Having It All Includes A Business For Some Moms
Nikki Francis, started a business that draws on her former career in fashion design. Francis makes all-natural spa products and markets them using her experience in product development at J. Crew, The Limited and United Colors of Benetton.
Francis, 41, started making spa products as Christmas gifts several years ago. Soon, her friends and relatives were asking to buy the soaps, lotions and sprays year-round, so Francis named her business “Khushi” — which means “happiness” in Hindi — and got to work perfecting her recipes. She makes the toners, balms and scrubs by hand with essential oils, laced with peppermint, lavender and grapefruit.
“Whatever goes on your body goes into your body,” said an effervescent Francis, who stretched while talking. “This is your body’s version of organic eating.”
Francis runs her business through mail order from her Hudson St. apartment while her children — Jamie, 5½, and Jackson, 2½ — are sleeping. During the day she keeps them involved by letting them help with simple tasks, such as counting out labels. Her children inspired many of her products, from a peaceful spray that calms them at bedtime to a healing balm that soothes burns and bruises.
Worried that his mother had forgotten to put the balm on his cheeks and diaper, Jackson once yelled, “Mom, I need the balm!” Francis recalled, laughing.
Francis, whose husband works for JP Morgan Chase and does her accounting, is happy with the balance she’s found between parenting and working. But it hasn’t been easy — especially during December, her busiest month, when she does half of her entire year’s business. She started Christmas shopping in August to prepare for the crunch.
“At the end of the day, when the kids go to bed, you’re exhausted,” Francis said. “[Your job] needs to inspire you. It takes a lot of time and endurance.”
Francis sells many products wholesale to boutiques and yoga studios across the country, but admits that she’s picky about her customers — she’ll only sell to places that have “good energy.” When her youngest child is in school full time, Francis will continue expanding the business, but for now, she’s content with turning down opportunities that would mean too much growth too fast.
“I’m a full-time stay-at-home mom,” Francis said. “That’s my first priority.”
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