Kristen, Biz Chicks Rule: Allison, tell me about your company. How did you get started?

Allison Atsiknoudas: We started the ball rolling in 2004 and incorporated in 2006. I had formed a business incubator with a couple of other folks and that was actually how the idea for our company came about. So unlike other companies, where you really have to find the best people, we started out with the best people before we hatched the business concept. I really believe that people are either going to be the success or the barrier, and if you have the best people…

I was interested in really recruiting the best partners possible, so I asked both of my partners to start a business incubator with me and that’s how we came up with the idea to start out company. The nice thing about that is that we had three people who are equally invested in the idea.

Under the umbrella of IIC, you have Rentomatic which focuses on landlords, and Rentometer, which focuses on tenants. How did you come up with a business model that captured both sides of the market?

Allison Atsiknoudas: Our goal is really to create transparency in the marketplace. When we started with the idea, we all had experience with creating web-based software. We all had that in common and we all had some connection and experience with real estate. Both [of my] partners had owned real estate, we’d all rented, one partner is a real estate broker, I had managed properties in actually a very large portfolio for the US government in Europe. I was used to building lifecycle and understood what it meant for a manager using software to have visibility for all their assets.

Really, there were no tools out there for people like us: small portfolio owners… people who just have a few units. Nothing that was a standard for small people. And most investment properties are not owned by the big guys but owned by people like us. We were familiar with the pains of being a small portfolio owner or landlord and set out to solve those pains. We had been tenants as well, so we could see both sites of the equation.

You have both a baby and a fairly new company. What is an average day like for you?

Allison Atsiknoudas: To tell you the truth, it’s a really long one, but it’s fun. I don’t typically sleep at night. I can’t remember the last time I slept at night. I usually sleep for a few hours in the morning. Not because the baby is keeping me up, but because the nighttime is a good time for me to work and have uninterrupted time to myself.

My day starts around 7:30, I go to bed between 1 am and 2 am, and then I do it again. I typically work 50/50 in my home office and Newton [Massachusetts] office. I may not be in either place. I could be in New York or San Francisco for a meeting. Teddy usually stays at home. Actually, my investors had a forum last January and the baby wasn’t even 2 months old yet and they really encouraged me to bring him along. I declined. I think when you’re a first-time mom, you’re really hesitant about taking your baby out in the world.

Who cares for Teddy when you’re traveling or have meetings?

Allison Atsiknoudas: My husband stays home at least one day during the week. He runs his own company as well, so that give him some flexibility. He makes up for it on the weekends. It gives him [and Teddy] some quality time during the day instead of just in the evenings. Also, we’re a big fat Greek family. We’re both Greek-American. My husband grew up in the town we live in and I grew up in the neighboring town.

You have a bachelor’s and a master’s, a more than 10-year military career, and experience managing a billion-dollar property portfolio for the US government in Europe. Did you know everything going into this business?

Allison Atsiknoudas: Most of the things I did, no one has ever done before either, so I just had to figure out how do we make this work. When you’re managing $1B in assets or a $150M project, or something that’s never done before, there’s usually other people involved. My past experience and any success that I’ve had has been to the credit of the team.

It is a market that no one else has been able to aggregate before because most of the people in it are not in the business of real estate full time, people like you and me who have day jobs who manage their real estate on the side. [It’s] a very fragmented market. Being able to aggregate that market is a real challenge, and also a great deal of fun in solving business problems to achieve success in the company. A long of what we do administratively is what I have done before in my past life.

What’s next for the business?

Allison Atsiknoudas: We’re definitely going to be expanding services on Rentomatic. I would say very rapidly, going to be offering different levels of plans. We’re also going to be offering a larger suite of tools for tenants as well. Everything we offer is really aimed at enhancing the relationships.

If you had it all to do over again, is there anything you would do differently?

Allison Atsiknoudas: At this point, I don’t think so. I would always like to hire more people to be able to roll the plan out a little bit quicker. You know, I have to say that I couldn’t be happier with the partners that I chose and I really couldn’t be happier about the way that the products are developing. Even our investors are very high quality partners that up to now have worked out really well and we’re really excited about moving the business forward.

What advice do you have for women who want to take their career to the next level, or maybe start their own company?

Allison Atsiknoudas: It was a real mystery for me because I have quite a bit of business experience, but I really hadn’t started my own company by myself. I knew I could bring quite a bit to the table, but I had a bit to learn just in terms of creating a new company. I spent a lot of time raising financing, but different financing from forming a private company.

There are a lot of great resources out there for women or anybody who wants to start their own company. Tap into your own network. Talk to as many people as you can who have done it before and started something form scratch. A big help for me was being able to tap into my alumni resources as well [at MIT] to educate us into bringing the business along.

For more information about tools for landlords and tenants, visit Rentomatic and Rentometer.

Contents Copyright © 2008 Kristen King

Tags: womesn business blog, allison atsiknoudas, investment instruments corporation, rentomatic, rentometer, biz chicks rule, kristen king

Post from: EveryJoe

Interview With Allison Atsiknoudas, CEO of Investment Instruments Corporation

Kristen, Biz Chicks Rule: Tell me about LTDChix and your line of tees.

Cindi Schmitzer: We had the idea and we really kicked that around for a few months, and then we went to a local free seminar for start your own business held by SCORE. We started to set up meetings with them, myself and Nina and two gentlemen from SCORE. We really sort of kicked it around for another 6 months, how exactly we were going to go about launching it. And one meeting we said we really just need to kick it up and print up the shirts…

It was like, we’ve been talking about this for so long and if we’re going to do it we need to just go for it. There was a small festival coming up — Sparta Days — and we thought it would be a good way to reach our market really easily. We called the Sparta Independent and said this is what we’re doing. There was an article prior to Sparta Days and we had struck such a chord with people like chasing us down and saying like, "That is my life!" We had a booth [at the festival].

Nina Frye: We launched in June 2006.

When you were BFFs "down the shore"on vacation together with your families in 2005 and had the idea for LTDChix, did you ever dream that your business would be where it is now?

Nina Frye: We’d been out of the work force — at least I had — for 18 years, and we did kind of wing it. We thought, okay, if this didn’t work it would be like a hobby and at least we could have a little money and go on a little trip or something.

We realized we really have to follow through with. We kept meeting with SCORE. They were a really big help and they drew a path for us with insurance and all the stuff you have to do initially.

Both of you have great business experience, but neither were entrepreneurs. What were your biggest challenges?

Cindi Schmitzer: Neither of us had entrepreneurial experience. Initially, it was a little backwards from the traditional way that I think most entrepreneurs do launch their businesses. We sort of went out there without a business plan and a real game plan. Then we had to sort of step back and come up with a better game plan than we had, which was actually nothing.

It’s a very steep learning curve is what I will say. We made some mistakes long the way, learned from the mistakes, kind of adjusted and went on. There’s a lot of unanticipated things that come up, and you have to kind of just make a judgment call and it may not be the right judgment call and it isn’t the right judgment call. You just kind of just have to learn from it and move on.

Nina Frye: It seems like we’re always saying, "It’s a lesson learned — times three," but nothing major, nothing that we were stopped in our tracks and didn’t know how to handle it.

Cindi Schmitzer: A lot of our relationships with our customers and stores, mainly the different stores we sell to. Sometimes we make a judgment call like we’ll allow them to do this or do that and then we’re sorry we allowed something and we have to draw a harder line.

Nina Frye: Some of the stores we’ve opened are word of mouth, like customers have e-mailed me and said they’d rather have a store in their down than order online. And then I’ll call the store. Sometimes it’s great and it falls in your lap, and sometimes you have to do the work yourself. Trade shows also.

You’ve gotten media coverage as far away as Australia. What are you doing to market your business?

Nina Frye: The website is what really got us out there. The blogs are huge. We got free press nationally… We really didn’t think we were going to be in this business this long. But we’re still alive and out website continues to gain exposure. A licensing company has approached us about taking our designs internationally.

One lady contacted us about distributing the shirts there, so we actually have a distributor in Australia. So she set up a website and is selling our shirts there.

How did you decide on your first design?

Cindi Schmitzer: It was actually very, very easy . We thought what are the things that we hear our compatriots complaining about and what are the things that was just he bane of our existence is laundry. It’s NEVER ENDING. It’s never done, it just takes a lot of time to get our family in clean clothes.

[Plus] shooting here and there, taking these kids to just every games, practices, lessons, classes, just how many other moms are in the same situation that we just crisscross paths with all over the roads of Sparta.

How many designs do you have now?

Nina Frye: There’s a total of 12 designs, and the note cards are one picture per card.

Is it true that you’re starting a new line of shirts for dads? Do tell.

Cindi Schmitzer: It’s something that we thought of from the beginning, like how many different places you really could take this concept. SO we just thought, well, we’ll do this sort of tongue-in-cheek, ha-ha, how-did-we-get-here sort of thing could certainly translate to dads easily. Some sort of traditional male household chores, we could certainly come up with a bunch of them as well. For us it was sort of the next logical step.

Nina Frye: We wanted to see what our artwork would look like on other products, and instead of dishing out the money and doing it ourselves, we launched a site on CafePress. You will see tote bags, coffee mugs, greeting cards, messenger bags, in color. We do have a set of notecards that we do offer online on our website but those are black and white.

What would you do differently if you had it to do all over again?

Nina Frye: I think one thing that we might have done differently had we known, but again it’s just two moms who kind of jumped into it. Right now we get our tee shirts from a wholesaler. I think if we would have known, again this is something being new to entrepreneurship, and I had never been in retail and neither had Cindi, I think we would have ordered our shirts in a much larger capacity overseas with the tags already in them. You know you’re getting to that point that it’s a big chunk of money you’ve already invested in the shirts you have now and to turn it over and — but then wholesale is much cheaper. It’s a hard transition to do.

Cindi Schmitzer: That’s an excellent question. I guess the thing I would say is when we first decided to do this we just knew we had to have a website because well you just do when you’re doing business in this day and age. We had an initial website and we just sort of shot from the hip to get a website put together and then we ended up having to redo it. I guess what I would have suggested doing if I had it to do over again, I would just go for the website, dump a ton of money into it and just go for the one we have now instead of doing it half baked and then backing out of it.

Nina Frye: If you could see our website the first time around, you would die. We should have saved it.

What advice do you have for moms who want to start their own business?

Cindi Schmitzer: What I would say is to go for it absolutely go for it because I can tell you that at the end of the day, I could not be more thrilled with, and really proud of us because it was a scary thing, that we actually had an idea and did something about it. To me, that is just IT, right? Everybody has idea, good ideas that maybe they could do something with them, but so many people just DON’T. I just think for us I couldn’t have been happier looking back on it and it’s just been a fantastic learning experience and it’s just been great and fantastic that we got off our butts and did something about it.

Nina Frye: SCORE meets nationwide. If you can find a local chapter, it’s free and they guide you. I want to say they’re retired executives, but they don’t like to say that they’re retired executives. When you look up SCORE, I don’t think that’s in there. These guys were very successful at some point, and I think they have to go through very thorough screening to get there. They give you such great advice, and you can’t just go in there and mess around. They tell you right off the bat if you have business or not at all. Even if you just have an idea and go in there and run it by them. Everything is confidential. Even if they think this is a crazy idea, they can go in and talk with someone confidentially and not worry about it getting stolen. They have background in marketing and any type of legal advice, there were people that we met with in the apparel industry that gave us great advice

Cindi Schmitzer: They come from all different background and industries.

Anything else?

Nina Frye: Yes. We’re not some young chicks here. We’re practically middle aged here and we started our own business.

You go, Jersey girls! For more info on Nina and Cindi’s sassy fashions for moms — and dads! — visit LTDChix.com.

Contents Copyright © 2008 Kristen King

Tags: womens busines blog, biz chicks rule, kristen king, cindi schmitzer, nina frye, ltdchix, sparta, new jersey, female entrepreneur, tee shirts for moms, mommy tees

Post from: EveryJoe

Interview With Nina Frye & Cindi Schmitzer, Co-Founders of LTDChix

Kristen, Biz Chicks Rule: You’re a self-described serial entrepreneur. When were you bitten with the entrepreneur bug, and how did you pick a winner the first time out of the gate?

Patricia Handschiegel: I think I’ve always had it in me. I used to invent play businesses and companies as a little girl with my sister and friends, and started creating my first entrepreneurial projects very early in my life. I was lucky to have a winner out of the gate with Stylediary. I think it was because I really gave a lot of thought to what was missing in the market and tried to create it. I also had some very good people supporting me in my work.

Kristen: When you were a kid, what did you think you’d be when you grew up? As an adult, what do you think you’ll be when you grow up?

Patricia Handschiegel: I thought I’d end up being an artist initially. By the time I was 15 or 16, though, I had my sites on creating a media company and somehow getting into social change. As an adult, I think I really believed I’d be a career publicist, then move into lobbying. I went toward entrepreneurship after a few years because I thought it’d be a better, quicker way to do this.

Kristen: What advice do you have for entrepreneurial moms?

Patricia Handschiegel: To stay focused and to know their value, and create companies where there are gray areas. I think the movement of moms getting into entrepreneurship is excellent. I’m an enormous supporter of these women.

Kristen: What is a typical day like?

Patricia Handschiegel: Really intense. I wake up early and start working right away because I’m the most mentally productive in the morning, so it’s a lot of business development, calls, meetings, etc. I take a break usually around 4 or 5pm, usually to work out (though I presently have a broken ankle). I’m most creatively productive at night so I do a lot of the writing and blogging then. Balance is a big thing for me. I may not always have time to do social stuff, but I make it a point to live well in every aspect that I can. Even if it’s just fresh flowers for the house, I try to keep my experiences positive.

Kristen: How did you launch your internet company?

Patricia Handschiegel: I came from a very different mindset with it. I believed you can take very small steps towards something versus always needing to go big. This was reflective with my first internet company. I made it small, on a free ‘host your own website’ on the then independent iVillage.com. One weekend and it was on. I made bigger moves from there.

Kristen: What gave you the inspiration?

Patricia Handschiegel: Social change. There is nothing more than I want than to inspire people and to make a difference. I felt like the main way I could potentially do this was through entrepreneurship. I have always loved media, even as a child, so a media company was the direction I wanted to head.

Kristen: What obstacles did other start ups like yours present as companies started trying to do the same?

Patricia Handschiegel: I think people misunderstand competition. To me, it’s proof of concept. I was always very honored to see people launch things that were similar to Stylediary. It only pushed me harder to ensure we kept our position.

Kristen: How did you differentiate?

Patricia Handschiegel: I think a lot of it came from my background. I have a very extensive history with the internet, from engineering level in IP telecom to consumer facing media and applications. A lot of competitors, for example, went with full social network models, but because of my background in the industry, I knew community would only be a feature. It helped a lot.

Kristen: What did you do, if anything, to help sell your company?

Patricia Handschiegel: I actually did a lot. I came up (was trained) by two very successful serial entrepreneurs so I spent probably 1.5 years positioning in the market specifically with the hope to either raise capital or sell. I spent a lot of time networking and focusing on business development. I’m neurotically strategic. Nothing happens unless it absolutely fits into the bigger plan.

Kristen: What are some of the mistakes you think internet entrepreneurs make?

Patricia Handschiegel: Creating ideas that are too late/early to market, failing to truly know their market, lack of focus/target. I think a lot of internet entrepreneurs misunderstand the money potential in the market and far too many focus on exit. Only 86 web companies sold last year out of thousands that exist. I also think many web entrepreneurs completely misunderstand raising capital, etc. There is an air of sexiness to it but its funny – any seasoned entrepreneur, or even big VC, will tell you it is not the ideal expansion model. I see a lot of entrepreneurs networking at the wrong level in the market, etc.

Kristen: What do you think are some of the obstacles for women in tech? Is there really a "blogging glass ceiling?"

Patricia Handschiegel: I think the biggest obstacle for all entrepreneurs – regardless of gender – is a lack of understanding of the various languages people speak in different areas of the business. I have never – and I mean never – once experienced bias, a glass ceiling, etc, and I’ve been in tech/internet for more than 10 years. I see more people – not just women – completely misunderstand how to speak to the target audience (VC, tech bloggers, etc.) than anything else. I think many obstacles in the industry come up because of this more than anything that has to do with gender.

Kristen: What are your top tips for start ups dealing with the economy right now?

Patricia Handschiegel: I think it all boils down to focus and keeping your costs/expenses low. That should be the plan regardless of condition of market. Most new start ups are going to struggle either way.

Kristen: You’ve expanded into entertainment, which you were able to do fairly quickly. What did you do to succeed in moving to the market?

Patricia Handschiegel: Again, it all boils down to doing the homework and understanding the language of value to whoever you’re pitching. Within hours I had booked meetings with some of the top people in the business – it wasn’t because there’s anything great about me, or what I’m doing. It’s because I took the time to learn what constituted value to that audience, then pitched it.

Kristen: What are you working on now?

Patricia Handschiegel: I’m still very much in internet business, but have expanded into television. I’m the creator/producer of a broadcast TV concept that currently has strong interest, producing and creating web TV content and exploring various partnerships. It’s part of my new start-up, 9 Group. I recently helped raise awareness for a bill to be passed, the Protect Our Children Act, and am working on a script and a book. I’m exploring the idea of raising a small angel round with a new media company in mind but we’ll see. It won’t happen now – I’m planning for the future.

Kristen: What’s next for you?

Patricia Handschiegel: My goal in all of my projects is to help bridge the gap between traditional platforms (TV, print media, etc.) and the web. I’d like to create models for charities to leverage the web.

Follow Patricia’s business endeavors at DailyPatricia.com.

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

Tags: womens business blog, biz chicks rule, kristen king, patricia handschiegel, serial entrepreneur, stylediary, daily patricia, social media, women entrepreneur, female entrepreneur

Post from: EveryJoe

Interview With Social Media Pioneer and Serial Entrepreneur Patricia Handschiegel

Kristen, Biz Chicks Rule: Tell me about Under the Canopy and your products. When was the company founded? How long did it take you to get rolling?

Marci Zaroff, Under the Canopy: I founded lifestyle brand "Under the Canopy" in 1996 with a mission to fuse style and sustainability, while transforming the fashion industry. The goal was to design, manufacture and market apparel and home products that would offer consumers what they love and seek – modern style, quality, fit, color, hand, accessibility and affordability – while giving them a way to make a difference to human health, the environment and future generations. I coined and trademarked the term "ECOfashion®", and pioneered this market, which has taken over a decade to truly manifest. Today, Under the Canopy is the leading lifestyle brand in the rapidly growing "ECOfashion®" industry.

Kristen: What prompted you to start the company?

Marci Zaroff: I had spent over a decade in the natural/organic food and beauty industries and recognized that there was a "missing" link in the wellness equation. One could not support organic food without organic fiber because of their interconnectedness in agriculture. As I learned more about the magnitude and multitude of toxic pesticides and chemicals being used on the conventional cotton industry and the horrific impact that textiles were making on human health and the planet, I realized that this industry needed attention. The consumer who was embracing organic/natural foods was already beginning to ask, "what’s next?", "what else?" The name "Under the Canopy" was derived from the fact that we all live "under the canopy" of the planet’s ecosystem together and that man and nature are a reflection of each other. Over 50% of the life on the planet lives "under the canopy" of the planet’s rainforests and in Native American philosophy, we need to protect the "canopy", or ozone layer, to protect life and future generations. Under the Canopy would address both value and values. In marrying ecology and fashion (ECOfashion®) into one modern and cutting-edge lifestyle brand, we would drive the market from hippie to hip and would shift the question from "why would I buy organic/sustainable fiber fashion?" to "why wouldn’t I?"

Kristen: How was it starting up a new company on your own? Did you have a lot of prior business experience? What kind of help did you receive along the way?

Marci Zaroff: It has not been an easy journey establishing a new company AND a brand new concept (ECOfashion®), but as an entrepreneur, visionary and passionate consumer of an organic/eco-friendly lifestyle, I never doubted that one day, the idea would hit big. In 1989, I received a business degree from UC Berkeley’s Haas Business School and moved to Manhattan, where I started a health and environmental educational center (known today as "The Institute for Integrative Nutrition), the largest holistic health school in the world. The school had an AVEDA spa, a small retail store, an organic café and a national magazine as well. In 1995, soon after giving birth to my first child, I had conceived of the concept of ECOfashion®, and with the financial help of friends and family, I sold the Institute to my partner and launched Under the Canopy. Friends and colleagues, who were pioneers of the natural food and beauty worlds where I had come from, lent their mentoring and/or financial support – people like Jim Sud (Whole Foods Market), Horst Rechelbacher (AVEDA), Mark Retzloff (Horizon Organic Dairy) and Anthony Rodale (The Rodale Institute), among others.

Kristen: At the moment, being green is hot but the economy is NOT. Are you seeing any changes in your business as a result?

Marci Zaroff: We are fortunately seeing a positive surge in our business. Consumers are looking for reasons why NOT to buy, yet when they find products that meet all of their needs AND give them a way to "make a difference" in the world, while being a part of the "green" movement, suddenly they feel they have a reason to buy. We do not take anything away from the consumer; on the contrary, we offer more. In fact, studies have shown that 2/3 of consumers feel that they can have a bigger impact on the environment through their purchasing dollars than through their vote. As a truly AUTHENTIC brand, our products offer both consumers and retailers something new, fresh, timely, responsible, relevant and important.

Kristen: What’s a typical day like for you? How do you balance being a mom and running a national company with international presence?

Marci Zaroff: I wake up early to make breakfast and lunch for my two kids, Jade (age 13) and Mason (age 10). After driving them to school, I head to my office and work a full day. I pick my son up (my daughter gets a ride home) and we do homework or projects, have dinner and spend time catching up from our days. Like many moms, I carpool my kids to their evening activities, which includes theater classes and tennis. I often work for a few more hours once the kids go to sleep, unless there are parent-teacher conferences or special events like "South Florida Green Drinks", a green networking group I co-founded in my local community. As a divorced mom, my kids spend about 1/3 of their time with their dad, who is a wonderful father. During that time, I am on the road traveling, meeting with customers, media, strategic partners, attending events and speaking at conferences. Now that my children are getting older, I have even taken them to a few of the green conferences that I knew they’d enjoy. I always engage them in my experiences and explain what I am doing when I travel so that they can understand what my work and mission are about. My children are my inspiration, and in turn, I want to role model the importance of following your heart and dreams, while "giving back to the world."

Kristen: What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started? What kind of mistakes did you make and how did you move forward?

Marci Zaroff: I try not to look back as every experience is a stepping stone in the journey. Sometimes what we desire is not always achievable initially, so sometimes we need to make compromises to reach our final goals. In my case, I gave up certain controls earlier than I would have liked. I chose executives and/or partners who I was not as aligned with as I had thought or hoped. Having said that, in hindsight, the advice I would give is to surround yourself with the best people you can find, who share your vision and values, and always do LOTS of due diligence. Do not rush into hires, financings or customer relationships; always keep the long-term in mind; and get good legal representation to help guide you in your strategic and financial decisions. It may be cliché, but "what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger." Persistence, passion and tenacity are keys to success. Failures and challenges are part of growth, and remember, anything sustainable takes time to build.

Kristen: What advice do you have for other women, and especially young moms, who want to do their own thing?

Marci Zaroff: If a woman has a calling and/or desire to pursue her own work, I am a very big believer in going for it. It is not always easy to juggle motherhood and a career, but it is definitely doable. Firstly, surround oneself with as much support as possible – a great nanny, parents/grandparents, siblings and/or friends; Engage your children in what you do as much as possible so that they don’t feel threatened by your work, as it takes you away from them; Make sure you have your priorities straight! Work over children should be the rare exception, NOT the norm (your child’s school play should take precedence over most work-related responsibilities, so manage your time and commitments carefully); And finally, find balance in your life and make time for yourself in situations that are not child OR work-related – it will make you a better mother and more effective in your work. Perhaps going to the gym, a yoga class or spa, or dinner with a girlfriend will help to keep you mentally and physically grounded and nurtured. Be willing, if possible, to let go of the things and/or people in your life who are weighing you down, negative and or high maintenance. CHOOSE to stay positive, to see challenges as opportunities and to be productive with your time and energy. As Kahlil Gibran says "Work is love made visible", so if you love your work, it is not work, it is love. And there is no such thing as too much love in one’s life.

Kristen: What is your favorite article of green fashion (clothing, accessories, whatever!)? Any chance I can get a picture of you in it?

Marci Zaroff: That’s a tough question as I love so many of the Under the Canopy organic fashion items that we have produced through the years! (See photos.)

Kristen: Is there anything you thought I’d ask you and you’re surprised I didn’t? What was it, and how would you have answered?

Marci Zaroff: My ultimate mission? To revolutionize fashion and other lifestyle products, make the alternative the norm, drive progress and innovation with a foundation in collective consciousness, empower and inspire women and the next generation, and to make the world a better place for my children and all living species.

Learn more about Marci and her earth-friendly fashions at Under the Canopy.

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

(images courtesy of Marci Zaroff)

Tags: womens business blog, biz chicks rule, kristen king, marci zaroff, under the canopy, eco-friendly, green, environmentally friendly, fashion, design, clothes

Post from: EveryJoe

Interview With Under the Canopy Founder & President Marci Zaroff

Kristen, Biz Chicks Rule: Tell us about your background.

Marlo Moleski, Lucky Me Tee: From when I was a young girl I always loved fashion and I would always look through fashion magazines. I graduated from High School a year early so with that extra year I took classes in New York City at F.I.T and the Arts Students League. After taking classes I decided to go to school for Art and Design. After I graduated from DuCret School of Art & Design in NJ, I started working for Arista Records in NYC. There I designed CD packaging, billboards, adds, posters, ect. After I got married I started working in NJ at Popular Club Catalogue as an Art Director. That is when you are in charge of the whole look and feel of the entire project from the photo shoot it self, to the lay out of the pages, to the overall design of the project. It is involved but it is great fun. After having my second child I decided to take a year off of work. My next job was at DePasquale Companies in Fairlawn, NJ.

At DePasquale we designed everything from small beauty magazines, to packaging, to billboards to point of purchase displays. I left there after I had my 3rd child in Oct. of 2006. It was not long after that when I came up with the idea for my line of shirts. I found whenever I was with 1 of my children people thought that was my only child, so I looked on-line for a shirt that said "Mommy of 3". I didn’t find anything so I decided to design one myself. After I started wearing my t-shirt I couldn’t go anywhere with people asking me where I got. So, I decided to print more and design a web-site to sell them. One thing lead to the next and now I am in 43 locations nation wide and our t-shirts were just featured on CBS in Atlanta on the "Better Mornings" show. I’m very excited about the future.

Kristen: What is the highest number your "Mommy of" design goes up to?

Marlo: For now, we go up to "Mommy of 5".

Kristen: So a mom can buy a t-shirt, a tank, a tote, and a hoodie. What products are next? Also, will you expand to other phrases that help tell a person’s story, like "I worked an 8 hour day"?

Marlo: We are always working on new designs and styles but I think next will be hats, nighties and some type of sweat pant, but it will have to be comfortable and stylish.

Kristen: Did you design the graphic yourself?

Marlo: Yes, I did the design of my shirts myself as well as my website.

Kristen: You have previously said, "Whatever is stylish, I want to keep up with it." Can you explain to us what makes your t-shirts so stylish?

Marlo: I think the over all look and feel of the shirt is stylish. From the design on the shirt, to the v-neck to the longer fitted body length. I just think it is different from the other "Mommy" shirts out there, it has a young fresh look to it.

Kristen: In almost every article about you or interview with you, it stresses that you’re from New Jersey. I’m a Jersey girl myself. What is the most "Jersey" thing about you?

Marlo: What is most Jersey about me…. I’m not to sure what is "Jersey" about me because I never lived anywhere else. I love New Jersey because it has everything in a close vicinity. We are close to New York City, we have the beaches, are close to skiing, we have farms and open land, it’s a great mix and we take full advantage of it. I also love the different seasons.

Kristen: What piece of advice would you give to new entrepreneurs?

Marlo: I would say that if you have an idea and you think it is really good, go for it. So many people have amazing ideas but never do anything with them. The only way to be successful is to try. I don’t believe there is ever the "right" time to start company, you have to just start out little by little and explore all avenues on your way to see what works for you. It is a lot of time and hard work but if you love it, it’s worth it.

Kristen: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Marlo: Actually, I would like to say that having your own company is a lot of work (especially with 3 kids) and without my family and friends I would not be able to grow like I am. They have been very supportive and encouraging especially my sister, my mother and my husband, and for that I am truly thankful.

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

Tags: womens business blog, biz chicks rule, marlo moleski, lucky me tee, kristen king

Post from: EveryJoe

Interview With Marlo Moleski, President of Lucky Me Tee

Kristen, Biz Chicks Rule: Tell me about your company and your products. When was the company founded? How long did it take you to get rolling?

Katie Johnson, Kix by Katie: I started my company Katie, Inc. about a year and a half ago. I invented the innovative fashion fixer product called Kix By Katie that keeps the fabric of your pants from bunching between your heel and shoe. A common wardrobe malfunction that occurs while wearing long pants and open back heels. I’ve affectionately dubbed this fashion faux pas a ‘Heel Wedgie!’ Kix By Katie temporarily adhere to the inside back hem line of your pant leg. Acting much like a collar stay in men’s shirts, they add just a little extra weight and rigidity to the pant leg to keep them hanging nicely. Voila, no more Heel Wedgies!

It took me about a year, from the time I decided to seriously pursue developing my invention, until I actually felt like a real business. During that year I put in place a process to manufacture my product. Searching out suppliers for needed materials as well as a manufacturer who could apply a self adhesive backing to my desired fabric. I also enlisted a graphic designer to help me design a fun, sassy, eye catching package.

I also joined a networking group of women entrepreneurs called Ladies Who Launch at about my 6 month point and found it to be the best thing that I could have done for my business at that point. I found my marketing partner, Cindy Aggson of The Carpe Viem Group while taking the Ladies Who Launch Incubator Intensive course and have since formed many other lifelong friendships as well as valuable business connections from that experience. I soon made a wonderful friend, Gordon Collett, who did an excellent job in getting my website up and running.

Working solely from our own seed money I found it more cost effective (albeit more time consuming) to set up a mini factory where I die cut the components for my product and packaged them for retail myself. I soon hired my son as well as a teenage niece and nephew to help me on a part time basis. Now, I have my manufacturing company die cut and ship the components to me but still do the packaging out of my mini factory. I soon expect to out source all of the manufacturing and packaging.

Kristen: What prompted you to start the company?

Katie Johnson: Necessity really is the mother of all invention. Being vertically challenged (and okay maybe a few pounds over my desired weight) — I love to wear long pants with high heel shoes for a long slimming silhouette look — ahh don’t we all. But when I wore my favorite open-back heels with my long pants I experienced the dreaded Heel Wedgie! Don’t you just hate that?

Frustrated by this problem, and a lack of a commercially available solution, I created a prototype by cutting strips of plastic from discarded packaging and attaching them with surgical tape to the inside of my pant legs and an idea took flight. It wasn’t pretty but it worked and I knew other women would want it too. As a wife and mother of two great boys, I understand that a woman’s time is valuable. We don’t have time to muss and fuss over all these little wardrobe malfunctions that stand in our way of getting the important things in our day done.

Kristen: How was it starting up a new company on your own? Did you have a lot of prior business experience? What kind of help did you receive along the way?

Katie Johnson: It has been very exciting! I’ve always wanted to do something like this and I am so grateful that I get to pursue my dream. I have a very supportive husband and family. The house rule is that this is to be an enjoyable experience, fun, light and positive. I try to surround myself with things that make me happy and only work with those who share that view and add to that experience. That doesn’t mean that everything has always gone perfectly. As with any business there are things that come up that need to be addressed but I choose to deal with them in a, constructive way. Focusing on solutions not problems.

I have learned so much during this process! I had some previous experience in business. My family runs a successful construction company, building and remodeling custom homes. I’ve been able to share in many parts of that including bookkeeping, office management, dealing with clients, etc. I was able to develop many skills that have been beneficial to me in my current business. I did not, however, have any prior experience in product development and design, manufacturing, marketing, public relations or sales. And I had very limited computer skills.

As I mentioned before, I have enlisted a wonderful marketing partner who has taught me so much and has really helped me guide my business in a successful direction. Cindy has extensive background in marketing and a real knack for recognizing good opportunities and quickly formulating a plan to act on them while keeping within the parameters of our budget and business model. She really has the best interest of my business at heart and to have her on my team has been a real blessing.

Kristen: You were selected as a Top 10 Finalist for the Inc. and Fast Company Great Idea Contest. That must have been so exciting! What was going through your mind when you found out?

Katie Johnson: How that came about was kind of funny. It was one of those emails you get from a friend saying "you should enter this." So, late one night I filled out the online entry form and submitted it and quickly forgot about it. Several weeks later I got an email saying that I was one of the ten finalists in the nation! I didn’t save a copy of what I had sent them and so had my fingers crossed that my marketing partner would approve. I did learn that when they ask you to attach an image file ….. usually they mean of the product your entering and not one of yourself! : ) We had a good laugh over that one.

Of course I was over the moon and very thrilled to be mentioned among such talented inventors! I wasn’t the grand prize winner but it gave me a real confidence boost to have Kix By Katie recognized by such well known and respected magazines as Inc.com and Fast Company.

Kristen: What’s a typical day like for you? How do you balance being a mom and being president and chief design officer for a successful design company?

Katie Johnson: Balance is something I struggle with as I’m sure every working mom does. House rules are that spirituality and family come first, then business, etc. I’ve found that things work out really well when I follow that rule. However, I do admit to being a bit of a rule breaker at times and having to realign my priorities.

A typical day goes something like this: I generally get up at 7:00 am and enjoy a cup of coffee while I catch some Good Morning America. Since I home school our 11 year old son, Hayden, it’s important that I get him squared away with his assignments right away. We have some breakfast and do a little housework. I also try to get in a little exercise. I’ve found that the more I do before I enter my office the better because once I check my emails it’s all over. My day can go in any direction after that.

I work from a MAC laptop which makes my life a lot easier. I can take Hayden and a friend to the skate park or arcade and still get some work done. I generally print out things I need to read and take them with me. Add my mobile phone to the mix and ta da! A mini office wherever I go.

I feel very privileged to be able to do what I love. I’m grateful to live at a time when women have so many opportunities available to them. Women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men these days, many out of necessity, and it’s not easy for them. But the modern technology that we have now has enabled many women to be able to work flexible hours or from home allowing them to spend quality time with their children and run a household while still earning a living. My hat goes off to all of you hard working wives and moms!

Kristen: What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started? What kind of mistakes did you make and how did you move forward?

Katie Johnson: I wish I would have realized that to know your limitations is a strength and not a weakness. To take on more than you can handle is not being humble, but proud.

Sometimes I would feel overwhelmed by the thought of something but would feel like I should do it for one reason or another. I’ve since realized, with the help of my husband, that if something doesn’t fit our house rules, isn’t fun for me or is causing me too much stress that it probably isn’t worth it.

I have a hard time saying "No", but I’m trying to be aware of my personal limitations and make good choices as to how I spend my finances and my time. There are a lot of things that a person can do but I have to stop and ask myself – Is this necessary? Will this positively impact the value of my company? What is the cost to benefit ratio? How does this translate into sales? If it turns out to not make sense for me or my business model – Axe it!

Kristen: What advice do you have for other women, and especially young moms, who want to do their own thing?

Katie Johnson: Just do it! Did someone already coin that phrase? : )

There is never going to be a perfect time or the perfect circumstances. If you know what you want to do then start working toward it. Write down short term and long term goals then organize a plan to reach them. Even if it is just one thing a day or a week. You have the choice: Tomorrow or next week you can be where you are right now or you can be one step closer to your goal. So what are you waiting for? Hop to it!

Kristen: Is there anything you thought I’d ask you and you’re surprised I didn’t? What was it, and how would you have answered?

Katie Johnson: Something you didn’t know before you contacted me is that Kix By Katie was selected to be featured in the "Everyone Wins at the Emmys" EMMY Nominee Gift Bags. It’s very exciting to know that some really awesome celebrities have Kix By Katie as we speak! As a result of being featured in the gift bags I had the privilege of being interviewed by Better TV. A syndicated news show that airs in 36 cities. I’m very excited about that!

Order your own Kix By Katie online or at select West Coast retailers.

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

Tags: womens business blog, biz chicks rule, kristen king, katie johnson, kix by katie, heel wedgie, female executive, female entrepreneur, starting your own business, female inventor

Post from: EveryJoe

Interview With Katie Johnson, President & Chief Design Officer of Kix By Katie

Kristen King, Biz Chicks Rule: Tell me about Abrige Corp. C-Secure Systems. What do they do? When was each founded?

Lori Evans, Abrige & C-Secure: Kristen, thanks for asking. Abrige Corp. was born in 2003 as the consultancy I founded, Sagacity, grew to include our proprietary performance management software. In 2001-2 our DISCOVERY application helped many healthcare organizations, from small to the largest (PacifiCare) move through HIPAA Privacy standards faster and in a more sustainable way than their peers. We’ve added many performance-focused applications to the Abrige suite since! C-Secure, born in 2004 and launched in 2006, leverages the Abrige software and adds hardware to provide the only turn-key machine communication and information system in the "M2M" market today.

Kristen: How long did it take you to get rolling?

Lori Evans: Each application has a different "get rolling" timeframe. DISCOVERY was an instant win due to the regulatory-imposed need in the market. Our PERFORMANCE application, that we were so eager to get out there to help the millions of knowledge workers add more value and find more joy in their work, was held up for about four years due to a customer contractual requirement. There are no holds now!

Kristen: What prompted you to start your companies? Abrige is the parent company to C-Secure, right? Why did you create a second organization?

Lori Evans: My passion to create and execute performance improvement (and risk management) solutions for more than a single employer was the primary motivation of started Abrige. Abrige is the corporate entity, yes. Abrige and C-Secure share resources and are powered by much of the same software, but while both are aimed at doing more with less… and improving communication is a big part of this… they are marketed differently. Abrige focuses on people. C-Secure’s focus is machines. We build a close relationship with customers and they see us as thought leaders and providers of solutions. We were asked if we could help with remote machine communication, and we then determined we could add amazing value in this market.

Kristen: How was it starting up a new company on your own? Did you have a lot of prior business experience? What kind of help did you receive along the way?

Lori Evans: Just about every day since starting in late December 2000, the feelings are a mix of scared and confident. When I started networking with other entrepreneurs I found that this is not uncommon. Yes, I have lots of business experience, certifications, advanced education and training. I have 25 years of experience in turning data into information and communicating complex stuff in terms that can be acted on. To keep up I’ve actually had to un-learn some of the academics and corporate ways. It wasn’t hard; it simply took time to do. A bigger challenge is finding others who also can learn s-p-e-e-d and plain talk. I had to get training and help for sales & marketing, especially to stay current. I have advisors and mentors that have done so much for me!

Kristen: Your companies are global. Tell me about your clients. Where are your various customers located and what type of work do they do?

Lori Evans: I LOVE being a global company. Every aspect of us is global: employees, partners, customers, suppliers… Our customers for our initial launch of DISCOVERY were all in the U.S. since they are the ones that needed to use this application with my expert (proven) content for meeting the HIPAA regulations. Most other Abrige applications also have stayed focused on U.S. customers, but that will be changing soon with some connections we are making in Asia. It is the machine communication solution, C-Secure Systems, that attracts customers around the World as they need to manage their business for better security, control, remote management and intelligence. Our largest C-Secure customer is in Africa.

Kristen: You do a lot of work with business owners in Africa. Tell me about what you do and the people you’re helping.

Lori Evans: This is so exciting to talk about…and I will try to stay brief. In Africa we started with remote management of water vending machines leveraging the GSM/GPRS (cellular) network there and the Internet and data center operations here. The machines include cashless RFID and prepaid card systems and full monitoring for security as well as water safety. Safe, affordable water is in great need throughout the African continent. Our largest customer, who resides in CA and manages the machine in Africa in part from CA, can instantly know what is happening with his machines, including their profitability, service needs, quality, safety (as I mentioned) and much more. With C-Secure he can connect this machine information to the rest of his business for a full view of performance. I am also working on the re-opening of a manufacturing facility in Namibia that can bring entry-level employment and opportunity to up to 15,000 people. The initial requirement for them is Abrige software and knowledge transfer (a good bit of my work experience has been in manufacturing).

Kristen: What prompted you to share your time and your knowledge with these African business owners?

Lori Evans: It’s an interesting question and without meaning to sound too poetic, it was the Universe. I wrote down a statement that Abrige intended to help organizations with big needs. It was probably too general of a statement so this (Africa) is what came to me. Of course I could have changed course. The opportunity to add so much value (technology, knowledge, integrity) in Africa has kept me on this course. A drawback is the travel time from WA State J

Kristen: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your work in Africa?

Lori Evans: I can’t pinpoint anything in particular to Africa so my statement covers all other countries and especially what we call third world countries. Values likely will not align with yours. "Yes" may not mean yes. A signature may not mean a promise or a promise may not be taken seriously. Side deals may be expected. Women may have no say. Communication style could express to you something other than what they mean to say, and visa versa. This being said, I have been doing business with other countries for many years and it is my choice to continue. I am finding fulfillment in doing so.

Kristen: How do you balance the needs of two companies AND your work in Africa? What’s a typical day like for you?

Lori Evans: Many would not want my life and would not feel balanced. I do everything I want, more than most, and although at times I do feel overwhelmed, it is so… worth it! I’d rather focus on how I feel than meeting someone’s definition of how I should be or spend my day. My energy is much higher now than when living the corporate life. My day? Up around 6:10am, help my daughter get ready and get ready myself, then hit the most critical task of the day for an hour before checking email. Overseas calls are handled between 7am and 10am (Right now India, Saudi Arabia, Europe, Africa) and then again between 7pm and 9pm (China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia…). I don’t have calls every day and they never take up all the time allotted. They take only as much time needed to get the communication across (so much more productive than the typical corporate meeting). I’ve relegated emails and meetings to certain time slots and the team respected the new time blocks immediately. These past few weeks I’ve worked many hours because I’ve hired several people that need some my attention before they can be self managed. I also feel it is important to get them to a point of adding value within their first week starting with us. Training well now gives you peace of mind later. So my team gets about 3 hours a day right now. I’m also trying to fit in time for writing and multimedia! Luckily I do not travel much nor do I have a daily commute…

Kristen: What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started? What kind of mistakes did you make and how did you move forward?

Lori Evans: Marketing. Internal work (thicker skin, more diligence when hiring/partnering). I am someone that gains trust quickly…because I earn it. For way too many years I fell prey to giving my trust to others, who did not earn it, and some who misused it. It is amazing the gifts that have come to me once I started giving my power away.

Kristen: What advice do you have for other women who want to do their own thing?

Lori Evans: KNOW YOUR PURPOSE (your agenda) and stick to it. If you want to change it, go for it!… just make sure it is a conscious choice and not triggered by someone else manipulating you to their agenda.

Kristen: Is there anything you thought I’d ask you and you’re surprised I didn’t? What was it, and how would you have answered?

Lori Evans: It’s been fun, Kristen. And, no, I think your questions – and hopefully my answers – will prove useful to your readers. Feel free to contact me at lori@abrige.com or lori@csecure.com. I’m feeling lots of gratitude so it’s a great time to reach out to me (I’m in give back mode)!

Visit Lori Evans online at Abrige Corp. or C-Secure Systems.

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

Tags: womens business blog, biz chicks rule, kristen king, lori evans, abrige, c-secure, africa, volunteer, global economy

Post from: EveryJoe

Interview With Lori Evans, CEO of Abrige Corp and C-Secure Systems, Global Volunteer

Kristen, Biz Chicks Rule: Please tell us about your professional background.

Cathy Lanyard, American Friend of ALYN Hospital: Undergraduate and graduate work at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, [then] 1st career: Actress, model; 2nd career: Lobbyist; 3rd career: Founded and ran interior design firm; 4th career: Director of Development for the Reform Movement of Judaism for four years and Executive Director of American Friends of ALYN Hospital for the past 9 years. I have been a grassroots volunteer my entire life and my toughest job — the one I have had the least training for — has been as a mother.

Kristen: Please tell us about ALYN and how you became involved with it.

Cathy Lanyard: ALYN Hospital is one of the world’s premiere comprehensive rehabilitation centers for physically challenged and disabled children – from birth to young adulthood. Christopher Reeve visited there shortly before his death and was in awe of what is done there and the way in which care is given. At that time, I was working for another organization – raising money for them – when my daughter survived a car accident in which her passenger died and she escaped with severe, yet temporary injuries. During her months of recovery and rehab I had a birds’ eye view of the world of a teenager in a wheelchair and her encouragement for me to use my talents for an organization that spoke more loudly and clearly to my passions. About six months after she recuperated, the spot at ALYN became available and I thought it was a perfect fit for me and for the organization.

Kristen: Can you explain exactly what "ALYN is unique in that it’s the only facility in the world with an intensive care respiratory rehabilitation unit" means?

Cathy Lanyard:Usually children with illnesses or conditions that require them to live connected to respirators and dependent on wheelchairs spend their lives in nursing homes or in similar institutions. ALYN is unique in that no child languishes in bed; their Intensive Care Respiratory Rehabilitation Unit is unlike any ICU unit I have seen anywhere. It is colorful, filled with people, toys and activity. While each patient receives state-of-the-art monitoring for their respiratory issues they also are out and about in ALYN in the pool, in the art room, in music centers, getting rehab all the time. ALYN has developed state-of-the-art equipment to enable children with respirators, for example, the capabilities to participate in activities such as swimming.

Kristen:There are a lot of very worthy charities. Why sets ALYN apart and why should people give to yours over other charities?

Cathy Lanyard:There are many wonderful charities and many issues and causes that we should all support – I do as a matter of fact. I would never ask anyone to choose ALYN over another charity, but I willingly ask them to add it to their list of giving. Why? Because ALYN itself is a well kept secret, nestled in the hills of Jerusalem, in a country who makes the news daily about issues of war and peace. People hear about death and suffering, but they rarely hear about the children who come to ALYN, who suffer to rebuild lives after accidents or because of a downturn of a neurological condition. I am so proud of the way ALYN uses every dollar that is given, of the high percentage of each $1 that goes directly to each child and I am proud to see how meaningful and impactful peoples’ gifts truly are.

Kristen:Your organization also encourages children to donate. Why do you think it is important for kids to get involved in philanthropy?

Cathy Lanyard:I think encouraging children to get involved in philanthropy is not important, but imperative if we are to raise them into caring, thoughtful adults. For example, experts say that children are not born as bigots, but that it is a learned behavior. Surely this is also true of generosity. Children who see their parents as givers and are taught to also give have learned a lesson that will last them a lifetime and make them, eventually, better citizens. Every child has something to give, even if it is just a penny or a dollar. It is a simple act that teaches them compassion and gratitude.

Kristen:Are there ways for people to help your cause if they are not in a position to give money?

Cathy Lanyard:Yes! People can give of their time and leadership talents and help organize MITZVAH OF LOVE events in their communities. MITZVAH OF LOVE projects – Hebrew for good deed or act of human kindness – are easy, fun and customizable ways for groups of 1 to infinity to raise much needed funds to support ALYN Hospital. Because ALYN is in Israel and not here in the U.S. it is not conducive to visits nor is it easy to send handmade gifts, so the children do need the money. But someone who really wants to get involved and does not have money to give can help us organize the actual fundraising events.

In fact, the first annual NATIONAL MITZVAH OF LOVE DAY will be held on November 9th, 2008. ALYN is encouraging youth across the country to celebrate this national holiday by putting their optimistic attitudes to good use and participating in an altruistic activity of their choice. Popular activities include SKATE for LOVE, CYCLE for LOVE, DANCE for LOVE and SWIM for LOVE. All contributions raised from the nationwide mitzvahs will be donated to ALYN Hospital and utilized for improving the quality of life of the pediatric patients. Organizing an event for NATIONAL MITZVAH OF LOVE DAY is a great way for people to become involved, especially if they are not in a position to give money.

Kristen: What was the most important thing you learned as a child?

Cathy Lanyard:When I was a child I wasn’t really aware of what I was learning. But when I had my own children it was easy to know what I wanted them to learn: the power of unconditional love, the confidence to make mistakes, the empowerment of self confidence and the grace to accept who they are and who they aren’t.

Kristen: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Cathy Lanyard:The timing of my answering these questions is probably historical: the first woman who almost ran for President, a female Vice Presidential candidate, a bill before the Senate demanding equal pay for women – so much progress and yet still so far to go. I’ve tried to show my daughter (and my son) that anything is possible but nothing will just come to your doorstep. The primary rule of fundraising (the business I am in!!) is also the primary rule for anyone (women and men) who want to advance: never be afraid to ask. The only way the answer is always NO is if you do not ask.

For more information about ALYN, visit the hospital website. To support The American Friends of ALYN, visit the foundation website.

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

Tags: womens business blog, biz chicks rule, kristen king, cathy lanyard, female executive, executive director, friends of ALYN, ALYN Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel

Post from: EveryJoe

Interview With Award-Winning Non-Profit Executive Cathy Lanyard

About the Biz Chick

Leslie Haywood’s first introduction to Breast Cancer was in 1988 when she and her sisters were sat down for "the talk." Her mother was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, and at the time, it was a little more than her 16-year-old brain could comprehend. Says Leslie, "I knew it was serious and that over the next few years, my mom would be in a fight for her life but it was only after my own diagnosis 18 years later, that I began to understand just how dire the situation had been."

Her mother is now almost 20 years cancer free, Leslie says, "But with both my mom and I being stricken with this disease on our thirties, and my daughters now being 5 and 3, I’m sure you can see why I feel a sense of urgency to help find a cure.

About the Product

Says Leslie, "Grill Charms are similar in concept to the wine charm but for your grilled foods. They are dime-sized solid stainless steel charms that are placed in your food BEFORE grilling. The stems are serrated to hold securely while flipping, moving and grilling like you normally do. You Grill Charm your food prior to cooking to distinguish spices and flavors, steak temperatures, or to avoid health or allergy issues. They stay in the entire time, so when dinner comes off the grill, you look for your Grill Charm, and everyone knows which one is theirs."

This month, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Leslie launched The Pink Collection. A full 10% of proceeds from sales of The Pink Collection will go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation to help fund breast cancer research and find a cure.

Visit the Grill Charms website to order your own Pink Collection Grill Charms! And leave your comments here to encourage Leslie.

Don’t forget to enter to win an Epson WorkForce 600 All-in-One Color Inkjet Printer!

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

(images courtesy of Leslie Haywood)

Tags: womens business blog, breast cancer survivor, breast cancer awareness month, products for breast cancer awareness, pink products, grill charms, leslie haywood, pink collection, biz chicks rule, kristen king

Post from: EveryJoe

BCR Leading Ladies: Breast Cancer Survivor Creates Grilling Accessory That Raises Awareness — And Money!

Kristen @ BCR: Tell me about your company and the Kush product. When was the company founded? How long did it take you to get rolling?

Cathinka @ Kush: Kush Support is a sleep accessory that supports the weight of a woman’s breasts while she sleeps on her side. Kush Support is an outstanding product for any woman with breast implants as it helps alleviate the lower neck/upper back pain they have when they wake up. It’s also a great product for women with natural breasts Cup size C or larger (also if you’re pregnant or nursing). Kush Co. is partnered with Lamaze International as of December 2008 which we’re very proud of. Kush Co. was founded in early 2003. The process of coming up with the idea and moving forward with availability of product was about 2 years and beginning of 2008 the product became available. A few weeks ago we were invited to participate in the Emmy Award Gift Bags which we did. We sent product and coupons to the celebs with breast implants.

Kristen @ BCR: What prompted you to start Kush Co.?

Cathinka @ Kush: Kush Support was created out of necessity. I woke up with wrinkles in the cleavage area and it took my husband and myself a few days to figure out where it came from. It was a mystery until the lightbulb went off in my head and realized it’s from sleeping on my side and my breasts laying on top of each other. I looked in the market and there were only restrictive products available such as bras and I knew there could be a better solution. This whole process is challenging yet exciting!

Kristen @ BCR: How was it starting up a new company on your own?

Cathinka @ Kush: Starting up the business was easy. My husband is a trial lawyer and gives great advice plus we hired really great people along the way to assist us. I did have business experience prior. Engineers were hired to create many prototypes for testing and met with a plastic surgeon to assist with the design. We hired a patent lawyer to apply for the patent and trademarks. Two marketing companies were hired to help get the product out there and educate the consumer, [and a] website was created.

Kristen @ BCR: You have a, shall we say, unique product. What’s the weirdest feedback you’ve gotten?

Cathinka @ Kush: Many women tell us that their partner or husband is intrigued by the product and it sparks interest in the bedroom.

Kristen @ BCR: What’s a typical day like for you?

Cathinka @ Kush: Wide open – Wake up at 6:30 – 7:00AM and hit the ground running until at minimum 7:00 PM. Quite frequently I’m still working at 9:00 or 10:00 PM. Service is an important part of our business so we spend a lot of time taking care of any and all requests. Marketing and PR meetings are frequent. Weekly podcasts, blogging, attending tradeshows, meeting with buyers, working with European contacts as distributors, daily office meetings, visits to the warehouse etc… is all part of my weekly routine.

Kristen @ BCR: What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started? What kind of mistakes did you make and how did you move forward?

Cathinka @ Kush: The length of time to get manufacturing molds created. We were under the impression it would take 45-60 days yet it took almost 150 days. We did choose to work with USA manufacturers (they’re terrific) which we’re proud of. [As to mistakes,] Jim and I created the original logo and tagline for Kush Support. We quickly realized we needed a professional marketing company to rcreate the look and everything that goes with it. They did a great job and kept some of our ideas and added many new ones.

Kristen @ BCR: What advice do you have for other women who want to do their own thing?

Cathinka @ Kush: If you believe enough in what you want to do and have this undivided urge to move forward with an idea, pursue it! Take it at the pace you’re comfortable with but stick with it. We can create anything we want in this world, we live in a fantastic place.

Check out Cathinka’s Kush Support, and enter to win your own Kush (deadline: Thursday, October 16, 11:59 p.m. ET).

Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King

(image courtesy of Kush)

Tags: womens business blog, women CEOs, interview, Q&A, cathinka chandler, kush, supports like a dream, breast, boob, support, womens health, beauty, biz chicks rule, kristen king

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BCR Leading Ladies: Interview With Cathinka Chandler, Inventor of Kush Support