it helps to be thick skinned and try to put aside your relationship as family members and focus on your relationship as business partners.  It also helps to spend some personal time together outside of work doing something you both enjoy and not discussing the business. 

What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

The most exciting thing about working with my mom and sister has been feeling that I have had a part in bringing them happiness and success.  My mom and dad both worked hard and sacrificed so much for their kids and I am thrilled to be able to give back to them.

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

Mom and I don’t plan to stop with one Massage Envy clinic.  In the near future, we look forward to opening more businesses together and continuing the tradition we started as a successful mother/daughter team. A vacation would be nice, too!

To learn more about Massage Envy go to www.massageenvy.com

This article can be read in the Spring/Summer Issue of WE Magazine for Women

Tell us about your company, it’s purpose, mission, target audience, goals, what makes it unique.

Our company is called Sunshine Rewards, and we are an online rewards site. We help our members earn rewards by shopping online, participating in surveys, and completing offers. Our goal is to help people earn a little bit of money by doing things that they would be doing anyway. Our site is open to males and females but most of our social networking targets females. We are unique in our industry because we are family run and we take a very personal approach to the business. Our members know us personally, they see us in videos, and they even meet us at our various city meet-ups.

In terms of general uniqueness, neither of us started in this field. We came from completely different professions and separate geographically by hundreds of miles. But we ended up coming together to work virtually doing something that we have both come to love.

How did you come to work together in the first place?

Tricia had started the business after leaving the practice of law to be able to spend more time with her kids. As the business grew, it became apparent that she was going to need help. Cindy was working as a veterinary technician and was having some health issues. Cindy started working part-time from home in Florida for Tricia, who was in Indiana. After a couple of months, Cindy started really liking what she was doing and Tricia’s business was continuing to grow. Thus, Cindy left her job to join the company full-time and permanently.

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

Tricia is the owner and manages the high level work, including the technical aspects of the business, advertising, the budget, and the business growth. Cindy interacts more with the individual merchants listed on the site, including negotiating coupons and promotions with the merchants. Both interact equally with the members in the forum as well as film videos for the videoblog.

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office.” 

There have been times when it has been hard to separate being a mother and daughter from being a boss and an employee. In particular, we have to be sure that we do not dominate family time with talk about the business because not everyone wants to hear about it.

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together?

The biggest challenge has been putting aside our normal dynamic. It’s natural for the mother to be the leader and the daughter to be the follower. But the roles are reversed in our company. So we have to remind ourselves (and each other) of our strengths and weaknesses and work without regard for who is older, who is younger, who is the boss, etc. Instead, it has to be about who has the most knowledge about the particular task at hand and whose skill-set is best suited for it.

Triumphs?

We are probably the most recognized mother-daughter team in our industry, affiliate marketing. We were both on the cover of Feedfront Magazine recently as the “Women of Affiliate Marketing.” Despite a falling economy, we manage to keep our business growing each year by working together closely. Most other people say that they can’t imagine working with their mother/daughter. We can’t imagine not working together anymore.

What do you like best about working together? Least?

Best: There is an unfailing trust that we have in each other that we will always work in the best interest of the business, even at a personal cost sometimes. We never have to worry that the other one will in any way do anything to hurt the business.

Least: Sometimes it feels like our life has become about the business because we both work so hard at it. We have to be careful not to let it encompass our whole relationship.

What, if any big challenges or little annoyances have occured as a result of working together and how have you managed to overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges is that we have very different personal styles. Sometimes we tease that we play “good cop/bad cop.” But the reality is that we are very different when it comes to how we communicate. The trick is to learn to use it to our advantage rather than let it impact the business negatively. 

What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

You have to have a strong foundation in your relationship before you can expect to work together. And you have to expect that there are going to be ups and downs—agreements as well as differences. Some things will be easier as a result of your relationship while others will be harder.

What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

The travel! We get to go to fun places together like Las Vegas and New York. We would never have left our spouses and traveled together if it were not for the business. We’ve gotten lucky and been invited to some awesome places as a result of our work. Sometimes we look at each other and say “Can you believe we are actually here???” People in our industry call us the “Sunshine Girls” and we love every minute of it.

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

We’re planning to take over the affiliate marketing world! Seriously, we want to be huge. We have our sights set high that Sunshine Rewards is going to be a household name in hundreds of thousands of houses around the United States in the next couple of years.

For more information, visit: www.sunshinerewards.com
This article can be read in the Spring/Summer Issue of WE Magazine for Women

Our company and its purpose:

505 Imports is a retail furniture store specializing in exotic, hand-carved furniture from India and Indonesia.  Our purpose is to create furniture that people will truly fall in love with…furniture that is hand-crafted and built to last a lifetime.  We are totally against the idea of “disposable furniture” that will only end up in a landfill in 40 or 50 years; instead, we want to create the antiques of the future.  In the process, we are also being responsible with the resources of our environment by creating many products that are made from renewable resources and salvaged pieces of architecture.

Our mission statement:

505 Imports is a growing and evolving company that was formed to help meet the needs of our globalized society.
We have taken the responsibility to seek environmentally friendly wood products that not only are beautiful but also are recycled or sustainable harvested renewable materials.
We passionately believe in our products, our design concepts and our mission.
Our mission at 505 Imports is to create and design unique, functional furniture that the people of our community will cherish and treasure, that will reflect their personalities and lifestyles…and that they will fall in love with.

Our target audience is anyone who loves “all things beautiful.”  We cater to a wide range of age groups—from young professionals purchasing their first home to retirees outfitting their summer lake house.  We appeal to a large group of people because over-all, our prices are mid-range, and often on the low side of mid-range.  The first impression many have of our store is that it is high end, but most are pleasantly surprised when they actually see the prices.

What we’ve accomplished:

In 3.5 short years, we moved our retail store to a better location, trademarked our logo and name, franchised the 505 concept, created a manufacturing company, developed a manufacturing facility in India, and designed several original lines of furniture.  Four years ago neither one of us knew what a cabriole leg was—now we design and make them in our own factories!!

What makes us unique:

We have unique items in our store that are not the “cookie cutter” traditional style of most stores in Lake Charles.  Also, as owners, we have designed many original pieces and collections that cannot be found elsewhere.  We have 5 different design concepts in the store—Nature Inspired, Bohemian, Coastal Cottage, Rustic Redefined, and French Villa

People are surprised when they walk in the door; our store has an unusual, exotic look, and we really work on providing creative merchandising displays.

We develop new products every month.  Most recently, we have been designing and producing many products made of old salvaged materials from India (old wood, windows, architectural pieces, etc).  These products will be featured on our online store when it’s launched.

How did you come to work together in the first place?  

We have always been a close mother/daughter team—truly “best friends”—and over the years sporadically threw out the idea that it would be fun to own a business together.  One day in January, 2005, I called my daughter with the news that I knew what our business could be.  Rebekah remembers the day, exactly where she was driving on her pharmaceutical sales route, and her reaction.  When I said, “Let’s open an import furniture store,” Rebekah replied, “Hmmm, I like it.  Actually, I love it!”  We made our first contact for art and furniture in February, secured a site quickly, and miraculously opened on May 5, 2005.  (05/05/05 – yet another sign for the name 505 Imports)

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

Sharlene is the creative force behind 505 Imports.  She designs new furniture pieces and whole collections of furniture as well as many new accessory items.  Also, she goes to home and gift markets to purchase accessories, works with the vision of each “design concept” at 505, comes up with new ideas for merchandising and marketing, and continually researches the furniture and home decor market. Research is her absolute favorite thing, whether it’s attending market, surfing the internet, reading design blogs, tearing out pictures from magazines, or just plain shopping (disguised as “research.”) Additionally, she writes most of the copy for the website, the newsletter, and the marketing (former English/drama teacher.)  Her current passion is taking 505 in an even greener direction, and she has turned her energies to applying for membership to the Sustainable Furniture Council.

Rebekah is the implementer of all things 505.  She handles all the financial aspects of the business and the endless details associated with running a complex business that involves overseas trade, customs dilemmas, etc.  She manages the 505 staff, draws and submits custom furniture orders, and handles the direction for all the website and marketing strategies.  Rebekah has her hand in every part of the daily operations of 505 Imports, and her professional approach to business has been the essential factor that has propelled 505 to its current level of success. Rebekah also handles another totally different aspect of our business—the manufacturing process.  Every 4-5 months she travels to our factory in India to implement new furniture designs, construction changes, etc.  She is constantly creating new ideas and concepts inspired from salvaged architectural pieces and reclaimed wood.   In addition, while she’s there, she usually hops on a train or bus and travels to other parts of India to source fabrics and other textiles.

When Sharlene goes to market and sees many beautiful things, Rebekah is the one who sometimes says, “no!”

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office.” 

Working together hasn’t really affected our relationship outside the office.  Throughout the years, the two of us have always been involved in major projects together, and the business is just another extension of that ability to work closely side by side. 

When Rebekah was in high school, I was her drama teacher; I directed her in Li’l Abner, Godspell, Guys and Dolls, Bye Bye Birdie, and Crazy for You, and the two of us experienced 3 or 4 New York “drama trips” during that same time.  Now we travel to New York together to attend the NY International Gift Market…even though it’s business, it’s just as much fun as the past…and we always manage to fit in a few Broadway musicals or shows.

Sometimes we don’t keep family matters separate.  All members of the Boyle family are involved in the business from time to time; work spills into family and family spills into work.  Rebekah and I never tire of talking about the business, but we are just beginning to realize that it’s healthy to have some “time off” from business, and that will be a priority for the future.

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together?

We really haven’t faced many challenges working together.  The hardest part occurred when we had our former jobs and were trying to run the business from afar.  After one year of that, Rebekah quit her pharmaceutical sales job, but I still had to complete one more year of teaching.  That was a difficult year for me (emotionally) because I felt isolated from the daily operations of the business.

There really are no power struggles since I acknowledge that Rebekah is the boss!  Neither one of us oversteps the others boundaries of responsibilities; instead, at any given time, one is likely to help the other out. It’s a mutually supportive relationship that just works…with cooperation, respect, and a little distance at times.

Triumphs?

This may seem like a small thing, but it was an exciting moment for us.  Rebekah and I were at J. Crew in Baton Rouge, and the salesgirl got so excited when she got our email address for their records.  She exclaimed, “505 Imports?   In Lake Charles?  Oh, my god, that’s my favorite store!!”  Then she proceeded to tell us all the wonderful things about our store.  Since Lake Charles is over 2 hours away from Baton Rouge, and a small little town, we felt very pleased for our store to be noticed.  It made us realize that our store was becoming well-known by people in surrounding areas.  Now we’re getting lots of repeat traffic from so many cities in Texas and Louisiana—and we know that’s only the beginning of the recognition that is to come.

What do you like best about working together? Least?

What we like best is sharing ideas and dreams—and getting excited about all the possibilities.  We are both big dreamers and risk takers, thankfully so, and that adventuresome spirit has brought us to this place.  

The thing we like least is watching American Idol, talking about our business during the commercials, and realizing that we have no life. But we’re working on that, also.  Both of us tend to be workaholics, so we really have to make a concerted effort to relax and enjoy life away from 505.

What, if any big challenges or little annoyances have occurred as a result of working together and how have you managed to overcome them?

I think I sometimes annoy my daughter with my lack of computer skills. No, actually, I know I annoy her. I am getting much better, but compared to my computer genius daughter, I am totally incompetent.  She has very little patience with me which is a shame because I have infinite patience with her during her piano lessons.  

My little annoyance with Rebekah occurs when she occasionally gets tired of my chatter.  At that point, Rebekah completely ignores my questions by intentionally singing random song lyrics, and that is not the least bit funny to me.:)

What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

Working with family members is great if you establish some perimeters from the beginning.  In a partnership of any kind, especially with family, make sure you share the same short and long-term vision.  Clearly set and define your responsibilities, so the major ones don’t overlap.  Have a sense of humor and find a way to de-stress.  When surrounded by other family members, it’s best to avoid constantly discussing the business.

What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

Many times it feels like the two of us are a tag team; one of us gets an idea and the other expands on it.  We continuously feed off each other in a productive and sometimes exhilarating manner. 

One of the most exciting moments occurred when Rebekah was named as a national finalist in the Make Mine a Million Dollar Business Race.  I discovered the contest sponsored by the Count Me In organization and secretly decided that I would surprise my daughter by entering the contest.  After filling out most of the lengthy on-line application, I realized that the company could be better represented by my energetic and enterprising young daughter.

I told Rebekah about the contest one day before the deadline, giving her just enough time to change necessary answers and print out all the financial information needed.  The two of us whipped out a very cool 3 minute video featuring Rebekah and 505 Imports, and somehow we made the deadline.  A month later as Rebekah was being showered with awards in Hollywood, Florida, I felt so proud of her and also thought of the moment as a personal triumph as well.

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

There are many ideas floating around in our heads.

First, we have plans to open an on-line store by June, 2009.  With the national exposure we are receiving from the Make Mine a Million Dollar Business event, we feel that it is perfect timing to expand the 505 boundaries.

Also, there are several 505 franchise stores in the works, and this mother/daughter team has goals for opening 15 stores in the South (Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Florida, etc.) in the next 5 years.

Down the road, we have an idea for a higher-end version of our furniture store with an upscale bedding store (linens, bedding and pillows) adjoined to one side and a bath shop (body care, soaps, candles, etc.) on the opposite side.  We would also love to own a funky shop that specializes in salvaged furniture, reclaimed items, and exotic treasures from our journeys.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

The two of us are all about differentiation.  We have pledged to do our own thing, not really following any leaders in the workplace, and in the process, 505 has evolved with a personality all its own. 

The biggest satisfaction occurs when someone walks in the door for the first time, opens their eyes wide, and says, “Wow!”  The wow factor is what we have tried hardest to achieve in the store environment.  The most commonly asked question we get:  “Is this a national chain?”

We are happiest—not when we’ve made our biggest sale—but when we feel that we’ve provided someone with furniture or accessories that totally change the feel of their home. Helping to provide customers with a warm, inviting, cozy, exotic home environment is “a dream come true” for the two of us.

Unusual and Reversed Roles:

            The daughter is the budget Nazi.  The mother likes to BUY, BUY, BUY.

The daughter is the computer and math nerd.  The mother is the creative, design- oriented one.

            The daughter is focused and serious.  The mother wants to “play” and          travel.

            The daughter is young and hip.  The mother is old and hip. Haha

To learn more visit www.505imports.com

This article can be read in the Spring/Summer Issue of WE Magazine for Women

Tell us about your company, it’s purpose, mission, target audience, goals, what makes it unique.

The Goddard School is an early childhood center for children 6 weeks to 6 years of age. We are dedicated to providing an environment where teachers support the nurturing and learning children want and need, where children are offered the opportunity to develop their natural curiosity and creativity and where they can develop a lifelong love of learning. As the Goddard School owners we are committed to providing the best early childhood development experience for the children in our community. We are available to our teachers and our children’s families every day.

How did you come to work together in the first place?

Lisa (daughter) was inspired by her three children to open a Goddard School because she saw the importance of a quality program to develop children to their fullest potential.  Pam (mother) has taught primary-aged children for 26 years and sees the importance of an early childhood education as a foundation for lifelong learning.  As a team, we thought we could bring our expertise and enthusiasm together to provide a place where parents and children would love to come every day. 

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

Lisa takes care of the financials while Pam focuses on marketing. Together they work on making sure that each and every family feels special.

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office.”  In other words how do you keep family matters separate from work related issues?

We know that is important to keep business and family lives separate. If one of us brings up the business we remind each other that we will talk about it tomorrow at work.

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together?

When we started the business we didn’t really know what our roles would be.  We soon discovered our strengths and weaknesses and it has evolved from there. Every day becomes a new challenge but we are enjoying our new found strengths.

Triumphs?

We opened our school with 11 children and after 1 ½ years in business we have 125 children.  One of our families, coming from out of state, started their two children here. One month later they bought a house out of our area and signed their children up at another school close to their new home.  They called us back after four days and asked if they could come back.  They realized how happy their children were at The Goddard School and it was worth the drive!

What, if any big challenges or little annoyances have occured as a result of working together and how have you managed to overcome them?

We have very different personalities so we balance each other out. At times we might not agree on something, but we open it up for discussion and use a sense of humor to get through the stressful times. We also remind ourselves that we are here for the families and children and we always want what’s best for them.

What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

Remember that tomorrow is another day and start fresh each day. When the work day is done leave it there, our families need our full attention too.

What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

 Every time a new family signs up we are just as thrilled as we were when our first one signed up. Pam (mother) gets to see her granddaughter every day because she is a student at The Goddard School.

One day one of our parents came with a small gift and thank you card to tell us she loved bringing her children here because it felt like a family.

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

We would love to open a second school; we will see what the future holds.
 
To learn more about the Goddard School, visit  http://www.goddardschool.com/Schools/Plymouth-MN/schools.gspx
This article can be read in the Spring/Summer issue of WE Magazine for Women

Tell us about your company, it’s purpose, mission, target audience, goals, what makes it unique.

We design for The McCall pattern company which publishes sewing patterns. I, Pati Palmer, started with them in 1980. My daughter Melissa Watson was born in 1986 and was first in the McCall’s office in NYC when she was 2 months old, so they have known her for her entire life.  She and her partner who was my intern one summer, decided there was a missing piece to the McCall Pattern line for late teens and twenty somthings. I told them I’d give them a name to contact which they did and made an appointment. They presented their ideas in October of 2007, got signed and now have 8 designs in the catalog and they are selling well.

How did you come to work together in the first place?

Melissa  watched her mom work from home running her companies all of her life and at times did odd jobs for her publishing company. She got the hang of how I designed my line for McCall’s.

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

We come up with ideas, but for our own target markets. We both write guide sheets for the sewing instructions. I was previously the first licensee to do this. I told the girls not to offer to write guidesheets as it is hard work. McCall’s asked them to because they want the reader to hear their young words.

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office.”  In other words how do you keep family matters separate from work related issues?

We are having so much fun working together, but then we’ve basically always been a family business. My late husband and I worked together importing ceramics from Italy, www.lavitavera.com and my brother and Jack’s son work for me now in both businesses, PalmerPletsch Publishing and Mamma Ro Italian Ceramics. Melissa has always been in tune with these businesses. 

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together?

Mututal respect for what each person contributes is the most important thing in a small business.

Triumphs?

Everyone is rewarded if they succeed.
 
What do you like best about working together? Least?

For Melissa and me, SHOPPING which we do for ideas. 

What, if any big challenges or little annoyances have occured as a result of working together and how have you managed to overcome them?

Can’t think of any. When we travel, I wake up much happier than my 23 year old!!  
 
What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

Be tolerant, make communication a priority, be open. don’t gossip or act petty. I say these because of all of my businesses other than our designing for McCall’s.

What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

We have been written up in several sewing industry magazines and on the cover of one. We modeled each other’s designs recently at a major sewing show charity fashion show. Instead of telling the audience how wonderful our designs are, I told them about a personal story of how large corporations can have a heart. When I lost my husband to heart attack in a taxi headed from the airport into Manhattan in 2000, McCall’s came up with my designs for a year, wrote my guidesheets, and still paid me a royalty. I have been designing for them since 1980. Melissa and I both know what a great company they continue to be.

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

In 2 weeks Melissa is moving to NYC and wants to find a job in the fashion industry either in merchandising, advertizing, publishing or whatever. I will be there.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Contact Palmer/Pletsch Publishing at 1801 NW Upshur Suite 100, Portland, (97209 503 294 0696 ~ Pati or 503 753 2411 ~ Melissa)

Contact the McCall Pattern Co 120 Broadway, NY, NY  212 465 6800 C/O Kathleen Len, Sr. VP
This article can be read in the Spring/Summer issue of WE Magazine for Women

Tell us about your company, it’s purpose, mission, target audience, goals, what makes it unique.

The Green Year™, LLC, is the parent company for our efforts to “change the world one celebration at a time.” Two years ago, we started a community initiative, Green Halloween®. Alarmed at the fact that the average child hauls home 10 pounds of candy on Halloween, the prevalence of the obesity epidemic, the fact that this generation of children is the first in history expected not to outlive its parents, and a deep concerned for the environment, Corey took the spark of an idea to create a communitywide effort to make Halloween healthier and more earth-friendly and within the course of a few months, created an initiative that took off like a rocket. Starting in the Seattle area where we live, last year Green Halloween went national, with coordinated efforts in six cities around the country. When Corey mentioned the idea for Green Halloween to Lynn, her mom immediately said, “This isn’t just about Halloween, it’s about every holiday and special event.” One month after Halloween, 2007, we had a book contract and Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, was published October 1, 2008.

Celebrate Green! and Green Halloween, along with speaking and consulting, form the foundation for our efforts to make people aware of how our actions as we celebrate, affect individuals, communities and the planet, and to encourage them to change their behaviors to ones that are more people- and earth-friendly while keeping all the fun.

Ultimately, we expect to create a not-for-profit business on the Paul Newman model, where profits from The Green Year support causes in which we believe. Along the way, we want to support other businesses, especially those belonging to women who are working just as we are, to make a difference.

Because women make the vast majority of the decisions when it comes to purchasing for celebrations and holidays, they are our target audience. One of our advantages in this is that being mother and daughter, we can speak to women of all ages, all stages of life and different “shades of green.”

Our company is unique for many reasons, but probably the most important is that no one else is addressing this issue. When we first talk to people about greening holidays, they tend to think, “What’s the big deal, so we overdo a little on Christmas?” If it were just Christmas, it might be fine. But take all the biggies—Halloween, Thanksgiving, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Valentines etc., and add the myriad special events like birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, baby showers, graduations to name just a few, then multiply these by millions of people and the problem becomes evident. We’re unique because we see the problem and we offer simple, easy, low or no-cost solutions that keep all the joy in celebrating and alleviate the harm. No one else is doing this.

How did you come to work together in the first place?

Corey came up with the idea for Green Halloween and shared it with Lynn, who immediately asked how she could be a part of it. Both had other work they were doing at the time (Corey is a licensed marital and family therapist and board certified clinical art therapist and Lynn, a life coach), and neither thought this would take over their lives the way it has. In a good way, of course.

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

We are equal partners with no formal titles. Corey takes the lead with Green Halloween and Lynn in media relations and web side of the business. We strategize together and both do a lot of writing for blogs and magazines.

Corey’s strengths include research, building in-person relationships and sales. Lynn’s include creativity, media relations and online/social networking. Writing the book was a 50-50 deal.

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office.” 

In our situation, this really isn’t an issue. If anything, our relationship has deepened because we share this common passion. We live fifteen minutes apart, so while we’re on the phone and emailing daily, it’s always about business unless there’s a babysitting emergency at which point, Corey calls in the troops (Lynn).

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together?

To be absolutely honest, we haven’t had any so far. Our personalities and talents are different and complement each other. While working on the book, we never had anything approaching an argument. Not that we don’t disagree, we do, but one or the other of us usually feels more strongly and we respect each other enough that the one who feels less attached to the idea always lets it go. A couple of sentences of explanation is usually enough to get us off the topic and moving ahead.

Triumphs?

Too many to list, so just a few: getting Green Halloween off the ground to enormous success in 2007; getting the book to print in seven weeks after our publisher went belly up; receiving incredible amounts of press for both Green Halloween and Celebrate Green! (radio— Martha Stewart satellite, Disney–TV, dozens of blogs, magazines, newspapers in the U.S. and Canada); being asked to blog for HGTV and KIWI magazine, among others; receiving 32,500 unique visitors on the Green Halloween website in the two month period surrounding Halloween 2008.

What do you like best about working together? Least?

The best part is that we get to see each other’s strengths in action. We always knew that the other was bright, talented and hard-working, but this business has given us the opportunity to observe and participate in each other’s lives on a daily basis. We each stand in awe of the other. In addition, working with someone in whom you have complete trust enables enormous freedom. If one of us feels a little uncertain, the other is there to bolster, suggest alternatives or even take over the role.

Sorry, but there just isn’t a downside to this.

What, if any big challenges or little annoyances have occured as a result of working together and how have you managed to overcome them?

We’re human. We both have habits that can irritate the other person. But there is no major personality obstacle that separates us. If at any time, either of us feels annoyed at the other over some small thing, it’s never been that big of a deal. We either talked about it, kept it to ourselves or ignored it because these things just aren’t worth wasting time over. If there were something major, we would bring it up and discuss it.

What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

It’s no different than working with anyone else. The best work relationships are built on respect and trust. If you lack either for family member, you are going to find it very challenging to work together. You’ve got to be able to laugh together, and really enjoy what you’re doing and treat each other well. You’ve got to be willing to support each other through the rough times, give kudos, encourage your partner’s success, help her grow her strengths. It’s vital to be on the same basic wavelength, with the same vision for the business and realize that power struggles will destroy your relationship which of course, is more important than any business.

What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

Again, we’ve had so many exciting moments over the last two and a half years, it’s hard to choose one. One of the most thrilling would have to be the day our “baby,” Celebrate Green!, was delivered into our hands.

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

Our focus for this year is on continuing expansion and growth of Green Halloween, securing more speaking engagements and consulting opportunities with companies interested in greening their events, moving into TV, expanding our brand through social and conventional media, and initiation of work on a new book.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Working together as mom and daughter has been the most unexpectedly wonderful experience for both of us. One of the unexpended joys is the response of so many people when they realize we are a mother-daughter team. They are inspired by our relationship and this in turn is rewarding for us.

For more information visit www.CelebrateGreen.net

This article can be read in the Spring/Summer issue of WE Magazine for Women

At Mia Belle Baby we design baby gifts and accessories and wholesale to specialty stores and baby boutiques nation wide. We also have an online store. Vintage inspired chic for modern tots is our basic philosophy. Mia Belle Baby focuses on fulfilling modern parents demand for quality and function while preserving the beautiful timeless styles that our mothers and grandmothers cherished when they were young mothers. Each product is carefully selected based on what is most essential and most often used in babies first years of life. Our products are not only beautiful but they can also become the most useful and necessary staples for babies and toddlers. Our unique designs capture the essence of old world charm and make them useful for modern day function.

Coco Chanel said it best “Luxury must be comfortable otherwise it’s not Luxury”. With that in mind Mia Belle Baby defines itself with effortless luxury, exquisite fabrics and clever designs.  Our target audience is expecting and new parents. Our goal is to be a well respected and widely known brand in the Juvenile products industry.

How did you come to work together in the first place?

I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My family immigrated from Russia when I was 9 and my father was my role model in terms of overcoming cultural and monetary obstacles to become a successful business owner.  I went to business school and I always knew that owning my own business is the path that I want to take. It wasn’t until my daughter was born in 2006 that I knew exactly what kind of business it would be. Although I have to say that I minored in Apparel and merchandising and fashion and design were always of particular interest to me.

My daughter was my muse and inspiration for all of our ideas and designs.  Her name is Mia Anabelle, so the name of the company evolved to Mia Belle. This is in honor of my muse as well as a play on words in different languages Mia meaning mine in Italian and Belle meaning Beautiful in French.

As a young mom and a young and fashion forward grandmother we came across a lot of really nice products but eventually started adding our own little modifications to products or making new products all together to accommodate my daughter. We became regulars at Jo Ann fabrics and started making all kinds of things for Mia. Other moms began to notice the products and give us really positive feed back and that is how Mia Belle Baby was born.

Our first idea was the slumber tote and slowly and naturally it just evolved into an entire collection and then to an exciting business venture. We always enjoyed shopping together and we are both really into fashion.

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

Lina manages all the business relationships with the factories, sales reps and PR. Emma handles the office logistics and is huge in contributing to the creative aspect of our designs.

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office.”  In other words how do you keep family matters separate from work related issues?

It’s actually been really great working together. Emma has stayed home for the last 20+ years raising the kids and now that the kids are grown she was looking for a creative outlet. And while Lina has had multiple business ventures with her Dad…Emma has been out of the loop. This has brought us together and it’s great to be able to spend so much time together. We can chat about life at work and we always eat lunch together.  And somehow we just naturally turn work off when we leave and on the weekends we still mange to spend time together and discuss work as little as possible. We make a great team and complement each others abilities. Emma is conservative, great with her hands and really creative. While Lina is a risk taker, also creative and has the ability to form and maintain great business relationships.

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together?

We have a very honest approach and always say what we think. There is definitely moments when Ii (Lina) want her to use the computer more and learn things that are our of her element and being the conservative that she is she is scared of new things and change. And vise versa there are definitely times when Emma thinks I am too fast too hasty in making decisions in spending on the business. We’ve definitely had several disagreements about the budget and what it should be spent on. 

Triumphs?

We consider our big triumph the ability to launch and begin growing our business in such economically strained times. We officially began selling our products in October 08 and despite the fact that boutiques are on a buying freeze we’ve managed to open dozens of accounts nationally and those accounts are making reorders. Most importantly with every triumph I feel like it’s so much sweeter because we accomplish it together and we always joke how we get so ecstatic over the smallest of orders and when we become big we will look back with a smile and appreciate how much we celebrated every step that we take forward.

What do you like best about working together? Least?

Working together we always know that both people are completely invested and there is never a doubt that we have each others back and have each others best interest at heart.

The thing we like the least about working together is PMS. When we are on the same cycle…it can get a little cranky. 

What, if any big challenges or little annoyances have occured as a result of working together and how have you managed to overcome them?

We find that as long as we are able to communicate everything is smooth sailing. If one of us feels frustrated with a decision or with something that happened we always voice it. And we also find that besides product design we do not share any work duties. We focus on completely different aspects of the business and this prevents us from butting heads.

What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

Working with a relative is not for everyone and you have to have a really strong foundation to be able to do it. Our personalities are both really laid back and we’ve never really experienced any strain in our relationship prior to working together. Before deciding to work together you have to make sure that you can focus on different responsibilities and not interfere or undermine the other person’s duties and tasks. You have to always communicate and bounce ideas off of each other. You also have to be able to leave work and nurture your “mother daughter” relationship. You don’t want to become mechanical.
 
What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

We find that with every success and reached milestone we feel extremely fulfilled. There is nothing like starting from scratch and seeing your vision and dream materialize. It gives us a real sense of accomplishment and self worth. . Recently we received really big coverage by a website called “Daily Candy Kids” and we had over 2,000 hits on our web site in one day. As a result of this coverage a women’s lifestyle television show broadcast across the US wants to feature one of our products in a TV segment. 

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

We are not ruling out extending our product line to hand bags and other women’s apparel or accessories. We have so much fun designing together and our ideas are definitely not just within the baby industry. Once the Mia Belle Baby brand gets big enough we would like to move forward with broadening the products and categories.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Just as advice for women who want to own their own business. When you get an idea that feels right to you as if you are in sync with the universe and your intuition is guiding you in that direction you just need to go for it. You don’t always know where the road will lead you, but if you believe in yourself and your idea and your work ethic is good, you can follow and live your dream.
Learn more about Mia Bella Baby at www.miabellebaby.com

This article can be read in the Spring/Summer 2009 Issue of WE Magazine for Women