Meet Carrie Lundell Founder of This Is Me Journal

Carrie Lundell is one creative and talented Startup Princess. Previous to creating her artistic journal for kids, Carrie was a top baby girl clothing designer in NYC for Old Navy and traveled the world seeking the latest treasures and trends for apparel. She literally got to shop for a living. How cool is that?? She loved her job, but after having her first baby she decided it was time to shift her career and she became a stay at home mom.

Inspired from a “prompt journal” she made with her own mom as a child she decided to create the This is Me Journal “A Kid’s First Keepsake Journal” so her own children and others could benefit from a special, customizable art/memory journal. Each page has space for kids to write and draw to make the pages “their own” and dream/create/respond in their own fun way. One of my favorite pages is the one about “what my hair looks like in the morning” and the holiday entries are very fun too.

This is Me Journal has been raved about by Design Mom, Mommies with Style, and others since its release early in 2008. This Is Me Journal is available in some hip California retail stores and also online.  The journal is an ideal product for children’s bookstores, boutiques, and gift shops.

Carrie just recently attended the first Startup Princess event in Orange County and we’re thrilled for her success and for all the budding artists and authors (my son included) who will treasure their keepsake journals in the years to come.

Enjoy Meeting Startup Princess Carrie Lundell!

Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CA

Current Residence: Orange, CA

Education: BA from BYU ’98 Major: Fashion Design

Professional Background (brief, please): I worked as an assistant designer for children’s clothing designer Rosetta Millington (LA). Then, I became a Designer of Baby Girls clothing for Old Navy (NY). Once I started having children, I became a freelance designer. Now, I design and create clothes for my own kids while trying to get my start-up off the ground.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: A Wild Animal Trainer

What you are: A designer, a mother, a spider catcher, a wardrobe refashioner, a PTA member, a gardener, a journal-designer, a blogger, a mountain-biker.

Brief Summary of your Start Up: I independently published This is Me – A Kid’s First Keepsake Journal. It’s an easy-to-use, prompt journal for kids ages 3-8. It’s designed to not only act as a record of a child’s life, but also to promote creativity, imagination, and self-esteem.

Company Website? www.thisismejournal.com

What inspired you? One of my most cherished keepsakes is a “prompt” journal my mom helped me keep as a young child. No matter my age, I have always loved flipping back through those pages to look at my childhood self, and I have always been thankful for the time my mom spent helping me capture that childhood in my own words and drawings. When my own daughter became old enough to have a journal of her own, my search for the perfect “first journal” came up surprisingly unsuccessful. There just wasn’t anything on the market that was quite right. That’s when I decided to create my own journal full of inspiring and age appropriate writing and drawing prompts for young children.

How long have you been in business? Since January ’08

How did you fund it? Personal Savings

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? Nope. But I do have a lot of multi-talented girlfriends I like to bounce ideas off of. And just a few weeks ago, I was able to meet some women from Startup Princess. And all of them have proven to be amazing sources of information.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? The Visa Small Business Network. Startup Princess.

Current Business Challenge? Getting the word out and finding the courage to approach retailers.

What are you doing about it? Networking, marketing, press releases.

Favorite motivational quote: “You can do it!” (but you must say it with the accent of Rob Schneider, the :”You can do it” guy in all the Adam Sandler movies).

Family? Husband, 2 daughters and a new son.

If so, how do you balance family and business? I wish I only had to balance family and business. But like so many other women, I have to throw in heavy involvement in our local public school, church responsibilities, and making time to take care of myself (which for me means finding time to design and create—my first love). It’s always a tough juggling act. It usually means there are days when I am not a good mom and other days when I am a terrible businesswoman. I just try my best and that’s good enough for me and my family.

Favorite book? Like Water For Chocolate

What do you do to relax? Design, sew, create, sketch, dream, imagine. I also like to catch up on Project Runway.

What do you want to change most about your world? More Love, less paperwork.

What are you most proud of? Just a few weeks ago, I crashed trying to ride a really technical and scary part of a trail on my mountain bike. I’m just glad I tried.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? “You can do it!”

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? Friends

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? I’m not really the “tiara type’ but I am picturing a vintage looking tiara where the metal has oxidized and the diamonds are dirty. A tiara with history, that’s one I could love.

Carrie blogs at:

http://www.thismamamakesstuff.blogspot.com

http://www.talesfromthecrib.net

Thank you, Carrie for inspiring us!

The Soccer Mom Myth: A Must Read for Marketing to Women

Our Startup Princess Retreat next week features presentations by Holly Buchanan, the co-author of The Soccer Mom Myth. Holly is based in Virginia and has 20 years experience in marketing and has clients such as Volvo, 1-800-Flowers and has many more based all over the world. The Soccer Mom Myth (co-authored by Michele Miller) was released this Spring and if you haven’t purchased a copy yet, I highly recommend it. It is the best marketing to women book I’ve ever read because it is up-to-date with online and offline strategies has REAL case studies and REAL how-to information to guide business owners and marketing professionals in creating great marketing strategies and campaigns. Retreat attendees will receive a complimentary copy of this book, but the rest of you unable to join us can find one on Amazon.

The book discusses the stereotypes that are often found in advertising to women (one of the biggest being that we’re all “soccer moms”), why is this the case? The book says its because often marketers lump all women into one category and then they wonder why women aren’t relating to their campaigns or responding to their messages. It’s time to reconsider our approach.

Some ideas shared in the book to win women’s attention, respect, and dollars are Read more

Our First Orange County Startup Princess Event was Awesome!

Yes, it’s happening.. we’re starting events in Orange County! Ok, so our first “event” was more like a fancy business-friends dinner party, but nevertheless, humble beginnings are great, particularly when you have powerhouse women there like (left side: Jamie Dadant of Circle of Sentiments,  Debbie Savage of Baby Emi Jewelry, and Karen Le Boye, Photographer; right side of photo: Ciaran Blumenfeld of Francie Pants-relaunching soon (also blogger for Mommies with Style), me, and Carrie Lundell, of This is Me Journal.)

What impressed me the most is how quickly we all started to help each other with “what we need next” to grow our startups. There was great conversation about the local scene for press, finding reps for products, manufacturing packaging, how to get noticed on blogs, Read more

My Wish was Guessed by…

My Wish? A week with my husband without kids!! (I’ve been wishing for this for the past few years) He surprised me with a Royal Carribbean CRUISE to the Mexican Riviera! We’ll be going later this month, hurray!! Any of you been on this cruise? Give me some day trip tips! 

Amy of Super Healthy Kids guessed a “surprise vacation”, congrats Amy! You’re the lucky winner of the $20 gift certificate to Created by Mom.com (Thanks Quinn!)

Need Someone to Watch Your Kids So You Can Vote?

Startup Princess Fairy Godmother Rachael Herrscher, co-founder of Today’s Mama has teamed up with Sitter City to offer free and discounted childcare on Election day to encourage moms to vote. To redeem the discount code, go to Sitter City.com and use code, “MamaVote08″ First 50 to sign up get 2 hours of free babysitting.

here’s the press release:

Sittercity.com and TodaysMama.com Team Up to Offer Free Babysitting on Election Day
Through MamaVote Initiative, Partners Work to Get Moms Out to Vote in 2008 Election

SALT LAKE CITY and CHICAGO. October 7, 2008 I want to vote, but I dont have anyone to watch the kids. I cant leave them home alone! When you’re a mom, balancing your parental responsibilities with your civic duty seems more and more daunting as Election Day approaches. But not this year! TodaysMama <http://www.todaysmama.com/>  and Sittercity.com <http://www.sittercity.com/>  today announced that as part of the MamaVote <http://www.mamavote.com/>  initiative, they will offer free and discounted babysitting on Election Day, November 4, 2008. From October 27 to November 3, all individuals who sign up for a membership at SitterCity.com with the promotional code MamaVote08 will be eligible for 50 percent off babysitting on Election Day. In addition, the first 50 individuals to register will receive free babysitting for two hours on Election Day.
TodaysMama joined with the League of Women Voters and Sittercity.com to launch MamaVote last year, a non-partisan, education and inspiration-based initiative that encourages mothers to get involved in the political process. By offering discounted, reliable babysitting, these organizations hope to get more women to the polls.

“Mothers make up one of the most powerful voting blocks in our nation,” said Rachael Herrscher, co-founder and CEO of TodaysMama. “We want to encourage all mothers to vote, and finding a babysitter can be a big road block. Mothers can and do make a difference every day, and we are excited to see the voter turnout for this historical election.

In the current political environment, U.S. women are significantly under-represented in public office. There are 87 women serving in the Senate and House, making up just 16 percent of Congress. The U.S. ranks 66th in the world in the percentage of women in national parliaments – trailing such nations as Iraq, Cuba, South Africa and China. In the 2004 election, women voted at a 65 percent rate, compared with 62 percent of men. Most analysts believe that women constitute the vast majority of swing voters, making election cycles potentially more dynamic and less predictable.

“We are honored to partner with TodaysMama and the League of Women Voters to make it easier for women to vote in key U.S. cities by providing them with reliable election-day child care,” said Genevieve Thiers, founder and CEO of Sittercity. “The nation and its children will benefit tremendously from having even more mothers involved in the process of electing public servants.”
Mothers can go to www.sittercity.com <http://www.sittercity.com/>  and register using the discount code MamaVote08. For articles, interviews and voting information, visit www.MamaVote.com <http://www.mamavote.com/> .

About Sittercity.com
Sittercity.com, the inventor of online caregiving, isAmericas largest and most trustedonline source for child care, pet care, senior care,housesitting, housekeepingand tutoring.As a network of hundreds of thousands of caregivers nationwide, Sittercity helpsfamilies and individualsfindthe perfect in-home care providerquickly, easily and safelyby using the companys four-step screening process, which includescheckingreferences,reading caregiver reviews,conductinginterviews andutilizingfree access to background checks.Sitter profiles also come with photos, experience, training, safety skills, availability calendars, reviews and more.Registration for sitters is free, and care seekers pay as little as $8 per month for a membership, which gives them unlimited ability to post jobs,andsearch, contact and hire sitters in their areas. A true pioneer in its field, Sittercity.com has been featured by hundreds of media outlets, from the Today Show to the Big Idea with Donny Deutsch to the Wall Street Journal. Sittercityhasalsoreceivedtwelvenational awards, including a U.S. Small Business Administration award in 2006 from President Bush, and three international awards, including first place in the prestigious UPS “Out of the Box” Small Business contest. For more information, visit the company Web siteatwww.sittercity.com <http://www.sittercity.com/> .

About TodaysMama
TodaysMama (www.TodaysMama.com <http://www.todaysmama.com/> ) provides personal, professional and parenting resources designed to inform, enrich and inspire mothers. Founded in 2004, TodaysMama produces local Mamas Handbooks and an online community where moms can explore local events and information, and tune into national content and initiatives. There are 17 local markets in the TodaysMama family, including Arizona, the Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Peninsula, Silicon Valley North, Silicon Valley South, and Solano), Green Bay, Houston, Southern Nevada, San Diego, Santa Cruz/Monterey, South Florida, Seattle, Spokane, Utah and Washington, D.C.

About MamaVote
TodaysMama has partnered with the League of Women Voters and Sittercity.com to launch the MamaVote Project (www.MamaVote.com <http://www.mamavote.com/> ), a non-partisan, education and inspiration-based initiative that encourages mothers to get involved in the political process. MamaVote offers a broad array of educational and practical resources to increase the role women and mothers play in the political process, from the school board to the federal level. We want to encourage women to make informed and responsible choices for their family, community and country.
###
Press Contact:
Allison Yrungaray
TodaysMama
626.841.1640
ayrungaray@yahoo.com <mailto:ayrungaray@yahoo.com>

Guess Kelly’s Wish & Win a $20 Gift Certificate to Created By Mom.com

I just have to share this AMAZING surprise with you all… Matthew, my handsome Prince Charming (you’ll agree he deserves this title) told me he was planning a special date for Friday night. I had no idea what he had planned but I expected to meet up with some friends and go to Haunted Houses or something like that. Not even close… he spent hours planning this date. Not only did he PLAN the date, but he also GOT THE BABYSITTER. Wow. I was already super impressed–the night was off to a great start. At 6pm Matthew and I got in our car and he turned on the sweet and romantic song, “True Love’s Kiss” from Enchanted and gave me a postcard which read, Read more

Meet Susan Connor, Founder/Designer of SusyJack*

Once and awhile we get a fresh perspective on Startup Princess that shakes things up a bit… a couple of months ago we got this one on the popular post How to Manufacture a Product Overseas from Susan Connor of SusyJack*: After helping many companies to produce their products overseas, I opted to produce my line here in the states. I had to ask myself…what is my business all about…and is producing overseas a choice I can live with?? Turns out, it’s not. I think it’s important to consider the effects of producing items overseas…effects that are less obvious than the dollar expense, potential profit and ease. We have to start asking ourselves what the ramifications are…to our economy, and also…maybe even more importantly, to our environment.

Name: Susan Connor

Hometown: Boston, MA

Current Residence (City, State): New York, NY

Education: BFA Painting SUNY New Paltz, Certificate in Graphic Design, Art Institute of Boston Professional Background (brief, please): Graphic Designer, Brand Consultant and eventually…Creative Director

What you wanted to be when you grew up: Artist or Designer

What you are: Artist and Designer Brief Summary of your Start Up:  I wanted to create a truly contemporary collection of paper goods that individuals would feel great using…something that was designed, rather than decorated.  I wanted to bring paper and stationery to a new place, and take it beyond what people had seen up until now, both in how it looks and how it’s used.

Company Website? www.susyjack.com

What inspired you? I am most inspired by trips to the hardware store. I love finding a new use for an everyday item, or celebrating the beauty hiding in even the most basic material. For me, all of the inspirations begin with the form factor of the product itself.

How long have you been in business? Almost 1.5 years

How did you fund it? I funded this project out-of-pocket, with my own money. I was resolved not to secure loans for startup costs; not only because I didn’t want to assume the risk; I just didn’t want the pressure. I felt it was important that I design for me. Having a loan, venture capital, or silent partner would have put excess pressure on my ideas… that were still growing. It was important for me to literally buy that time for myself to begin….unaffiliated.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? No, but I have many contacts remaining from my design and branding days. These people have been a great resource…emotionally supporting me and sometimes, even suggesting ideas for next steps.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? No… not yet. But I network a lot! And, I do much of my networking in the blog world. Since I offer a product that it’s easy to see online, I often reach out to people via their blogs, or, try to connect more deeply with people who have visited mine. I have made more friends and contacts (press, businesspeople in other fields, peers) doing things this way than I ever have at a face to face networking group. Since blogs are so full of content, it can be a great way to read up on a potential connection before reaching out– and to make sure your interests seem parallel.

Current Business Challenge? Being a solo entrepreneur. Although I am capable of filling the bulk of my business needs myself (pr, design, web design, photography, quoting, production, file prep…the list is long!) I only have 2 hands. Lately, I’m realizing that I have to draw a stronger line between my administrative time and my creative time. And, if need be, outsource the things that someone else can do as well as I can. What are you doing about it? Staying focused on the product I do have, and trying to schedule time where I work on new ideas. I tend to like to work on multiple things at a time…and sometimes, this can get tricky…because I distract myself.  For example…while of course it would be fun to just drop the press release I’m working on and go design a new set of mini notebooks, now I’m trying to remember that the press release for what I’m currently doing is just as important as new product. Favorite motivational quote:  A good idea today is better than a perfect idea tomorrow. (I interviewed at Blue Q a long time ago and this was on the back of every one of their B Cards)  and So often we substitute beauty for truth.

Family? 2 Parents. One Boyfriend, who I live with, and a bunch of longtime friends. I’m an only child…so I consider many of my best friends I’ve made to be like my extended family.

How do you balance family and business? I try and stop work at 5:30 or 6 every day. Evenings are spent with my boyfriend, calling my family, talking or going out with friends. Of course, this doesn’t always happen…but I try and make it a priority. Weekends, sometimes I bring on a bit of work– but, I always try and make time to head out and enjoy NYC.

Favorite book? The Grapes of Wrath, Cry the Beloved Country, Anna Karenina

What do you do to relax? I visit my parents. I go to the gym….getting outdoors is a big help when I’m stressed, going to Central Park, or even to another part of the city is like stepping into another country sometimes…and it provides great perspective and lots of inspiration.

What do you want to change most about your world?  I would like people, specifically Americans, to think more about what they are consuming and why, and what had to happen to get a product into their shopping bag…what happens when they throw it out, how far they had to drive to get it, all that.   There are plenty of times when as a culture, we don’t know why we are buying something, and shopping is a quick fix for things that we should really be concentrating or focusing on…our families, our health…our friends, even our society.  Although I’m offering a product for sale, and this would seem to be a conflict of interest, I’m trying to build that message of health, integrity and thoughtfulness into each design, and into the core message of my company, as a whole. I really believe we need to take the focus off of what we own, and put it back upon who we are.  As for *my* little world…maybe…hire an assistant.

What are you most proud of? Overall, I am really proud of working as a creative professional. Creativity, in general, is a hard thing to keep alive in this world…with the pace of life being so demanding, and business being so challenging. But, I believe that staying focused on what career/personal decisions are best for my creativity has been an achievement which I am fully realizing now. As of late, I am also proud that I found a way to create my collection in an eco-friendly way. Being eco is hard, because as a startup, it will probably incur more cost, and being truly eco is more than just recycling…it’s considering local production, considering what happens to the product when it’s thrown away, considering how an item is packaged, how far it’s shipped, etc etc.   For a moment, I almost backed down when a print broker I was working with came up with staggering price quotes for the simple print jobs I was trying to run. Encouraged by my boyfriend, I went in search of my OWN quotes…and dumped the broker, who I felt wasn’t being at all responsive to my needs as a new businessperson. On my own, I found a better priced, even better solution that my broker hadn’t even explored. When it came to my launch, all of the extra research paid off. I could meet potential buyers, talk about the collection, and overall, build my message and story, full knowing that I could truly stand behind the products.

What advice would you like to offer other Startup Princesses?

1. Don’t get too hung up on what the “competition” is doing. It will squelch your own creative energies.

2. Keep trying. Just because something is hard, doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Try not to get discouraged…if the price is too high, if someone tells you ‘no’, if you run up against something you haven’t done before. Take a deep breath and calm yourself, go back and think how you can get things to work out in your favor. Work at a comfortable pace towards your goal, and if you meet with setbacks along the way do NOT take them personally. Chip away at it.

3. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. There is nothing wrong with humble beginnings. Even if you don’t have your own office,  a professionally produced item…a team of pr agents or interns…even if you don’t feel like you look legit, remember, you’re starting something– and that is worth a LOT. You will get there. Be patient with yourself, be careful with your funds, be honest with people and yourself, and don’t put your budget into premature cosmetic investments. Eventually, you will put it somewhere that makes more sense as you grow…more sense than that hot pink designer desk chair. Wait and ask for that for your birthday.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? Honestly, it’s snacks. I often find that I get working, and then I hit a wall. I have seen this with a lot of people in the design world…when we’re working on a deadline, or have to come up with a creative idea and get blocked…we hit a wall. The absolute BEST thing you can do for yourself at that point is to step away and give your mind room to breathe. I have an apple, a banana, a sandwich…a spoonful of peanut butter… and step away from my desk. I find that when I sit back down to keep going, I’m in a much better mood, and I can look at/keep going with the work in a more productive way.

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Carnelians. When I was little, my Dad bought me a carnelian ring, and it was my first piece of jewelry. He loves those stones, and they remind me that, like the rest of my family, I’m an unconventional person…so, no diamonds and sparkle for me. Although there are days I wish I was more glamorous and more frilly…more perfect…that just isn’t me. I try and remember that I want real substance, power and meaning in my life, not just the appearance of it.

Thank you, Susan! Welcome to Startup Princess.

Meet Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom and Kirtsy, Startup Princess Retreat Speaker!

Where have I been?? Somehow I missed meeting Gabrielle at BYU as a undergrad even though we have mutual friends and apparently for 2 years I had been reading mostly all-business blogs (and missed out on some really great ones!) because I only discovered the insanely popular and fabulous Design Mom, Gabrielle Blair in August, (now I’m a groupie).

After reading on Gabrielle’s blog that she had roots in Utah I decided to invite her to speak at our retreat and we were fortunate to connect before she became ultra-busy as the Read more

Book Review: One Minute Manager Meets The Monkey

Gotta love Amazon…for under $2 you can enjoy a quick read that may transform your business strategy. Michelle McCullough, our new Startup Princess Business Development Manager shares the following review: Read more

The Winner of the Cherella Susie Q bag is..

Thanks to Cheryl and Cassie of Cherella for donating proceeds of their Susie Q bag to Breast Cancer and thanks for the giveaway to Michelle McCullough, of Doodads Promotional!

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