Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Mothering a Business

Having a business is a lot like having a child, so it's a good thing we have made them all interrelated!  We are both mothers and own a business in the children's market, so essentially we are in the business of children 24/7 and then some!  
We have all experienced the proverbial toddler who follows you around just to make her tantrum known. The minute you walk away, you hear screaming running in your direction only to throw herself under your next step.  How could so much noise come out of such a little body is what you find yourself asking.  The next question is how do I make it stop?  
A business screams just as a toddler might and even knocks you off your feet.  Just when you think all is calm and orderly, the screaming begins.  Unlike a toddler, walking away is not the cure.  With a business, it is important to pick it up, sooth it immediately and give it what it wants.
Children and business both challenge you to reroute yourself, to expect the unexpected, prepare for the worst, and embrace the best.  Milestones are reached when raising both and with each new milestone attained, new challenges arise.  
Motherhood has prepared us for the business world.  With both, we have shared many sleepless nights, joys, tears, and frustrations.  We have studied, networked, thrown out plans, made new plans, sacrificed, invested, listened to the screams, and come up with solutions.  Flexibility and determination to succeed are required in both business and in motherhood.  
And so we would like to thank our children, Addie, Ella, Carson, and Scottie for teaching us that we are capable of more than we ever thought possible.  Lastly, we would like to thank our fifth child, Addie & Ella, for making us stronger mothers, friends, and business owners.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

It is hard to always live in the moment!


While most of us are juggling Summer 11, we are juggling this Summer, Fall AND Spring/Summer 2012 !  And while most of us think each season goes by entirely too quickly, we REALLY feel the rush!  In the midst of shipping out Spring/Summer merchandise, our minds are leaping ahead.  We have lived with the current season's designs for almost a year and quite frankly, we are ready to move onto the next collection.  Designing for the following Spring/Summer season begins during the current season.  With the rush of shipping out orders, comes the rush of transferring designs from thoughts to paper.  Our first Spring season did so incredibly well and we do not want to be a one-hit wonder.  We listened to customers and incorporated their feedback into the next season's designs.  Spring/Summer 2012 is as real to us now as it will be to you next year.  Our designs have been done, and redone, and done again and again.  And we are EXCITED!  Spring/Summer 2012 will bring some back some of our most loved designs, as well as introduce new pieces that are guaranteed to create a buzz.  Buyers for stores will soon see samples of our carefully designed collection, as the Spring/Summer 2012  markets begin in August.  As for the customer, you still have Fall 2011 to look forward to!!