A Place To Grow Childcare

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to say that I have a special place in my heart for today's "Working Girl." You see, when Sweet R was born in 2009, I had to do the agonizing chore that so many new parents must face....selecting a person or place to take care of your most precious accomplishment when you head back to work. Not fun.... We decided that we wanted someone to come into our own home to care for our bundle and so the interviews began....and kept going and going...until we found "her."

Both my husband and I have professional backgrounds that include conducting LOTS of interviews and we both agreed that it was not so much about the answers that were given, but about how the candidate made us feel. In this case, who could we possibly trust as we would ourselves. When Maggie came into our home, after many luke-warm-at-best other interviews, we knew we had our match. The way she cared for and interacted with our daughter...having spent a grand total of only a few minutes with her...left us with no doubts. Thankfully, she liked us too and for the next almost 2 years, Maggie was a part of our family....and still is.

After the birth of her second beautiful baby boy, and our move to Arizona, Maggie decided to make the leap into business ownership and I have to say, I am so very proud of her!!! And I want you all to know about her as well.....

Without further ado, I am honored to introduce you all Miss Maggie....

Tell us about your business...

"We are a small in-home daycare where the primary focus is on play. I feel that through a variety of activities and interacting with others, children can grow in all areas of development. We put more emphasis on sharing, using kind words to express feelings and opinions, and working with others than "main stream" academics. All children will learn math, writing, science, etc. in their own time, but I strongly believe that being properly socialized and obtaining the ability to work well with peers will help them succeed in all areas of life."

 

 What did you do in your past life...before you launched your business?

"Before opening my own daycare, I worked as a full-time nanny. And I loved it! I enjoyed being apart of the family, watching "my kids" grow and getting to play a major role in their development."

 

What made you decide to take the leap into being a business owner?

"I decided to open my own daycare because I couldn't stand the thought of leaving my kids to go care for someone else's anymore. Yet I still wanted to make a difference in the lives of young children."

 

 What has been your greatest professional success to date?

"Opening the business and having it be successful enough to live a comfortable life has been the greatest success by far! I am not the type of person to jump into something that has such an unpredictable outcome. But its been worth the risk!"

 

 How about the biggest "lesson learned"?

"I am learning daily. When working with children you have to constantly be flexible and willing to change when change is needed. Finding a schedule that works on a daily basis was a trial and error at first, but now have found a routine that works for all ages!"

 What is next on the horizon for your business?

"As the demand for childcare increases, my goal is to open a daycare location that is out of my home and that will be used specifically for childcare."

 

 Where can we find you when you are not being Super Business Owner Woman??

"When I am not working, I spend most of my time out on adventures with my family. Since I am home all day during the week, I like to spend as little time at home on the weekends :)"

 

 If we were to run into you at a cocktail party, what would be your "party trick"?

"Karaoke. Get me warmed up and I can't resist a good belting out 80's song!"

When someone asks you to tell a joke, what is your "go-to" one-liner?

"I have the worst sense of humor and never get jokes! Seriously!"

 

 If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 18 year-old self?

"Be patient and enjoy life. Don't rush to grow up cause there are blessings beyond your wildest dreams waiting ahead for you!"

Inspired? Want to learn more?

Visit "A Place To Grow" at

https://www.facebook.com/aplacetogrowchilcare

 

Socorro Counseling

Every once in a while in this life, you stumble upon someone whose career is such a perfect fit for their personality that you think, "how awesome is that?" When I first met today's Working Girl, I was floored by just how connected I felt to her in such a short amount of time. Her sincerity and genuine ways simply made me feel instantly comfortable and at ease. She was relaxed, yet invested in our conversation (something pretty inane I am sure, since our first meeting as at a Fourth of July BBQ)...all while managing a 2 year old and a brand new baby girl. Impressive.

Elisa and her husband relocated back to the Phoenix area just about two years ago and decided to grow the business that they had started in their previous home in Seattle, Socorro Counseling and Consulting. In their time as a business, they have touched many lives and hope to be able to reach out to so many more in the years to come. Their services are based on support, compassion, and understanding...all in a safe and welcoming environment.

She is truly changing lives each and every day....good stuff for sure.

It is my honor to introduce you all to Elisa.

 Tell us about your business...

"My husband and I started a small private counseling practice, Socorro Counseling, years ago in Seattle. Since our move to Phoenix 2 years ago, we have developed and expanded the practice and are now Socorro Counseling and Consulting. We now offer premarital counseling and have a mom's group along with the individual and group counseling & consulting. Socorro means "assistance in a time of need." We believe that sometimes you just need someone to walk along side you and meet you in those places of great joy, deep sorrow, and many areas in between. Sometimes that means a person comes to us in crisis and despair, other times it is because of relationship issues, times of transition, or life's challenges."

 

What did you do in your past life...before you launched your business?

"I have worn many hats that have ironically prepared me for starting my own business. I have been a graduate student for a Masters in Counseling Psychology; worked as a full time employee at an inpatient eating disorders facility; traveled the nation as a part of a Speakers Bureau and Marketing team addressing issues of eating disorders and anxiety; and most challenging, thought provoking, & rewarding I have been a stay at home mom. There is nothing so real and amazing as to watch your own kids become their own little people."

 

What made you decide to take the leap into being a business owner?

"Private Practice allows me to do the work that I love and feel called to do, but have a more flexible schedule to be able to play, enjoy, and be home with my kids while they are still young."

 

What has been your greatest professional success to date?

"I don't know if it's a success, as much as gratitude and feeling honored that I get to walk alongside people and witness change and hope emerge in their lives and relationships."

 

 How about the biggest "lesson learned"?

"Finding a work/life balance. It is easy to "work here and there" when you run your own business which turns into working every day. We try and find a time of rest and play for our family where gadgets are turned off, ideas aren't bouncing, and we are just being present with one another…it's been a journey."

 

What is next on the horizon for your business?

"We are super excited to have recently moved to our new offices! We are now located downtown at 6th Ave and Roosevelt. We are excited about being a part of this community, and look forward to developing new relationships."

 

Where can we find you when you are not being Super Business Owner Woman??

"Most days, just trying to get through the day with two little girls - making it to all our activities, being creative around the home, filling our bellies, and getting sleep (if that happens). I most enjoy playing out doors with my family (walks, hikes, or at the park or pool), finding new places to eat and drink on dates with my husband, and relishing any quiet, alone time I can get my hands on with a cup of coffee and something to read or a project to work on."

 

If we were to run into you at a cocktail party, what would be your "party trick"?

"Oh my, it may be my moves on the dance floor…that is if this cocktail party is the kind with a dance floor. :)"

 

When someone asks you to tell a joke, what is your "go-to" one-liner?

"I am much more of an improv comedian. :)"

 

 If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 18 year-old self?

"Breathe deep, and breathe it all in. Life moves quickly, try to slow down. It is ok that life is hard and dark sometimes, this doesn't mean that it isn't also very, very good."

 Inspire? Want to learn more?

Check out their website at: http://www.socorrocounseling.com

One of the open tabs....

Those of you who read my posts with any regularity know that (one of) the 2000+ tabs that is currently open in my mind is the looming question of  "Do we have a third baby or stick with the two pretty much perfect kidlets that we already have?" And when I say "open tab", I am severely understating the situation here...as in, pretty much any time I am not tending to one of the many needs of Sweet R or Little Dude B, this is the first place my mind tends to wander (also know as, "Obsess much mama?") And chances are if you asked me where I currently stand 37 times each day, the answer would change no less than 36 different times.

Why is it that this "next step" is so much more difficult of a decision to make than it was going from 1 to 2?  Seriously, that decision was akin to "Hey babe, we ran out of toilet paper. Should we go to Costco and get some more or just skip it?" Why yes, yes we should, dear. And we were off to the races. No muss, no fuss.

And for the hubs and I, the whole "if it is meant to be it will be" thought process is not an option. For two reasons....the first being 3 simple letters: "O.C.D." No plan, means no smiles from mama. This mama is not a fan of surprises....I know, I'm no fun. The second being with our first sessions of TTC, my husband pretty much sneezed in my general direction and my uterus snapped to attention. I mean no disrespect to those who have struggled with fertility....I can only imagine the heartache that comes with it, but our history (thankfully) has given us no grey area in that whole family-planning arena.I don't anticipate it would this time either so "wait and see" pretty much means, get the nursery ready.

Thus, we return to the soul-searching. Let me be the first to admit, soul-searching sucks. Like, with Dyson level suction. Some people say you will just "know"....that must be dreamy. This morning around 9:30am, I "knew". Now....not so much. Sometime during the bath routine tonight, I anticipate I will "know" again. Only to be thrown for yet another loop tonight when I sneak in and kiss their soft cheeks before I go to bed. Followed by much Googling of such rediculous topics as "Should I have another kid?" or "Is it better to have 2 kids or 3?" (Insert eye roll here....it's OK, I would roll my eyes at me as well)

I am one of two and so is my husband. Truthfully that is all we know.  So I have no idea where this idea of more popped into my head. At one point in my life I said I would have as many kiddos as it took to get at least one of each gender (check that one off the list...). At one point that changed to wanting 3. Some days I am sure that I want to be fully responsible for yet another human being for at least 18 years. And some days, I just want to smother the two I already have with so much love, resources and one-on-one time that I cannot imagine them having to share me with anyone else. And don't even get me started on when I start weighing out the, *gasp*, logistical/financial factors of adding another tiny human to the mix. But oh, that perfect baby snuggle and warm, sweet baby breath...swoon....

Alas, the soul search shall continue...

In the meantime, I have to go wake up my beautiful lovelies from their afternoon naps....because when this mama's soul gets to searching, the only thing that breaks the spell are the sweet faces of the two best things that already happened to me. THAT my friends, I know for sure.

Bloomers Play and Learn

So, I hear that the new "hip/cool/trendy" think to say these days is, "I am obsessed with _________." Well, today, I am re-upping my hip/cool/trendy badge and declaring that I am totally obsessed with today's Working Girl Wednesday business! Having almost 4 years of mama hood under my belt at this point, I have been to my fair share of mommy-and-me classes. For the most part, we always have a good time at them and it is 30-60 minutes of quality time.

When I first met today's Working Girl, Holly, I just knew that she was something special. The sparkle in her eye when she talks about "edu-taining" children is priceless and the enthusiasm with which she sings her kid-friendly, silly songs in class in simply unparalleled.  (And, I might add, she is a talented vocalist as well....)

Spend five minutes with Miss Holly, and try not to crack a smile...I dare ya! It is physically impossible....she simply radiates joy and the kiddos that she is teaching along the way, simply eat it up!

Without further ado, it is my pleasure to introduce this week's Working Girl, Holly Moran!

Tell us about your business...

"I have the best job in the world.....I edu-tain kids! I've developed a one of a kind program that inspires education through play and I have the honor of sharing it with Valley moms!"

 

What did you do in your past life...before you launched your business?

"My background is mainly in theater, performance, and of course.....DANCE! Once I became a mommy I became passionate about early childhood development. Combine the two and viola - Bloomers was born :)"

 

What made you decide to take the leap into being a business owner?

"I was in charge of story times at a ‘mommy and me’ group that met at a church. The smiles on the moms' faces and the barrage of hugs from the kiddos told me I was on to something good."

 

 What has been your greatest professional success to date?

"I hold a 'kids only' version of Bloomers at a preschool/daycare and I'm honored to say that they are so happy with my program that they've asked me to help train their teaching staff. I also have recorded some of my original songs onto a CD that moms rave about :)"

 

 How about the biggest "lesson learned"?

"Anything worth doing will require both patience and persistence. Also, word of mouth referrals are priceless."

 

What is next on the horizon for your business?

"Next I imagine I'll seek out more opportunities in different preschool settings. I'd also love to get involved in some philanthropy events at local hospitals and shelters."

 

Where can we find you when you are not being Super Business Owner Woman??

"Teaching Zumba at various LA Fitness locations, at local family events around town, or volunteering in the nursery of my church."

 

 If we were to run into you at a cocktail party, what would be your "party trick"?

"I have a wicked break dancing handstand thingy I can do :)"

 

When someone asks you to tell a joke, what is your "go-to" one-liner?

"What do you get when you goose a ghost? A handful of sheet :)"

 

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 18 year-old self?

"Life is a journey. Take each day as it comes and enjoy the ride!"

Inspired? Want to learn more about Bloomers Play and Learn? Check out their website at: http://bloomersplayplace.com/

Aimee Martin Consulting

A little while back, I had the pleasure of meeting a woman who is just one of those people. You know, the ones who are brilliant, outgoing, crafty, AND a super mama. Yep, she is one of those....and she is awesome with a capital A! With an eye for the creative and a mind for problem solving, today's Working Girl has put those skills, well, to work, for her quite nicely!

Miss Martin has started not one, but TWO businesses. The first was a creative outlet full of designer baby wares that she created herself to keep stylish mamas stylish.  Along the path on entreprenuership, she developed the second, which is her current professional focus. Aimee Martin Consulting seeks to help other business owners become "known". Troubleshooting marketing woes and navigating the social media matrix for business owners looking to make their break!

Let's allow her to tell you all about it. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Aimee....

Tell us about your business...

"Business & Marketing Problem Solving. While what I do looks a lot like a marketing agency, I don't claim to be one. I act as a problem solver, helping business owners resolve issues and reach new milestones. From simple projects like rewriting/redesigning a brochure, to launching a new product or website, I act as creative director and project manger. Adding creative capital where I can, and finding partners for specialized skill sets as needed."

What did you do in your past life...before you launched your business?

"I was a VP of Marketing for a regional bank. While I enjoyed my co-workers and exposure to the creative people in the marketing industry, banks aren't really known for taking risks, or cutting edge style. I've enjoyed the freedom of working with different brands and tastes."

What made you decide to take the leap into being a business owner?

"Like many businesses, the bank I was with went through a restructuring and downsizing in 2010, it coincided with a case of Shingles, a pregnancy loss and the birth of my first child. It was a stressful, busy, sad and joyous 12 months. I actually didn't decided to start a business. I decided to stay home with my baby. After several months I was fortunate that my growing restlessness at home (love my daughter, but being at home full time doesn't suit all personalities) was met with needs from past contacts. I started getting small freelance offers, and put my toes in the water one project at a time."

What has been your greatest professional success to date?

"Walking away from a business venture. Sounds crazy right? While I was slowing taking on more freelance marketing work, I was also starting a soft goods business, specializing in baby products. From design to materials sourcing and sewing, I was doing it all. I reached out to a consultant to help create logos and improve my sewing, designs etc. My husband and I set aside a small "nest" for me to invest in this business (all funds I had made freelancing). As the nest shrunk, I struggled with what to do. Invest more? Raise capital? Take on investors? I created a pro-forma, talked to patent experts, and amazingly, a family member offered to support the project for partial ownership. But the decision to move forward never seemed right. I sat on it for months. Ultimately, I noticed that my consulting business soared while I put the other project on the back burner. I increased my consulting business by more than 100% over 3 months. Because I wasn't distracted, and I was doing something that relied on my core competencies. It was a hard lesson to learn. But invaluable. Do what you are good at. What comes naturally. It will still require work, discipline, effort (read late nights) but the rewards will be worth it."

How about the biggest "lesson learned"?

"See above!"

What is next on the horizon for your business?

"Maintain...and...balance. I'm working to creating balance between my work and home lives, while also maintaining balance at work between building a pipeline of future work and completing current projects. It is a daily battle. I've spent the last 6 months building a pipeline of business, and I'm very blessed that I wake up each day worried I won't have enough hours in the day to complete my work and home tasks."

Where can we find you when you are not being Super Business Owner Woman??

"The days we are home together, I try to get out of the house with my little one. Some days that means the park or zoo, other days that means visiting neighbors with the wagon or favorite toy of the day in tow."

If we were to run into you at a cocktail party, what would be your "party trick"?

"After 7 years of marriage to an airline employee, I tend to default back to discussions about travel and favorite vacation spots. The opportunities are fewer and farther between than they once were, but a girl can dream...."

When someone asks you to tell a joke, what is your "go-to" one-liner?

"What do John The Baptist and Winnie The Pooh have in common? The same middle name....lame.....eh. It is cuter if you are holding a glass of wine and can give a sheepish smile".

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 18 year-old self?

"Dump the boy. He just isn't that into you. Turns out, that applies to friends, jobs, clients, etc. Good advice, but hard to learn from the inside out."

Inspired? Want to learn more? Check her out at: aimeedmartin.com

Nutwhats

I enjoy food. I just do. That is a big reason behind why I do what I do and my passion behind family nutrition. I have been fortunate enough to come into contact with several others who share my passion, and like me, have stepped away from common "corporate America" type career paths to pursue their love for all things yummy. By nature, I love those people. And likewise, I typically love their wares. Call us crazy, but a happy tummy makes for happy entrepreneurs.

Miss Lisa Rast is just one of those people I love by association. With a professional background in engineering and passion for life in the kitchen (and some figure skating here and there), Lisa took that flying leap of faith into small business life and started Arizona based, Nutwhats. A funny name for a seriously awesome product...and the story behind it is pretty cool too.

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Lisa....

Tell us about your business...

"At Nutwhats our ‘free form’ unadulterated buttery nuggets are hand-crafted using only top-notch measures. Without skimping — fresh, premium ingredients and not a bit of preservatives are the rule. Flavors are magnificently unexpected. Appearance is delightfully quirky. And the taste? Unmistakable."

 

What did you do in your past life...before you launched your business?

"I have a background in engineering but a childhood love of figure skating and cooking brought me back to the ice to teach competitive ice skating and into the kitchen to play around with recipes."

 

What made you decide to take the leap into being a business owner?

"Being able to build a business that will hopefully live on generation after generation".

 

What has been your greatest professional success to date?

"Being featured in Oprah's blog on Oprah.com"

 

How about the biggest "lesson learned"?

"There is no easy road. My hours are pretty much 24/7 and owning a food type business is far from being glamorous as one might think watching the foodnetwork."

 

What is next on the horizon for your business?

"I am currently working on getting Nutwhats on to shelves of gourmet retailers.....Ajs, Wholefoods, and small gourmet shops."

 

Where can we find you when you are not being Super Business Owner Woman??

"Watching my kiddos playing tennis"

 

If we were to run into you at a cocktail party, what would be your "party trick"?

"Being asleep in a chair still holding my wine glass with out spilling a drop. A definite sign that I work too much! LOL"

 

When someone asks you to tell a joke, what is your "go-to" one-liner?

"Hmmm.....I've never been good at telling jokes but I can do a few impressions".

 

 If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 18 year-old self?

"Enjoy life!"

Inspired? Want to learn more about Nutwhats? Check out their website at: www.nutwhats.com

Jakob's Ladder

For some of us, our journey to small business ownership is inspired by something that we have learned along the way....a specific skill or service that we can provide that will help others in their everyday lives. For some, it is inspired by a need....a new product that is dreamt up as a way of solving a problem. For others, their business is quite simply a "calling." It is something that they have been inspired to do due to the circumstances they find themselves surrounded by.

For Michelle, owner of Jakob's Ladder, her business stems from more than her passion for creating and crafting. It stems from her dream of providing her young son with the resources and therapies that he needs in order to overcome several medical conditions. Her business is truly one from the heart and one that is sure to leave you just as inspired as it has left me.

Without further ado, I introduce you all to Michelle....

Tell us about your business...

"Jakob's Ladder is my small "sew at home" business I run to help make extra money to help cover my son's therapy and other needs. He has a rare kidney disorder and Autism."

 

What did you do in your past life...before you launched your business?

"Before becoming a stay at home mom to Jakob and starting Jakob's Ladder, I was in Property Management. I am still hold a valid, up to date real estate salespersons license in Michigan."

 

What made you decide to take the leap into being a business owner?

"Staying home to care for Jakob and his needs was an easy choice, but bills (especially medical, therapy, medications, etc) pile up very quickly for a single income family!"

 

What has been your greatest professional success to date?

"I have saved enough from the business to successfully pay off a couple of big therapy bills, held a fun auction that only included all handmade items, and helping to pay for some of the other day to day needs for my little guy makes me feel like I'm successful :)"

 

How about the biggest "lesson learned"?

"We as women can do anything we set our minds to! Setting goals and working hard to focus on them and achieve them is key. I'm also not one for giving up on a challenge. Ever, lol!"

 

What is next on the horizon for your business?

"Would love to do some actual craft/vendor fairs. Business up till now has been almost totally online!"

 

Where can we find you when you are not being Super Business Owner Woman??

"Mostly here at home, caring for the coolest 4 year old boy I know!"

 

If we were to run into you at a cocktail party, what would be your "party trick"?

"Whipping out the mini sewing kit from my purse and fixing any wardrobe malfunction that came my way!"

 

 

When someone asks you to tell a joke, what is your "go-to" one-liner?

"People usually tell ME the jokes--I have a sense of humor and love to laugh but not a ton of one-liners in my repertoire :)"

 

If you could go back in time,

 what would you tell your 18 year-old self?

"Don't rush. Time goes by so very fast! Take the time to enjoy, see, hear, taste, and learn from every moment that you can!"

Inspired by this story? Want to learn more? Be sure to visit Jakob's Ladder at: http://hyenacart.com/stores/JakobsLadder/

Why Not Girl!

Today it is my pleasure to introduce you all to Why Not Girl! - a business inspired by this little journey we are all on called "life." For so many of us, there is something about approaching that magical age of "30-ish" that causes us to really take stock of our lives. Where we have been, what we are doing, and where we want to be. Some of our achievements can be measured quantitatively, while others are a little harder to define. Some of our dream and goals have been realized, while others have been placed on the indefinite back-burner. Some of us are fortunate enough to be living our passions, while still others of us are still searching for them.

It was as founder, Lauren McCabe Herpich, was approaching the magical three-oh, that she she started to really evaluate what it was in her life that made her happy, and what it was that made her proud of what she had become so far. She realized that it was not just the material things, or the titles she had earned along the way, but more the experiences and the journey as a whole that had molded her into who she was today. It was a realization that Lauren knew immediately that she wanted to share with other women not only in her own life, but around the world. In 2012, the Why Not Girl! website was launched and today, it is empowering women everywhere to take a step back and say, "Why Not!"

It is my pleasure to introduce you all to a friend of mine since college, Lauren McCabe Herpich!

 Tell us about your business...

"Why Not Girl! (www.whynotgirl.com) is a website empowering women to try new things, live life as an adventure and say Why Not!. Why Not Girl! currently shares stories of women who are expanding their horizons across multiple facets of life: career, love & relationships, health & fitness, travel and everyday adventures like trying a new food or playing new games with their kids. Since launching the site last year, Why Not Girl! has featured over 50 amazing women as part of our Why Not Girl! of the Week program and has had close to 10,000 visitors and hundreds of fans and followers across Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest."

 

What did you do in your past life...before you launched your business?

"Prior to deciding to make Why Not Girl! my full-time job, I worked in the digital marketing and brand communications fields for many notable companies such as CNBC, Discovery Communications, PBS and Sears. What's been great is that my new life is not a far stretch from what I was doing before. That definitely helps make this venture not as scary."

 

 What made you decide to take the leap into being a business owner?

"I have had the idea for Why Not Girl! for a number of years when my boyfriend (now husband) asked me what my ideal job would be. Encouraged by a bottle of wine during an evening full of tears (it had been a really bad day at work) I told him that I had purchased the URL for Why Not Girl! back in 2009 when I was in grad school with the hopes of one day creating "the Girl Scouts for adult women." I felt like what was lost as we got older was this notion of learning and just experiencing all of the amazing journeys and everyday adventures that life can bring. I realized that for so many people just the idea of traveling somewhere new or learning a new hobby could have such a profound impact on someone's life. It was about having fun and feeling that sense of accomplishment. I told him that I felt like there was nothing out there celebrating this. Since Chris is the most amazing man in the world, he encouraged me to start blogging to see if this idea resonated with people. It did. So flash forward a year later; Chris and I get married and decide that along with a move to the west coast, I should say Why Not! in trying to make Why Not Girl! a full-time business. We felt that there was no better time than the present."

 

What has been your greatest professional success to date?

"It gives me such great pleasure to feel like I am making a positive impact on someone's life. Through the stories that we publish on Why Not Girl! to the fun conversation and challenges we share on our Facebook page and Twitter feed, I get so elated to hear that someone tried sushi or Indian food for the first time or that they are motivated to start training for their first 5K. This gives me so much more gratification in what I am doing. No mid-year review could ever do that!"

 

 How about the biggest "lesson learned"?

"Time management. While I have always been someone who has been highly involved or had multiple projects going at the same time, when you work for yourself (and by yourself) out of your home it is easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of items on the to-do list, including the laundry and unpacking boxes (my husband and I just relocated to Berkeley, CA). Why Not Girl! has certainly been a test in self-motivation and organization."

 

What is next on the horizon for your business?

"Coming up in early 2013, Why Not Girl! will start hosting experiential events in the San Francisco Bay Area that will give women the opportunity to say Why Not!. The plan is to expand to other cities in the near future."

 

 Where can we find you when you are not being Super Business Owner Woman??

"What I love about Why Not Girl! is that I feel like it really is a true reflection of who I am. I've always loved being a jill-of-all-trades who is constantly learning and doing new things. You can find me trying out new restaurants, watching independent and foreign language files and going on a run or a bike ride with my husband. While I'm not the fastest runner on the course, I absolutely love challenging myself to do longer distance runs. I'm currently training for a 10 mile race in Washington, DC with a good friend. That being said, I love any excuse to travel and be with friends and family."

 

If we were to run into you at a cocktail party, what would be your "party trick"?

"Hmmm ... that's a good question. Ok, this may seem weird, but I can pick up things with my toes. What's so funny about it is that almost everyone in my family can do it, too. Who knew this was a genetic trait?!"

 

When someone asks you to tell a joke, what is your "go-to" one-liner?

"This has been my favorite joke since I was five years old: Q: Why do vampires have no friends? A: Because they're a pain in the neck! (Come on, you've got to love it!)"

 

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 18 year-old self?

"Be true to yourself. Sometimes I think we are so busy trying to live up to being someone we think we should be that we forget to just be ourselves. Even though it took me a while to realize that I had a Why Not Girl! in me, I am so glad that I was able to find the courage to recognize it and embrace it."

  

Inspired? Want to learn more about Why Not Girl!? 
Check out their website at www.whynotgirl.com