Catching Up

As you can guess, it's been busy here at Bamboobino.

In January, one of our Bamboobino gals Robyn gave birth to her beautiful baby boy William - one month early! Congratulations again Robyn!

In February, Vancouver welcomed the world by hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics. Orders were pouring in full swing by now, and in all the "busyness" I made it a point to get out with the kids and enjoy the festivities as much as possible. The kids loved staying up way past their bedtime on some nights! Although I had some reservations about our city hosting this expensive event, it was really a wonderful opportunity to educate the kids about countries, sports, fair play, teamwork and community.

In March, even after the big party was over, the kids were still high in Olympic spirits and continued the party at our house. Our cardboard medals continued to be won and our paper and tissue torch burned on!

And just when I thought I could catch up on some sleep, we welcomed another 9 new retailers - from San Francisco to Montreal!

Which brings us to April. We're busy again, Spring cleaning and preparing for Earth Day. In a couple of rare baby show appearances, we will be clearing out slightly imperfect stock at heavily discounted prices at Birth Fest (April 10) and Babyvibe's Spring Fair (May 15). We've also got baskets of goodies to be won from Lunapads, Silk Concept, Liduccia Jewelry, Momma Nature and Mom Cafe.

In celebration of Earth Day, I'll be helping out again at an elementary school's Earth Day assembly. Their Environmental Club will be presenting the year's summary of their wonderful environmental projects and a fun fashion show of eco-friendly clothing and recycled accessories. A special thanks to Granville Island's Organix and Scraps Vancouver for sponsoring our fashion show!

Enjoy your Earth Day this Thursday...

Blessings,

Sharon


@bamboobino

Looking Back, Looking Forward

It's been a while since my last post, but not from a lack of thoughts to share. Admittedly being a mom running a business doesn't mean I can do it all; and my plate has been so full that there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to tweet and blog about it all. 

I end this year, as I try to end each day, with humility and gratitude. Just as every stage of parenting poses its own unique challenges, so does every stage of a growing business. So thanks to all my loyal customers, for doing such a great job spreading the word about us; and thanks to my retailers, suppliers, production partners and to my wonderful team who make it all happen. Friends and Fans of Bamboobino, I wish you a fantastic 2010!

Blessings,

Sharon

  

What the Mompreneur didn't ask me

As some of you may already know, Bamboobino is the cover feature of the latest annual green issue of Mompreneur magazine. When editor Kathryn Bechthold called me up for the feature, I was trembling with excitement - I've been a longtime fan of the Mompreneur. Familiar with the magazine's Q & A format, I drafted several Q & A's of my own for the interview. She had so many great questions and was genuinely interested in our company's commitment to environmental and social responsibility. One question often asked of Q & A interviewees is tips for entrepreneurial women starting out. I didn't get asked this question as we focused on carbon emissions issues - and I'm glad she did. So here is how I would have answered the question:

Q: What advice would you give for women wanting to start a successful business?
A:

1. Be honest with yourself.  So many fall in love with an idea (or even the idea of running their own business), but you MUST calculate feasibility. Do the market research, and be realistic. Are you ready to start a business and are you prepared for the hard work?
   
2. Take an entrepreneurial training course. You may be a talented lawyer, a gifted artesan, but have no idea about how to run a business. Then write out a business plan - in any shape or form to start - and revisit regularly.
   
3. Network – either by attending events or through online social networking. Never underestimate what doors may open from networking. 
   
4. Know your numbers, and keep track of your cash flow. What profit or loss are you making – if you're making a loss, when will you be making profit?
   
5. Visualize where your business will be in 5, then in 10 years. It'll help determine what you do today.
   
6. Find a mentor. S/He does not necessarily have to be in the same business or industry, just someone who has "been there, done that" and can offer insight, inspiration, focus and advice. 
   
7. At the beginning, do your own PR. Online resources are out there to help. For example, Elena Verlee's ebook "PR in your Pajamas" is a great tool for mompreneurs wanting to get started on their own PR.
   
8. Don’t spend money unnecessarily. Ask yourself over and over again if you really need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on, for example, advertising, trade shows, or volume purchases. You may have to do all at some point - and assess if it will meet your objectives and if the benefits (financial and/or nonfinancial) outweigh the costs.
   
9. Balance. It’s easy to be "obsessed" with the business when it’s gaining momentum. Do something active, really spend quality time with your kids and "turn off" the business several times during the day. You need that mental coffee break, and you'll have a fresh view to a problem when you're taken away from it. And don't sweat the small stuff - chances are, in a week you won't be worrying about it.
   

Blessings,

Sharon