Goals

As January 1st quickly approaches, I begin to ponder life, my achievements, goals (accomplished and not), my dreams and desires for the fresh new year right around the corner. This has been one heck of a year...I made the decision to pursue a dream in February, incorporated RuffleButts in March, and debuted www.RuffleButts.com in August. Here we are in December and I can't believe how quickly it's gone! This is the time that I begin with a clean slate - I can't look back, but have to look forward at the exciting list of goals for next year. RuffleButts sales is at the top of that list and I will devote the next week to outlining my plan. I am going to follow Amber's lead over at Baby Fabulous and set up a plan for myself. I will begin her "training program" on January 2nd and will keep you updated. This will be perfect timing considering that we are (yet again) scheduled to receive our products back early next week. I am desperately hoping that they will come back corrected and ready to go out to customers. This will allow me to focus on sales and get the ball rolling again. We are also scheduled to head out to LA for the Boom Boom Room in mid-January, which should be a great start to the PR plan for 2008.

Other personal goals include beginning a work-out/de-stressing plan. I would really like to get back into a routine that allows me to de-stress and focus on something other than work for an hour a day. And on an even deeper personal level, I am praying that God agrees that this is our year to add to the family. My husband and I would really love to have a little RuffleButt of our own!

So, what are your goals? Is this the year that you pursue a dream? Let's hold each other accountable...I think we can do this together!!

You rock!

I just have to take a moment to extend my sincerest appreciation to those that have taken the time to email me and comment with words of encouragement and support. I work with some of the most amazing retailers!! I thank those of you in support of my quality commitment. I have also been so touched by the emails that have come in from others in the business. It is such a wonderful feeling to know that I am not alone.

I continue my amazement at the number of incredibly talented, supportive and sincere individuals that I have "met" in this blogging world. I started the RuffleBlog as a marketing tool for my new business, but it has turned out to be so much more!

For those of you taking a little time to visit some new blogs over the holidays, these are just a few I would like to pass along. Not only are they interesting and well-written, their authors seem to be some of the most incredible women out there!

My Little Dish
Sweet, Happy Life
Mommy Cracked
Blog Mommas
Chicken Fried Therapy
Joelle - Dolce Bebe
JPD Mom
I Still Hate Pickles

That is just a start, I will be sure to share more favorites at a later date! I hope you all are having a wonderful day. Can you believe that 2008 is just over a week away?? I know that the year holds many exciting adventures in store for all of us!!

The Real World

So my husband and I were talking over this weekend about blogging. I was torn - I am an honest person, so naturally I want tell you openly about what is going on behind the scenes at RuffleButts, but on the other hand, I am a generally positive person and don't want to bring anyone else down with our struggles. My husband made a great point, that when we watch reality shows like the Real World and Survivor, we want to see it all...the good, the bad, and the ugly! That's what makes them real - they don't get to pick and choose the scenes that are shown, they are human and that is how we connect. So, I want to share my current situation...

As most of you know, these past few months have been challenging to say the least, but really, what business isn't?! As an entrepreneur, I am learning the ropes and as the sole employee, I manage it all. It keeps it exciting and me on my toes, but at times can become overwhelming...like this week. If any of you watch the Real World (shamefully, a guilty pleasure of mine), I felt like one of those characters...one minute pulling my hair out, the next in tears. A part of me felt like the infant in the picture! I was digging super deep to find the positive in the situation.

Last night on the Survivor finale, I was rooting for Amanda, the one that I felt played the most honest game, the most genuine person. Most were rooting for Tom, the one that played the most strategic game. See, I feel that in life, we can strategize our way though, lying and cheating to win the money, but really in the end, is that the legacy you want to leave? Not me, I want to play the honest game...my legacy will be one of trust and loyalty. So, here's the truth...

I have been working so hard over the past few months to have our first line manufactured in the Dominican Republic. I am working with some really great people, but sometimes things just happen outside of our control. First there were delays caused by the hurricane, then they were rushing the order out to make our deadlines. The workers at the factory who have now sadly lost their jobs, simply didn't care. They mis-labeled our products, they made a size 12-18m the same size as a 2T. They made one RuffleButt leg 10" and the other 12". When developing this company, one commitment that I made was to manage by the golden rule, making and selling this apparel that I would be happy to purchase myself. I can not in good faith sell some of these products without making some major corrections. Don't get me wrong, the construction quality is outstanding on most of the items, but there are small issues that need to be fixed.

I spent most of the week going through the products, thinking that there were just a few discrepancies. We were correcting the small discrepancies locally and preparing our retailer orders to go out, with the intentions of mailing them last Friday. It was then I realized that although many of our customers would be disappointed in us, I would prefer them to receive their products late and be elated, than to receive them now but find them unsatisfactory. Our customers are our number one priority and I want them to think highly of us. In the end, a business is based on it's reputation and I am determined to be one of quality. I want to be the company that does the right thing, and I believe that this is the right thing. As the Owner, I am embarrassed and tremendously disappointed, but I can not give up. We have received such amazing feedback on the products that are correct, that I must look forward.

I can not begin to tell you how much I have grown through this experience. It is when you are tested that you truly discover who you are. I have lost sleep, having nightmares on a daily basis. I have found myself at the brink of tears just driving down the street, but I have also gotten up everyday and put one foot in front of the other. I have stood strong in my beliefs and will do what it takes to make it right.

The crazy happy holidays!

Wow, does this month go by quickly!! What a wonderful time of the year - the lights, the smiles, the giving...along with the chaos, the stress, the deadlines, and the long list of things to be done!! As much as I promise myself year after year, that NEXT year I will be on top of things, I will plan, I will shop early, I will have the Christmas cards ready to go out by the end of November...it just never seems to happen. So, this year, I am trying to best to keep up.

I realized earlier this week, that we should be offering a special holiday RuffleButt Bloomer, so here it is...
The Holiday RuffleButt Bloomer with festive personlization!

I didn't have time to have one made up for a picture, but I think you get the idea. It is the same fun personalized RuffleButt that we offer year round (which you see to the right), but with festive holiday colors. The embroidery is available in red or green on the white or lime RuffleButt diaper cover.

You don't have much time, since this is a little last minute. Today is the last day for Christmas delivery on all personlized items.

I hope you all are enjoying this festive holiday month. Don't forget to stop and enjoy all of the wonderful things that come with the season!

South Florida Parenting

I was at a doctor's appt this week with my husband, when I grabbed a copy of South Florida Parenting Magazine on our way out the door. After being interviewed by a reporter a few months back, I knew they planned to include an article about RuffleButts in an upcoming issue...I just didn't know it was in December's issue! My husband was flipping through the magazine as I was driving, and had this adorable excitement to his voice as he held up the page decorated with two little ruffled baby bottoms! It is always so fun to see your work coming to life, but I have to admit that it was double the fun to have my husband proud of me too!! I'm sure that all moms and entrepreneurs can relate to me here, but it is these small celebrations that keep me on track towards my dream.

Please visit our website to read more about this article and other recent press.

What are you ready to dump?

I mentioned to my husband this morning that we really need to go through our clothing and donate whatever we are not using. Since my husband and I were married three and a half years ago, we have moved from a house in Cincinnati to an apartment in Dallas, to a house in Dallas, and now to a condo in Fort Lauderdale. With every move we have been forced to clean out closets and donate more "stuff" than we ever even knew we had. It is a great feeling to know that your belongings that sit around gathering dust, are going to someone who will actually put them to use! It is also leaves you with a wonderfully free feeling...a great way to start the new year.

After mentioning this new goal of mine to my husband this morning, I came across this post on a newly found international blog Go! Smell the Flowers. The post is about dumping things from your life...and I love this!! We all need to dump a few things from our lives and I am going to start with my unused "stuff". I think I'm also going to add a few extra pounds to the list (I keep promising myself that I will start my workout classes next week). I'm also vowing right now to dump my baggage. I have come to a realization this week that some things are just out of my control. I will do everything in my power to run this business properly and make my customers happy, but I have to let go of the things that are behind me or simply out of my hands.

What do you need to dump from your life? Is it time to let go?

Delivery dates

"If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for."
"Thank God for what you have, TRUST GOD for what you need."
These quotes were sent to me yesterday, author unknown. As most of you know, this last month has been a huge challenge for me. I knew that starting a business, I would be wearing many hats and dealing with many people, but this last month has been a real test for me personally. I trust others and base my decisions on promises and deadlines. I personally will do whatever is in my power to keep my word...I am learning that not everyone has that same principle. I have promised our products to our customers based on dates provided to me by our factory. I understand that things happen out of our control, such as the hurricane, but other missed deadlines are just one excuse after another. As a business, I am trying to make this right with our customers, because they are my top priority, but it is killing me that I can not meet our delivery dates for them. Today, I received some of our products with incorrect measurements, which now have to be fixed...which, yes, once again causes more delays.

My pattern maker sent me these quotes yesterday, which truly got me through my day. I have accepted the challenge and I am willing to do whatever it takes to make our customers happy and this business a success...sometimes I just need to have a little pep talk with myself. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to create my dream and all dreams come with a few challenges. Our Pastor at Fellowship Church Miami always says that anything worth achieving requires hard work and some struggle. Today, I took a deep breath, put my worries aside for a few minutes and was able to focus on my appreciation and trust. It really felt great!

The Happiest Place on Earth

So, with all of my production headaches this month, I decided that I needed a little getaway to secure my sanity. I convinced my husband to whisk me away to Disney World for the Thanksgiving holiday. Having not visited this land of happiness since childhood, I figured it would be a great place to escape from my manufacturing nightmare of a reality!

What an incredible experience!! I would highly recommend this getaway for any family, with or without children. Although my husband and I hope to have children of our own someday soon, this was a fabulous bonding experience for us and our marriage. We were able to smile, laugh, eat and walk our little hearts out!

I've heard that Thanksgiving was a great time to venture to the big DW, and I would have to agree. We never waited more than 45 minutes in a line, and even that was rare. We enjoyed the sunshine and 75 degree weather and really didn't miss the big turkey too terribly much. They do offer the traditional Thanksgiving meal at a few of the park restaurants, but we opted for the fish and chips at the Epcot UK pub.

I would have appreciated a few tips when planning my trip, so I wanted to post these for anyone planning to visit in the near future...

- We stayed at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel right across from Downtown Disney and loved it. We booked the TZoo Special, which made for better rates and free buffet breakfast (which usually costs $20/person).
- Stay at a hotel that offers free transportation to and from the resorts. Parking on site is about $11/day.
- For those parties of two, I would highly recommend the UK pub in Epcot. Everyone was so friendly and the food at the pub is less expensive than the restaurant that is attached.
- We went to the House of Blues for dinner on Friday night and were surprised by the semi-reasonable prices. We expected to endure tourist pricing at most restaurants near-by, but were pleasantly surprised that this restaurant was not too bad.
- The new Soarin ride at Epcot was definitely worth the wait, but if you go at closing time, the wait is about 1/2 as long as it is throughout the day.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!

All great achievements require time

I received this little bit of advice today and wanted to pass it along. It applies to life in so many ways - building a business, managing a family, developing a marriage, any "achievement". Someone once told me that any success worth achieving requires work and will be painful at times. When you think about it, life's greatest achievements are by far the most work, but worth every ounce of it!

To achieve maximum success accept that progress
is made one step at a time.

Every big accomplishment is a series
of little accomplishments.

A building is built one brick at a time.
Foot ball games are won one play at a time.

Success is always the sum of small efforts,
repeated day in and day out.

No great thing is created suddenly
any more then a bunch of grapes
or an orange miraculously appears.

If you want an orange, you must give it time.
There must be time for it to blossom, bear fruit,
then ripen.

That which grows fast, withers as rapidly.
That which grow slowly, endures.

You walk over the highest mountain
one step at a time.

Copyright 2007 www.yourdailymotivation.com
Reproduce freely but maintain Copyright notice.

Oh so grateful

Being that this is the week of thanks, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to write about our many blessings. Hopefully these facts are a reminder of how fortunate we are to live such a wonderful life.

Envious of others with their newer cars or bigger homes?
- 1.2 billion people in this world live on less than $1/day.

Do you have a pity party when you have a cold?
- More than 38 million people around the world are infected by HIV/AIDS.

Does your child complain about going to school?
- Around the world, 77 million children do not go to school because their parents can not afford fees, books or uniforms.

Did you leave the water running this morning when you brushed your teeth?
- 1 out of 7 people in our world do not have access to clean water for drinking, cooking or washing.

Can you imagine watching your child suffer, without access to a doctor?
- Every year 10 million children die before their 5th birthday, nearly all of them from causes that could have been prevented.

Have you ever gone to bed hungry?
- Around the world, 1 person in 7 goes to bed hungry each night.

Do you complain about needing a bigger house or a better neighborhood?
- More than 14 million refugees and internationally displaced people reside in tents and temporary shelters.

This is not meant to bring you down or to make you sad, but more as a reminder of the many reasons you have to be happy.

These past few weeks have been tremendously stressful for me personally, as I have struggled to get our production back from the factory. It seems to be one thing after another - a hurricane, a delay in customs, sizing issues...I know this is business and I expect to solve problems, but I was a bit overwhelmed these past few weeks. Thanksgiving couldn't have come at a better time for me. It is such a nice reminder, and quite honestly, a kick in the butt for me to appreciate the many blessings in my life. So, I am a little stressed at the moment...There are people in this world, millions of them, that are stressed about feeding their children, finding water to bathe in, fighting a disease without modern medicine on their side. How bad could it possibly be if our product arrives a week or two late? Don't get me wrong, this is my business and I will do anything to keep promises and make our customers happy - I just have to remember that life is so much bigger than I.

Exciting news & great people!

When running your own business, there are great days, there are really tough days, and there is everything in between. While getting through this production process and anxiously awaiting our product, I have definitely had my share of tough days...but, I am so excited to share with you that today has been a great day, and we're only half-way through!

First, I must say that I just love nice people! You know...the kind of people that genuinely want good for others. The kind of people that do the right thing and help others without anything in it for them. Well, I was blessed to have one of these people come into my life. I've never even met her in person, but she is the sister of a friend. She decided to submit RuffleButts to www.lilsugar.com as a recommended product, completely on her own. Well, I just went to the website this morning and was thrilled to find little RuffleButts staring back at me, with a ton of fantastic comments! That is just so rewarding! And, it's really great to be able to share my products with others!

I hope you all are having a great day too!

The RuffleMobile

These past few days have been a little scary for me...my little London had to go to the vet late last night, crying nonstop and totally lethargic. London and Remy are my two little Yorkie/Bishon babies...well, they are 5 and 6, so not really babies, but my mini family members. London has been under the weather for the past 4 days, but last night I knew something was really wrong. Well, she is getting better by the hour and I now feel MUCH better!


So, on a more humerus note, I thought I'd share a picture of my family's RuffleMobile...my poor husband!

I have found with owning my own business, that I think more outside of the box and am willing to go to great lengths to make it a success. I decided that I was wasting an advertising opportunity every time I drove my car, so I had this little decal made up. I felt a little silly when I put this on my back window, until I saw a SUV completely wrapped with a singer's myspace ad on my way home from the sign store!

I warned my husband that he now has to behave himself when he's driving the RuffleMobile around South Florida! I apologize now to anyone in advance =)

Noel

We are located in South Florida, about 3 miles from the beach. Since moving here in December, we have been fortunate enough to get through the year without a single hurricane. This week, we watched as Noel headed straight for South Florida, wrecking havoc in Haiti and the Dominican Republic on it's way. Noel took an erratic path a few days ago, making a sharp turn avoiding Florida completely. As we watched the hurricane move north, my husband and I sat outside in the beautiful sunshine eating dinner. When people are personally not affected by a natural disaster, sometimes we tend to put it out of our minds. I am a guilty party on this one, and I had my grounding reminder...

I received a phone call from my manufacturer (in the Dominican Republic) informing me that the deadly storm has greatly affected the country leaving more than 100 dead and many people trapped in the flooded areas. The factory was completely shut down, but I am happy to say that so far everyone and everything is okay. Our products are now going to be slightly delayed coming out of the factory as you can imagine, but if that is the worst of it, I am grateful.

I am definitely concerned that my first deliveries will now be going out at least a week after the promised delivery dates, but I am also aware that this is completely out of my control. I am hoping that our customers will be understanding to the situation and will not hold it against us long-term. It is a little disappointing, as you can imagine, but we can get through this.

My prayers are with the families there in the Dominican Republic as well as anyone else affected by this storm.

One of those weeks

First, I must send such a big thank you to Becki (aka BlogMom) at http://www.blogmommas.com/. I am so honored that she has chosen to feature RuffleButts as the Blog of the Month! As most of you know, this is a new world for me, but in these short few months, I have met so many incredibly talented and supportive blogging moms. I can't believe that I didn't do this sooner!

So, this week...wow, it has been one heck of a week! A bit of a roller coaster for me personally, but a big week for RuffleButts. I'm sure many of you can relate - you know those days where you know for sure that you are full of female hormones? Well, I was reminded with flashing neon lights this week! I called my husband on Wednesday, a complete mess - when he asked me what was wrong, I babbled on about all of the things that I need to do, and don't have time, and am overwhelmed with guilt when I take a break. Sound familiar?

My husband and I are so ready for children, we're simply waiting patiently for God to agree. But, I must say in weeks like these, I can't help but to question how in the world moms do it all!! All of my wonderful mommy friends tell me that you just find a way, just as with everything else in life. You know, that is so true and one of the most amazing things about being a woman - God just gives us the strength to do what we need to do. So, it is almost Friday, and I have made it through, remembering that I can do anything with faith and patience! I know I sound like a bit of an emotional mess, but really I am just like each and every one of you - we have up days, down days, and everything in between, but as women we sometimes tend to put on the happy face. I've decided that it's okay to struggle, as long as we don't ever give up!

PR, PR, PR

This week was our big 2 month anniversary! A whole two months since we launched the website and debuted at KidShow Las Vegas...I can't believe that was only 2 months ago!! I love what I am doing - I couldn't be more blessed to have this opportunity, but somehow I feel like I've been pouring my heart into this thing for years! I know I am a big thinker - I decide to do something and I never want to do it half-way. So, I've really given this my all, and I feel like there is so much more to do. I've realized that you can have the greatest product in the world, but if no one knows about it, it doesn't really matter. PR, that is the answer...now I just have to figure out how to get there!

It's very exciting that I am starting to see some results - I received an email from the nicest lady on myspace telling me that she spotted our RuffleButts in this month's edition of South Jersey Moms Magazine! She was so nice, she even offered to mail me a copy of the magazine - don't you love nice strangers! I also heard from South Florida Parenting Magazine and they are planning to feature us in their December issue, which would be great. Texas Family Magazine has us featured in their upcoming Holiday gift guide too! I'm starting to see results, but I know we need so much more. I visit other websites such as Allison Case's Hand Picked Pumpkin and I see what a fantastic job she is doing. They have lists and lists of wonderful reviews and editorials - I can see why, her products are absolutely adorable. I know we'll get there, I'm just hoping it is soon!

Okay, one step at a time, I know. We are getting fantastic reviews from moms across the country and we haven't even started to deliver our main products yet! That is more than I could ever ask for. I am going to try to take a step back today, breath, be thankful and then keep plugging away. If you have any PR recommendations for me, I would be oh so grateful!

Have a great week!

My 3 words...

I thought long and hard, reaching for creative ideas, putting words on plants, on tape, on our balcony railing...in the end, it's as simple as "God, thank you!" We are all so very blessed, and sometimes we forget a simple thank you.

And thank you to Becki for thinking outside of the box and spreading the love! For more information on the 3 Word Project visit BlogMommas.com.

Have a wonderful day!

Are you a little lost?

- Okay, I went to college, got the degree, hate my job...now what?
- Is this really what I dreamed of my entire life?
- My mom retired after 30 years at the same company. At her retirement, she was making less than my first job offer out of college. Fair, no, but true.
- I dream big, work hard, and want a good life...so how do I get there?
- They say follow your dreams and the money will follow...I can't seem to put my finger on what that dream actually is. And, really, the money will just follow? I somehow find that hard to believe!

Sound familiar???

This was my life about two years ago. I was lost, searching, for what, I was not sure. I have always been hard working and determined to succeed. I worked two jobs through high-school, worked through most of college, dreamed big and achieved big according to the standards of society. I was lost.

I then found myself in Dallas, TX, in a real estate sales position working for a company with zero ethics and even less soul. I knew it from day one, but the money was good...or should I say the money that they promised was good. I struggled with my own compass, tuning out my sense-of-right for the financial stability of my family. I prayed, and prayed, and prayed. I was there for a reason and I am starting to see it clearly in retrospect...don't you just hate how that works!! If only we could see clearly in the moment, but then again isn't that was faith is for! I met some wonderful people, and some incredibly terrible people. I was always so optimistic before this experience, trying to see the best in everyone, but this experience has helped me to understand that not all people are good. All people have the ability to be good, but not all choose that path.

I would lay awake at night, knowing that I needed to take the leap of faith and start my own business. I have been an entrepreneur at heart as long as I can remember. I have been writing business plans from the age of 10. I started everything from baby-sitting clubs to grocery delivery services in my early years. I was obsessed with "start your own business" books and infomercials. I have also always had a love for the fashion business. I knew that I was not trendy enough or style-savvy enough to be a designer, so I studied the fashion business in college. I was raised by a single mom and didn't know who Louis Vuitton or Versace were until college. To be quite honest, I don't think I even knew the name Coach until college! So, I thought I would eventually work in the industry and ultimately start my own company, but I couldn't see it clearly. I guess it just wasn't my time...yet. So, as I was making my way through life, searching for that answer, I found myself in that hell-hole of an office back in Dallas. That experience is what forced me so much deeper in my personal relationship with God. I begged for the answer, I pleaded for the grand idea. And then one beautiful afternoon in Fort Lauderdale, FL (my new home) in March of 2007, it was time. The idea came to me, as Oprah would say, my "light bulb" moment, or Donny Deutsch would say, my "a-ha moment"!

I have given my heart and soul to this idea, now called RuffleButts. It was my calling, my answer...fashion, business, and the sweet innocence of children. It just doesn't get any better than that. I was able to create a brand built on smiles...the logo alone says it all! I launched my Spring 08 line in August at KidShow Las Vegas and have been running ever since. I have crossed paths with so many strong, faithful, inspirational, supportive people that I have almost let go of my devastating experience back in Dallas.

For those of you still in that "God give me the answer" stage...I promise, it will come. It may be tomorrow, it may be when you are fifty, but it will come. Maybe your "light bulb" moment will be at the birth of your first child and you will discover that you were meant to be a stay-at-home mommy. Maybe it will come as you lose your career to a layoff. It is not your plan, you must have faith. Not everyone is born with the "I'm going to be a doctor when I grow up" plan in action. Maybe your dream is not clear. I am definitely not an expert here, but what I can tell you with much certainty is that you must pursue whatever it is that brings you joy...something that makes you proud, something that makes you smile. I love what I do - that doesn't mean that I love what I do every single day. Believe me, when you run your own business, you do many things that DO NOT make you smile, but ultimately I love it all because it is mine and I create, I bring joy, I share smiles, and I get to work with moms...it just doesn't get any better than this!

Motivated

These past few days have given me the bug...I'm always motivated to make this work, but these past few days have re energized and given me the hope that I needed. This is my dream, my goal, my "baby" if you will. I have so much faith in this idea that I am putting everything on the line.

Over these past few days, I have been inspired by other business owners and moms that are working their little tails off with so much success. I know I can get there!

So, I sat at Starbucks yesterday discussing the joys of entrepreneurship with Robin of Kaboodle Kids. I am not the chatty type, and usually my brain is off and wandering so much that I have to cut my social meetings short to go put those thoughts to work. Well, Robin and I had so much in common, I looked down at my watch...and it was literally 4 hours later!!! Who does that?? Robin and I just seemed to feed off one-another's drive and excitement - that is so much fun!!

Obviously, over 4 hours we chit-chatted a little about everything, but one area that I found so interesting was our discussion about our blogs. I'm new to this whole writing thing, but I learned that I was not alone...it is a little awkward writing to "who knows who" about your life. We both asked our husbands...what do we write about?? Robin has done such a great job with her blog, I aspire to get there. One great piece of her advice was for me to tell my story. I am going to work at this over the next few weeks...telling you a little more about the "why".

Another fun little motivation for me today was a phone call from a local boutique interested in placing an order. It is very reaffirming for me when boutiques appreciate my creations, and so far I have been so lucky to work with some really fabulous boutiques across the country. You can check out our retailer list on our retailers page. If you are reading this in an area that is not currently on our list - please go to your local boutique and tell them to check us out! I am, as always, so grateful for your support!

So cute!!

I know I already posted today, so I apologize for two in one day, but this is worth it!

Jennifer is the Owner and Founder of Babyations in Lincoln, IL, and I am very excited to announce that she is now working with us as an independent consultant for the RuffleButts brand in her area! She took the RuffleButts Referral Program and went so far above and beyond :)



Jennifer had a big day yesterday - she went on her first retailer appointment, visiting a local children's boutique in her area, and she held a RuffleButts trunk show for her friends and neighbors. Both were a success - the retailer placed an order with her and the trunk show received great feedback! I am so excited to be working with someone that is so family oriented and super ambitious.

So, I just received the sweetest email from Kristy, a mom that attended Jennifer's trunk show last night. Kristy is a fabulous photographer there in IL and does great work with children! If you visit our updated website today, you'll see some of her work right there on our homepage. I was so touched by her email and her efforts to send such great photographs of her little princess in RuffleButt designs. It really restores my faith in people and my excitement about what I am creating to receive such encouraging and supportive emails from complete strangers!

Well, Kristy has her own website and blog, so I wanted to pass those along as well. I always love supporting supportive people!!

http://www.everydaymomentsbykristy.com/
http://www.happymonkeymomma.blogspot.com/


I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Price point

Price - this is always a difficult and extremely important decision in business. So, I received the first negative feedback through the website last week. The mom was saying that our prices are ridiculous and not affordable for non-celebrity moms. (I found the celebrity comment kinda funny!) Anyway, she is the first and only person that has responded with negative feedback, and being the people-pleaser that I am, I really struggled with this. Then today, I found out that we are too inexpensive for one of the major retailers! I guess this is just a reminder that we can not be all things to all people.

I grew up with a single mom in Louisville, KY - she worked very hard to make sure that my needs were always met, but let's just say, we didn't shop at boutiques =) A little off the subject, but a funny story...

My mom was having one of those mother/daughter chats with me about life and death and her requests with the time comes. She was telling me that she prefers cremation and would like for me to scatter her ashes where I think of us spending quality time together. My response, at about 7 years of age...Value City!! I wanted to scatter her ashes in the clearance section of Value City! Don't you love those purely innocent, but painfully humorous answers from children??!!

Times have changed since I was a child, and I have been extremely blessed. I was determined to live a life different from that of my childhood at a very early age (don't get me wrong - I wouldn't change a thing about the way that I was raised). I worked extremely hard my entire life to get to this point and I am so very fortunate to finally be here, able to pursue a dream!

Anyway, due to my background and foundation, it was extremely important to me to create this line at an affordable price point. It is also extremely important to provide a quality product at that price point. I understand that we are more of a boutique clothing line and as a business person, I know very well that I need to stay focused on our target market. As an ambitious woman and future mom, I want to share the brand with the world! There is no better feeling than hearing the incredible feedback that I have received from so many moms across the world! I love to see the smiles that come with RuffleButts and I will continue to do everything I can to spread the joy!

Inspiration

As I began my adventure of blogging, I had no idea that there was a whole new world out there! I am so excited to have met (well, met in a cyberspace sort of way) such fabulous and inspiring women. I wanted to take a quick second to mention some of the great blogs that I have come across in the past few weeks...

Starting A Baby Boutique & Children's Clothing Line
Baby Fabulous Blog
Mommy Speak
Kaboodle Kids Blog
Hipster Mom
Mommy's With Style
The Mommy Blog

I am truly inspired from some of the great writing that I have enjoyed by moms across the country. I always knew moms were something special and had a lot to say, but what an incredible medium for sharing your thoughts and opinions. I give so much credit to you all!

Along with these great bloggers, I also must mention some of the incredible mom-preneurs in my industry that I have been so lucky to know. It is so much more fun to go through life's crazy experiences with supportive and encouraging friends!

http://www.littlebitsporty.com/. - This is such a fun line of kidswear for the sport fishing enthusiast! What a great idea (especially here in the Sunshine State)! The line is flying off the shelves at Bass Pro Shops and is also available directly through the company.

http://hairbaubles.com/ - The Owner of this company is special to me...she was my initiation partner at KIDShow in Las Vegas. We went through the adventure side-by-side and in the end, had a great time! Hair Baubles is fun new line of hair bows and headbands. She even has a headband that allows you to switch over the fabric so it's like 2-in-1!

Babyations Hair Bows Blog - This is an adorable line of sweet little bows. The Owner is a doll and is even making a few bows to coordinate with the RuffleButts line.

I have been so fortunate to meet such fabulous women through this adventure, and hope to meet many more.

Control

I can only imagine that as a mom, you would struggle with this issue daily...in your control vs. out of your control. This has been an ongoing issue for me for these past few months in two major ways...the business and my family. I have a ton going on everyday with this business and I find myself awake at 4am stressing about everything from emails to fabric to sales. Then, I have to remind myself that I've done all I can do at the moment. Maybe I made a mistake, maybe I'm learning as I go, but I have to turn it over to a greater power, give it my best and move forward.

On to my husband - okay, I'm sure most of you wives will relate to me here...I love my husband dearly. He is super funny, beyond smart and a very loving and supportive man. With that said, there are still times when I want to pull my hair out :) Although I am the only 'only child' between the two of us, you would never know it! We are two peas in a pod, stubborn as can be, and we struggle with letting go of that control factor.

So, tell me this moms...how do you do it?? How do you manage the things that are in your control and accept the things that are not? How do you let go of the reins and allow your children to do things on their own when you know they may mess up? If I am waking up at 4am with just a business to run, how do you ever sleep with a family depending on you?? I think that God must give moms a gift - patience, understanding and acceptance. You just have to remember that we all struggle at times and God is always there to accept your flaws and love you anyway. I am still learning that I am human and can not conquer it all alone, but I pray daily for more patience, understanding and acceptance.

Spreading the Wealth

It is always fun and rewarding to achieve success on your own, but it is so much more enjoyable and rewarding to achieve success with others! I would love to create a hugely profitable company, but I would love even more to create a hugely profitable company and share it with my friends and family! So, at this point in the game, since we are not quite to the hugely profitable stage, this is the next best thing..

I just launched our RuffleButts Referral Club, which is a way for me to reward our fans with an 8-10% commission on all sales generated through their link. It's super easy - all they have to do is send out a link via email or place a button (that I provide on the website) on their website and when people click through to make a purchase at RuffleButts.com, the RuffleButt Referral Club member receives a commission. I sincerely appreciate all of the support and excitement from my friends just out of the goodness of their hearts, but this will be so fun for me to make it financially rewarding to them as well!

Now, I just have to bust my butt to make RuffleButts hugely profitable - if it's this much fun to share a few hundred dollars a month, I can't wait to give away thousands! I love this job!!

So Blessed

I'm sure you will notice this to be a recurring theme with me, but I just have to say that I am so very grateful for all of the blessings in my life. I just came home from a meeting with my Patternmaker (who is so much more than a Patternmaker), and although things are crazy and stressful, I am just so grateful to have such wonderful people in my life.

For those of you out there starting something new, a business, a family, a project - you have to remember that everyone out there that is currently successful at whatever it is you are trying to do, started at the bottom too. I keep waking up in the middle of the night scared to death that I have messed something up with this production order...well, chances are that I have, and you know what, I will have to learn from my mistakes and go on. I must say - much easier to write than actually do, but I am trying. This is an ongoing struggle with me because I take this very seriously and want to do everything in my power to succeed. Mistakes costs money and losing money is not my definition of success. But, I know that I have to start somewhere and go through the "stuff" that Ed mentioned at church on Sunday to get to that final destination.

Today was just another small reminder to me that I am so very blessed. We should really try not to take a single day for granted. By the way, that was my original inspiration for my "So Blessed" Trendy Tee. Hope you like it!

The Test

Okay, today was my test - priorities vs. commitments. My mom and aunt are in town for the week. Figures, this is the week that I learned that all of my patterns were done incorrectly and need to be redone in time for the boat to go out to the factory within days. So, family or work - both are important, but I only get to see my family about once or twice a year. Then again if this line isn't manufactured on time, the business will suffer and I won't have any time for family in the future. So, I think I passed the test - I pulled myself away from the office for the day and visited a butterfly farm. I must say as I was surrounded by the peaceful beauties fluttering around my head, I realized that there is more to the world than my little office. And, chances are the line will still get done, even with me taking four hours out of the office today. I may pay the price this evening as I try to catch up, but I would definitely say it was worth it.

Oh good news, after spending days on the computer sending emails to potential PR sources, I heard back from South Jersey Mom Magazine. They are going to include us in their November or December issue! Adding that to the South Florida Parenting Magazine article coming out in November, I think we are off to a good start. I know they are both local magazines, but I am hoping that will kick start our PR and lead us to national publications and news shows. I know this is the challenge of every company, but if we can just get the word out, I really think that mom's are going to love this line. We are receiving such great feedback - I am absolutely determined to succeed.

Priorities vs. Commitments

Okay, today is my first day of reorganizing my commitments. I love our church Fellowship Church Miami - our pastor does such a great job of getting me back on track for the week. So, yesterday he was talking about change and going through the "stuff" to get to your desired destination. He always seems to come back to the difference between priorities and commitments and the fact that they most likely are not aligned. He's right, as usual...my commitments are not where they should be. I realized, although I already knew this and just didn't want to admit it, that my day is not organized, and I am therefore not making the most of it. I have so much to do with the business right now that I just plug away and put off the things that can be put off. If I just outline my day first thing in the morning, I wouldn't get so distracted and would accomplish more on my priorities list. So today was the first day of my new plan. I'm going to see if this gets me back on track and will keep you updated. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

And this brings me to my question...how do you moms out there manage to get everything accomplished - your business, the kids, meals, grocery shopping, laundry??? My husband and I have been open (I hate using the word "trying" cause we know it's in God's hands) to getting prego for the past year and as much as I want to add to our family, I can not imagine how I am going to keep it all together. All of my mom friends tell me that you just find a way, and I am going to have to trust that. I think getting a head start on rearranging my commitments is a good first step.

I have my first official sales call today, and am really looking forward to it. After speaking on the phone with the owner numerous time, she just seems like such a doll. I've heard great things about her store as well (http://www.thecasacollection.com/), so I am looking forward to it.

Have a great day!

Here we go...

So, I'm not big on talking about myself and writing is not really my forte, but here goes my best attempt!

Just a little about me...I'm 27, married three years (to a wonderful man named Mark), an only child (but not your stereotypical type, I swear), and entrepreneur. As you may have already figured out, I am the Owner & Founder of RuffleButts, a clothing line for tots. And yes, reading "Owner & Founder" still looks a little funny to me! I have dreamed of owning my own business since I was a pre-teen, but never knew that children's wear would be my calling. After spending the last few years working for a company that has absolutely zero morals, I finally found the guts to go after my dream. I am very strong in my faith and after much prayer, took the leap and began working on my line in March of 2007.

I have learned so much over the past 6 months, but more than anything, have learned that I am absolutely determined to make this work. I believe in the line, the concept, the strong ethics that stand behind my business practices, and my determination to succeed. I love seeing the smile that appears on peoples' faces when they see the name of the company for the first time. The fact that I get to share in such a joyous time in the lives of others is a gift and I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world. There just isn't anything cuter than a little angel in her RuffleButts!

I appreciate your interest in what I am doing and invite your stories and comments. I'm new to this whole blogging thing, but hope to touch the lives of others in a positive way. If there's something you'd like to know or questions that you may have, please join in. I look forward to blogging with you all!