Thank You from Sharon

https://mompreneuraward.wishpond.com/2018/entries/169883799

It has truly been my honour for the past 10 years to bring Bamboobino into your homes. I've loved hearing your feedback and suggestions, and you've seen my business (and my kids!) grow together!

Today I'm so excited to let you know that I've been nominated for the 2018 Mompreneur Award of Excellence!

Voting for me would mean so much to me, my family, and my business. The grand prize would mean the ability to expand Bamboobino to the next level, providing more products and services to our customers and giving back more to our local and international communities.

Voting begins today and ends on December 10, and you can vote once daily for the next 7 days. Please vote here!

Thank you so much in advance!

- Sharon

@bamboobino

Please vote for us Daily...

 It's official! I'm so excited and honoured to announce that I have been nominated for the 2016 Mompreneur Awards! It has been 8 years since starting Bamboobino and I couldn't have done it without the support of customers, friends, family and all the amazing people I've met along the way! Winning this award would give Bamboobino a boost with $30,000 in cash, media exposure and business services. Please help by voting once daily, and please share this post! (or click on this link: http://themompreneur.com/award/?entry_id=68851406)

Thank you so much,

Sharon

@bamboobino

Need Bamboobino before Christmas? Here are the cut-off dates for 2015

@bamboobino

We won! Entrepreneur of the Year 2015, Retail Category

I'm so excited and honoured to announce that I have won the 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Retail category for Douglas College's Emerald 20th Anniversary of the Self Employment Program! Thank you to everyone for all your support, and to Douglas College!

@bamboobino

"Just" One Person's Impact

It's a funny thing to bring up on Earth Day, but recently my husband and I were talking about an individual named Thomas Midgley Jr., and ever since I've been thinking a lot about him. 

An engineer, industrial chemist and inventor, Midgley introduced leaded gasoline to the world, fully aware of the dangers posed by lead back in the 1920s. Originally developed to prevent "knocking" in car engines, the discovery of leaded fuel would result in decades of  GM (and Midgley) convincing the public of its safety. That is, until the deaths, hallucinations and insanity of workers; the lead from emissions entering plants, animals and humans and even Midgley's poor health led to its ban in the 1980s. Only then did levels of lead in children's blood become dramatically reduced.

Midgely also invented the compound dichloroflouromethane, the first of the CFCs which became known as Freon. Although an inert gas, it would take several decades before it was discovered that its accumulation in the upper atmosphere resulted in the breakup of the ozone layer. The ozone layer, as we all know, protects the Earth from much of the harmful UV radiation from the sun. The number of cases of skin cancer attributable to the reduced ozone layer has already been estimated to be in the millions. 

According to environmental historian J.R. MacNeill, Midgley "had more impact on the atmosphere than any other single organism in the history of life on Earth."

All it took to get us in this mess is one person. 

When I took Climate Smart's program a few years ago, I started to seriously doubt what difference a single household (let alone a single person) could make, given the main sources of emissions that contribute to climate change (industry, construction...). It seemed hopeless, futile. We're taking one step forward and 10 steps back. 

Ironically, reading about Midgley actually inspired me and even renewed my sense of hope in this cause. If it only took one man to start the ball rolling, surely it could take one person to reverse the effects. Maybe. Wishful thinking? Perhaps. I've come to the belief that anything is possible. Especially when I hear my optimistic 11-year old son brainstorming contraptions he could devise to reduce pollution in the air.

As a teen, my husband was jeered by his friends for going out of his way to throw garbage in the bin instead of tossing it on the ground, like every other teen did at the time. What's the point, his friends reasoned, as garbage is everywhere anyway. He converted them all that day, giving them a light bulb moment by responding "Yeah, well, at least I know I didn't contribute to it."  

If we all took that attitude towards the environment, combined with the optimistic hope of what one or more persons could do to reverse the seemingly irreversible, the thriving of future generations will be commensurate with every effort in our power.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi 


@bamboobino

Giveaway to Celebrate 2000 Facebook Fans!

We've just hit a milestone in our Facebook page - 2000 fans! To celebrate, we'll be giving away Bamboobino goodies to 10 lucky fans! All you have to do is message on our wall that you’re entering our 2000 fans contest and you’ll be entered to win one of the following:

After Bath Hat
Beanie Hat
Knotted pixie hat
Socks
Nursing pads
Bath mitt set
Mittens
Tag drool bib
Burp pad
Pocket bib

Contest ends Nov 17 at midnight,
Enter here and good luck!

Sharon
@bamboobino

Nov 18 update - we're extending the contest by 2 days (Nov 19 midnight) and now 12 lucky fans will win! (the last 2 drawn will get to pick one item from the list of goodies)

Celebrating 5 Years - and Our New Office in the Lunaverse!

We're ecstatic to be celebrating our 5th birthday! Looking back, I can't believe how far we have come since our nail-biting start delivering to the first 4 stores in Vancouver who dared to take a chance on us. Now, we have over 140 retailers across North America and beyond, adding new stores each week. 


 Our story is a familiar one with our customers: I'm a mum who had used bamboo for years; and after a year of sourcing, found a supplier for bamboo fabric and created my own line of bamboo baby products to spread the word about bamboo to other parents. 


 Bamboobino took off faster than I imagined. Our extensive media coverage caught me by surprise and thrust me, a mum who would have otherwise been perfectly happy plugging away in the background, into the limelight. However, I was happy to be an ambassador of sorts for bamboo. I am thrilled that bamboo has now become a widely available sustainable choice for families, and that Bamboobino has become a trademarked, nationally recognized brand. Our charity panda bear, Inda, named for my daughter, continues to raise funds for charity every quarter. Our quality products, social responsibility and commitment to sustainability continue to attract media attention but also keeps us in check; and in everything we do, integrity is key. 


 In the last couple of months we have been busy setting up our new office in Vancouver. Our friends and unofficial mentors Madeleine Shaw and Suzanne Siemens from Lunapads had recently moved to a bigger office, and with some extra space, invited me to share their space. I admit I hesitated at first; after all, I had really enjoyed working from home. But I had outgrown my home office, and as Suzanne encouraged me with these words of wisdom, "It is hard to grow if you don't make room for the roots to spread," I took the plunge and replied "Why not!" So, while our office is not quite ready for drop-in shopping, it is available as a local pickup (by appointment, at 3433 Commercial St) if you bought something from our website. 


 With all that's going on, we're featuring a contest on Yoyomama to giveaway $150 of Bamboobino goodies, including several of our newest products. We also have a sale coming up next week! As you may already know our sales are infrequent and unpredictable - well here is your heads up and get ready to stock up! 


 Finally, thank you, to all our wonderful and loyal fans, friends, customers, retail partners and suppliers. Without you, Bamboobino wouldn't be possible.


Blessings,
Sharon

Happy Earth Day!

"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss, The Lorax


At our household, Earth Day is always an opportunity to educate our children about the importance of respecting the Earth and conserving it as best we can. Here are some websites and blogs I have drawn inspiration from lately:


Earth Day Activities:
Huffington Post
Families Living Green: 
Mommy Footprint
Planting & Giving Trees:
Love Trees
Environmental Education:
David Suzuki Foundation
Eco Positive Periods:
Lunapads
Green Crafts & Ideas:
Craft Caravan


Also, check us out on Pinterest - we've got an Earth Day collection of inspiring ideas!


Finally, we're offering free shipping for all orders within North America from www.bamboobino.com - today only! No coupon code required.


Have a great Earth Day with your family,


Sharon




@bamboobino

Parent Tested, Parent Approved

We're proud to announce that we have won an award from Parent Tested Parent Approved Media! PTPA Media is The leading awards program with the largest parent testing community and seal of approval recognized worldwide. 


Our super-soft bamboo baby washcloths have won the seal of approval and rave reviews from parent testers! Just read what they had to say:


"I found these wash clothes to be very soft and absorbent, easy to clean and care for and very durable to with stand the washing machine.The clean white colour, and terry cloth like material on both sides of the cloth make bath time fun and easy. Since the wash clothes are made from natural products it was great for my baby's sensitive skin. A package consists of 5 wash cloths, a little pricey compared to others out there but some may find it well worth it for the quality is incomparable." 


"Bamboobino's baby wash cloths are great to use for a variety of baby's and mom's needs! We really like them for bath time, but they are also great for nursing. My husband and I love how soft they are on our newborn daughter's delicate skin! They are super absorbent and hypo-allergenic, which we really like. We would recommend them to anyone looking for high quality wash cloths." 


"This is a great product and it is light weight and hold up amazingly. I will be giving this as a gift because I like this better then any other cloth I have had." 


"If you want a super soft, absorbent washcloth for your babies, this is it! No patterns, no colours just simple, natural and bamboo. As far as I'm concerned you can't have enough cloths in the house with little ones. And these are great!"


So thank you PTPA for reaffirming what our customers have been telling us all along!

Making Magic This Christmas

We were recently invited by fellow entrepreneur Suzanne Bertani of Green Planet Parties and Mommy Footprint to band together with 12 BC companies to contribute 10% of proceeds from December 5-11 to the Making Magic Fund.



This is made possible by a collaboration with The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund's Adopt-A-School program. This project identifies schools and their specific needs throughout Metro Vancouver. The site tells you the individual needs within each school so everyone can  identify something to donate (sports equipment, winter coats in particular sizes, mitten, socks, etc.) The most needed item identified by all the schools of course is money so they can assess and fix their most outstanding needs. The amazing thing about donating the money via Adopt-a-School is they will match all donations so the money is being doubled, hence why we are all donating 10% of our  online sales.

So from December 5-11th if you shop at these stores online – proceeds will be donated to help schools, which help children, helps families and helps our future.

Let the giving begin!



Here is the list of Stores participating:


Apricot Culotte:  an e-boutique specialized in previously loved baby clothes that we bring in from France. We also carry end of season brand new designer baby clothes including some very nice French organic brands.


Bamboobino: is an adorable line of children’s clothes and accessories made from soft, eco-friendly bamboo.


Bumblebee Toys: offers a unique collection of natural toys, crafts and playthings to inspire the imagination and nourish the senses.


dandelion KIDS: modern kids shop that stocks hip baby clothes, stylish duds for boys and girls plus cool, unique gifts for the next baby shower or kids birthday party.


Fill Your Own: offers an array of carbon-neutral, non-toxic and reusable products ideal for both kids and adults.


Giving Gifts – fair trade, eco friendly and fun gifts for babies, kids, adults and pets.


Green Planet Parties: where it’s possible to shop for eco-friendly party supplies in one place! Supporting locally manufactured decorations & goodies!

Kippo Kids: proud to offer you a quality mix of products that include a good selection of eco-friendly, handmade, organic, and Made in Canada items.


Maxwell Designs: leading Canadian designer of beautiful purses, the best diaper bags in Canada, and many accessories.


My Little Green Shop: is a hip e-boutique that provides a wide range of safe, non-toxic products for babies, children and mamas. We are careful that the products we carry meet our standards of what’s safe and eco-friendly.


Onyx Containers: food storage containers that are of the highest quality, manufactured in responsible conditions and available at affordable prices.


Puddlegear: toddler and baby raingear- children can play outside feeling warm, unrestricted and dry in their PVC and Phthalate free rainwear – certified by oko – tex.


Today I Ate A Rainbow: passionate about creating tools to help parents and caregivers raise healthy kids!



@bamboobino

Mother's Day Bamboo Bouquet

Mother's Day is approaching fast!

If you're looking for the perfect gift for a new or expecting mum, we've transformed a selection of our bamboo goodies into a beautiful and practical floral bouquet!

Look carefully, and you'll see that some of the budding roses are actually:

- A pair of nursing pads

- A pair of newborn socks

- One nb-6m beanie hat

- Five baby washcloths

- A pair of no-scratch mittens

We're offering this for Mother's Day for now, and taking orders by phone only, so hurry as we have a limited quantity! Available in pink, blue or gender-neutral theme (shown above).

Price: $55. Two-day shipping, and local pickup for Vancouver residents is available.

To order, call 604-551-3882.

Hope you have wonderful Mother's Day!

Sharon

@bamboobino

Good Earth FriDay

Make every day Earth Day. Be power smart. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Buy local. Walk, bike, & transit for climate change.

And many more environmental cliches. There are times when I think, has the message gotten through? Or have we just become desensitized because we've heard the message over and over again and because we aren't directly experiencing the impact of our actions... yet? After all, we aren't polar bears swimming toward our last 2-foot squared ice cap. I haven't breathed with more difficulty, or been overcrowded by garbage, felt warmer, or felt significantly healthier than, say 20 years ago when I was less enlightened by environmental issues.

Do you remember when you were growing up, how your parents used to warn you about not touching the stove or you'll get burned? Then one day, you finally learned by experiencing the stinging, blistering pain of a burn.

In many ways, warnings about climate change can be just as meaningful to us to a child who's been warned incessantly about fire but never experienced a burn. Although we are pretty green out here on the west coast, there are few who have traveled to witness the destruction rapidly devastating our Earth; most of us know what's going on but are tremendously removed from it.

I wonder, when will most of us experience the first eco-burn? And if and when we finally do, will it be too late? If we are fortunate (or unfortunate) to witness first hand devastation, and even if we don't, how can we influence those who are complacently far removed? How can we teach our children? How can we make a difference?

I believe we're going in the right direction; I just fear that cliches and the same green messages have become tired and meaningless. Or worse, hopeless rhetoric. But I am hopeful, because although being green is a conscious effort for our generation, I believe, thanks to dedicated teachers, parents and role models, green habits will become second nature to our kids. I guess we do still need to be reminded, and to try our best to set an example. Even if we'll never fully understand or experience the impact personally right now, I'll say it again anyway.

Make every day Earth Day. Be power smart. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Buy local. Walk, bike, & transit for climate change.

Blessings,

Sharon

@bamboobino

Photo: Courtesy of Scraps Vancouver

Beginning Again

It's already the end of February. How is your commitment to your new year's resolutions? I don't really make resolutions any more, but I do love that feeling of starting fresh at the beginning of the new year.

The daytimer and notebook I was looking forward to using since September is broken in. I started off with an ambitious to-do list at the beginning of the year, and I am both congratulating and admonishing myself for completing most of my list.

A couple of setbacks threatened to make me want to call this year a "bad start" : My credit card was defrauded. And my Christmas gift to a dear one for use in the new year was ruined by exceedingly substandard customer service.

As an optimist in general, I will still feel the freshness of the new year on March 1. And April 22, Earth Day, represents my 'green' new year. The start of the school year in the Fall brings another beginning, especially for the kids. Next thing you know, it's the calendar new year again.

Speaking of which - you may have noticed this blog has a new look, thanks to a special social media gal!

Wishing you renewal throughout the year,

Sharon

@bamboobino

Some New Products...

We're excited to reveal some new products that are now available just in time for Christmas! Available on our website are our pink and blue toe/heel socks. They come in sizes nb-6m and 6-12m. Many of you have babies growing out of our After-Bath Hats, so larger sizes are now available- 12-24m, and 24-36m. And now, Pocket bibs and Burp Pads trimmed with our whimsical prints are here! As always, they are super-soft and more absorbent than cotton alone, with a theme for everyone: Ocean Playground (blue), Ladybug Garden (pink) and Panda Forest (brown/green). They are available for purchase on www.bamboobino.com now, and you can also order by phone: 604-551-3882. Enjoy!

Blessings,

Sharon


@bamboobino

A Different Christmas Contest

It's that time of year to think about giving. Giving to kids. Giving to loved ones. Giving to those in need in our community. And outside our community. And giving a special thanks to all our faithful customers.

In addition to some exciting specials we have going on (and you'll have to check it out on Facebook and Twitter), I'm proud to announce a very special contest running this holiday season.

We're sponsoring a family in need this Christmas, referred to us by Healthiest Babies Possible. HBP is a prenatal outreach program supporting pregnant women of all ages living in Vancouver. Since 1977, HBP has offered free services in many languages to women to have have healthy pregnancies and improved lifestyles, with a focus on nutrition.

Our special Christmas Family has 2 little girls, ages 4 and 4 months. Together with our wonderful partner companies listed below, they will receive a gift basket full of goodies delivered by us before Christmas:

Survival Guide for Rookie Moms

Love Trees

Green Planet Parties

Sweet Earth Photographics

Momma Nature

Shiatsu by Francesca

Silkberry Baby

Gymboree

Movies for Mommies

Lunapads

MomCafe

Green News Network

My Mama's Love

Craft Caravan

PumpEase

We'll keep updating this list as more companies participate.

And you know what? A lucky winner will receive the same gift basket from these companies as well! All you have to do is to follow instructions on Bamboobino's Facebook page, and you'll find out how to enter multiple entries. Best of luck!

Blessings,

Sharon

p/s - If you would like to donate something for this family, please join us! We'll include you on the list if you have a company, or give you an honourable mention if you're an individual donating (some really great) food or any other (brand new) product. For more details please email me - sharon@bamboobino.com.

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

Happy Anniversary, Bamboobino!

Can you believe we're already 2? Can you believe we're only 2?!

On May 9th, 2007, we made our first deliveries to 4 stores in Vancouver who (and I'm very thankful) took a risk and decided to give this industry newbie a chance. 

This date is a milestone, the result of a full year's work of sourcing, designing, and research. I set out designing bath and swim robes at first, but the mother in me got carried away and made washcloths, after-bath hats and nursing pads. 

We've reached many more milestones since, and to celebrate the beginning of our 3rd year in retail stores, we're having a very special customer appreciation sale. We didn't have one last year, so we're not letting you miss out on one this year. It'll be announced on Twitter and Facebook, I hope you take advantage of it!

Blessings,

Sharon

Earth Day Blog Debut

It's Earth Day, and I'm finally taking the plunge to start my blog. What better landmark to remember the birth of a blog? I have to admit, I have reservations about promoted events such as Earth Day and Earth Hour, as I prefer that green practices are done on an ongoing basis. However, as I Twittered today, one can take these media-hyped events and turn them into events of personal meaning. Earth Day could be a start of a "Green New Year" - perhaps an annual visitation of eco-resolutions. Earth Hour last year started a fun activity for my kids - now we have several "Earth Hours" throughout the year, resulting in spontaneous family bonding time.

 

I spent the last few days with the Environmental Club of Brock Elementary School, helping prepare for their second Earth Day assembly. Today I spoke briefly to the school about how families could reduce greenhouse gases, and the kids had a grand time educating the school about their projects, and presented a mini fashion show of eco-friendly clothing. The kids from the Environmental Club are a wonderful group - and they have already achieved gold status (100 projects)  for their school and are well on their way to becoming a "Green School." If Earth Day is an excuse to educate, entertain and involve the kids about contributing to a greener planet, I'm all for it. For the rest of us, we know what we have to do, and a motivating reminder once (or twice) a year doesn't hurt.

Blessings,

Sharon