Move over Al Capone, there’s a new MOB in town. Mom-owned businesses (MOBs) are reaching new heights with innovative products designed to improve family life. Because moms are constantly seeking new ways to create better lives for their children, success is in large part due to their little muses. And, thanks to a mother’s inherent nurturing abilities, identifying gaps in the market is purely mother’s intuition. Need a little inspiration to kick-start your entrepreneurial endeavors? These three stories are sure to bring out the MOB mentality in you.
SwaddleDesigns
Our first mom-owned business: Lynette Damir, RN, CEO and Creative Director of SwaddleDesigns, launched a swaddling renaissance back in 2002. During home visits, Damir noticed a pattern among new parents. It seemed the practice of swaddling had become a long-lost art, and first-time parents were sleep deprived and exhausted because their baby was not swaddled and no one was getting much sleep. On her site, Damir describes how parents consistently asked her to share the secret of the hospital nurses: how to swaddle. Combining her passion for helping others with her medical background and design education, Damir developed the Ultimate Swaddle Blanket. Today, this mom-CEO has the SwaddleDesigns brand in Target stores nationwide. Because the brand only uses the highest quality materials to make its swaddling blankets, SwaddleDesigns has become a highly respectable brand across the industry.
PackIt Personal Cooler
Mom of three Melissa Kieling was tired of unreliable food storage options for packing her children’s lunches. To keep her kids’ meals cool and fresh through lunchtime, Keiling’s options were limited to toxic freezable gel packs or wasteful plastic baggies of ice that always leaked. Tired of soggy sandwiches and warm beverages, a solution was born. In 2009, the PackIt Personal Cooler became the first foldable, freezable bag that keeps food and drinks cool on the go for up to 10 hours — no ice packs needed. According to the site, PackIt’s patented technology has expanded from lunch totes into a line of food and drink solutions spanning wine, baby, picnic and shopping bags that are sold in more than 40 countries.
Little Mizz Kit
The relationship between a woman and her mother is so powerful. It affects everything from her health and self-esteem to all her other relationships, states Body and Soul. Knowing this all too well, Nicole Gleeson set out on a personal mission to build her daughter’s confidence. Gleeson created bonding activities for her and her daughter based on five pillars she believes are critical to building confidence and healthy self-esteem. The pillars, which include Arts and Crafts, Life Lessons, Fitness, How-To’s and Nutrition are the foundation of the Little Mizz Kit which hundreds of households have grown to love. The kits are intended to help parents bridge the gap between parenting and friendship. To guide parents in establishing healthy bonds with their kids, these fun and fabulous activity kits are comprised of various crafts and activities that are delivered each month right to your doorstep.
