The ‘Glamorous’ Life: Heather Stouffer, Founder & President, Mom Made Foods LLC

This interview in The ‘Glamorous’ Life series is with my dear friend, Heather Stouffer, Founder & President at Mom Made Foods. Heather and I were destined to be friends – Sarah Masterson at DC-Baby wrote a post mentioning both of our companies. Immediately after reading the post, I wrote Sarah and asked for Heather’s contact details. Sarah writes back: “Heather already emailed and asked for yours too.” Great minds think alike

Having your own business can be a lonely endeavor. Sometimes friends and family can’t relate (or get tired of hearing about “the business”!). Finding someone who understands the dilemmas, the stress, and can even celebrate the little triumphs is priceless. Heather’s friendship, support and advice has made my entrepreneurial life a little easier.

Over the last few years, I have watched Heather grow Mom Made Foods. I have also been lucky to have my kids be product testers for the growing line of Mom Made products! I think you will enjoy learning about Heather and how she took her passion for delicious, healthy food and turned it into a smart business. [If you have read my Tirade about school lunches - you know I share a passion for healthy foods for our kids!].

Tell me about your business
Mom Made® Foods makes healthy and convenient age-appropriate meals for kids 6 months to school age using USDA-certified organic ingredients grown in the USA. I founded the company with the mission to help children begin and sustain a lifetime of healthy eating. Our foods are available nationally at Amazon.com and in the freezer aisle of SuperTarget, as well as at select Whole Foods, Wegmans, Ukrops and other retailers. Mom Made is known for the great taste of our foods. We believe it’s a combination of our carefully developed recipes, fresh organic ingredients, frozen/fresh process, and a big dash of love that make Mom Made’s foods so delicious!

Did you always want to have your own business? What made you take the leap to start your business?
My parents divorced when I was 9 years old and my brother was 11 years old. My mom went from being a stay-at-home mom to a full-time working mom. She had no choice but to rely heavily on me and my brother to help with the chores. On a normal weekday afternoon, she would call from work after we arrived home from school. She’d tell us what we were having for dinner and assign each of us things to prep for dinner before she came home at 6pm when she’d finish the cooking. I took it for granted that my brother and I quickly learned how to make everything from hollandaise to fajita marinades at such young ages.

The little inspiration for Mom Made, Heather's son, Emory.

Fast forward to my adult life … My husband and I agreed well before we married that we shared a common passion for food. It was our goal to have children who were great eaters who ate a variety of healthy foods. We both enjoy healthy, fresh foods and especially ethnic foods. In 2005, around the time my son was 6-months old and starting solid foods, I embarked on a journey to raise him eating a variety of healthy, organic foods. With a love for cooking and a passion to make sure my son ate only the best, I found myself in my kitchen on Sunday afternoons pureeing and freezing organic fruits and vegetables. When I was in a pinch for a convenient option I found there were no organic food options available that didn’t involve a jar. I believe that good food does not have to be complicated and should be easy. I didn’t eat jarred food so why would I feed it to my son as some of his first foods! I knew fresh fruits and veggies were best, and frozen a close second. I soon realized that there was a need for healthy, convenient, organic foods for older children, as well as for babies. When my friends began asking for my foods for their babies, I knew I was on to something. With the help of my brother, a professional chef, and a passion for organic foods and children’s nutrition, I launched Mom Made® Foods in 2006 at our local farmers market in Alexandria, Virginia. The Mom Made journey began!

What’s the most glamorous thing you’ve ever had to do for your business?
I find that people think that being an entrepreneur in the organic food business is glamorous. When I meet new people at a party, for example, and they ask me what I do, I tell them about Mom Made. It usually goes like this…their jaws drop then they inevitably ask if I’ve seen the movie “Baby Boom” with Diane Keaton from the 80’s (If only I had a dollar for every person who had asked me that question since I started this business…). Then they start asking a gazillion questions, such as how wonderful is it to own your own business, etc. It’s hard for me to answer their questions because while this business is absolutely a dream come true for me, we have an amazing team who I love to work with and I could not be more passionate about our mission, 99.9% of my work days are far from glamorous.

Little do they know that the FOOD BUSINESS IS NOT GLAMOROUS, especially not the FROZEN FOOD BUSINESS. It is not glamorous to put on gloves, a fleece, a hairnet, ear muffs and the warmest jacket you own in the middle of June to head into the freezer to move product or do inventory. It is not glamorous to track shipments to make sure they arrive to our distributors on time. Nor is it glamorous to loose sleep because you’re consumed by all that needs to be done to grow the business.

Mom Made found at SuperTargets!

What is the most bizarre thing you were doing while on a business call that you wouldn’t want the person on the other end to know?
I am always multi-tasking but most bizarre would probably be when I was on a media interview while at the wheel of a refrigerated truck on my way to make a delivery. The journalist knew that I was on the road but I did not tell them that I was driving a truck!

What do you wish someone had told you before you started your business or what advice did someone give you that you wish you had listened to?
I had an advisor early in my business planning from SCORE (www.score.org) who was 80+ years old. She had managed a family business of 20 grocery stores while raising her kids. I told her that my greatest concern was how I’d juggle managing my own business and maintain the relationships most important to me – being a great wife, mother, friend, daughter, and sister and also add in life as an entrepreneur. Her response was so poignant in the beginning when I made the leap to start the business…”Heather, you’ll adapt and make time for what is most important to you as you launch this business.”

What she didn’t say was that the “adapting” would never stop…each stage of the business brings new challenges to the balance in my personal life. I have to regularly tell myself her advice to force myself to adjust and adapt with the momentum of life and juggling growth obstacles with Mom Made.

What’s the biggest surprise you’ve found about running your own company?
There’s nothing more gratifying professionally than having a customer call or email saying that their child (especially the very picky eaters) love Mom Made or that our baby food was a child’s VERY first food they ever ate. It is such an honor to be a part of the change in making our children healthier.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned along the way?
Listen to my husband, the greatest sounding board, when he has advice about the business. While he works full-time as a sports reporter, he knows so much about Mom Made, our market, etc and he’s able to take the emotion out of the big decisions for me.

Looking back, is there anything you wish you could have done differently?
While some of the lessons learned have been hard and stressful, I don’t regret any of them as they have been a part of our journey to get us to where we are today. The journey continues…

The ‘Glamorous’ Life: Ellen Uzarowicz, Founder & Designer, Right Bank Babies

This first interview in The ‘Glamorous’ Life series is with Ellen Uzarowicz, Founder & Designer at Right Bank Babies. Ellen and I have only met on the phone and through email (that is pretty common these days, right?). I discovered Right Bank Babies, named appropriately after the Fashion District in Paris, at ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas in September of 2007. I walked by Ellen’s booth (I was also exhibiting) and had to drool over the beautiful, reversible dresses (I can’t resist stylish stuff that is functional, 2 looks with one outfit - I was hooked). Almost 2 years later, I got a chance to interview Ellen, here is just a glimpse into her glamorous life as a mompreneur.

Tell me about you and your business. Did you always want to have your own business?
I knew I wanted to start my own business after I got my MBA in Paris in 1994. I dabbled in decorative painting and murals until I had my first daughter in 2004. I started out selling high end infant car seat covers. I was appalled by the fabric options at the time for Infant Car Seats etc and had always looked up to the French for their eye for fabrics. So, I began designing beautiful car seat covers out of upholstery fabrics with tassel trims and matching blankets. I immediately became pregnant again (happy surprise!) and I gave birth to my second daughter in early 2005.

It was then that I started making clothing from leftover fabrics based on classic patterns I remembered from my childhood. I then started making simple reversible dresses in bright patterns and kept getting stopped in the street so I began using my contacts to create clothing.I started with 2 simple little pieces and now we have about 25 designs per season.

Stylish & Reversible - Love it!

In fact, I try to stick to classic designs and avoid the trendy. The patterns that have been around for decades have stayed around because they work on babies and children. There is a level of practicality I aim to stick to – designs that grow with your kids, designs that can go on over the head or be buttoned or zipped on. Outfits that are easy to sleep in and clean. And my favorite – reversibles.

We started out just selling the reversible Dresses and Rompers to boutiques and gift stores and even furniture stores. And then we had a wonderfully huge PR surprise when we opened up People Magazine and saw this. At this point we stepped it up a notch – and hired a PR company.

It’s really over the last two years that we have rounded out the line. This year we are in select Nordstrom stores and Chasing Fireflies catalog, and we are selling all over the world.

What made you take the leap to start your business?
My husband and I quit our jobs and moved to LA to follow his movie making dreams. Being in LA gave me the opportunity and connections to start the business. It grew slowly at the beginning and then just took off. It feels like overnight I went from running the business out of my bedroom to 8 employees in an office and warehouse.

Heidi Klum with daughter in a Right Bank Babies' dress.

What’s the most “glamorous” thing you’ve ever had to do for your business?
I think the Award Show gifting suites are really fun. You meet so many celebrities. Baby Couture Magazine did a two page spread article on us in their magazine and for me that photo shoot felt pretty glamorous.

What is the most bizarre thing you were doing while on a business call that you wouldn’t want the person on the other end to know?
Probably changing a diaper or cleaning up baby vomit. In the beginning there was no way to hide that I worked from home – there was always baby and toddler chatter in the background.

What do you wish someone had told you before you started your business or what advice did someone give you that you wish you had listened to?
It took me a long time to learn how to be a “boss”. I really wasn’t comfortable in that role and I wish someone had trained me and told me just how important it is to set guidelines from the beginning.

What’s the biggest surprise you’ve found about running your own company?
How much fun it is. It’s like a third child and I love it and I love going to work.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned along the way?
Trust your instincts.

Looking back, is there anything you wish you could have done differently?
No, I think everything has happened exactly how it needed to.

Visit Right Bank Babies to see their beautiful collections. Use coupon code ‘RBB Fan’ to get 10% off your order of $150 or more.

Launching “The ‘Glamorous’ Life” Interviews!

Not always champagne & caviar...

OK, so I was thinking, I am not the only mompreneur out there living the ‘glamorous’ life. Since starting Chic Tots, I have met so many moms (& aunts, grandmothers, daughters, sisters) and dads (uncles, etc.) that have started a business because they needed a product, they couldn’t find. They had a moment that just inspired them. Maybe it was their children, maybe it was something that had been there all along. I just know that the journey I am making, I have not been doing it completely alone. I have met others at different stages of their business, and these kindred spirits have helped me along the way (even if it just words of encouragement “you can do this” or “oh that happened to me”). The ability to call one of these friends (that totally gets what I am talking about), has been one of the best parts about the business for me.

Although the path of having a business is not really ‘glamorous” it is really interesting and full of surprises. It will be fun to learn about the way each of the businesses featured has evolved.

Look out for the first interview this week with a cool entrepreneur. I will be posting a new interview each month.

Chic Mama, what?

I am going to talk about the choice of the title for this new fantastic blog - “Chic Mama - mother, woman, diva?” Joke, right? Well, ya!  I founded Chic Tots, inspired by the birth our first daughter, Tatum, who we affectionately called Baby Diva, cause she wanted everything right away and I believe from time I was in labor with her, she believed we were her entourage.

To serve my demanding little diva, I started coming up with product ideas. I also imagined, if I had my own business, I’d be a glamorous, jet-setting entrepreneur – a Chic Mama. But the reality of life and raising a family, and setting priorities, glamour is just in my head and love is in my everyday.

My everyday life feels (and is) far from chic. A chic mama, I am, in my own dreams - where I AM absolutely fabulous & glamorous. But there is more to the word chic (pronounced sheek or scheque NOT chick - you have no idea how many people say chick!). If we take one of the definitions of chic according to m-w.com it means “cleverly stylish.” So think style with a practical purpose. I like to solve problems. If you even mention a problem or I hear a problem in something you have said (you may not see the problem, let me show you the way…), I am on it like white on rice. Hubby doesn’t find it a very appealing quality, and I do try to keep it underwraps when he is telling me a story to share not to solve.  Anyway finding a solution to a problem stylishly - ya, I am all about that. Moms in general have to creatively solve problems. We have to work smarter, be clever to keep our sanity.

So a cleverly stylish mama, that can make a little sense. I can still imagine as I day dream (in all my free time), that I am fabulous. At least for right now, my kids think I am and that is enough for me.