Some of the best online stores bring together a variety of unique products to one place so people can one-stop shop. Katja Presnal has done that with her store, Skimbaco. Mom’s interested in purchasing some of the best wearing, long last products for their children can find them without having to go to more than one website to do it.
Since the infamous mention of the ladybug shoes by Tom Cruise on Oprah, her store has definitely been booming. He didn’t have to say her name for the traffic to start picking up for her (as well as the mom she helped gift those shoes, Monkey-Toes).
What is ‘Skimbaco’?
Skimbaco.com is a modern online store for parents offering products like clothing, home deco, designer jewelry and personalized gift items for everyone in the family. Most of our products are made by small companies owned by other mompreneurs. “Skimbaco” as a word means “skiing in Colorado”. “Skimba” is a Finnish slang word for skiing and Co is for Colorado - I wanted my company name to reflect our family’s multi-culture background and also our lifestyle of enjoying life to the fullest - for example by skiing in Colorado.
How long have you been in business?
Year and three months, Skimbaco.com site started in February 2007.
What kind of feedback have your received since Tom Cruise mentioned one of your products on Oprah?
It has been amazing! So many small business owners and bloggers have been inspired by what I call “ladybug luck” - when Tom Cruise showed Oprah a pair of Monkey-Toes ladybug shoes I had recently helped a client to gift for Suri Cruise from our store. We have gotten press queries all the way from Australia, but the most heart warming has been the online community, who has shown their support for my business.
I’m sure those cute lady bug shoes are a big seller now, but before the mention what was your top selling product?
The Livie & Luca shoes have always been very popular among our customers.
How many different brands do you offer? How many products do you have available for sale on your website?
We offer over thirty brands, and I hand select all of the products we offer. I try to bring something new in monthly. At the moment we have close 100 products on sale on our site.
What was your inspiration?
When I was a little girl my aunt was a stewardess and she traveled around the world and would send me and my sisters packages containing clothing and gifts from around the world. Now I want to be the person helping parents and relatives to send these packages for children in their life. My mission is to Spread Sunshine, and simply just make people happy by receiving unique products.
Have you received any advice that has been invaluable in the starting or the growth of your business?
The best advice I have gotten is to never give up and just keep working and believing in what you do. Things don’t always work they way we plan and I think it’s a great advice and applies to everything in life. The most successful people are not those who never fail - the most successful people are those who don’t give up when they face small or big obstacles, but keep working even harder than before. I like the saying “when life gives lemons, make lemonade”.
What store platform do you use?
spDotNetstorefront and we have been very pleased with the product
Are you’re children involved?
My children sometimes appear in the pictures on our site, and test the products we sell or might sell. I wouldn’t want to recommend any product to any other parent, if I as a parent wouldn’t want my children to use the product. I think testing is especially important with children’s clothing - you really see the quality of a garment after several washes and after children have used the clothing.
How have you been able to manage your time to work around family time?
I work from home, and to be honest at first it was difficult - I wasn’t able to pull myself off from working, and worked every minute I could around the family routinues we had. Taking time off and just turning the computer off is important, and I should set work hours for me. I am still working on that work/family balance, but now I do take more time off just to do fun things with the family, like taking a day off to go skiing.
Do you have any advice for other mom’s who are interested in starting their own business?
Yes, like the importance of networking and having people around you, who can help you. I actually just started a free PR service helping women to network better and get the answers they need from other women who have been in the same situation before. If you are interested to hear more, please contact me at press@skimbaco.com. Our site Ladybug Landings will be launching later this month.
cassy on June 24th, 2008 at 2:05 am
Its really a big help of a business if somebody,like Tom Cruise will wear the products, and also i like her idea that the 1st one who wear the clothes are her kids.Kids dont lie,they say if they dont like the stuff.