What business did you start up?

I started Calm the Crazy, LLC, a company that develops products that make life with kids easier…because more ease means more fun. We also believe that your life – your style, your attitude, who you are – shouldn’t stop simply because you have kids. So, we create products that are easy, smart, stylish and durable for moms (and dads!) by moms.  We are incredibly proud and excited about our first product – the Kikou: a unique and fashionable cover-up to protect your clothing from life’s little messes (a.k.a. spit-up, drool, snot). And it’s a great nursing cover, too!

What motivated you to do it?

My kids. I am fueled by my desire to both do something that allows me to spend more time with my family and sets a good example for them by following my dreams and doing something I’m passionate about. They have also inspired many of the products we’ve developed and are developing.

How many children do you have, and how old are they?

I have 2 beautiful girls–a 5 year-old and 3.5-year-old.  Both are full of life!

How long have you been running your business?

Almost a year now…but we’ve just launched our first product in the last month.

How long did it take you to start becoming profitable and/or successful, however you choose to measure success?

Well…I’m not exactly profitable yet.  But in many ways, I feel successful for just taking my business this far.  I’ve had tons of business ideas–from a doggie hotel to a bakery–but this is the first time that I’ve taken my business concept all the way to launch.  And for that alone I would define this effort as a success!

How did your family react to you starting your own business?

They are very proud.  My girls are incredibly aware and excited about the business.  They know that part of the inspiration is for me to see more of them, so they are very supportive!  My husband is the backbone to the entire operation. I could never have gotten this far without both his encouragement and support.

Easiest part of your job?

Idea generation.

Hardest part of your job?

Turning the ideas into reality.

What skill would you most like to improve?

Media relations…when does persistence turn into annoyance??

What tools or advice do you wish you knew then that you know now?

It always takes longer than you think, so plan for that.

What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?

Actually producing the first product. There’s no better feeling than seeing your vision turn into a reality.  It takes hard work and persistence…and sometimes you think it’s never going to happen.  But not giving up and seeing it happen–that is priceless.

Favorite part of a typical day?

When I come home from my “day” job.  My kids greet me at the door every day like they haven’t seen me for months.  It’s fantastic.

And a few more questions, considering that American Express should be featuring more momtrepreneurs…

Childhood ambition? Be my own boss.

Time of day you get the most work done? Evening after kids go to bed.

Last purchase? Oval Ring Belt from Eddie Bauer.

Favorite book or magazine? Life of Pi

Inspiration? Husband and kiddos.

Least likely to…..eat sushi.

My life…..is crazy…and fun!!

That makes 17 cities and 570 members nationwide at the time of this writing.  This does not include the future members of the D.C. group–Meetup.com hasn’t notified the area yet about this new group. ALL THESE MEMBERS IN UNDER 3 MONTHS (!!).  One more group to go and then it’s time to build these babies.

This is a quick note of thanks to everyone who encouraged me to open up Exchanges in places of need (read: everywhere.)  Without your support I would not have been able to help support others to help others get support, who are supportive in support of support.

It took three weeks of planning around my worst fears to do it.

But I did it.  Ten whole days without the internets.  No surfing.  No emailing.  These were the notes I took on a yellow legal pad in pencil while experiencing the Ultimate Out-Of-Office Experience:

Day 1:  What are you supposed to do in line at the grocery store without a blackberry??

Day 2:  While circling a parking lot waiting for a spot, toddler sighs and remarks, “I don’t have time for this.”  Can’t Twitter it.  Depressing.

Day 3: Unsure of what to do about finding recipe for cherry pie without internet.  Took twenty minutes to realize that I’ve completely overlooked our 20+ cookbook collection.

Day 4: Just realized that not receiving emails on blackberry means not having to recharge it so often.  (Is “it” a metaphor for self?)

Day 5: Massive relief in the fact that I know my kids just as well without work as I do with work.  Haven’t missed a beat.  Doing ok as a working mom?  Check.

Day 6: Got online to make bank transfer–could not avoid.  Husband used my “excuse” to get online to check movie times.  Both asked the question:  is 777-FILM still around?

Day 7: Played lots of piano.  Amazing how much time there is to play the piano without an incoming stream of emails to get to.

Day 8: Found peace with Comcast.

Day 9: Want to poke and pinch and prod and nudge and nestle and cuddle and nuzzle my 6-month old 24/7.  Some things are internet-proof.

Day 10: Prepare for re-entry.  Fear the return.  But much like an addict, take pleasure in the knowledge that it will be painless and give me a rush to get back into the swing of things.

Time away from technology was the best thing that I’ve done in years.  My family enjoyed it so much that we’re going to do it three times a year.  I love me some technology, but to have the courage to step away was that much harder and that much more rewarding.  Life-changing, really.  Highly recommend.

Upon seeing their post, I had to ask the question:  how did Stephen do it?  I looked up the various ways in which Stephen Colbert’s truthiness was officially accepted into the English language.  Turns out that in 2005, The American Dialect Society named it the “Word Of The Year” and a year later, Merriam-Webster followed suit.

What’s a momtrepreneur to do?

First, I entered my own definition into Merriam-Webster’s online “open” dictionary.  Then, I Google-hunted down Grant Barrett, chair of the New Words Committee of the American Dialect Society and contacted him about hooking me up with his peoples to talk definitions.  Mr. Barrett, Emailer Extraordinaire, shot a response right back to me and directed me to the secret place where all suggestions are made.

I can’t tell you anything more about it.  I took an oath and everything.  But when you dot your t’s and cross your eyes today, please use your mind-grapes and really think about all the possibilities of having momtrepreneur in the DICTIONARY!  YEAH!

What business did you start up?

I started a natural snack food company, called Snikiddy.  My mom and I founded Snikiddy in 2006 with a passion for children’s health, Snikiddy produces Snikiddy Snacks® – great tasting, family-friendly snacks.What motivated you to do it?

Having had a successful career in financial sales, I still felt unfulfilled.  I wanted to do more to give back and make an impact.  Having always had a passion for health and particularly children’s health, I felt I could create products that would help to make fellow moms looking for healthy product lives a bit easier.  With Snikiddy, families can feel good about these delicious snacks that everyone loves to eat.

How many children do you have, and how old are they?

Two children: Sunny is age 5, Sadie is 3 1/2.

How long have you been running your business?

Since 2006.

How long did it take you to start becoming profitable and/or successful, however you choose to measure success?

We were so fortunate to have had success immediately.  The Snikiddy products were very well-received from inception.  Within months we had national distribution and since 2006 have grown over 100% each year we have been in business.

How did your family react to you starting your own business?

I feel extremely fortunate to have a family with amazing support.  They are so proud of Snikiddy’s accomplishments and support me each and every day.

Easiest part of your job?

Taking calls from consumers.  To this day I still personally answer each and every consumer call and email.  It is extremely rewarding to hear how Snikiddy has impacted the lives of our consumers.

Hardest part of your job?

It’s all hard but it’s also so rewarding and fun.

What skill would you most like to improve?

Maybe not a skill as much as an attribute and I’m sure everyone on the Snikiddy team would agree that I could use some more patience!

What tools or advice do you wish you knew then that you know now?

I’m almost glad I didn’t have any.  In the advice you usually learn about how hard it is to start a business.  If I had known how hard it was I may not have taken the plunge.

What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?

My family.  There is no question I look at my family each and every day and marvel and how amazing everyone is.  There will never be any accomplishment greater or more rewarding than this.

Favorite part of a typical day?

Brand positioning and marketing has become my focus and favorite part of my work day.  Now that Snikiddy has grown, each individuals’ responsibilities have become more focused.  I now handle all the marketing aspects of Snikiddy and love my new found passion.

And a few more questions, considering that American Express should be featuring more momtrepreneurs…

Childhood ambition? Own my own successful company.

Time of day you get the most work done? Before everyone wakes up in the morning or after everyone goes to bed at night.

Favorite book or magazine? The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Least likely to…..Sky dive.

Click away, my peoples, click away.

It’s free.  It’s informative.  It’s yet another tiny footprint in the giant sands that are the internets.

It’s also the easiest way I could arrange to connect everyone who is a member of The Momtrepreneur Exchange™ anywhere on the planet.  Now, everyone can chat with each other in one location.

Discuss.

Feeling the pressure to ‘do it all’ has become such a cliche. Unfortunately, it’s also the hard reality for momtrepreneurs.  Not only do we have to keep the kids fed, the pets clean, and the house kept, but we also have to keep the phones answered, the  socials networked and the emails checked.

However…if you dare to take a stab at ‘doing it all’ successfully, I’ve collected 3 useful tools to help you accomplish this Herculean feat:

1. Revisit the definition of “all.”

Merriam-Webster defines “all” to be “any whatever.” What does that mean?  I have no idea.  You don’t have to, either.  Go ahead and define “all” however you please.  And really try to abide by your new definition.For example, if you can draft two emails and manage to cook even half a meal for your family in the same day, you have most definitely accomplished “any whatever.”

Recommended use:  Define “any whatever” in any whatever way that you want.  Rinse, repeat.

2. Make a to-do list consisting of 7 items.

Why seven?  Google it.  (Here).  If 48 million results don’t enlighten you, then just accept that seven is a universally acceptable number and a cosmic numerical limit for tasks to fulfill in one day, one week or even one year.  If you can get through grief in only 7 steps, why burden yourself with more things to do in one day?

Recommended use:   1. Write out seven things to do today.  2. Do first thing.  3. Prepare dinner.  4.  Tell children how much you love them.  5. Pick up and put away that thing you keep stepping on.  6.  Go back over list to see what you’ve missed.  7. Pat self on back for doing all other things on list.

3. Launder.

You can skip the figurative and head straight for literally doing it All®.  It takes only a few loads to really feel accomplished.

Recommended use: Kick basket of laundry in direction of washing machine.  Throw clothes into said machine.  Pour the detergent All® over it.

Stop denying it.  You really do need to get work done.  You refuse to succumb to the working woman’s guilt about time spent away from the kids.

To help you stay true to your momtrepreneuriality and stop feeling so badly about “ignoring” your children, here are 3 useful tools:

1. The Boob Tube.

Rana Foroohar and Susan H. Greenberg, two spectacular women, reported in Newsweek that “A 2007 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research on rural India found that within six to seven months of getting cable TV, men and women alike had become more open to the idea of women’s autonomy, and more accepting of female participation in household decision making.”

If this is not proof enough that you should feel great about parking your kids in front of the TV, I don’t how else to convince you of its goodness.  Seriously.  Have them watch more TV.

Recommended Use: When you have to make a phone call-email-cook-clean-type-wash-order-websurf-dial-read-eat, just set your kids up via Netflix-On Demand-Library Rentals-Garage Sale Finds-SwapADVD-SwapTree and turn Sesame Street-Caillou-Doodlebops-The Muppets-Hannah Montana-The Jonas Brothers-The Goonies on.

2. YouTube for Mobile.

This tool is best used on the go.  You can download it onto your cell or just search for YouTube in your mobile’s web browser.  You can be anywhere, at any time, and with enough battery life your kids can continue to be glued to a tiny version of the Boob Tube…making optometrists everywhere very, very grateful.

Recommended use:  At the pediatrician’s office, while trying to hear what medication is being administered to your child, you can’t make out what the doctor is saying because of all the screaming.  What to do?  Whip out your Blackberry/iPhone/Android.  Click on your YouTube app, locate that Justin Bieber video real fast, and press play.   Then look up and ask:  “What?  Only Tylenol?  Not the stuff that knocks her out for 8 hours?”

3. Books.

Remember these?  They fell off the face of the planet somewhere between tablets and magazines.  At least, for a lot of momtrepreneurs who just have no time, they did.  Instead of bringing them back into your crazed lifestyle, introduce them to your children.  Pop-up books, colorful illustrations and even possibly words might entice the kids to focus their energies away from smashing your keyboard and instead to tearing apart a great hardback.

Recommended use:  After the Blackberry’s been destroyed and your phone conversations are distracting your children from staring at Joe Jonas, grab a good book and, boomerang-style, aim for their heads.  (Knocking them out will add a much-needed 5-10 minutes to your workday).

Three Easy Time Management Strategies To Get More Done At Work (And Have More Time For The Rest Of Your Life) with Terri Fry Brukhartz

Wednesday, April 27
1:30 CST/2:30 EST .
It’s free. Really.
RSVP here!

With everything business owners have to do in a day, it’s often difficult to know where to begin.  Do I start with e-mail?  Maybe it’s more important to get that proposal done.  No.  I think I had better go through my e-mail first.  Hmmm…

There are three simple things you can do to have more time in your day and, at the same time, propel your business forward.  Have you thought about learning them?  Sign up here now and you can learn them for free.

In the next teleseminar of The Momtrepreneur Maven Teleseminar Series, business coach Terri Fry Brukhartz will share her own time management secrets in Three Easy Time Management Strategies To Get More Done At Work (And Have More Time For The Rest Of Your Life). The live call will be on Tuesday, April 27 at 1:30 PM CST.

If you want to feel less stressed out and more at ease in your business and your life, you won’t want to miss this.  Just click here for call-in information.  (You will also receive a replay of the call, so you can listen whenever you want.

About Terri: Certified Business Coach, Terri Fry Brukhartz, CPCC, has spent the last 10 years helping service professionals build their businesses and improve their lives. Her business experience ranges from working with Fortune 500 companies to founding her highly successful advertising firm, The Fry Group, Inc. Terri believes in achieving the unimaginable and helps her clients do just that!