Business Name:  Shelter {Interior Design}

How did you come up with that name:
The word shelter connotes comfort, safety, and haven. I believe one’s dwelling should be a place where the homeowner feels at ease and can express his or her personal style. I also liked that it was short and simply encompassed what I primarily focus on in my business, designing residential interiors.  I write an interior design blog,  and run my own interior design firm.

http://www.shelterinteriordesign.blogspot.com

http://www.shelterinteriordesign.com

How long have you been in business? Four years

Please explain a little bit about your product/business and how you developed the concept behind it:

I obtained my master’s degree in interior design in 2004 and worked for a number of elite firms in Boston before branching out on my own. I knew I had the passion, ideas, training and experience to launch my own firm.

Shelter is a full service interior design firm that specializes in residential interiors.
I work on an array of projects with small or large budgets. I want my clients to feel that great design is accessible. I try to incorporate not only high-end items into my projects,
but also include artwork from sites like Etsy, vintage pieces from flea markets and shops and archival fabrics. I view the designer-client relationship as collaborative. My vision is infused into each design, but only if it reflects my client’s style, tastes, and needs.

Design is all about the art of transforming environments, but you also need to know how to execute your ideas. I have established relationships with a number of craftsman and workrooms in the Boston area and feel that these collaborations bring a quality to my work that sets Shelter apart from other firms.I believe that good design is all about the details. It is my role to introduce items, concepts, color schemes and ideas that the client may not have considered.

What makes your business so unique?

My goal is to create dynamic spaces. Many of my clients know what they like but often have trouble creating a cohesive design.  That’s where I come in.  I work closely with clients to create the perfect space for them.  It is also my role to introduce them to new sources and ideas. I usually design custom pieces for every project. I. I am in the process of creating a furniture line of upholstered pieces.  When I cannot find the perfect piece for a job, I just design it!  I really want my clients’ homes and projects to feel personal and unique. I try to stay away from anything that looks contrived, overdone, or predictable.

What is the hardest part or have been some of your struggles starting your own business?
Making time for everything!! I would love to fit more design related travel into my schedule.  Sifting through all the paperwork and accounting is extremely time consuming. I could spend half my week on those tasks, but I would much rather be designing, sketching, and finding new product sources.

How many children do you have? What are their ages? And ages when you started your business?
I have two children, a three-year-old son named Colby and a one-year-old daughter named Emerson. I was pregnant with my son when I began my business.

What are some of the creative ways you have found to juggle being a woman, a mother, and a business owner?

Most days are very busy.  I try to keep the kids and myself on track with a routine, but I am also open to deviating from our daily routine.  Children are bright little people and can sense when you are stressed out.  I try to keep them engaged with creative play.  We draw, dance, sing, play outdoors etc.
I also need down time, so I make time for myself. I exercise, and meet friends for a glass of wine. A happy mother makes for a better mother and a more efficient business owner. Writing my blog is time consuming but it is also an escape. I love to read other design blogs.  They are very inspiring.
Daily:
* I keep a detailed to do list. I do this for all personal and professional “tasks.”
* I write down all my professional and personal appointments on my day calendar.
* I enter them into my I-phone, too. I cannot rely solely on my phone.  There is something  reassuring about writing them down.
*I am constantly sketching ideas in my sketchbook and tearing inspiring ideas from magazines. I have a huge inspiration board in my office, so when I sit down to design my creative space is engaging.
* I note weekly appointments, reminders and inspiring quotes on a large chalkboard wall in my kitchen. If it’s on the wall, it absolutely will not be missed!!
* Finally, exercising at least three times a week helps me keep a clear head!

Who is your biggest inspiration?

Personally, my immediate family, my parents, and sister are. They are very supportive, hardworking, and creative! Professionally, designers from the past inspire me.  My short list includes Dorothy Draper, Frances Elkins, and Coco Chanel. These women took risks, pushed societal boundaries, and were creative geniuses during a time when many women didn’t work. Their designs remain classic today. And for the men, I often look to David Hicks, Albert Hadley, and Warren Platner for inspiration. As far as current icons, I am continually in awe of Kelly Wearstler.  She breaks the rules and is a master with color.  I’m drawn to her unique and glamorous style.  She has done an amazing job branding herself and her products. Design is my passion.  I could talk for days about inspiration and admired icons.

Now for some fun and easy questions….
Favorite meal? It really depends on my mood, but I love Northern Italian cooking and I’d have to say most of The Barefoot Contessa’s recipes I’ve tried are great.  They are fresh and simple with layers of flavor.
Favorite Dessert? Homemade hot fudge sundae
Favorite restaurant (can be anywhere)? I prefer to continually scope out new spots but French bistros such as NYC’s Balthazar are amazing.
Favorite piece of clothing or accessory? Vintage and chunky jewelry, jeans.
Favorite vacation spot? Anyplace in Europe; Spain, France, Italy. I’m drawn to the cafes, food, people, fashion, history and architecture. I’m overdue for a trip.
Favorite childhood memory? Spending summers at the beach, family vacations on the Vineyard.
On any given day, what makes you smile? My adorable children!!!
When you have free time (ha!) what would your ideal day entail? A warm sunny, summer day that began with a workout, followed by a day at the beach with my children and a night sipping cocktails, eating dinner and listening to music outdoors underneath strings of party lights with friends and family.

]]> http://bellinipics.com/blog/archives/2614/feed 6 http://bellinipics.com/blog/archives/2512 http://bellinipics.com/blog/archives/2512#comments Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:18:34 +0000 admin http://bellinipics.com/blog/?p=2512 I am so excited to introduce you to my third mamapreneur of 2011, Kiki Fluhr from “The Measure“.   If you follow my blog, you know her gorgeous clothing already.  If you don’t follow me then you can check out my earlier posts HERE and HERE!  Also, if you would like to automatically receive my blog each time I post, all you need to do is click on the “Subscribe” tab on your left and submit your email address.  Additionally, you can click on the RSS feed icon in your address bar.  So, without further ado…..Kiki Fluhr from “The Measure”!!

Business Name:

The Measure; All the Numbers

How did you come up with that name:

All the Numbers was my first shop. The name came from something my mom said to me every night when she was tucking me in, she would say, “I love you ALL the numbers!” meaning, I love you SO much! I always loved that saying, and when my shop became about designing for little ones, it just seemed natural to use that idiom. At the top of my shop I have written the definition: All.the.num.bers – (adv.)  Definition: The measure of how much I love you.  I opened The Measure when I started to branch out and sell my pieces wholesale, and “The Measure” is taken from that definition. I wanted something separate but related.

How can we buy your designs?

http://www.themeasuredesigns.com

http://www.allthenumbers.etsy.com

How long have you been in business?

2 ½ years

Please explain a little bit about your product/business and how you developed the concept behind it:

I was really sick for a long while. I have something called POTS: postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which is a confusing way of saying my body isn’t good at regulating autonomic functions, like blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, circulation. And though I am much better at the moment I wasn’t able to work outside the home for over a year when it was at its worst. I sewed because I loved to sew, and it gave me something to feel accomplished about, something I could look at and say, “I made this today” instead of feeling completely useless (an easy feeling to succumb to when it’s hard to stand up for any length of time.) I bought some vintage patterns off Ebay, one of which was a little girls pinafore that reminded me of things my mom made for me. After making a few and substantially changing the pattern, I thought this might be something other people might be interested in, and I opened a shop on Etsy. Almost 1500 sales later, the rest is history!

What makes your product/business so unique?

I’ve never been a fan of cutesy clothing for children. A pint-size sufferer forced to wear Polly Flinders dresses myself, I will always go for simple instead of ruffles, bows and smocking. Not that there isn’t a place for those things, but I find so many baby things to be completely overwrought, and I always run on the other direction. I try to create styles that will appeal to mom as well as child  – nothing wrong with a bit of sophistication for the little ones.

I also try and incorporate eco-friendly practices. I make dresses out of upcycled Oxford cloth shirts. (I also accept them in trade!) And I also use vintage fabric and vintage homegoods in designs. My latest line has a lot of crochet detail – inspired by a box of vintage cotton doilies I came across. In using details such as these, I think a feeling of nostalgia can be expressed without looking dated, when they’re paired with modern silhouettes.

What is the hardest part or have been some of your struggles starting your own business?

I do not have a lot of business acumen. The logistics of marketing, bookkeeping, record keeping are a real struggle for me.

How many children do you have. What are their ages? And ages when you started your business?

We have boy/girl twins who are almost 8 months old: Mairwen Athena (Mae) and Will Harrison. When I started my shop they were only a wish upon a star!

What are some of the creative ways you have found to juggle being a woman, a mother, a business owner, and a wife?

I am struggling with this because the addition of mother to the list has really changed everything. I have an assistant Sioux that I absolutely could not live without! She does a lot more now than before the babies arrived. Truth be told, I will take any advice anyone has to give me on this front!

Who is your biggest inspiration?

I find inspiration in so many people that started out just like me, with just an idea and a passion and sort of created a niche and a job for themselves. Specifically, I love to read the blog The Art of Nonconformity by Chris Guillebeau– it’s about entrepreneurship and creating the type of life you want, learning that you don’t have to live inside the boundaries we’ve always been taught exist for us. It’s inspiring in that it enables me to alter the frame through which I see life – and that’s pretty powerful stuff!

Now for some fun and easy questions….

Favorite meal?

Give me a burger and a Guinness and I’m a happy camper.

Favorite Dessert?

Hands down, apple pie.

Favorite restaurant (can be anywhere)?

Really anywhere said burger and Guinness can be obtained….I’m recently fond of the Met Bar. And Fat Cat in Quincy Center is pretty phenomenal.

Favorite piece of clothing or accessory?

My Frye boots I don’t fit the normal shoe-aholic stereotype – I’m fiercely loyal to my one and onlys.

Favorite vacation spot?

Anywhere with a beach and friends.

Favorite childhood memory?

I was a big tree climbing enthusiast. Until logic asserted itself at a later age I truly thought If I could just find a high enough tree I could reach those pesky clouds. I love that I thought that was possible, and I hope for a similar reality-skimming existence for my little ones.

On any given day, what makes you smile?

When my babies wake up and see me for the first time in the morning, they get this huge smile on their face, and a look like, “Oh THERE you are!! I missed you and now everything is okay.” And it melts my heart. Every. Single. Time.

When you have free time (ha!) what would your ideal day entail?

Hot coffee in my favorite mug. Indie music on the satellite. Sewing. Creating. I love what I do.

I am blessed beyond measure….

Business Name: Lauren & Lola

How did you come up with that name:
Lauren & Lola are a mother/daughter team. Lauren is my first name, and my mom is known as Lola among her grandchildren. When my mom became a grandmother three years ago, she decided that she felt too young to be called grandma, nana or, heaven forbid, bubbe. My sister-in-law, who is Filipino, suggested that she adopt the Tagalog word for grandmother, Lola. It suited her perfectly and once my nephew was born, it stuck.

Do you have a store front/website?
Storefront location:
We sell our products online (www.laurenlola.com) and out of my home in Wellesley. All home visits are by appointment only.

How long have you been in business? Since August.

Please explain a little bit about your product/business and how you developed the concept behind it:

With the birth of my son, I wanted to embark on a new opportunity that kept me closer to home while incorporating my passion for marketing to moms (the focus of most of my 10-year career in advertising). Even before becoming pregnant, children were at the forefront of my professional and personal life. I worked as a marketing manager for American Baby magazine, and I married a pediatrician. Once pregnant, I quickly realized that the baby marketplace is a crowded one and navigating beyond the baby superstore necessities is no easy task. Without the trusted advice of other moms, it is difficult to know what is irresistibly fabulous but thoroughly impractical and sensibly convenient but lacking in allure. Partnering with my mom, who owned a modeling agency and has spent 20 years hosting trunk shows featuring women’s clothing and accessories, we launched Lauren & Lola with the objective of helping other moms navigate the baby market and providing them with our own mommy and grandma must-haves.

What makes your product/business so unique?
We adhere to a simple merchandising ethos. If it’s not fabulous AND functional, posh AND practical, we won’t sell it. All of our products are items by which new moms swear, making life easier, cuter, more convenient and more comfortable.  Some of our favorite best sellers include burp cloths that are the perfect solution to life’s little messes, hooded towels that are an essential part of baby’s bath time routine, personalized onesies that show off the name over which parents spent nine months obsessing and decadent, whimsical blankets that serve many purposes from tummy time to snuggles to the perfect nursery accessory.

Our adorable presentation also makes us unique. All items can be purchased individually and will arrive at your destination beautifully wrapped. We also offer gorgeous gift baskets. Customers can select from the highest quality burp cloths, bibs, towels, bathrobes, blankets, onesies, meal items and more. We’ll design a custom arrangement of essentials that will keep baby clean, warm and snuggly without sacrificing style.

What is the hardest part or have been some of your struggles starting your own business?

The hardest part is finding enough hours in the day to complete all of my mommy and work duties. When you’re a working-from-home mom, there’s a lot of pressure to be the perfect mother and the business-savvy, tireless entrepreneur. In trying to juggle the expectations associated with the devoted mother and the high-powered executive, I often feel like I’m doing a mediocre job at both tasks.

How many children do you have. What are their ages? And ages when you started your business?

One. Noah is 10 months. He was six months old when I launched Lauren & Lola.

What are some of the creative ways you have found to juggle being a woman, a mother, a business owner, and a wife?

1. Naptime is sacred. A lot of new moms sleep when the baby sleeps. That’s when I get my work done.

2. Although difficult to motivate sometimes, date nights are essential. We’re often tempted to stay home in our PJs and order take out, but my husband and I never regret taking the time to get dressed up for a night out of yummy food and adult conversation.

3. Take-out is under-rated.

Who is your biggest inspiration?
My mom. When I was growing up, she was able to apply her passions to successful businesses that enabled her to be there everyday when my brother and I came home from school and allowed us to sit down as a family for dinner together every night.

Now for some fun and easy questions….
Favorite meal?
Homemade lasagna.
Favorite Dessert?
Chocolate bread pudding.
Favorite restaurant?
Market in San Diego and The Daily Catch in Boston’s North End.
Favorite piece of clothing or accessory?
Charm necklace my husband gave me when my son was born.
Favorite vacation spot?
Kauai and Florence.
Favorite childhood memory?
Summers on Cape Cod with my family.
On any given day, what makes you smile?
My son’s laughter.
When you have free time (ha!) what would your ideal day entail?
Sleeping late, brunch with my family, a walk someplace with beautiful scenery, a massage and dinner at a hip new restaurant with my husband.

]]> http://bellinipics.com/blog/archives/2468/feed 1 http://bellinipics.com/blog/archives/2242 http://bellinipics.com/blog/archives/2242#comments Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:00:13 +0000 admin http://bellinipics.com/blog/?p=2242 It’s been a while since my last mamapreneur feature and I’m so thrilled to be able to share some really great women with you all again.  Starting off 2011 is Alexandra from Laughing Giraffe Books.  I just love the name!  And, I really love the idea behind her business so I was anxious to get the ball rolling and her story out there.  I even braved the snow storm last week and drove out to meet Alexandra and her girls!  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy!

Business Name: Laughing Giraffe Books

How did you come up with that name: I was looking for a name that would evoke whimsy and the magic of childhood. The fact that my daughters love giraffes and that they are scattered throughout the house might have helped point me in that direction….

Do you have a website?

www.LaughingGiraffeBooks.com

You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter @LaughingGBooks

How long have you been in business? The website went live in July 2010

Please explain a little bit about your business and how you developed the concept behind it: Laughing Giraffe Books offers high quality, award-winning, Book Bundles and Book of the Month collections for children from birth to age 8. Each collection is built around a specific theme, gender or age and contains a well researched collection of kid favorites- both classics and newer offerings. In addition, unlike anything else on the market, each collection comes with a search-and-find game related to the book bundle or book of the month theme, which can be redeemed for a prize, and arrives beautifully gift wrapped.

My background is in education and as a reading specialist and special education teacher my favorite moments were when I was able to get a “nonreader” hooked by a special story or character. After having my daughters, I wanted to find a way to help encourage young readers while keeping a flexible schedule that allows me to be with my kids as much as possible.

Laughing Giraffe Books makes it easy to give the gift of books and encourage a love of reading with the click of a button. Our website is easy to navigate based on age, gender, price or interest, and all of our selections are carefully selected from the wide array of available children’s books. Parents, grandparents, and other gift-givers can be confident that that the gifts they give reflect the best that the children’s book market has to offer.

What makes your business so unique? Books are our business, and research matters- that’s what sets us apart. At Laughing Giraffe Books, we focus entirely on books for children, ages newborn through 8 years. With thousands of books to choose from, we know the value we add is in the selections we recommend. As a Reading Specialist, Special Education Teacher, parent of two young children, and life-long children’s book aficionado, I have a lot of experience identifying books that delight and captivate. We also spend a significant amount of time sorting through literary reviews, recommended lists, award winners, browsing the shelves at the bookstore, and speaking with parents, teachers and children about their experiences.

In addition, the unique search-and-find game and prize add to the reading experience. The games are perfect for giving children a sense of accomplishment when they know or find the answers in the books, and help to encourage and extend the reading experience. We include one question tied to each book in a collection- find (or remember) all the answers- win the prize! Each prize ties into the theme of the collection, and is appropriate for the recommended age and gender. Prizes range from bath confetti and freeze dried ice cream to rolling stilts, wooden grasping toys, growth charts and arts and crafts kits. Many of our prizes are from companies such as Alex Toys, EEBOO, Melissa & Doug and Peaceable Kingdom Press and are significant enough to make a great gift all on their own!

How many children do you have? What are their ages? And ages when you started your business? I have two daughters, ages 3 and 18 month (they were about 2 and 8 months when Laughing Giraffe Books started.

What is the hardest part or have been some of your struggles starting your own business? The hardest part so far has been trying to balance the demands of starting my own business with my family life and responsibilities. As a stay at home mother for two young children, the running of Laughing Giraffe Books is relegated primarily to naptime (which is rapidly disappearing) and after bedtime. In addition, my husband purchased a Silk Screening and Embroidery company in January of 2010 adding one more element to our wonderfully hectic lives. However, the feedback we have received from happy parents and customers makes it all worthwhile! Knowing that I am helping to encourage the next generation of readers is a great feeling.

What are some of the creative ways you have found to juggle being a woman, a mother, a business owner, and a wife? I have formed a “partnership” of sorts with a neighbor and good friend who also runs a small business from her home. We often rely on each other for feedback, support, occasional child care, and a much needed glass of wine and dinner break.

Who is your biggest inspiration? My parents.

Favorite meal? sushi (my current craving)

Favorite Dessert? Cold Stone Creamery’s Coffee Lovers Only

Favorite restaurant? Zebra’s Bistro in Medfield, MA (plays into the sushi craving)

Favorite piece of clothing or accessory? Yoga pants… and a good book!

Favorite vacation spot? Spain

Favorite childhood memory? Summers spent swimming

On any given day, what makes you smile? My daughters.

When you have free time (ha!) what would your ideal day entail? A good book, a hot bath and a nap.