Mommy Monday:: Blooming Bods

Blooming Bods was founded in 2009 by Claudia Fileto and offers only the very best quality and functional products for maternity, baby, and child. According to Fileto, all of the company’s products are parent chosen and endorsed as an effort to save parents time and money.

One of the challenges that all mom business owners face is balancing work and family. “This is something that is constantly a challenge,” said Fileto. “I do my best to set schedules for the business and family time.”

However, flexibility plays a role, too. “I have learned to be flexible and to not be too hard on myself,” Fileto added. “I understand that life happens.”

Like many business owners, Fileto agrees that you must be passionate about what you do. “Always do what you are most passionate about, it will be more rewarding for you as a person as well as your business,” she said. “Never lose focus on the big picture of why you are doing what you are doing.”

In addition to their website, Blooming Bods can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Mommy Monday:: Casart Coverings Creates, Rolls and Slipcovers at the Same Time

Casart Coverings, llc launched in January 2009, right at the height of the economic downturn and are proud to say that they have survived and are growing!

Ashley Spencer, senior partner along with her sister, Lindsey Wood and her mother, Lorre Lei Jackson launched the female-run, family-owned eCommerce business in an attempt to revolutionize the idea of traditional wallpaper.

“We offer Casart® = art for your home, which are originally hand-painted decorative finishes and murals that have been printed onto wall coverings that are repositionable, removable and even reusable – slipcovers for your walls!” said Spencer.

All designs can be customized to personal color choices and a variety of sizes; you can even upload your own photo or image. “This is perfect for a child’s room that is ever changing or a birthday party theme,” added Spencer. In addition, there is no messy paste or fear of commitment. Coverings can be easily cleaned and removed, stored and reused. They are made of a high-grade vinyl that will withstand the test of time.

Spencer has two older children, in college and graduating from high school. Wood serves as the company’s marketing coordinator and is also the mother of two small children. Spencer said the family is still learning how to balance the company with their family. “A lot of work goes into the creative and administrative side of operating, managing, and marketing a fairly new business, particularly in tough economic times,” she said. The company has hired some interns to lighten the work load and conduct a lot of business via e-mail and Skype. “We try to not let work intrude on our weekends, reserving this primarily for important family time,” Spencer said.

Spencer is not new to the entrepreneurial world. She has owned her own illustration business since 1988 and has been doing decorative painting since 1995. She suggests going into business with partners, if you can. “I never could have managed Casart coverings alone,” she said.

Because of her experience as a business owner, she has a lot of good advice for new and aspiring entrepreneurs. “Operating a business will take more time than you think. It will take a lot of work and persistence. Do your research from start up costs to logistics and production, etc. Formulate a business, marketing and organizational plan in the process and learn as much as you can about your industry,” Spencer said.

“Learn to maintain equanimity and a positive attitude. Be tenacious, persevere, and follow your dream,” she concluded.

Casart coverings can be found online, on their blog, on facebook, on twitter and on LinkedIn. Check them out today!

Mommy Monday:: ZoBella

Jen Boog is the owner ZoBella Designs, a relatively new business that was started in August of last year. Boog encourages others to visit ZoBella and “Decorate Your Personality!”

ZoBella’s products include can koozies, wine bottle covers as well as an assortment of little girl hair accessories. The can koozie's are decorated with fabric, ribbon, faux fur, faux rhinestones, etc. The products add a little glitz and glam to your canned beverage!

These can also be custom ordered for a bachelorette party, tailgating, birthday party, or whatever your next big celebration may be.

The wine bottle covers are just a fun way to add a little personality to a bottle of wine when you are entertaining or just enjoying the wine at home by yourself. These also make great hostess gifts. The wine bottle covers are a fun way to decorate a bland, everyday bottle of wine.

She also makes hair accessories. “I started making girls hair accessories because I was having a really hard time finding cute barrettes that would stay in my girls' hair,” Boog said.

Boog shares many mom entrepreneurs’ sentiment when she said she faces challenges. “I think that it is very challenging trying to balance family life as well as trying to get my business up and running,” she said. “It is very hard to find time during the day to devote my energy and time to my passion. I will steal a few minutes here and there throughout the day and quickly try to get a barrette done or something like that. I enjoy making crafts and being creative so it is definitely something that I love and am very passionate about.”

She said that she has a small table for her girls set up beside her work table so that they can color and play, while still being close to mom. Her girls are ages 4 and 2, so they of course require a lot of mommy’s attention during the day. “I’m not able to spend as much time and energy on my business as I would like to, but that’s ok,” she said. “Some days I just get more done than others and I am fine with that!”

Although she knows it is hard sometimes, she encourages other aspiring entrepreneurs not to give up. “If you can dream it, you can do it,” she concluded.

Mommy Monday:: My Embroidered Gifts

Debra Killen has been doing embroidery for friends and family for nearly ten years. After she realized how much she enjoyed it, she started her own business in 2002.

MyEmbroideredGifts.com features personalized gifts and custom embroidery. They specialize in quality baby gifts that make wonderful keepsakes.

Like most mom entrepreneurs, Killen admits that balancing family and business is usually a tightrope walk. She teaches school during the day, which makes it even more difficult. “I try to come straight home and work for a few hours before dinner,” she said. She then takes a break, has dinner and spends time with her family until her son’s bedtime. “If I need to work more, I go back to my sewing room and work after he goes to bed.” She also said that she does work on Saturdays when she needs to catch up.

Killen said she really loves what she does and encourages other aspiring mom entrepreneurs to find something they truly love as well. As she was growing up, her mom and grandmothers were teaching her to sew. “My mom bought an embroidery machine and introduced me to machine imbroidery,” Killen said.

“I also have a minor in computer science so I love combining embroidery with running a website,” she said. Killen also recommends reading things written by other mom entprereneurs and doing all you can to learn from them. “I am always looking for things written by other moms to see what they are doing that works.”

Lastly, she said, “be confident!” Confidence is definiltely a recurring theme for successful mom business owners. My Embroidered Gifts can be found on Twitter too!

Mommy Monday:: Lady Umbrella

About 18 months ago, Elena Montes Casado started designing t-shirts for her new business. On January 20, her vision became a reality and Lady Umbrella launched.

Currently, Lady Umbrella offers designer t-shirts for ladies. “But, we are hoping to expand into different types of clothing and have a few more ideas up our sleeves for future products,” said Casado.

Balance between family and business is always difficult, especially in the beginning stages. According to Casado, it’s hard because the days can be extremely long and there are no defined work hours when you are running your own business. “It can result in an imbalance,” she said. “That is actually one of the things we are trying to address now as it has recently become apparent that we work too much.”

Casado believes it’s important to be passionate and believe in your product or service. “This belief will drive you on and motivate you when times are tough and will help you focus on the end goal,” she said. She added that starting a business is a lot of hard work, and if you aren’t passionate it’s possible to lose interest.

Lady Umbrella can be found on their blog, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube.

Mommy Monday:: Tapping Heals

Have you ever wanted to reduce the amount of pain and stress in your life? Who hasn’t? Cindy Selvaggio is the owner and founder of Tapping Heals – “Calming Your Inner Storm.” She launched her business in 2008.

According to Selvaggio, she teaches people how to use a simple technique called tapping, to reduce and eliminate negative feeling and emotions, resulting in calmness, peacefulness and a renewed sense of hope. “This technique involves tapping on specific acupressure points on the head and torso that clears the blockages in the body’s energy system which results in a major reduction of pain, stress and or toxic emotions,” she said. “It can be done in minutes and the results are usually permanent.”

Selvaggio works a full-time job at a local hospital, so she generally works with her “tapping” clients in the evenings and on weekends. She feels as though she balances those two responsibilities and her family well. “I set clear goals each day and set aside time for myself, my family and my business that I feel works very well. If at anytime I begin to feel overwhelmed, I use tapping to reduce the anxiety which helps me gain perspective and restores clarity as it relates to my priorities for that day,” she added.

Her advice to other entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners is simple. “Stay true to yourself and never let anyone steal your dreams,” she said. “If you have a passion for something and it makes you feel good, gives you a sense of hope and leaves you feeling energized, then you are in alignment with where you need to be at this point in your life. Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.”

Selvaggio also complimented online networking. “Market Mommy is a great resource for networking and establishing relationships that may lead to very successful business ventures,” she said. “Continuously mastermind with other entrepreneurs like yourself as it raises your energy level and you will attract opportunities that you could have never imagined.”

In addition to the main website, Tapping Heals can also be found on Facebook. Watch the sites for details on upcoming telseminars in April in May. Selvaggio said she is planning to start monthly teleseminars to teach tapping techniques.

She is also working with two other successful women on a FREE four week teleseminar series that will begin in May. Topics will include:

· “The writings on your wall and how they are holding you back from your dreams”
· “Giving yourself permission to _____ (fail, succeed, etc)”
· “Face the Fear, Launch your Project, and Reap the Rewards”
· We will be featuring a guest speaker on this last call

“I would love to have you join us so we can learn and grow together!” she said.

Mommy Monday:: Invitation Jane

Stacie Abrahams and her sister Jodie Nahum are the creators and owners of Invitation Jane.

The online boutique offers a wide variety of custom invitations, stationery products and lots of fun and useful personalized gifts for kids and adults. They target mostly moms who are on the lookout for hip and trendy products for their young children and of course, themselves!

According to Abrahams, a love for "boutique-y" type products is their passion. “We love things that are full of bold colors and cool patterns. We adore anything personalized and things that are new and fresh, trendy and fun, sophisticated and classy,” she said.

Together, the two of them have five children ranging from ages 3 to 10 years old. “Like many other women these days, we both felt compelled to leave our corporate careers to become stay at home moms, and that's when our entrepreneurial spirits kicked in!” said Abrahams. Invitation Jane officially launched on Nov. 18, 2008.

The pair prides themselves on the efficient system they’ve developed to run their business. “As sisters and business partners, we have learned to really lean on each other,” Abrahams said. “We've developed a system that really works by splitting the responsibilities down the middle, each taking on functions that seems most natural,” she added. “This has really allowed for us both to strike a balance between our family and running our business. We do have two very supportive husbands who believe in what we are doing, and love that WE love what we do!”

Like many others, Abrahams and Nahum say it’s important to pick a business that you are passionate about. “It will make you want to succeed that much more,” they said. “Take things one day at a time, prioritize, write things down and cross them off your list as they get done. Know that what you are putting your heart and soul into is day by day, creating a better life for you and your family,” Abrahams added.

Invitation Jane has generously offered a discount of 15% to all Market Mommy readers! Please enter code MM15 in promotional code box at checkout. Invitation Jane also has a newly established Facebook fan page, check it out here!

Mommy Monday:: The Plaid Pig

Are you looking for personalized gifts and stationary? The Plaid Pig offers something for all ages and occasions. According to owner Lisa Kinzel, “from baby showers to housewarming gifts, to the ever-important thank you note, we have you covered!”

The Plaid Pig is relatively new and officially launched in August of last year. Many mom business owners struggle when attempting to balance family with business. Kinzel said she relies heavily on her large wall calendar to keep her organized and on track. “It keeps the whole family in order! It’s like “big brother!”, she said.

Like many other mom entrepreneurs, she said it’s important to do what you love and follow your passion. One her favorite quotes is from Norman Vincent Peale, “Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do.”

Feel free to visit The Plaid Pig and see what they have to offer!

Mommy Monday is a regular feature on Market Mommy:: The Blog. Do you know a mom entrepreneur who should be featured here? E-mail Dawn and put Mommy Monday in the subject line!

Mommy Monday:: Kathleen Cuneo, Ph.D.

Kathleen Cuneo, Ph.D., is a psychologist and parent coach. She also operates Dinner Together, LLC, which focuses on helping families have more frequent, successful family meals and deal with the challenges of picky eaters. Dinner Together was launched in 2008.

Cuneo has been working as a psychologist with children and families for over two decades and last year began offering parent coaching services. She offers her services to parents of young children to help them gain greater self-understanding and to understand and effectively communicate with their children. “My goal is to empower parents to find confidence in their parenting and to develop strong connections with their children,” she said.

A mother herself, Cuneo has three children ages 8-12. As most mom entrepreneurs would say, she said that the amount of energy and time she’s’ devoted to her work over the years has varied according to her family’s development. “I recently came across a Zen quote that really resonated with me: “The center is not always the point of balance.” For me, finding balance is a constantly evolving and shifting enterprise,” she said.

According to Cuneo, structure is important, but so is being flexible and adaptable. “Life goes best for me when I can really be present and attentive to the moment, whether that is with work or with family,” she added.

Cuneo is offering a free teleseminar this week with MomsEmpoweringMoms.org, on Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. EST. “The 3 Keys of Empowered Parenting: How to Raise Self-Confident, Compassionate Children” is the topic. For more information, click here.



Mommy Monday is a regular feature on Market Mommy:: The Blog. Do you know a mom entrepreneur who should be featured here? E-mail Dawn and put Mommy Monday in the subject line!

Mommy Monday:: Lil' Sugarplum

Today’s Mommy Monday segment features Monique from Lil’ Sugarplum. Monique operales her online business while being a stay at home mom. The site features handmade baby, toddler and girls hair clips and has been open since May 2006.

According to Monique, she finds balance by only operating her business part time. “I only let it grow so much because I don’t want it interfering with my family life,” she said. When her children are asleep or in school is when she carves out time to work.

Monique really enjoys what she does, and she said that is important. “If you’re looking to start your own business, make sure you find something that you are passionate about. If you find something that you are mildly interested in, you won’t want to stick with it. When you’re passionate, it doesn’t feel like work,” she added.

First time customers can get a free $8 hair clip of their choice when they spend $25. Just leave a note at checkout, do not add to the cart. This offer expires on March 15.

Mommy Monday is a regular feature on Market Mommy:: The Blog. Do you know a mom entrepreneur who should be featured here? E-mail Dawn and put Mommy Monday in the subject line!

Mommy Monday:: Happy and Healthy Mom

Heather Lopez started Happy and Healthy Mom last year because she wanted to focus on the health and well-being of new moms and mommies to be. Happy and Healthy Mom.com has a dual purpose.

First, it offers an e-zine and social network focusing on the health, nutrition, fitness and happiness of new moms and mommies to be. The site is completely focused on the woman, rather than happy in hopes of empowering mothers to take care of themselves without guilt. They also offer nationwide pampering events for women.

Second, the site seeks to empower mom entrepreneurs by offering them an opportunity to advertise their products and services to women without being crowded out by baby products. Happy and Healthy Mom offers a blog, grant for mom entrepreneurs and vendor space to mom business owners at their events.

According to Lopez, it’s very hard at times to balance family and work. “I try to make time for me, time for my kids and time for my husband to make sure that things don’t become overwhelming,” she said. She even blogged about it recently, you can read her post here.

Happy and Healthy Mom was started soon after her children developed RSV and pneumonia. She had already begun work on the site and decided she did not want them returning to daycare. She launched her site from her son’s hospital room.

Lopez’s site revolves around helping moms take care of themselves, and this, she said, is especially true for mom business owners. “Sometimes with being a business owner and a mom, we feel like a slave to several masters. We need to make sure we take care of ourselves, if we want to be successful in taking care of others,” she said.

Be sure to visit Happy and Healthy Mom and see what Lopez has to offer. If you purchase Luz Selenia handmade, one of a kind jewelry in her marketplace area, you can forward Lopez your receipt and get a free gift with your purchase. Be sure to mention Market Mommy in your e-mail!

Mommy Monday is a regular feature on Market Mommy:: The Blog. Do you know a mom entrepreneur who should be featured here? E-mail Dawn and put Mommy Monday in the subject line!

Mommy Monday:: Mumoocie

Mumoocie. The company's name itself is intriguing, who wouldn't want to learn more about it? It's prounounced "mum-oo-see" and the product is a luxury talking pillow perfect for children who are scared to sleep alone or adults who like/need to sleep in a spooning position.

Leigh Woods invented and patented this co-sleeping body pillow in 2007 after her own daughter was afraid of the dark and scared to sleep alone. According to Woods, Mumoocie eases separation anxiety because it simulates a loved one laying beside you. It has a unique shape, retains heat/scent and includes a voice recorder so the child can hear their loved one.

Woods works out of an office in her home and finds it relatively easy to balance her business with her family because of their support. "It is not only my dream but my family's dream also. My children use my product and love it as well as believe in it," she said.

She also said that working at home is how she finds perfect balance. "Since my office is in my home, I am able to contribute to the school functions and activities that my children are involved in. I find the balance of both is perfect."

Starting a company is rarely easy, but Woods said it's easier if you are working with a product you are passionate about. From her time as a business owner she has developed advice she likes to share with others.

• Have a strong business plan in place
• Be aware of competitors
• Accept that there may be a time period without income
• Listen and ask advice from other successful buisness owners
• Utilize free networking sites
• Investigate the companies you work with to avoid costly errors

You can learn more about Mumoocie by visiting their website. Need a Mumoocie?? You can save 25% on your order when you use coupon code marketmommy!

Mommy Monday is a regular feature on Market Mommy:: The Blog. Do you know a mom entrepreneur who should be featured here? E-mail Dawn and put Mommy Monday in the subject line!

Mommy Mondays

Are you a mom business owner? Would you like to be featured, here on Market Mommy:: The Blog? A favorite feature here on the blog is our Mommy Mondays where we interview a fellow mom entrepreneur, share her story and learn from her advice.

I know everyone is extremely busy {me included}, but I just wanted to remind you all that this opportunity existed. If you are interested, e-mail me with "Mommy Monday" in the subject line and we'll get you on the schedule!

Have a great week!

Mommy Monday:: Life Changing Water Systems

Sisters Joy Paulson and Cynthia Mariner are proud to bring Life Changing Water Systems to customers in southern California. The direct sales business was founded in Japan 34 years ago and introduced to the U.S. in 2003.

The company is in the health and wellness industry and sells a Japanese, ISO certified medical device that splits water into two parts; one being acid and one being alkaline. The alkaline water is able to heal and repair your body when you drink it because it is changed from bulk water that cannot penetrate and hydrate your cells, to water that is microclustered and can penetrate your cells to remove toxins that can make your body ill.

According to Paulson, the company has been successful because it puts people’s health first. “The kind of water we consume is critical to our well being,” she said. “We are successful because we provide a healthy and safe method for helping people heal and we take much joy and are constantly rewarded by the physical changes we see take place when people drink this water,” she added. The company has worked with people who suffer from diabetes, cancer, arthritis, chrons disease, acid reflux, high blood pressure, autism, ADHD, allergies and other ailments.

Because it is a home based business, the sisters are able to weave it into their daily lives and work around their home schedules. Paulson said it is possible to have a healthy mix of both worlds, career and family. “It's important to follow your dreams, use your creative minds, be your own boss and set your own schedule,” she added.

Paulson, like so many others, agrees that being a mom business owner is not always easy. “It can be a challenge sometimes, but never give up if what you are doing is something you can believe in and be proud of at the end of the day,” she said.

If you are in the Orange County, southern California area and would like to try some water from Life Changing Water Systems for two week period for free, contact Paulson at 714.962.4693, or Mariner at 714.965.7586 for more information. You can visit their website http://www.lifechangingh2o4u.com/

Mommy Monday:: Isabella Oliver

When IsabellaOiver.com launched in October 2003 {yes, just six years ago this month} it was a small operation with the three co-founders working in the front rooms of their homes. Now, Baukjen de Swaan Arons, Vanessa Knox-Brien and Geoff van Sonsbeeck are owners of a large, successful online apparel business. The company has experienced double digit growth year after year.

According to the founders, the company’s biggest accomplishments are creating a brand and collection that is loved by pregnant women around the world, launching this Isabella Oliver 365 collection in the competitive arena of womenswear and winning the Drapers Etailer of the year award. The say their biggest accomplishment, however, is being able to grow organically without outside investors and retain 100 percent ownership.

According to Baukjen, it is sometimes tricky to balance family and business. However, she said, “We all have our children as the first priority in life and so whenever there is a conflict, we support one another in being able to step away and be with our family.” She added, “We have a good support network in our private lives and that really helps when we need to travel or a busy week is coming up.”

Knox-Brien agreed. “I have a strong partnership with my husband and we are basically a tag team since we both have busy schedules and the kids have busy schedules. We make time that is family time and we protect that strongly.”

The pair of mom-entrepreneurs encourage other like-minded moms to be organized and have a strong support system behind them. However, they also caution that when starting out long, unpaid hours are often required.

Creating and building a business is not easy. According to the founders of Isabella Oliver, you can easily feel like you are failing at the business and with raising your family, when in fact you are doing the best you can. “Be clear on your priorities and be kind to yourself, like a best friend would,” they said.

Mommy Monday is a regular feature on Market Mommy:: The Blog. If you know a great mom business owner that should be featured here, contact Dawn at info@marketmommy.com and put Mommy Monday in the subject line!

Mommy Monday:: Board Book Albums

Laura Miranti, CPA is the owner and founder of Board Book Albums, LLC. She officially formed her business in April 2008 after discovering first-hand the need for a board book photo album for small children.

When her daughter was only 1 year old, it became evident that she was behind other children her age developmentally. A therapist recommended making her a photo album full of photos of family, toys and other familiar objects. Her daughter, Lucia, immediately tore up the album she had put together and Laura began searching for a kid friendly album.

Soon, she had the idea to create and album with a sturdier, board book design and after trying to create it herself, was on the hunt for a manufacturer that could help her make her vision a reality. It wasn’t long before she had a prototype that she was completely excited about.

“I am so excited about having my own business!” Laura said. Over the past couple of years, she has put every one of her spare moments toward creating her business and her company. “Starting my own business has taught me that I can do anything that I set my mind to, even if it seems like a daunting task at the beginning,” she said.

While Laura admits that it is easy to get overwhelmed, it’s important to focus on the small victories and accomplishments along the way. She is married and has three children, Slone 12, Marren 9, Lucia 3 and a baby girl due in November.

“Family has always been my first priority,” she said. She also emphasized the importance of multi-tasking. “You have to be organized and use your free time for the business.”

Laura said that she hopes many children will enjoy her products, including children with autism, speech delay or other special needs. More about Board Book Albums can be found here and you can purchase albums here.

Mommy Monday is a regular feature on Market Mommy:: The Blog. If you know a great mom business owner that should be featured here, contact Dawn at info@marketmommy.com and put Mommy Monday in the subject line!

Mommy Monday:: Living my MoMent

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming …….

Are you looking for another way to network and promote your business? Silly question, I know, aren’t we all? I recently came across Abbey at Living My MoMent and I think you should check the site out as well! Abbey is the mother of one toddler and is expecting her second child the first week of December.

Living My MoMent started earlier this spring and is already growing by leaps and bounds! The site’s name has two meanings. The first one is living in the moment and not focusing too much on what the future will hold. Living your life day to day and cherishing the moments you have with your children right now. The other meaning is how important it is to stress the MoM part of the word MoMent because that is what the site is all about; helping other MoMs out and being their support system.

The site is geared towards MoMs and their most popular advertising option is the FREE one for MoMbusinesses and MoMblogs. The site features your logo, a write up about your company and products and mentions of special promotions or other networking sites you belong to. The website also provides MoMgiveaways, MoMreviews (of products), a listing of MoMblogs and other great MoMadvertising Options.

According to Abbey, she loves running Living my MoMent because it allows her to be able to do something that she is passionate about and she gets the opportunity to stay home with her children and raise them. “ The flexibility is great because I can work pretty much whenever I want and the only person I have to answer to is myself. The other thing that I love is being able to connect with other MoMs and see what they are doing to be able to stay at home with their children,” she said.

Like a lot of moms, Abbey gets the majority of her work done while her daughter is asleep. However, she said she always protects her weekends as family time. “I make sure that Saturdays and Sundays are family days and resting days. I love what I do and I have learned from past jobs that you can’t focus completely on your business because then you will get burned out. Having a weekend off can refuel me for the upcoming week,” she said.

“ My word of advice is to love your business because the hard times will come and go but if you continue loving what you do then it will all be worth it in the end,” Abbey concluded.

Mommy Monday:: The Work at Home Woman

The Work at Home Woman is an essential for any mom wanting to work from home or become self-employed. It is a strong asset because it was started by a fellow work-at-home mom who aims to share the knowledge she’s acquired while working from home herself.

The Work at Home Woman is an online business resource and blog for women and moms who wish to work from home or become self-employed. They cover everything from finding your perfect niche, to blogging, social networking, home business financing, marketing, work at home scams and small business information. Their mission is to help women and moms acquire the knowledge and skills to be able to successfully work from home or to become self-employed while providing support, inspiration and motivation.

Since December 2007, Holly has been researching and writing content for The Work at Home Woman, which officially launched in March of this year. After the birth of her daughter, two-and-a-half years ago, she started networking with past employers and looking for work she could do from home while caring for her daughter.

Her efforts have paid off and soon she started working from home by completing marketing research, establishing joint ventures and working as a social network liaison for a small publishing company. Now, she is motivated to help other women and mothers find legitimate work at home ideas and opportunities.

As with many other work from home moms, Holly finds organization to be a crucial key. “I create a daily schedule; a monthly media schedule and a daily to-do list so that I can keep on top of all my daily tasks,” she said. She also tries to optimize work time while her daughter naps and is sure to turn off her computer at 5 p.m. to focus on her family.

In addition to networking, Holly encourages other women not to give up on their desire to work from home. “If you really want something you will need to work very hard and believe in yourself, but in the end it will payoff,” she said.

Mommy Monday:: Janis @ The Dinner Spin

Janis has always been an entrepreneur at heart. As a child, she sold used fireworks on July 5. Since the first dollar she earned, she knew she wanted to own her own business. And, on her first Monday morning commute after the birth of her second child, the inspiration for The Dinner Spin struck her.

“All of my passions combined in this one idea to provide simple recipes and help busy cooks stay organized enough to provide a delicious, nutritious meal every night of the week with minimal effort,” she said.

The Dinner Spin’s mission is to make meal preparation easier by providing simple, online tools. “Our goal is to inspire healthy habits when it comes to planning, shopping, cooking, eating and budgeting,” Janis said.

She has two small children, and like every mom business owner she finds balancing everything a big challenging at times. One thing that really helps her is structuring her day. “Clearly defining work days and hours is hard,” Janis said. “But, making sure you draw that line is important.

The Dinner Spin is free, and easy to use. And, according to Janis, it offers healthy ideas that are easy to implement. Subscribers receive a weekly menu with healthy entree recipes, a grocery list and a game plan to help pull it all together, plus a weekly blog provides more fun food ideas.

Typically, the blog recipes are built around a theme. For example a recent recipe include how to care for, hw to ripen and most importantly, how to use tomatoes. Each week there are new ideas that keep readers coming back!

Janis said she loves being a work-at-home-mom and really enjoys the flexibility. “Being able to drop everything for an impromptu picnic or morning at a nature center is worth more than any benefit package a big company could offer,” she said.

Mommy Monday:: Stacey Kannenberg

How to build a successful business and brand on a shoestring budget is something all mom entrepreneurs wish they could figure out. Stacey Kannenberg was able to accomplish just that.

She left corporate America to be a stay-at-home mom with the idea of starting her own home business. After being inspired by the Oprah Show, Kannenberg said he had her ‘aha moment.’ She has now sold 60,000 copies of her self-published book line, broke into the school market and garnered over 700 mom blog reviews.

As an author, publisher, consultant, blogger, speaker, motivator, keynote, spokesmom and Mom CEO, Kannenberg now runs four companies from home, while balancing her family schedule as well. Her books include: Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!, The Spanish/English Edition iA Prepararse Para Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade! They are used inside homes, preschools, head start programs, libraries and inside over 400 school districts, nationwide.

In addition to being an author and presenter, Kannenberg also blogs. She has created a national platform “Get Ready To Learn Mom” and her blog features “Let’s Get Ready” topics on education, parenting, product and book reviews, publishing and Mom Entrepreneurship.

She also does consulting work on the side to help support her publishing business. Kannenberg definitely suggests social networking as a key marketing tool. She is active on more than 40 networking sites. She has been on hundreds of radio shows, featured in over 30 magazines, 25 newspapers and over 30 television segments.

Her books can be found here, and her blogs can be found here and here.