Weekend Warrior – Beat the Winter Blahs
Garage Band
Grab the whole family and create your own music instruments. It can be as simple as glasses filled with water or a tissue box with rubber bands; use your imagination. Then get the whole gang together and rock out.
Calling all Actors!
Host a casting call for your entire family and create a feature film. Whether you write a tentative script or improvise, it’s lights, camera, action! Afterwards, pop some popcorn and let the movie premiere begin. Don’t forget the blooper reel.
A-Camping we will go…
Get some sheets or a tent if you have one, cozy pillows and blankets and build a fort in your living room. Recreate your favourite or ideal camping experience. It could be an outing in the African savannah or a trip to the mountains.
Hey Mr. DJ
Create a party atmosphere. Dig out those indoor Christmas lights and string them in the living room, then lend your hand at playing DJ. Include music from everyone’s favourite playlist and dance. It’s great exercise and a ton of fun.
Skip, Jump, Crawl
Clear some space and make an obstacle course using couch cushions, hula-hoops, skipping rope and anything else on hand. Time every one as they go through the course and award prizes for the fastest, slowest, and funniest participants.
Storytelling
Score some funky colored pens or pencil crayons and regular loose-leaf paper. Everyone writes the beginning of a story, about 3 to 5 sentences, and then passes the page along in a circle. At the end read your crazy creations.
Start a Doodle
War If storytelling isn’t your forte, grab a large piece of paper and some markers. Start by drawing any object then pass along the page. Each participant adds something to the piece until the page is full. The end result is a colorful and unique piece of art worthy of display on the refrigerator.
Ready, Set, Bowl
Dig into your recycling bin and find a few pop bottles to use as pins and a tennis ball, or other sports ball, to bowl with. Clear a space in your living room and let the good times roll. Add some spunk to your game by trying these crazy bowling techniques.
Shape Shifters
Pin a sheet to the ceiling, turn off the lights and use flashlights to create shadows. Set the scene to an opera for a dramatic effect, or to your favorite track and put on a shadow show.
Do you or your family have any favorite winter-blah-beating activities? Share them by commenting below.
Behind the glory: Olympic wife Aly Pain shares the challenges of supporting her husband’s pursuit of gold
Meet Aly Pain. MOMeo, mother of two, professional relationship coach, author…wife?
“If I’m just a housekeeper and nanny (he) gets to bang, count me out,” says Pain.
Sound angry? She is. What did her husband do to earn such ire? He succeeded.
Aly’s husband Jeff Pain is a skeleton athlete. A Winter Olympic sport, skeleton is essentially luge, only the athletes lie on their stomachs, face down and forward. It’s a thrilling but dangerous sport, even by the advanced standards of the Winter Olympics.
Make no mistake: Jeff Pain is very, very good. From Bobsleigh Canada’s website:
Arguably the most accomplished athlete in the history of the Canadian skeleton program, Jeff Pain has also solidified himself as one of the top athletes in the world having won nearly everything available in his sport. Jeff is a multiple World Cup champion, a two-time World Champion and Olympic silver medallist.
So what’s the problem? To excel at literally the highest level of competition in the world demands total commitment.
“Before the Whistler (bobsleigh and luge) track opened in 2008, Jeff would leave (to train and compete) in early November and come home around the end of February,” says Aly.
During the four month season, Aly says Jeff would make appearances at home “here and there.” In four months, he’d spend maybe three weeks at home with his wife and their two kids – never all at once. Not even close.
Sound tough? It gets worse.
“When Whistler opened, he was gone all of October and March – it became a six month season,” says Aly, “with about same total amount of time at home.”
We spoke with Aly Pain about how she and her kids cope with an absentee husband and father.
MOMeo: Can you share just how difficult this has been for you personally?
Aly Pain: It’s the single hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. You know, I didn’t get married to be a single mom. It demands an enormously high energy level, for one thing. It’s taught me that you have got to ask for support. That’s absolutely necessary.
MOMeo: Usually when people say ‘it’s taught me one thing,’ it means that ‘one thing’ was very difficult.
Aly Pain: Absolutely! I’m not great at it, that’s for sure. But I have to.
MOMeo: Who did you turn to for support?
Aly Pain: When the kids were babies, I would get Jeff’s parents to take them for the afternoon. Now, I have a very strong community of moms around me. They’ve really saved my kids’ lives! I didn’t have the patience, was exhausted, and had a hard time being who I wanted to be.
The kids have playdates every second day, which is great for us both. I function better around people. You know, I can’t do it all. I had to let go of the thought! So now, I have a friend who lives with us in the winters, when Jeff is training.
MOMeo: How does that work?
Aly Pain: (My friend) works in the very vital, yet low income, industries of the world. She basically house-sits for accommodation. She works full-time – not for me, you understand – but helps me in the mornings, for example, to get the kids to school, so I can have breakfast meetings at 6:30. If I need to work in the evening, she babysits. This year’s she’s helped with laundry and groceries. It’s the most I’ve ever let her help.
MOMeo: Is that because this year has been the hardest?
Aly Pain: Definitely.
MOMeo: Have you and Jeff talked about how long he can continue doing this?
Aly Pain: He has until March 1st with this wife. That’s a pretty definite deadline. I won’t do this any longer. (The 2010 Winter Olympics wrap up in February.)
MOMeo: Have you two always targeted 2010 as the end of his athletic career?
Aly Pain: Well, things changed. He used to be a full-time landscape architect, and spent three hours per day training (for skeleton.) At the 2006 Olympics, he won the silver medal. He realized he had a chance to go to the Vancouver Olympics, to compete in his home country, and have a realistic shot at another medal.
MOMeo: You couldn’t possibly pass that up.
Aly Pain: Exactly. But it meant we needed to make a choice. After (the 2006 games), Jeff took two years to shut his landscaping business down. In the summer of 2008, he started training full-time. That was necessary to compete at this level. 2008 and 2009 are the only two years he hasn’t worked two full-time jobs! It was a difficult financial choice. But it was the right choice. Jeff turned 39 in December, and he’s healthier and stronger than ever.
MOMeo: Your situation is obviously unique, but as a relationship coach, you must find some advice that applies to other couples.
Aly Pain: Absolutely! It’s very difficult, living in elite performance levels, and still having a relationship to speak of. It’s not just sports. High-level executives, that’s elite performance in their field. I have a lot to say about that situation. I wanted him to quit. I hated skeleton, and I hated him.
MOMeo: Wow. Do you still hate skeleton?
Aly Pain: Well, I figured out what I really hated wasn’t him or skeleton, but how he was doing it. The dictatorship under which it was being done. I learned a lot about negotiating our relationship. What’s in it for me? There has to be something in it for me. I told him – and I want you to print this – if I’m just a nanny and housekeeper you get to bang, count me out.
MOMeo: Jeff is busy training in Europe, but if he could be here, what do you think he’d say now?
Aly Pain: Jeff would not have had an answer! (laughs) We can laugh now, but our messes were big. I believe he would have continued with skeleton at the price of our marriage. I didn’t give him much choice. I told him, “either you’re done or we’re done.” I only knew ultimatums. I only knew “or else.” I didn’t know about “and.”
MOMeo: What changed?
Aly Pain: No one thing. You know, I asked him to quit three times. I asked for a divorce twice. Times were hard. I feared for losing our house.
MOMeo: Skeleton athletes aren’t exactly well-paid.
Aly Pain: Exactly. I feared buying groceries and gas, in case the machine said “NSF.” There was so much anxiety and fear – coupled with the emotional absence of my spouse.
MOMeo: You asked him to quit, even for a divorce, more than once. He’s still competing, and you’re still married. What happened when you made those ultimatums?
Aly Pain: He’d make a little shift, as much as he could manage. But things would go back to the way they were.
MOMeo: How do the kids feel about all this?
Aly Pain: The boys are 6 and 8 now. They miss their dad like crazy! We sit and cry together. We have to say how mad we are, this sucks, and we can’t stand it! When he’s home, I’m chopped liver as far as the boys are concerned. (laughs) That’s fine! They wouldn’t notice if I went away for four days! (laughs)
MOMeo: How do you help them cope?
Aly Pain: Well, last year we started a daily countdown – 365 days until Dad’s home for good. Before then, it just seemed too far away for them to grasp. Now, there’s just 29 days left. They’re so excited!
MOMeo: What do you think the long-term effects will be?
Aly Pain: I don’t know. We have some healing to do. The boys will be angry. Our oldest is 8. Jeff has missed 3 years of his life.
MOMeo: What will Jeff do when he’s done in a month?
Aly Pain: I want you to print this, too: he will be my manwife. (laughs) It will be rough for him, of course, but he’s had a life before and outside skeleton. He’s got a degree, he had a job, he was self-employed, and he’s got a family. There’s a transition period coming for him. We need to be financially responsible, as his funding ends March 1st.
MOMeo: Will he go back into landscaping?
Aly Pain: He will be my book shipper! (laughs) We hope my book goes well enough to let him take a break. We’ve made an “A to Z” board of options of things he can do after the games. Some are just hopeful, but some have been confirmed. Yes, he can go back to landscaping if he wants or needs to.
MOMeo: Thanks so much for speaking with me today, and for your openness. When is your book available?
Aly Pain: My pleasure! On my website we’re already taking pre-orders. The first batch will ship March 1st.
From handbag designer to TV personality: How Jen Groover built an Empire
Just catching up with Jen Groover is impressive in itself.
“I’m just driving from the studio,” says Groover in her car, “but I’m all yours to talk!”
Groover is a pro, so she says “the studio” in the same casual way you might say “the office.” For her, the studio is a national television studio, where she’s just done another live TV segment.
Which network, you ask? Depends on the day. Groover appears regularly on Fox News’ “Strategy Room,” ABC’s “Money Matters,” CBS’ “Early Show,” CNBC’s “The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch,” and Meredith Corporation’s “Better TV.”
Even more impressive is Jen’s laughter. What’s so funny? It’s been a year since we last spoke, and I’ve just asked her what she’s been up to?
“Well….” she begins, “I’m launching a book (‘What if and Why Not?’) and planning the 24-city book tour; I’m working with Avon to produce a Jen Groover-branded line of accessories – and I’m doing a lot of TV.”
“Wow,” I begin intelligently, “that sounds like a lot.”
“Oh, I should add I’ve also started writing for the Huffington Post as a feature columnist.”
Suddenly my life seems comparatively quiet – and that’s not all. When I last interviewed Jen to be MOMeo Magazine’s original Success Profile, I particularly focused on her first and arguably biggest success, the Butler Bag.
The Butler Bag was worth focusing on. When Jen calls it the first innovation in the handbag industry since the zipper, it’s not hyperbole.
Adding compartments (modelled on dishwasher cutlery trays) to make handbags and purses easier to sort through seems obvious now – but that’s the genius of it. It’s a great story, well worth reading (here at MOMeo Magazine, of course.)
Still, even a year ago, the Butler Bag was hardly Jen’s sole project or accomplishment. She had launched her own entrepreneurial community, Launchers Cafe. She was collaborating with game development company McNeill Designs for Better Minds. She was and is the spokesperson for Girls Take Charge, a leadership organization for girls.
One year later, the biggest single area of change seems to be her impressive media reach.
“I’ve created a niche for myself,” says Groover.
“There were lifestyle experts, and there were business experts – nobody seemed to try and combine the two.”
It’s a niche that obviously needed to be filled. Jen is regularly interviewed (most recently on MSNBC’s “Your Business”), appears as a guest (as on Fox Business’s “Your Questions, Your Money”) where she takes live call-in questions every other Saturday.
Jen Groover appeared as a guest on Fox Business’s “Your Questions, Your Money”.
That’s a lot. Is that all?
“Not at all,” she laughs. She can’t talk much about it yet, but she’s in the early stages of developing film properties – including a TV series inspired by “someone’s” life.
“You won’t see me on screen, though,” she laughs, “acting is definitely not my thing!”
Asked if she’s learned anything in particular over the past year, Groover is assertive.
“Yes! Talking to as many business owners as I do, I really believe small business owners in particular need to start thinking differently.”
“Access to capital is tough right now – but don’t let that be a barrier. People should consider joint ventures – partnering with people with infrastructure – which allows you to incubate your company in their company.
“Don’t give up, just follow a different model. Always think how else you can achieve your goals.”
Why do so many entrepreneurs fail to consider joint ventures? Groover figures they just aren’t seriously considered, but offers this bit of advice:
“100 per cent of $100 is $100, but 20 per cent of $100,000,000 is a lot more!”
It’s been a busy year for Jen Groover – will the next 12 months be just as hectic?
“There’s so much more I want to do, I’m just scratching the surface.”
The Mother of Invention: How Jen Groover built an Empire
“Eureka!” When it hits, your life can change forever. Jen Groover’s “eureka” moment had her dumping out her bag, and inserting the dishwasher cutlery tray. It wasn’t the first time she dumped out her bag – but it was the last. A new mother of twins, Groover struggled with her suddenly ample cargo, including two car seats. She’d be in grocery store lines, trying in vain to find her debit card: “I had to dump out my whole bag out on the conveyor belt,” she recalls, “I couldn’t believe innovation hadn’t come further.” “I always wanted and believed there was a way to see the whole bag without emptying it out.”
Enter inspiration – disguised as the dishwasher.
“I was unloading the dishes, and suddenly I noticed all the forks, knives and spoons standing up, each individually visible.” Groover quickly removed the dish tray and stuck in her bag, thinking “there it is! This is it!” Greek for “I have found it,” the expression “eureka!” is attributed to Archimedes, contemplating the water level rising as he sat in his bathtub. He suddenly understood the principle of displacement, and modern physics is forever in his debt. He was so excited, he ran through the streets of Syracuse, completely naked. Groover’s “eureka” was similar – except for the nudity part. It did, however, prominently feature a household appliance. That’s the funny thing about inspiration – those who have experienced it know you can’t predict when, or what form it will take. That night, Groover barely slept. She skipped bed and went straight to her computer, where she researched bags with compartments. To her delight and very great surprise, they didn’t really exist. “I kept saying to myself, ‘I can’t believe no one has thought of this,’” says Groover, “that’s the post-it theory in a nutshell.” The post-it note theory: if you keep wondering how it’s possible something doesn’t already exist, you’ve got a viable product on your hands. It’s an indication that there’s an obvious need for your prospective product. Just because something seems obvious, doesn’t mean it exists. Groover was right – there was a need. Her company, The Butler Bag LLC, became a multi-million dollar company less than two years later, and is still being tracked as one of the world’s fastest-growing handbag brands.
Taking on the old boys’ club
Of course, success requires more than a single eureka moment. Groover says her immediate circle of friends and colleagues was very supportive…but that was it. 
“There were plenty of naysayers in the (handbag) industry,” recalls Groover. They had done things the same way for so long, and figured there was no need to innovate, or mess with what they thought was a good thing. After all, women love their handbags…don’t they? “The industry was all made up of men, oddly enough.” The handbag industry – specifically, the men who dominated it – didn’t exactly welcome Groover’s ideas with open arms. “It was an old boys’ club,” says Groover. “They’d been around forever. Any new vision just threatens their territory.” In situations like that, complacency sets in all too easily. They feel they know their consumers, but in fact they’ve lost touch. The world – and their market – changes. How do you break down those barriers? Hard, consistent work, says Groover: “I went out on my own, first to prove the idea works, then to prove consumer demand, before industry recognizes.” It helps to consider things positively. Where there is an old boys’ club disconnected from the market, there is an obstacle – but also a tremendous opportunity. Capitalism, like nature, abhors a vacuum. Filling a need, or indeed a vacuum, is hard work – not to mention the full-time duties of raising twins. How did Groover deal with both? “It was tough,” she says with smile, “and it gets harder.” Kids and companies are somewhat similar – the bigger they get, the more time they require. Groover’s twins are almost five. They have their own social calendars: gymnastics, parties, you name it. As Butler Bags took off, so did her own calendar. How does she manage her time? “I don’t cut back on either work or my kids,” says Groover, “if I’m not working, I’m with my kids, or vice versa.” She found other ways to make or cut back on time. “I don’t chit-chat just to chit-chat, I don’t go out for coffee just because, there are no random dinners with friends,” says Groover, “I make sure I go to important moments –birthdays, weddings, that sort of thing – but I don’t just ‘hang out.’”
Celebrating celebrity
Groover is also quick to point out there’s more to commercial success beyond just getting your product in the marketplace – a lot more. Groover harnessed the power of fame. Getting her product in celebrity hands was one of the first things she set out to do. “My publicist showed it to a woman who owned a celebrity gift bag company,” recalls Groover. “She loved it, and wanted to use them for the Miami Vice movie premiere.” Celebrity gift bags are only free for the celebrities. For vendors, it’s an investment, and not a cheap one at that. Groover was asked to donate 75 bags for the event, and had to provide her own travel. That’s not insignificant, especially for a start-up. Was it worth it? “It was an amazing success,” exclaims Groover. At the Miami Vice premiere and similar events that followed, she met with a lot of different celebrities and “created that momentum.” That’s hardly the end of the story. So many products end up in celebrity hands with precious few results, because there’s no follow-up. Celebrity “approval” (it’s not endorsement unless they’re explicitly recommending the product, reminds Groover) is a tremendous opportunity, but just that – an opportunity. “If you don’t leverage that chance, you can’t just sit back and collect money,” says Groover, “that’s where the work actually begins.” How do you leverage celebrity? It opens doors. Stores don’t necessarily want to risk precious shelf space on an unknown product and company. The media isn’t obligated to accept and support you out of the gate. The sooner you realize this, says Groover, the better. Pictures of celebrities with your product are just another way to get seen.
A true MOMeo
Groover is a true mompreneur. To many others, Butler Bag and its undeniable success would be an end in itself. She sees it as yet another opportunity to take advantage of; a springboard product. From brand management deals to a development line, a launchers cafe, a book coming out, and TV shows in development, Jen Groover is its own brand. She is a natural entrepreneur, and had many patents before Butler Bag hit it big. Still, she credits one simple fact for her original idea: motherhood. 
“Every woman gets frustrated with her purse, but becoming a mother of twins placed severe limits on my time – it became intolerable.” In that respect, Groover sees Butler Bag as a symbol. Making existing things better is always the best idea: “It doesn’t have to be rocket science, just something better than before, says Groover.” “Simple innovation is best.” As Groover says, you can learn anything, and you can do anything. You can hire people for everything else. Read the update on Jen Groover Now!
Vacation Destinations: MOMeo’s Top 2010 Family Vacations
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Hanalei Beach, Kauai, Hawaii– A two-mile long beach circling the Hanalei Bay on Kauai’s north shore, Hanalei Beach boasts pristine white sands and crystal-clear water that supports almost any recreation visitors could desire. |
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Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia– Accessible by ferry, Cumberland Island National Seashore offers both warm, sunny beach and rugged wilderness with wildlife abound. |
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Lancaster County, Pennsylvania– Lancaster County’s horse and buggy-lined roads are well-known in pictures and publications from coast to coast. Here you’ll find Pennsylvania’s Amish Country, ripe with theatrical entertainment and home cooking. |
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New York City– The Big Apple lives up to its name for vacationers. Boasting some of the best shopping and entertainment for kids and adults of all ages, it’s also home to one of the United States’ most famous parks. |
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The ranches of Montana and Wyoming– Dozens of dude and working ranches dot the mountain-lined countryside of Montana and Wyoming. They offer families a chance to literally work through their relaxation. Of course, the hearty ranch fare and nightly campfires are noteworthy features of the experience, too. |
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Shipshewana, Indiana– Like Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Shipshewana, Indiana is surrounded by a deeply-rooted Amish population – but its claim to fame is its sprawling flea market and thrice-weekly auctions. Shipshewana is truly an antique shopper’s paradise. |
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Washington, D.C.– From National Monuments and the Library of Congress, to some of the best zoos and aquariums in the world, Washington D.C. is family-friendly, educational and easily accessible. |
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Montreal, Quebec– Beautifully maintained buildings, some of the oldest outside Europe, draw visitors to Montreal year after year. The sprawling botanical gardens also attract crowds. |
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Mammoth Cave, Kentucky– In south-central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave National Park is dedicated to preserving some 367 miles of caves – the world’s longest known cave system. Tours take families deep into the system where they can explore the maze from within. |
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Pacific Rim National Park, Vancouver Island, British Columbia– Located on the western coast of Vancouver Island, the Pacific Rim National Park experience is well worth the trip. Aside from its rugged coastline, cozy inns and proximity to hot springs, the area’s whale watching – best done during March – is a highlight. |
MOMeo’s Top 2010 Family Vacations
Holiday decorations have been packed away, resolutions made – and for some already broken – as the New Year wears on, so does the need for personal renewal.
A family vacation – whether taken on a warm, sunny beach or in the halls of one of North America’s most interesting museums – is one of the best ways to achieve just that. For many MOMeos, finding the perfect destination is just another chore on the already overwhelming to-do list.
This year we have made it as simple as 1, 2, 3. Decide which type of vacation suits your family best, choose from our list of top destinations and pack your bags – relaxation awaits.
Surf, Sand and Seafood
The beaches of North America are as varied as her coastlines. From the heat, sun and fine white sands of Hawaii’s best beaches to the wild, hike-worthy beaches of the Pacific Northwest and south, the seashore offers something to every type of family. For some, that means soaking up some rays, or relaxing among grassy dunes, or beachcombing for treasures.
A Slower Pace
For families looking to step back in both time and pace, Amish Country, Pennsylvania and the not-so-wild west of Montana and 
Wyoming are excellent choices.
The quaint inns of Amish country and the simple, charming dude ranches of the west offer rest of a different kind. Cozy up around a campfire, saddle up and work cattle or indulge in good Amish cooking and entertaining theater.
Either way, enjoy a momentary break from the fast-paced world. Immerse yourself in a slower, simpler time. One when work was still hard, but deadlines perhaps a little less rigid.
Shop Until You Drop
For shopaholics, there’s no better vacation than one spent around some of the continent’s best shops.
The shiny storefronts of the Big Apple, Chicago and Hollywood will remain, but it’s possible to find a more family-friendly shop-mosphere. Check out the quirky independent districts of San Francisco and Toronto, but the flea markets in Shipshewana, Indiana may just reign supreme.
A Winter Wonderland
For some, “vacation” means escaping snow and ice. For others with the right gear (and attitude) the white stuff is reason to
celebrate.
Strap on snowshoes or cross-country skis and trek across any one of many winter wonderlands. Hit Colorado’s slopes in skis, snowboards and tubes as a family for faster-paced fun.
The Great Outdoors
Mother Nature has given us much to admire. Redwood forests, a Grand Canyon, and the vast wilderness that spans much of Canada and Alaska.
In 2010, why not consider admiring her works from within? Mammoth Cave – and many others – located in Kentucky, offers a glimpse at Nature’s underbelly.
Fun in Learning
Do you love learning as a family? Can’t justify a school-free week for the kids just after the holiday season? Combine family fun 
and learning by visiting one of North America’s most history-rich cities.
Consider Washington, D.C. ripe with national monuments and museums. Its only rival? Montreal, Quebec, one of the most beautiful and history-rich old towns outside Europe.
No matter the destination or itinerary, the key to a successful vacation is enjoying time with family. Takea technology break, soak in your surroundings and engage wholly in whatever you choose.
MOMeo Chat – Business Boosting Strategy: How to Build your Tribe
Introducing #MOMeoChat Twitter Hashtag Party!
Every week on Thursday from 7 pm MTN / 9 pm EST, join MOMeo Community and MOMeo Magazine for #MOMeoCHAT on Twitter!
Every week, we will bring you expert panelists to talk about and answer YOUR questions on building your business, family and household management and finding a little playtime time for yourself!
THIS WEEK: Thursday January 28th at 7 pm MTN / 9 pm EST
Business Boosting Strategy: How to Build your Tribe
Join MOMeo Founder & CEO Carla Young and expert panelists for an interactive twitter panel discussion on how to leverage your social connections and build your tribe.
Blog Tribe Expert Sarah Robinson @SarahRobinson
Video Tribe Expert Elizabeth Potts Weinstein @ElizabethPW
Brand Tribe Expert Shelly Kramer @ShellyKramer
RSVP by adding your twitter name to the comments to be eligible for special door prizes (and so other #MOMeoChat participants can follow you on twitter)!
If you have any burning questions about building your tribe, please share them in the comments and we’ll be sure to ask our panelists!
 Sarah Robinson |
 Elizabeth Potts Weinstein |
 Shelly Kramer |
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Flex Dollars: The First Mom Businesses were whatever moms were ‘allowed’ to do.
Beauty company Mary Kay was born out of a situation in the early 1960s all too familiar to women.
Mary Kay Ash resigned her 25-year position in the direct selling business, when a man she had trained was promoted above her – at twice her salary.
Her initial response was to write a book to help women gain the opportunities she was denied. This formed the foundation for her business, Beauty by Mary Kay, launched in 1963. It also earned her a place in history; she stepped into a man’s world and opened new doors of opportunity for women.
Fast-forward to today’s digital age. While times have changed, Mary Kay Ash’s business model isn’t obsolete – not by a long shot.
Mary Kay and other direct selling businesses, the first “mom businesses,” have evolved, adapted and continue to attract many moms.
For the uninitiated, direct selling means person-to-person sale of consumer products or services, marketed through independent sales representatives. Popular direct sale industries include cosmetics (Avon and Mary Kay), home décor, jewelry, and others.
While once representative of a small selection of jobs available to moms and women who wanted to work on their own terms, these businesses continue to be popular and appealing opportunities for moms.
Part of that appeal, according to many moms, is the flexibility.
“You can work as much or as little as you want and work around anyone’s schedule,” says Amy Robinson, vice president of communications for the Direct Selling Association (DSA).
Flexibility and independence is also the attraction of being a virtual assistant, says Lauren Hidden, marketing director for the International Virtual Assistants Association.
Virtual assistants are independent entrepreneurs providing administrative, creative and/or technical services to clients on a contractual basis. This reinvention of a personal assistant exemplifies the transformation so-called “mom businesses” have made in the Internet era.
“Virtual assistants find that some people will give them a blank stare when they respond to the ‘what do you do?’ question, says Hidden.
“But it’s definitely a less frequent response than even a few years ago.”
Flexibility is a reason Penny Peterson began selling Avon products over 23 years ago. Peterson, a small-town Alberta resident, joined the direct sales industry when pregnant with her first child.
She was drawn in by the opportunity to set her own hours, the ability to work as much or as little as suited her lifestyle, and the chance to earn some money on her own.
“I was always buying the products myself as a customer so I was comfortable selling something I was familiar with,” says Peterson.
The flexibility and varying level of commitment the job allowed became even more important after the birth of her second child, a son with special needs.
Peterson says Avon originally operated on the door-to-door concept, but now it’s more of a “sell to people you know” concept, reliant on word of mouth marketing.
The Internet has also influenced direct selling businesses by giving everyone a worldwide marketplace, according to Robinson.
Robinson says the business model of direct sales hasn’t changed in the digital age – individual sellers are still key – but to reach consumers, each seller can use their own website as well as the company’s website.
“The Internet is absolutely a wonderful and indispensable tool for direct sellers,” says Robinson.
Another opportunity direct sales businesses have provided for many moms is the skills necessary to launch further businesses.
Just ask mom of three, Sarah Cook of Sacramento, California. Cook began selling Mary Kay cosmetics in college as a way to buy the products at cost.
16 years later, Cook is a senior sales director with Mary Kay and founder of Raising CEO Kids, which supports kids who are or want to be in business.
Cook credits her Mary Kay experience with fostering skills ranging from public speaking to money management. Her Mary Kay income paid the mortgage and saved her family when her husband suffered a life-threatening illness and was off work for 18 months. She is also qualifying for her 8th company car.
“They’ve grown up in this entrepreneurial lifestyle and they’ve seen the flexibility,” says Cook of her children, including 13-year-old Jacob who runs his own business, fixing and debugging computers in person and online.
“Has it been what every person dreams of? Maybe, maybe not. But for me, it’s been exactly what we needed,” says Cook.
Rebecca Buscemi thought being a virtual assistant while on bed rest with her second child would keep her occupied, and pay some bills.
“But what I discovered was that I could develop a business from this,” says Buscemi, a mom of two in Baltimore, Maryland.
She launched Creative Virtual Office in July 2008, specializing in providing administrative assistance to various professionals, including mom entrepreneurs.
It’s safe to say it’s gone well – Buscemi’s 2009 profits were more than double 2008. She’s currently preparing to launch a new business built around supporting MOMeos and women in business through social media and virtual assistance.
While Buscemi says virtual assistance is a very new field, it is one she is discovering to be full of opportunities.
“I love my clients. I love how they inspire me everyday,” says Buscemi.
Support Moms: A Rant about BIG Bailouts and Bonuses!
A bit of a rant about BIG Bailouts and Bonuses!
50% of businesses fail in the first five years. Shocking, but it’s the economic Darwinism that weeds out the weak and rewards the best leaders and most commercially viable ideas.
What’s even more shocking?
That companies which made just plain bad decisions are given huge government bailouts – because they’re simply too big to be allowed to fail. In their game of business, it’s heads you win, tails you don’t lose so why not gamble on risky strategies? There’s no risk when you’re playing with house money (the house being taxpayers).
Consider this: these companies aren’t the only contributors to the economy
Far from it. Small companies that, because of the credit crisis, were not able to access the capital they needed to grow, or in many cases, continue to operate contribute through innovation, and job creation.
What’s frustrating is not that so much money was spent. It’s that it wasn’t spent intelligently. A tiny fraction of the total spent on bailouts put toward small businesses would have a major impact.
Watching many of my entrepreneurial peers struggle during the economic meltdown – while bankers took massive bonuses funded by government bailouts – brought to mind the classic children’s story “If you give a mouse a cookie.”
Entrepreneurial Theatre proudly presents:
“If you give a Wall Street banker a bailout”
A satirical look at big business, bankers and bailouts
If you are a Mom Entrepreneur or Small Business owner, tell us how YOU would spend the money and grow the economy.
Share your comments below!
Portable Games : Diversions and Distractions for Back Seat Passengers
Diversions and distractions for your backseat passengers, from diapers to college tuition
HIGH-TECH
Nintendo DSYeah, it’s a portable video game system. But if you ever take long car trips with kids, you know these can be a godsend. At the risk of over-generalization, Nintendo game titles tend to be a little more family-friendly – less blood, more cartoony – and the DS does more than just play games. They’re not unlike little palm pilots; each model comes with a stylus which kids can use to write, spell, or draw to their heart’s content.
Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP)
Sony’s series of handheld video game systems is more “traditional,” if you like, than the DS. Sony’s market is geared more toward gamers than is Nintendo, and if your kids are more interested in the latest, hottest titles they see advertised, the PSP might be a smarter choice. Gaming’s not just for boys anymore, Check out the Limited Edition Hannah Montana PSPEntertainment Pack. Aspiring divas can book, plan, and perform in concerts around the world.
Chances are either you or your kids have one. If you don’t feel like shelling out for a(nother) video game console, there’s an ever-growing library of downloadable games for your iPod. Some are multi-player family games, like Monopoly and Uno, and some are standard issue Italian plumbers jumping on mushrooms. Most cost $5.99 to download.
OLD SCHOOL
Scrabble: game folio edition
Come on, who doesn’t love Scrabble? It’s fun, but it’s also a great lesson in spelling, vocabulary, and thinking on the fly. Due to the dozens of small woodblock letter pieces, Scrabble’s never been a travel-friendly game. The game folio edition has snap in place tiles – which stay in place even if you have to fold up and take a break midgame.
Carcassonne: travel version
Forget Risk, this is the ultimate in strategy games – yet it even toddlers can enjoy it, with some direction from you. Essentially, Carcassonne is an intricate tile-laying game, which requires strategic and forward thinking. Carcassonne, a walled city in the south of France, is famous for its beautiful and striking fortifications. The players develop the area around Carcassonne and deploy their followers on the roads, in the cities, in the cloisters, and in the fields.
Yahtzee: game folio edition
Yahtzee is another board game classic (well, dice game classic) that never really leant itself to travelling. The game folio edition changes that – it’s easy to play and incredibly fast to set up and put away again.
Othello: travel edition
Also called Reversi and Reverso, Othello is a simple, classic game. Two sides: white and black. The object: finish with more pieces than your opponent. It’s basic, yes, but that just makes it all the more absorbing.
Here’s another game you thought you’d never play – or relax as your kids play – while travelling. Jigsaw puzzles are the very definition of Not Portable. The pieces are small, easily lost, and once one is gone, the whole thing is ruined, or diminished at the very least. The Portable Jigsaw is poster-sized, yet fully vacation-friendly. A collapsible felt roll-up serves as both piece storage and a table to solve the puzzle on. Puzzles are perhaps the best way to acquire a few hours’ worth of uninterrupted silence from the back seat.
ON THE CHEAP
From drawing games like connect the dots to tic-tac-toe, down to “group” games like license plates, 20 Questions, and word games, there are dozens of free game “sheets” and ideas to print and hand out when the time is right. Punch buggy, no returns!
100 things for little children to do on a journey by Usbourne Publishing
More a collection of activity cards than a book, there’s far more than 100 things to do in here. Specifically intended for toddlers, these games, puzzles and quizzes will delight and distract for hours.
Miles of Smiles: 101 Great Car Games and Activities by Carole Terwilliger Meyers
If you don’t want to print out sheets, spend a few bucks and get a bound book absolutely full of them. There are dozens of books like Miles of Smiles out there, and there’s something to suit even the pickiest six-year old backseat driver.
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