What inspired you to start your business?
My first daughter started pulling the toilet paper at 10 months old. It was cute until she clogged the toilet. I went to the store to purchase the gadget that prevented kids from doing that and there wasn’t anything. In the process of developing my product, I began sharing tips, information and resources that I learned. I found that there was tremendous interest in this information. Many women had ideas that they wanted to bring to fruition but didn’t know how. That’s when I conceived of www.mominventors.com - a dynamic website that provides women entrepreneurs with inspiration and information.
You’ve written a well publicized book, Secrets of Millionaire Moms. Could you tell us more about it?
I wanted to write a business book that accurately reflected reality for women entrepreneurs. One that addresses the intersection between business life and personal life - especially moms, of all ages, who are juggling it all. It was important to me to address issues like overcoming fear and adversity, the extreme sport of managing both family and business along with business topics, like planning, finding the money and learning the numbers. I chose to interview Millionaire Moms because these are the women leading the way.
What do you hope your readers get out of your book? What are the key lessons?
The successful entrepreneurs interviewed in this book believed in their ideas enough to commit to them and never considered failure as an option. I interviewed some of the most successful Millionaire Moms of our time including the founders of Lulu’s Desserts®, Baby Einstein®, Shabby Chic®, and Airborne Health®. What I learned will help readers leap from great idea to booming business. Some topics I cover are priceless advice about business management, finances, and growth; tips on balancing the business with family; and, what inspired the Millionaire Moms to take action and what keeps them going.
The women you’ve profiled in your book - are they super-moms or do they have the same every day problems just like us?
These women are just like you and me. They did not necessarily come from privileged backgrounds. They have faced life struggles; death, divorce, single parenthood, loss of a child and had the courage to forge ahead building their businesses. Each woman juggled their businesses and families in different ways that worked for them. What was key is that that they didn’t subscribe to simplistic views about “balance.”
What did you do in your previous life?
I was a presidential appointee in the Clinton Administration for three years. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences in my life that I will always cherish. After that, I spent a year and a half as a business consult in Hong Kong.
Do you think being an entrepreneur makes it easier or harder to balance your work and family responsibilities?
It is more challenging to manage an entrepreneurial venture and being a mom than my 12-14 hour work days in the White House! I do have more flexibility in my schedule but I work harder than I have ever worked in my life.
What has been most challenging about starting your own company?
