Guest post by Candace Alper

As a mompreneur balance is something that I consider often – whether it is more or less than any working mom is also something that I consider. It does seem to be a much sought after result – balance is something that I have been chasing my whole life – balancing my studies, friends, chores, job and extra-curricular activities in high school and university; balancing my checkbook when I had my first apartment. Balancing my career, friendships and boyfriend. Balancing my husband, home and job. And then came my daughter Hannah. I became a mom and a mompreneur almost exactly one year apart. Now how do you balance that too?

The answer – strive for balance – learn to accept imbalance.

Being a mompreneur means that I am my own boss. I set my own hours and more often than not, my hours set me. Like many of my mompreneur peers, I work from home which lends itself to a flexible schedule so that I can try to balance my varying roles as mom, wife, entreprener, daughter, grandaughter, sister, grandaughter, etc. I try to fit in being each of these every day and as such have grown to accept a certain and expected level of imbalance. I am fortunate that I can be each of these things from one place – home. As I work at taking care of Name Your Tune, I have a load of laundry in the washing machine and another in the dryer. On an ambitious day, I might have spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove too. These are things that I am able to do in my “work day”. I am able to take my daughter to school and pick her up too. I am able to make time in my day for doctors and dentists and grocery shopping as well. Fitting everything in often means that I am at the computer working late into the night, usually with my husband by my side as we work to get through taking care of business. He is inextricably involved in my balancing act. I am a fortunate mompreneur because I have his help – his time, expertise and attention as most days Name Your Tune is a joint effort. Sometimes so much so that we could be parentrepreneurs. But more than that, I have his support and understanding through many late nights working, a home-based business that takes over the home and events that take me away for weekends that we usually consider family time.

Having said all of the above, what makes all of it work is love – the love that I have for my family and the love that I have for what I do makes striving for the balance and accepting the imbalance all worth while. In creating Name Your Tune, I have been able to bring all things that I am passionate about together is a nice, neat package – family, music and children. Creating a product that fosters self-esteem and brings joy and music into the lives of families is what makes the unmade beds and take-out dinners OK for this mompreneur and her family.

One last thing – in accepting my balanced imbalance – I have to maintain my resounding “no” to a Blackberry or iPhone – I can only imagine that on top of my 2 phones with voicemail, email on both my PC, iMac, Facebook and Twitter – one more connection would through me right over the edge.

Too often I read about the fabulous and freeing existence of the mompreneur – you know the one with the balance. I am not her – but I would love to meet her and sign up for some of what ever she’s having!

Guest post by Candace Alper A momprenour for more than 5 years, Candace Alper is the creator and executive producer of Name Your Tune, an award-winning personalized CD for kids. Name Your Tune is a natural progression bringing together her love of music, arts, children and creativity. As mother to six-year-old Hannah, Candace appreciates the impact and joy of music in her child’s every day. It is her motivation, enthusiasm and vision that have driven this project from its conception through to the hands of each child.

Today’s featured Mompreneur is Lisa J. Lehmann of StudioJewel. I got to know Lisa via Twitter a long time ago, and when I got sick, she designed me a custom medical bracelet, that I wear every day. I finally met Lisa in person at the BlissDom conference this winter, and she is such a beautiful person, inside and out, and I feel lucky to have gotten to know her. Besides creating jewelry – Lisa’s passion is to help people and raise awareness, and many of her pieces are dedicated to raise awareness (and collect funds) to her selected charities and causes.

Katja: Lisa, introduce StudioJewel for those who might not know it yet.

Lisa: StudioJewel is a mom-owned metal art jewelry studio based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Born out of my passion to create, a background in fine art and a strong desire to be home with my four children. Each StudioJewel design is conceptualized and handcrafted by me, lisa j lehmann.

Katja: What is your best Mother’s Day memory?

Lisa: One of my most favorite Mother’s Day memories was also one of the most simple, laid back Mother’s Days ever. We had a picnic in the park next to rambling brook. I was 5 months pregnant for my third child and my then 2 & 3 year old kids played with bubbles and frisbees and balls. It was a beautiful spring day and everyone was just happy. It still warms my soul to think of it!

Katja: If you could choose anything in the world, what would be your ideal Mother’s Day Gift?

Lisa: Ha…for my now 13, 12, 9 and 7 year old children to never fight or argue with each other again!!! Seriously though…this year i want a FLIP or an iTouch…very, very badly. I’ve tried to win one a hundred ways…but no such luck!

Katja: Which one of your products is the best seller for mothers?

Lisa: My Mom necklace is consistently an excellent seller…it has been a great piece to express those people the nearest and dearest to your heart! I love the center tag on this necklace, it is shown stamped with the word FAMILY, but I have stamped last names, or the word BLESSED – it is a heavy piece of silver and adds great substance and depth to this piece. But another great selling piece are my set of bangles. Five sterling silver bangles gently wrapped in 14 karat gold vermeil. One bangle can be stamped with a word, or words of your choice…kids names perhaps?

Virtual Mother’s Day Gift for Lisa

What can I say… Lisa makes this one pretty easy, huh? I would gift Lisa a FLIP camera with Pink accents and actually give it to her kids first for a week to record their messages already in the camera for Lisa. Oh by the way… stay tuned for the Skimbaco Lifestyle Mother’s Day Giveaways… One lucky mom will win a FLIP camera!

This Mother’s Day Season I am featuring several Gifts for Moms by Moms and a series of Mompreneur interviews. Todays mompreneur is Marla Bosworth of Back Porch Soap Company. The Back Porch Soap Company’s products are completely vegan and not tested on animals, the bath product line is free of sulfates and parabens and mainly made of organic ingredients. Over all I get that warm and fuzzy feeling when I thing of Back Porch Soap Company – here is the picture of the logo so you’ll see it in your own eyes what I mean. Oh – and keep reading, wait ’til you hear the tag line.

Katja: Please introduce us yourself and your company Back Porch Soap Company.

Marla: I am the founder and owner of Back Porch Soap Company, a retailer and wholesaler of handmade, sea-inspired bath and body products. In addition to my website backporchsoap.com, my products are sold in upscale boutiques and resorts all over the U.S. Back Porch Soap Company was founded in 1998 – literally on my back porch. Our company tagline is “Life is Short, Smell Good”. It doesn’t get any simpler than that does it?

Katja: I absolutely love your tag line, makes me smile every time! Since we are talking about Mother’s Day.. What is your best Mother’s Day memory?

Marla: Let’s see…1972. I was eight years old, and I had a very special gift in mind for my mom. I found and cleaned a metal Planter’s Peanut container. Then I grabbed a bag of tiny shell macaroni from the kitchen. I spent hours perfectly gluing the shells onto the container. Somehow I found gold spray paint and sprayed the entire creation. You can imagine how excited I was to give it to my mom.

I’ll never forget the look on her face. She acted as if it was the most beautiful creation she ever saw. The best part? I saw it over Christmas on a shelf in her new home. All these years, and I didn’t realize she still had it.

Katja: I love that story! If you could choose anything in the world, what would be your ideal Mother’s Day Gift?

Marla: A handmade card with a handwritten, heart-felt note from my 14 year old daughter.

Katja: For those who are looking for the perfect Mother’s Day gift, which one of your products is the best seller this Mothers Day season?

Marla: So far our bestseller for Mother’s Day is the sea-inspired Ocean Lover’s Gift Set. It is perfect for any mom, and especially the mom who loves the ocean or beach. This beautiful, handmade bath and body gift set includes a moisturizing and light Ocean Mist liquid pump soap, two sea glass and one sea salt bar soaps, seashell potpourri, a white six-inch sugar starfish and an adorable soap dish. It is packaged in a galvanized metal tub adorned with a white starfish that can be reused as a planter or container to hold special mementos. I even enclose a special gift card with a message at no extra cost.

Virtual Mother’s Day Gift For Marla

I know Marla loves the sea, and I would like to gift her a relaxing vacation on a beach destination. Then again, she has the beaches of Massachusetts right on her backyard, and for every day relaxation I can see her sitting in this Chesapeake Adirondack Chair after a day of soap making.

Today’s featured Mompreneur is Michele Baratta. Michele Baratta’s photo jewelry is loved by celebrities and has been sold in several boutiques across the nation, large retail chains and catalogs like Coldwater Creek, Land of Nod and J Jill – but the biggest reason why I absolutely adore Michele Baratta is that she turned her business for any woman to be her own boss and entrepreneur. Michele Baratta atHome makes it possible for anyone to become a consultant and sell Michele’s photo jewelry.

Katja: Introduce your company to us.

Michele: Michele Baratta atHome is a high-end fashion jewelry company based in San Diego, California. I design each original piece of jewelry that is in the line. I actually sculpt my designs out of wax. Then every piece is hand-casted in sterling silver and then handmade using freshwater & cultured pearls and semi-precious stones. Much of my jewelry designs are meant to hold a cherished photo. Each design has a story that comes from my personal life. Our catalog is like a scrapbook of my family. Women can relate to it: it’s romantic and touching. Each piece of jewelry has sentimental meaning with inscriptions of meaningful symbols and messages of inspiration. Everything is made in the USA.

Katja: Can you share with us your favorite Mother’s Day memory?

Michele: Besides the beautiful macaroni necklaces and cherished cheerios bracelets my kids gave me when they were little, I’d have to say a few years ago was one of my favorite Mothers Day memories. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always collected heart shaped rocks. So, you can imagine how many I have around our home. A few years ago, my kids covered my eyes and guided me out our front door. There, mounted on the wall at the entrance to our new home was a 12 foot beautiful and natural piece of drift wood. Eloquently sitting on top in a nook filled with white sand rested about 15 of the most distinguished heart shaped rocks of the lot. Intermingled between the wonderful heart rocks lay an occasional starfish or shell. My children and husband had surprised me with a gift that will be displayed forever. Each heart rock representing a year in which I have been blessed with my children.

Katja: I love that gift, that is difficult to top, but if you could choose from everything in the world, what would be your ideal Mother’s Day Gift?

Michele: A picnic at the beach in La Jolla. That’s my favorite!

Katja: Most of your products would make perfect Mother’s Day gifts, but could you recommend one specific for Mother’s Day?

Michele: This is a hard question. I know I’m the designer, but there are so many beautiful heartfelt pieces of jewelry! The “Feel Good” Necklace , my “Ultimate Brag Necklace” and the “Portrait of Love” necklace are the most popular! Each holds your cherished photo at the center of the necklace. It’s so easy…just insert your favorite photo and your ready to go. Dads will be heroes if they give one of my photo necklaces! I promise!

Virtual Mother’s Day Gift for Michele

For Michele’s picnic in La Jolla I would gift her this gorgeous Martha Stewart French Country Gift Basket full of delicious treats for the whole family to enjoy.

This Mother’s Day season I am featuring Gifts for Moms by Moms and interviewing some of my favorite Mompreneurs.

Today’s featured Mompreneur is jewelry designer Tali Gillette. Tali is the mom designer who designed the famous Mama-necklace as seen on numerous celebrity moms like Gwyneth Paltrow and Naomi Watts. Tali was one of the first people who contacted me after I wrote in my blog last year that I was moving to New York, and offered to show me around. Time has gone so fast that I still haven’t had time to meet Tali, but I am hoping to finally meet her in person soon. I will share our meeting with you when I do! Here is to our virtual interview with Tali.

Katja: Please tell us more about yourself.

Tali: I am the founder of Tali Gillette designs, known for its signature diamond and gold mama necklaces worn by women all over the world.

Katja: What is your fondest Mothers Day memory?

Tali: My best Mother’s day memory was the week long look of excitement and anticipation my son had on his face as he prepared to give me his home made mother’s day gift. His preschool class made jewelry boxes for all the moms out of popsicle sticks they painted silver. Full of pride he handed me the box on mother’s day last year and said “this is for your mama necklaces”. It sits on my night table, so that its the first thing I see in the morning and brings a smile to my face each day.

Katja: If you could choose anything you wanted for Mothers day, what you want?

Tali: My Mother’s day wish is the same thing I wish for everyday, a life of health, happiness, and safety for me and my family.

Katja: I think I may know the answer to this one.. but what would you suggest for a Mother’s Day Gift?

Tali: I created the mama collection as the ideal gift for mother’s day. Women have their engagement rings and wedding bands to signify milestones in their life, the mama necklace is a meaningful way to complete the trilogy. My best sellers are the large diamond mama and large plain gold mama, there’s a mama for every kind of mama.

Virtual Mother’s Day Gift for Tali

For Tali I would send flowers to last a year long like the Bonsai Gardenia below and Broadway tickets so she would spend a nice day in the city with her son to see Lion King together.

Today’s featured Mompreneur is Sara Tyndall of Ladybugs and Lilipads. Ladybugs and Lilypads is a charming store where you can find beautiful products for your kids and you – and what gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling: Sara even has those famous ladybug shoes that I sent to Suri Cruise (as then later on seen on Oprah) on her homepage!

Katja: Please tell us more about your company.
 
Sara: Ladybugs and Lilypads is a unique online Children’s Boutique. We offer a unique selection of items many of which are custom handmade to order. We hand pick our items very careful in order to bring only the best to our customers. We have everything from children’s clothes and accessories to furniture and room decor.
 
Katja: What is your favorite Mother’s Day memory?
 
Sara: My favorite Mother’s Day memory is my very first mother’s day. My husband planted a tree in our backyard and it meant so much to me. Now we have a tradition of planting a new tree for each Mother’s Day and I look forward to it every year.
 

Katja: If you could choose anything in the world for Mother’s Day gift, what would it be?

Sara: If I could choose anything for Mother’s Day it would honestly just be to spend the day with my husband and children having fun, planting our tree and relaxing. Maybe have someone else clean the house for me…that would be wonderful!
 

Katja: Can you recommend a Mother’s Day gift idea from Ladybugs and Lilypads?

Sara: My favorite mom gift in our store is our photo necklaces. I have one of my own and adore it. I find myself wearing it all the time. I really treasure that necklace.
 

Virtual Mother’s Day Gift For Sara

As a mompreneur and a former boutique owner myself, I understand completely that when you take time off working on your own business, cleaning isn’t really the first choice of things to do – I rather hang out with my family too! I would love to gift Sara a gift certificate to BidMyCleaning.com so she could spend more time with her family instead of cleaning the house. (Oh, don’t we all wish this!)

Photo: Amy McMullen

This Mother’s Day season I will be featuring Gifts for Moms by Moms. Today’s featured Mompreneur is Marlynn Jayme Schotland of Urban Bliss. You may know her from Twitter as @designmama. Marlynn’s calling cards for moms are modern, sleek and of course practical!

Katja: Introduce your company Urban Bliss.
Marlynn: Urban Bliss is a mom-owned creative studio + online boutique based in Portland, Oregon. We offer paper goods and gifts in our online store, as well as graphic & Web design services plus public relations strategy for clients around the globe.

Katja: What is your best Mother’s Day memory?
Marlynn: There was one Mother’s Day when my family was able to get my great grandmother, my grandmother, my mother, myself and my son all together in the same room to celebrate Mother’s Day. The photos from that day of all five generations are just priceless. My great-grandmother helped raise me and lived to be 102 years old, so having the experience of her spending time with my son before she passed on meant so much to me.

Katja: If you could choose anything in the world, what would be your ideal Mother’s Day Gift?
Marlynn: A lifetime supply of mint chocolate chip ice cream. And bacon. And coffee. Really, a lifetime supply of food in general would be the best Mother’s Day Gift ever! My mother always spoiled me and my brother with fantastic food growing up, no matter how tight their budget was, and now I find myself doing the same with my kids. Plus, I really just love food.

Katja: Which one of your products you recommend for Mother’s Day?
Marlynn: For Mother’s Day, our Urban Bliss Mama Calling Cards are always the crowd favorite year after year. They’re perfect for busy moms (and grandmas!) on the go, and they are both indulgent and also a practical gifts. Plus, they are functional for both the new mom who wants to meet other moms for playdates and for the mom of five who needs to keep in contact with five different sets of teachers, coaches, doctors, sitters, mom friends and so on. I package our Mama Calling Cards in beautiful cheery spring blues & greens and include a complimentary gift card.

Virtual Mother’s Day Gift For Marlynn

Since Marlynn is a mom who knows not just good design but also good food, I picked a monthly delivery of gourmet food as a Mother’s Day Gift for Marlynn. I love the idea of Stonewall Kitchen’s Specialty Food Club Membership
for whole 12 months, and she would get a new treat delivered to her once a month. The picture is what she would get in August – all the fixings to make a gourmet blueberry breakfast with pancakes, muffins and the best of jam, and I can see her enjoying it with her children.