YOUR STORY EXCHANGE

Name: Bonnie Schnitta
Business Name: SoundSense, LLC
Type of Business: Acoustic engineering, products, and installation
Website: http://www.soundsense.com/
Reason for starting: I started my company for two reasons. First I needed to create a work environment which allowed me, as a working mother, to control my schedule for the flexibility I needed to be there for my young children. Secondly, I wanted to use my math and scientific skills to create ideal acoustic environments. I wanted to not only reduce or stop disturbing noise, but also improve the sounds in a room for better speech intelligibility in a less noisy room.
Biggest success: I have had numerous successes in my quest for providing my clients an ideal acoustic environment. These successes included engineering acoustic walls or ceilings in multi-family homes so that someone sleeping would not be disturbed by plumbing, voice, or music sounds from a neighbor. Properly engineered room perimeters also prevented disturbing mechanical noise from interrupting a person’s or students’ concentration. I felt that my most satisfying success was in engineering room surfaces for seniors and the hearing impaired so that they could naturally hear better in a less noisy environment and as a result enjoy conversation and music again.
Biggest challenge: My biggest challenge was to communicate the importance of my engineering in a predominately male environment. The good news is that after a successful installation the acceptance and understanding began.
The one thing you would do differently: I now know that teaching to architects helps to provide a better understanding and acceptance of what I engineer. I have also found that many people do not know that what I do is possible. Networking and marketing has helped address that problem. If I would do anything differently, it would have been to do both of those sooner and more often.

Name: Kristen Petroff
Business Name: Abington Kids Creative Arts Studio
Type of Business: Children’s Art Studio
Website: http://abingtonkids.com
Reason for starting: I started the Art Studio for kids because of my love for both. I had spent 25 years as an independent bookkeeper running everyone else’s business and I woke up one morning and decided I wanted to finger paint for the rest of my life. I sold my bookkeeping business and began working on the studio. I found a great open location with a wonderful feel to it.
Biggest success: My biggest success was hiring my amazing instructors who manage to remain very flexible even if I forget to tell them something. They have adapted to what the studio has morphed into and I could not have done this with out them. All of us brainstorm together to come up with new ideas to keep our kids creative.
Biggest challenge: My biggest challenge was getting people to find out about us. I was lucky enough to be courted by Groupon. Before them, I had no kids at the studio but with Groupon we sold over 4700 hours and people finally heard about us. Now we hold birthdays, get the Girl Scouts their pottery badges and more! We have continued to use them and Living Social to promote events and Summer Camp which is almost sold out.
The one thing you would do differently: I came into this way too structured. I hired the wrong Art Instructor based on structure and that was a mistake. I realized my errors and changed things around and fired the first instructor. I have learned that we must be ever changing, we must always come up with new projects, new materials and new ideas for our kids. We now offer “Guided Instruction” and are much more flexible with our kids.

Name: Bea Arthur
Business Name: Pretty Padded Room
Type of Business: Online therapy on your own time and in your own space
Website: www.prettypaddedroom.com
Reason for starting: As a therapist, whenever I would mention my profession, people always seemed curious about it so I wanted to make therapy more available and affordable. By putting this service online, we make a potentially intimidating experience convenient and confidential.
Biggest success: We’ve been very lucky when it comes to press: Daily Candy, the New York Post, and soon, Entrepreneur Magazine. The nicest praise comes from our clients though. We’re able to get counseling for people who wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.
Biggest challenge: Marketing. We have to toe the line between our personality and our professionalism. So we can’t just run a Groupon special and cheapen our service. Getting out the right tone as credible yet personable has been tricky.
The one thing you would do differently: I would’ve stayed in Beta longer. There were so many unanticipated tech issues that required a lot of revisions and subsequent refunds, so we didn’t make the greatest impression on our first clients. We’re experts in the mind not in computer code! It would’ve definitely helped to test more.

Name: Melissa Heydon
Business Name: Paisley and Spindle Cloth
Type of Business: Paisley is modern baby blankets, Spindle Cloth sells fabric
Website: www.handmadebypaisley.etsy.com / www.spindlecloth.com
Reason for starting: Paisley began four years ago as a tote bag company. I have always enjoyed design and sewing, but it took a layoff from teaching last summer while on maternity leave to push me into pursuing my passion. I made a few modern baby blankets for my daughter when I was pregnant, and had a lot of praise for the style and size, so I thought I would set up an Etsy shop and start selling, and it’s been amazing! I also must add that I have an incredibly supportive husband who encourages me to take the risks needed to start your own business.
Biggest success: By far the biggest success is my customer feedback. Each sale is special, and I treasure the interaction and value my customers so much! I love doing custom work, and I have been inspired by their ideas to develop my products, and try new fabrics. Besides the feedback, I have been highlighted on a few fabulous blogs, which is such an honor and a thrill!
Biggest challenge: Right now, my biggest challenge is balancing my role as a full time mom and wife, and as a full time small business owner. I have been approached by some online and “brick and mortar” boutiques to sell wholesale, which I really want to do, but it’s important to me that my products remain handmade, here in the US. So I am slowly looking for opportunities to do this, without losing the core values of my brand. Adding Spindle Cloth to the mix has been fabulous, as I am able to provide gorgeous fabrics to people who love to sew and craft. I love the challenge of providing interesting, unique fabrics that are not available in the big box shops!
The one thing you would do differently: Sleep more? Ha! Besides that, I need to curve my Pinterest addiction! I am constantly seeking inspiration, and my creative brain is on full time. It’s amazing how an unexpected curve ball can change your perspective on life, and I definitely want to be present, and enjoy the lovely little things in my life that make it so sweet. On the business front, I crave more time for product development – I have loads of ideas I would love to see in my shop!

Name: Jennifer Downing
Business Name: Nourish
Type of Business: Family Food Plan Consulting & Cooking Instruction
Website: nourishcooking.com
Reason for starting: Raising four children as a stay-at-home-mom, I work very hard to feed them well. Planning meals and cooking from scratch on a budget were reflections of my time in the food industry. Reading, learning about our food system becoming a gardener/beekeeper/chicken wrangler and volunteer resulted a deep knowledge of seeking out the best. A result of the knowledge I’ve gained came the realization many people are seeking the same life-style but don’t know where to begin. Four years ago, I started my company, Nourish, focusing on ‘teaching you to feed those you love’. Through cooking classes, market tours, workshops and public presentation I am teaching people to regain the skills to feed their families whole foods in a drive thru age. It’s a pleasure to create interest in sustainable lifestyles, their tactical qualities and the pleasure one receives when caring for mind, body and soul.
Biggest success: I have been asked to be a presenter at the 2012 Kickapoo Country Fair, a huge annual event hosted by the Organic Valley Co-op based in La Farge, Wisconsin. This event is considered the Midwest’s large organic food and sustainable festival. (http://blog.farmaid.org/2010/07/midwests-largest-organic-food-and.html) Needless to say, I am thrilled to be a part of something so far reaching sponsored by a company I admire.
Biggest challenge: Probably the same thing any other mother would say ~ balancing family and business. Enamored with my family and impassioned about my work, sometimes it’s difficult to say no and turn it off at the end of the day. Ultimately, the happenings around my own dining table are what matter most.
The one thing you would do differently: I would have been more aggressive with marketing and seeking publicity for my business and me. Since the beginning of 2012, I’ve actively worked to pinpoint my target market and search for new areas of growth. Feedback has been wonderful and I’m encouraged by the success I’ve had. If only I’d been more courageous and put myself out there early on ~ imagine how far I could have already gone!

Name: MaryBeth Reeves
Business Name: Scrapbook Mamma
Type of Business: Custom Photo Books
Website: http://www.scrapbookmamma.com
Reason for starting: After having quadruplets and getting laid off from my corporate job, I wanted to have my own business so I could control my world a little better.
Biggest success: There are copies of my books featured in the lobby of the W Atlanta Buckhead and getting my first yearbook client that ordered 45 copies of the same book.
Biggest challenge: Funding and time are my biggest challenges. I am a solo-entrepreneur, so I do it all. I am working on a franchise model and if I had unlimited funds and lots of extra hands, that would already be completed.
The one thing you would do differently: I would have been more aggressive on pricing from the get go and started looking for more opportunities to produce large book orders sooner. I would have also been better at managing my advertising dollars initially.

Name: Theresa Leigh
Business Name: Muse & Fox Jewelry
Type of Business: Jewelry Manufacturing and Retail
Website: http://www.museandfox.com
Reason for starting: I wanted to create a for-profit social innovation model that integrated aspects of empowered employment for human trafficking survivors coupled with living wages, vocational skills, and entrepreneurship. To assist in solving the long-term problem of trafficking, 100% net proceeds goes back to organizations combating human trafficking and crimes against children, such as UNICEF, UN.GIFT, The Polaris Project, GEMS, The Protection Project, and the Harvard Kennedy School Carr Center’s Program on Human Trafficking.
Biggest success: Winning contracts with Anthropologie, ModCloth, and other major retailers.
Biggest challenge: Setting up shop when I travel extensively for my other “real” work with the UN/U.S. government. Figuring out the legalities of incorporating, foreign income exclusion taxes, health insurance for part-time employees, and the logistics of obtaining a T-visas from the government.
The one thing you would do differently: Have more venture capital when starting up instead of starting small and having the resources be self-sustaining. Be more tech savvy in creating/designing a website!

Name: Janice Ashby
Business Name: Eco Africa Papercraft
Type of Business: Job Creation – Empowering women In Zimbabwe through crafting
Website: http://www.ecoafricasocialventures.org
Reason for starting: As a New York based designer I was thrilled to find a new source of hand made paper made in Zimbabwe. Seeing how women were struggling with unemployment and poverty there I created a line of papercraft products, trained a team of artisans to produce them and marketed them in the USA. With a huge order from a US wholesaler we were able to provide income for approx. 400 women as well as crafters from all around Zimbabwe who provide embellishments for the products.
Biggest success: Through an Art Supply trade show in Chicago we met a group from Provocraft a craft wholesaler based in Utah. They placed an order for three 20ft containers of papercraft products. As a result we were able to set up an entire crafting infrastructure based in two church halls on an old mission station next to a vast impoverished township. We had a day care center, provided hot meals for everyone and provided food packages when food became scarce and unaffordable.
Biggest challenge: Zimbabwe has an unstable political climate where financial catastrophes have caused massive infrastructure collapse. With inflation in the trillions per cent in 2007 it was impossible to cost our products. Also women faced major health challenges with HIV/AIDS running rampant and no money for drugs. We were forced to start a non profit to support the humanitarian needs of the women and their families. The financing and management of two, instead of one organization has proved our biggest challenge.
The one thing you would do differently: I would have focused on the social enterprise and building markets internationally for the products to bring the organization to self sustainability instead of diluting our efforts to raise funds through the non profit. My forte is marketing and product development not fundraising and although we had moderate success in the beginning of the non profit the fundraising efforts took away the momentum from building a solid market for the products, As a result we are behind on our market building goals and our job creation social enterprise is having to build fast now to catch up.

Name: Erin Owen
Business Name: YourPerformanceBreakthrough
Type of Business: East-meets-West private and group “performance” coaching
Website: www.yourperformancebreakthrough.com
Reason for starting: I started my business in the winter of 2004 because I wanted to help busy professionals learn how to eat healthier and lead healthier, happier, more productive lives. And I just re-launched with new branding last summer 2011 after the birth of my second son to help busy business owners and entrepreneurs perform better in all areas of life by drawing on the ancient wisdom of Eastern practices.
Biggest success: Finally finishing my first book! I am the author of the forthcoming book “Refuel, Recharge, and Reenergize: The Conscious Entrepreneur’s Guide to Taking Back Control of Your Time and Energy”
Biggest challenge: Prioritizing time with family (two boys, age 5 1/2 and 19 months) and self-care while growing a business to live up to my big, bold vision! My own life is the laboratory for all the strategies I share with my clients.
The one thing you would do differently: I would not go a single month without an inspiring, skillful coach. The times I have worked with a business or marketing coach have been the most focused, fruitful times in my business and my life.

Name: Donna Peel
Business Name: West Cook Pro Bono Network
Type of Business: Pro Bono Lawyering Powered by Attorneys on Planned Leave
Website: www.westcookprobono.com
Reason for starting: While taking time off from legal practice, I worked to stay in the profession through pro bono opportunities. After spending thousands in babysitting, hours away from my family when I have plenty of unused hours before 3:00pm, and more time driving than in providing paid services, I had enough. After ending my attempts, I met other lawyers on leave who were not using their very-needed legal talents. Their reasons were the same as mine–child care, inconvenient hours, commuting issues, and general demands not conducive to those not working downtown. In 2011, 10 of us met in a kitchen and agreed to present ourselves as a group–the West Cook Pro Bono Network–and work on projects that could fit a family-friendly model: 1) events and training are scheduled between 9 – 2:00pm; 2) we work in pairs or groups in case there is a sick child, etc.; 3) and we try to have our projects as close to our area as possible. Finally, we would ensure that that projects would be of a workable nature so attorneys could come in and out of the group as their home/work lives permitted. By presenting ourselves as a group, non-profits jumped right on board. They have been willing to come to our local library for trainings, communicate with one of us as a point person, allow us to work in teams, and change hours to during the school day. We are now over 45 active attorneys strong with over 500 hours donated to the community. The same attorney who finishes defending a tenant at court will go home and run a girl scout meeting. Everyone wins.
Biggest success: The hours donated continues to rise and these are hours that would NOT have been donated in the legal world but for the existence of the Network. After our first 8 months we celebrated having donated 100 hours. 8 months later, another 400 hours have been given.
Biggest challenge: Learning to organize a quickly growing group and keep communication strong.
The one thing you would do differently: I would have piloted projects earlier to work out the kinks before presenting them to the entire group. Live and learn!

Name: Linda Lewis
Business Name: The Flipple Company
Type of Business: Manufacturing, wholesale and distribution
Website: http://www.babyflipple.com
Reason for starting: Emergency situation – had a problem, invented the solution. Problem: Went boating and accidently left the baby bottles behind with no place to buy new. Solution: Flipple turns any brand of bottled water into a baby bottle guaranteeing safe, fast and convenient feedings while on the go. With my idea, I became committed (against all advice) to produce my product in my home town, USA, that was hit hard with outsourcing. My goal is to convince Corporate America that products can be made competitively in the States.
Biggest success: Since Baby Flipple became available last year, I have had fun going to trade shows to sell. The expression on buyer’s faces is priceless with almost all of them saying, “Wish I had that!” or “Wish I thought of that!” There is always great enthusiasm around my booth and everyone compliments me on how great of a product it is and respects me for my commitment to keep production in the USA.
Biggest challenge: My biggest challenge is creating a need for a never been seen before product – no one knows it exists. I have no problem getting buyers to buy Baby Flipple but no one is looking for it at the stores. Another challenge is since I am a start-up, I do all the jobs from overseeing manufacturing all the way to marketing. A lot of opportunities get missed due to time.
The one thing you would do differently: Changing my financial situation by getting a partner might have gotten Flipple to market faster and with less pain. As it is, I liquidated all my assets (boat, car, house then most of 401k) and when that money ran out, I had to wait for a sale to be able to move forward. Another change would have been hiring experts to do design and marketing – there was just no money!

Name: Jen Howver
Business Name: VOD Communications, Inc.
Type of Business: Marketing, Social Media & Copywriting
Website: http://www.vodcommunications.com
Reason for starting: I started my company in preparation for motherhood, knowing full well that once we adopted our daughters I’d need flexibility and freedom in my work. I also went out on my own because I would often get bored with the same job and love the variety that comes with working with a wide range of businesses and projects.
Biggest success: So far, my biggest professional success has been the ability to move out of my home office and into a “real” office in a really cool, old building (with a manual elevator and elevator operators!). The office allowed me to hire my first intern last summer and has led to several exciting clients as a result of the networking I do in my building. As a “mompreneur,” my biggest success so far is hearing my 5-year-old say she’s going to work with me when she grows up!
Biggest challenge: My biggest professional challenge would be the details of running a business that drain me of energy, like bookkeeping, taxes, and following up with past-due accounts. My biggest challenge as a mompreneur is the constant struggle to maintain some semblance of balance between my company and my girls. I want them to learn from my examples of entrepreneurship, leadership, creativity, etc., but I also want to be with them when they learn to ride their bikes, roller skate, or skin their knees.
The one thing you would do differently: If I were starting my company today, I’d do a better job of vetting clients and potential projects. Too often I have said yes simply because I needed the gig, and it was not a good fit for me, or it just ended up being a train wreck. After seven years of doing this, I’ve finally got a pretty good idea of when something makes sense for me and my company, and when it’s just not right.

Name: Darnell Sue
Business Name: Girl Power Hour, LLC
Type of Business: Stylish Networking Events and Blogs for Women
Website: http://girlpowerhour.com
Reason for starting: In 2007 there wasn’t much of a social networking scene in Seattle, let alone for women. I went to a very stodgy and aggressive networking event and thought, “this could be done much differently, much more stylishly and purposefully.” I pondered the idea for eight months before waking up one day on a mission. Three weeks later Girl Power Hour was born. It took off like wildfire from there and I could barely keep up with it.
Biggest success: After almost five years in business, being chosen as one of 250 entrepreneurs for the British Airways Face of Opportunity Contest in 2011 and having my business concept be recognized by the industry leaders at that conference.
Biggest challenge: Funding your concept and then ultimately your business. Working long hours and not receiving the financial dividends needed to put back into the business is taxing in many ways. Bootstrapping it can only get you so far.
The one thing you would do differently: There are many; the one thing I would have done differently would have been to create a solid business plan and then seek financing or angel investing.

Name: Oreet J. S.
Business Name: SharQui – The bellydance workout®
Type of Business: Bellydance/Fitness busniess
Website: http://www.sharqui.com
Reason for starting: To change women’s perspectives on their bodies, to have fun while working out, to spend more time with family, to educate women on what bellydance is truly about!
Biggest success: making 3 workout DVDs and having the SharQui format the ONLY fitness accredited format in the world!
Biggest challenge: Trying to expand the business so that I can make residual income and be at home more with my now 2 children. Another challenge is finding an investor.
The one thing you would do differently: Find an investor right from the beginning.

Name: Michelle Hamman
Business Name: MotherTongues
Type of Business: Life-affirming words on Fair Trade, organic cotton apparel.
Website: http://www.MotherTongues.com
Reason for starting: As someone born and raised in South Africa, I brought to the United States values of community and being that are very different from North American culture. Seventeen years after leaving South Africa, however, I am more convinced than ever that one culture can educate another. And so MotherTongues, our small T-shirt company, was born.
Biggest success: MotherTongues just released our first iPhone/iPad app, World Words. It teaches you one life-affirming word per day, with pronunciation and meaning.
Biggest challenge: It has been difficult to find organic cotton, Fair Trade t-shirts in enough colors and styles for all the MotherTongues words. Fair Trade clothing is becoming more easily available in the USA as demand grows, so I hope this will not be a problem in the future.
The one thing you would do differently: There is not one thing I would do differently regarding MotherTongues. I love running a business that is committed to values such as fair trade, cultural sensitivity, ecological sustainability and economic justice – it feels good to give back to my community and know that the people who made the t-shirts are making a fair wage.
Business Location: www.MotherTongues.com
Number of years in business: 6