Book Bouquet and Saige Nicole's were started independently by two at-home moms who tried to build online businesses and now have one unusual trait in common - success
Kim Shanahan and Wendy Navarro are two "regular" women who came up with their own independent online business ideas and actually made them make money. What they did to get where they are make interesting lessons for us all.
LOS ANGELES, CA, November 04, 2010
Lots of women, particularly stay-at-home moms, harbor dreams of starting an online business and making a hefty profit. Most fail to reach the goals they envisioned.Kim Shanahan and Wendy Navarro are two "regular" women who came up with their own independent online business ideas and actually made them make money. What they did to get where they are - the decisions they made, the sacrifices they set, the learning curves they mastered - would make for a great Q&A to share with other women who'd like to follow in their footsteps.
Kim is a military wife who's had to pack up and move several times and who puts in frequent stints as a single mom when her husband is deployed out of state or out of the country. She started BookBouquet.com from an idea for a nice gift for a friend in the hospital, and built it into a business generating a significant revenue stream. Both her business and her personal life are going fine - she and her husband are celebrating their third child, born just this year.
Wendy has grown SaigeNicoles.com from a $1,000 investment to over $100,000 in income, and has kept it all together despite not only the usual pressures of a family with three children, but a bizarre setback - a murder (so freakish that it made national headlines) that occurred in her family's home that they were renting out at the time. Her family has hung together through it all and each member now plays an enthusiastic role in the business - her husband is the webmaster, business-namesake daughter does photography, and one son occasionally models the clothing.
Neither Kim nor Wendy had generous funding, insider contacts, ideas that were so "out there" that they owned their marketplace, nor unbelievable good luck or smooth sailing. Far from it. What they do have are supportive families and a determination to persevere, and their common thread is their practicality and savvy when making nuts and bolts decisions about inventory, branding, networking, social media marketing, outsourcing, and outreach to other women entrepreneurs. These common threads make valuable lessons for others to follow.
If you're interested in talking with Kim and Wendy, I'd be happy to arrange interviews with them and facilitate any other information that you need. Please contact Ann Baker, 213-785-8835, ann@publicitypros.net.
Book Bouquet, http://www.bookbouquet.com, sends gift baskets for all occasions with customer-selected books, plus gourmet treats, spa supplies, kitchenware, or decorative items. The company was founded by Kim Shanahan, military wife and mother, after she made a book-filled gift basket for a friend in the hospital and others requested she do the same for their loved ones. Saige Nicole's Baby and Toddler Boutique, http://www.saigenicoles.com, features whimsical baby and toddler clothing, accessories, and furnishings often reminiscent of earlier times, most of which are created by similar mom-based businesses. The company was founded by Wendy Navarro after she decided to leave corporate America to have more time with her children. Both companies have continued to grow and thrive despite family tragedies, multiple moves, and the difficult economy. Family support and teamwork plus internet and networking savvy are key to both women's success.