Shop Lisa's Etsy Shop

MarketMommies - Tell us about your business.

Lisa:   I am a designer of handbags, totebags and lots more items for you and your home.  I like to take discarded items such as a blue jean jacket and "upcycle" it into a whole new item like my blue jean totebag.  I also create quilts from revived or discarded fabrics and I love to knit.  So I made a business making my creations available to the public at an affordable price.

MarketMommies: How did you get started? 

Lisa:  One year for Christmas, I made a totebag out of a blue jean jacket from my father.  He had passed away the year before and I was trying to use some of his clothes for things.  I gave the totebag to my teenage niece and she loved it.  What gave you the idea that you should start a business?After seeing my bags that I created for Christmas presents, lots of people started telling me to do it as a business.  So here I am!

MarketMommies:  Once you got up and running, what was the biggest obstacle you faced? 

Lisa:  The biggest obstacle I face is time.  I am a stay at home mom with two children, both now in elementary school.  My daughter is in half-day kindergarten and my son is in second grade.  I wanted to do this business as a way to have time for them and flexibility that an ordinary 9-5 job would not give me.  So I struggle to maintain my boundaries of always having time for them and time to work on my business.

MarketMommies:  What advice would you offer to other Moms just starting out? 

Lisa:  My advice, even though I am still relatively new myself, is to keep faith in your vision and in yourself.  When you own your own business it is hard because you have no boss to say "hey, good job."  So it is important to stay true to you and believe in your own self worth.

MarketMommies:  What one source of information has helped you the most in starting your business? 

Lisa:  The biggest source of information for me has been the world wide web.  I have an Etsy shop that has connected me to so lots of different groups and "teams".  I connected with a group called Entrepreneur Online also and that has been a huge boost in helping me stay motivated.  So I believe the internet has made the difference.

MarketMommies: If you had one chance to turn a shopper into a customer, what would be your sales pitch to them? 

Lisa:   I really believe in using "found" items and recreating things that are very nice and affordable for an average mom, like myself.  All of my products have been created out of a need I had as a mom.  So they are all mom-tested to add convience and help the environment.

MarketMommies:  Tell us about a day in your life as a Mom Business Owner.

Lisa:  I get up early to set up my tweets for my Etsy shop online.  Then it is off to the races and getting both kids ready for school and out the door.  I have about 2 1/2 hours while my youngest is in kindergarten to work on my business (anything from computer work to sewing to shipping things).  Then I am running to get my daughter from school, lunch and afternoon kid activities.  Then I get my son and we have soccor practice and all sorts of appointments and activities before dinner time and bed time routine start.  In the evenings, I take to time to knit, work on my handbags, quilts and other items.  Then I fall into bed exhausted and ready for a new day tomorrow.  

MarketMommies:  What did you do before starting your business, and what skills from your previous profession have helped you in running your Mom Owned Business? 

Lisa:   I was a teacher for 14 years before I had my son.  I also worked in sales and marketing off and on for about 5 years.  So I have lots of experience selling and marketing other peoples products that I transferred to my own.  

MarketMommies:  Tell us about your family. 

Lisa:   My husband and I have been married for 10 years this September.  I have two wonderful children.  My son is 7 and in second grade and my daughter is 5 and in kindergarten.  We have two cats, two goldfish and one fuzzy bunny named Puffball.  I would like to get a few chickens, but so far my family is saying no.

MarketMommies:  Anything else you would like to add?  I love my life and my family.

Lisa:   Creating my own business has helped me to refind myself as a person and not just a wife and mother.  I would highly recommend it to any moms out there who have a talent or are creative.