Meet Our Feature Mom, Maggie Chilton of Maxwell Designs!
http://www.maxwelldesigns.ca

Since starting this website, I have met some amazing moms.  I love that so many of you have tenacity to fill a void in the marketplace.  I have had the opportunity to talk with Maggie over the last couple of months and she is one of those moms who couldn't find what she was looking for, so she made it.  Her business started with trying to find the perfect diaper bag.  She couldn't find it, so she invented it.  Check out Maxwell Designs after you read about Maggie!

MarketMommies: What is your business? 
Maggie Chilton:  I design and make eco-friendly baby and mommy gear.

MM: What inspired you to start your business?
MC:. Maxwell Designs was created just before my first son, Maxwell was born. I was looking for a diaper bag and didn't see anything I liked or that fit into my lifestyle. I wanted a bag that didn't look like a diaper bag firstly, and secondly that was not made of plastic or vinyl. I also wanted a bag that was totally unique and one I could use way beyond the baby years.

MM: What has been your biggest learning experience as a mob (mommy owned business).
MC:  My biggest learning experiences have been firstly trying to juggle so many things at once, secondly learning how to market my business in so many different ways and thirdly (and I am still working on this one) to not sweat the small stuff. I can be too much of a perfectionist at times.

MM:  How many children do your have?  Ages?
MC:. My husband and I have 3 children. Maxwell is almost 3 yrs old, Shia is 15 months old and my husbands older daughter, Chelsea is 14 years old.
 

MM: What did you do before you were a mom?
MC:  I am a trained chef/pastry chef. I have worked in some of the most amazing restaurants in Canada and Australia. My most recent position was Restaurant General Manager.
 
MM: Where do you see your business in one year?  five years?6.
MC: I see my retailers doubling in size, sales of over $30,000 and I would love to hire more people to work with me, in this next year. In five years time I want to be a household name, sales of over $100,000 and be getting full night sleeps (or maybe that never happens?)
 
MM: What has been your biggest challenge as a m.o.b (mommy owned business).
MC: My biggest challenge has been finding the time between looking after my 2 very busy boys, maintaining a household and building on my relationship with my husband so he isnt forgotten about.
 
MM:  What piece of advice would you offer to a mom thinking about starting her own business?
MC: My advice would be if you are making products, make sure it is something you really enjoy and have fun doing. There is nothing worse than the feeling that you "have to do it" with the little time you have to spare. Then just go for it, put as much time in as you can possibly can and work on not "feeling guilty" for doing something that you find joyment in.