Business Opportunities Weblog

May 9, 2008 by Angela Shupe | 11 Comments

With Mother’s Day approaching this Sunday it’s obvious to see why this mom-owned business is a good representation of that. Gillian Beerman is a mom whose business is to serve moms and the mom-to-be with their excellent line of Moby Wraps and their Simone Layne knitwear line which offers very stylish clothing that will adjust through pregnancy.

Gillian is truly a business success story. She took her business from start to international recognition in only a period of 5 years. Her business also puts emphasis on teaching mothers about baby wearing and the benefits that come from it. She wants to help aid parents with the transition into parenthood using her great products.

We also owe her a big thank you. With today’s interview we will be offering up two products as a giveaway. The first is the shawl on the left in the photo from the Simone Layne collection. The second item is an organic Moby Wrap which is pictured to the right in the photo above.

If you’d like the chance to win one of these great items then leave a comment here telling me which one you’d like to be entered to win. Comment with “Wrap” for the organic Moby Wrap or “Shawl” for the Simone Layne shawl. The contest starts now and ends on May 15th at 11:59pm. I’ll choose the winners on May 16th. The item ships within the USA.

What is the ‘Moby Wrap’?

The Moby Wrap is a long piece of 100% breathable cotton fabric, that can be utilized in carrying babies up to 35 lbs. in a variety of positions. The Moby is an ergonomically supportive baby carrier, that distributes the weight of the baby over the wearer’s back, shoulders and waist. The Moby, is used in hospitals for Kangaroo care, recommended by lactation consultants, enjoyed by nature lovers for hiking and can even carry twins. The uniqueness of the Moby fabric lends support and comfort to both the baby and wearer, making the experience of baby wearing enjoyable for long periods of time. The Moby aids in the development of the newly forming parent-baby relationship, allowing the baby and the parent to feel connected, close and communicate. It’s a wonderful parenting tool!

What was your inspiration behind the name?

Moby comes from Mother and Baby – it was that ulimate feeling of having my baby so close to me that led me to the name.

What was your inspiration for your product?

I was given a wrap-style carrier by a friend/student of mine.

How long did it take you to come up with the Moby Wrap that is sold today?

Well baby wearing in general has been around for centuries, but from our first prototype to today’s Moby, it took about 8 months.

What types of steps were needed to create your business?

After deciding to move forward, we were incorporated, obtained a business license, purchased quickbooks software and started plugging away. We went to tradeshows, started by printing our own instructions and stuffing all the wraps – we now have the printing and stuffing done before they leave Thailand. My family and I also lived in Thailand for about 2 years setting up production. We own the manufacturing company that produces the Moby and travel there 1-2 times a year. My business partner in Thailand is a Thai woman with two children, and a very supportive family as well.

Have you learned anything since you launched that you wish you’d known before?

I wish I would have known how many moms really wanted a Moby, I would’ve come up with the idea much earlier! On a serious note, I wish I would have known how quickly the Moby Wrap would grow in name recognition. I am always surprised by how many people recognize the Moby Wrap and I am always surprised at how many people still don’t know about it, and how much more we can grow! My whole experience has been a true testament to the fact that given the right innovative product and the right market, anyone’s dreams can become a reality.

Do you have any past experience or education that you were able to apply to your business and it’s growth?

I have a Bachelors degree in Human Development and a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology. I was a former social worker, and I spent years as a Parent Educator at the adult school in Pacific Grove.

So, my educational and work experience gave me a lot of insight as to how people form bonds with one another from an early stage, what types of things people need to form bonds and how to educate the public. But, my biggest education has come from my kids, and learning what I needed as a new mother to help me function to my maximum potential in that emotional and physical state.

Has parenthood taught you anything that you’re able to apply to business?

Through parenthood I have learned to function on less sleep than before – this certainly helps when I am running an international business – our sales reps are located stateside and internationally, so waking up every few hours to nurse, or calm someone down, or driving the kids to school early in the morning after periodic hours of sleep, has really made me available to be up whenever someone needs to get a hold of me-although even when I am sleeping, I am dreaming about being up to answer the phone-so I don’t really know if that sleep counts!

How do you manage your time as a parent and as a mompreneur?

I am learning to delegate! I travel with my family when possible, and when not possible, I make sure that I am present for them, so I work from home a lot, I keep late hours and I try to make it as seamless as I can. Although there are days, when I just have to let things go for a little while so that I can communicate with my kids and breathe. My husband David and I tag-team a lot for the kids efforts, since we run the business together, it makes it a little bit easier to schedule things around the times we are needed.

Do you have any advice you’d like to share with other moms who might be interested in starting a business with their own “big idea”?

Just take it slow, make sure that the product is ready to be launched and has been through enough testing so any kinks can be worked out. Remember that things always change – be ready to adapt to a given situation, you need to remain flexible and focused. Be willing to stick with it, keeping your goals in sight, and momprenuers can have an amazing experience. Each day brings something new for a small business, it is a very exciting adventure to be a part of!

In Giveaways, Interviews | 11 Comments
Tags: Family, Parents, Women, Work at Home