Erica Ehm ~ Our Mompreneur of the Month

WE think Erica Ehm is fabulous hip & stylin’! That is why are proud to introduce her as our Mom-entrepreneur of the month and we want to let all our readers & followers know!                                                                                         

Here is a glimpse into her daily life, juggling mom, entrepreneur, & an empowered woman!

We’re huge fans of Erica Ehm from her days as a VJ and now we’re even bigger fans of her Yummy Mummy Club as moms!

Thank you for being the first person to create a space where moms can connect with themselves & others. ♥

How many kidlets do you currently have and their ages? 

My son Josh is a decade old, daughter Jessie is 6 and 7/8^th

Business name & how you came up with this fabulous idea

YummyMummyClub.ca– online destination for modern moms. I had a very difficult time adjusting to motherhood after being a career woman for so long.  I started this sit to connect with other moms – to celebrate and commiserate this roller-coaster of motherhood.

What was your WHY when you started?  Is it the same?  Has it changed?

I launched the site when my TV show Yummy Mummy was cancelled. I felt very passionate about connecting with other moms and reminding everyone, myself included, that perfection is impossible and to cut ourselves some slack in our desire to be the ultimate mothers. My definition of a yummy mummy is someone who is a good parent, but also maintains other personal interests and is continues to be inspired both with and without their kids. Yummy is a state of mind. I’m on a personal mission to obliterate guilt from a mom’s psyche. Mums need to play too!

What’s the funniest/craziest/zaniest situation you’ve encountered as an entrepreneur?   

Nothing funny about the intense amount of work, pressure, pace and time spent building a business.

How do you make it through the day running a business, chasing after the kids & keeping your house in order?  Or do you run it like a zoo like we do?  Tell us!

First, I have an amazing support system – my husband is hands on! I have a full time nanny. My mother in law loves to help out. My mom is there for me. And I really dropped the bar on my personal expectations. My house isn’t always perfect, I sometimes show up to my kid’s events on the wrong days and we often run out of food in the house. . Please don’t look in my minivan. It is disgusting.

But my kids are loved, happy and busy

Where do you get your inspiration from on days when you feel like you’re hitting a wall?

My kids remind me how lucky I am to really have it all – a loving family and a career that turns me in. When I cuddle with them or have an awesome conversation, it soothes my nerves, calms me down and gives me strength to get up and get going again.

How do you make time for your family?  Do you have a games night?  Special outings?  A designated time for just you and the family?

I try to include my family in my work. My kids come to a lot of my events. I travel with them for work. They man my booth at shows. That way they feel part of my business and I keep them close to me.

How would you describe your style?  We know you don’t wear mom-jeans so share your secrets!  You’re on the go: how do you make sure you’re always looking & feeling your best when you leave the house? Heels or flats?

Black boots with chunky heels. Slightly rock’n roll yet comfortable. Gotta love my Rockports

♥ xo0           Join the Yummy Mummy Club ~ you won’t regret it!

Mom-Entrepreneur Leigh Mitchell ~Founder of Mom Entrepreneurs Network & GTA Parent

Our October Mom-Entrepreneur is all about giving back to her community.  Not only does she help woman market their businesses but she also provides the tools to help them be a part of a fun & loving networking environment, develop friendships and  strong support groups.

Leigh represents empowering woman and is all about balancing the family and your personal business!

Leigh Mitchell is the Founder of Mom Entrepreneurs Network & GTA Parent. 

 We’re excited to have her as our feature this month; she is a fabulous woman and a good friend!

We think you’re a fabulous hip & stylin’ Mom-entrepreneur; and we want to let all our readers & followers know!  Tell us your story; share your secrets; and give us a glimpse into your daily life, as you juggle being a mom, entrepreneur, & empowered woman!

We want to know how you got started, your why, what you’ve learnt about yourself along the way, how you survive the daily grind, and any style tips you have that show moms you don’t have to “let yourself go” once the kids come along.

 How many kidlets do you currently have, and their ages?  Any on the way or plans for more?

We have two kids – Boys, aged 1.5 and 5 years of age. Do we plan to have more? Hahahaha. Ask me in 2 more years.

My business is called Mom Entrepreneurs Network – We provide opportunities for friendship, learning and support through networking, small business resources, webinars, training and events. I also own Marketing4Moms which provides marketing consulting & coaching for small businesses looking to target the mom market.

Did you work a corporate job in your past life? What was the turning point that you made you decide to become a “Mom entrepreneur”, and did family members think you were off your rocker? 

My turning point for starting my business was when I had to fire my nanny three weeks after returning to work! The catalyst was I had no choice.  I have always dreamed of owning my own business since I was in my twenties.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

I see myself running a national organization for women entrepreneurs with a lovely family supporting me. I hope I don’t become too much of a workaholic!

What gets you going in the morning and how do you keep the fire going?  Do you jump out of bed and do a dance?  Or do you sit quietly and meditate?

My son’s school schedule gets me out of bed. No choice. Killer start – 8:25 am. I do not dance or mediate. I run out of the house to make it on time. Usually someone spills something.

How do you make it through the day running a business, chasing after the kids & keeping your house in order?  Or do you run it like a zoo like we do?  Tell us!

It is always busy. Crazy busy. There is little order to the house until we all pitch in to clean it up. Somehow we keep it together but it is messy!

What do you do to make time for your family?

I do my best to keep my weekends free for fun. I also ensure that we spend as much time outdoors as we can – it is easier to be less distracted.

How would you describe your style?  We know you don’t wear mom-jeans so how do you make sure you’re always looking & feeling your best when you leave the house?

I don’t always to be honest. During the week I am pretty boring but when I go out to meet up with friends, go to a cocktail party or a date with my husband I try and dress up! I love sequins, hats, accessories. I am definitely an accessories gal.

 Heels or flats?

I love heels as long as I don’t have to wear them for too long!

xo

Julie Cole Shares

With pleasure S4B spotlights Mom-entrepreneur  of the Month – Julie Cole!  Julie is the co-founder of Mabel’s Labels and she shares her secrets of how she manages both motherhood and Mabelhood.

We think you’re a fabulous hip & stylin’ Mom-entrepreneur; and we want to let all our readers & followers know!  Tell us your story; share your secrets; and give us a glimpse into your daily life, as you juggle being a mom, entrepreneur, & empowered woman!

We want to know how you got started, your why, what you’ve learnt about yourself along the way, how you survive the daily grind, and any style tips you have that show moms you don’t have to “let yourself go” once the kids come along.

How many kidlets do you currently have, and their ages?  Any on the way or plans for more?

I have six kids, ages 10, 9, 7, 5, 3 and 16 months. None on the way, and after six c-sections I think I’m ready to retire this uterus!

Business name & how you came up with this fabulous idea? 

Mabel’s Labels (www.mabelslabels.com) is the leading provider of personalized labels for the stuff kids lose. When we started the business, my business partners and I all had small children. It seemed like every play date finished with “whose sippy cup is this?” or “whose wipes container is that?” We recognized that there was a product missing from the market – cute and durable labels that were dishwasher and microwave safe. After much research and testing, we launched our first product and have been regularly adding more products to our amazing line of labels. We have not looked back!

What was your WHY when you started?  Is it the same?  Has it changed?

Along with having a great product idea, My business partners and I were all considering leaving the traditional workforce to find more balance in managing our young families. Once my son was diagnosed with autism, I knew the law books would have to be shelved and a more flexible work life would be required. Soon after his diagnosis, we launched Mabel’s Labels. I went on to have quite a large family, so the flexibility is something that is still very important to me. I work crazy hours, but often that can be done from home.

What’s the funniest/craziest/zaniest situation you’ve encountered as an entrepreneur?  Make us laugh!

There have been many. I think one of the funniest stories is how we paid our first web designer. He was a friend of ours and since we didn’t have any money, he said he’d do it if we got him a foosball table. So, our first business deal was not done with cash or credit, but with a foosball table!

How do you make it through the day running a business, chasing after the kids & keeping your house in order?  Or do you run it like a zoo like we do?  Tell us!

I actually call the dinner hour: “feeding time at the zoo”. It certainly is an extremely hectic household. After my fifth baby was born, I hired a nanny which was life altering. I suggest no one wait until their fifth child before getting help. I keep my head above water by being organized, by not stressing out about things that don’t matter, and luckily I’m someone who can function well on very little sleep! Most importantly, I don’t worry about what people think – if my friends or neighbours think my house is a mess, it does not cause me a moment of upset. I don’t have the time or energy to waste on caring what people think of my housekeeping abilities. I’ve got a business to run and babies to raise!

Where do you get your inspiration from on days when you feel like you’re hitting a wall?

I just have to look around me to find inspiration – so many amazing people including my children, my business partners, our staff, customers, and other mamas. I’m never short of inspiration and I credit that to the outstanding people in my life that I am connected with both personally and professionally. I think it’s amazing where you can turn to for support when you are feeling frustrated. Once, I simply tweeted a frustrating experience I had and suddenly I was validated and supported by my online community.

How do you make time for your family?  Do you have a games night?  Special outings?  A designated time for just you and the family?

It’s a constant juggle because all of the kids are really busy too! They play hockey, dance, do Cub Scouts, etc. One tradition that we have tried to stick to is our Screenless Sundays. On Sundays we really focus on connecting and just having fun together. After dinner we play games and cards and have a lot of laughs.

How would you describe your style?  We know you don’t wear mom-jeans so share your secrets!  You’re on the go: how do you make sure you’re always looking & feeling your best when you leave the house?

I keep it pretty casual! When I’m just out and about with the kids, it’s cargo pants and Converse shoes. Time at the Mabel’s Labels HQ means I’m probably wearing my “good” jeans. I have a few fun and funky things for when I’m doing a speaking engagement or at a conference. I don’t own a suit – I started my own business so I didn’t have to dress like a lawyer every day!

Heels or flats?

Running shoes. Remember – six kids!

xo