Progress is all about perspective

Sometimes it is difficult to appreciate the progress that's been made when you are in the middle of it. The other day, when I was speaking with my PR guru, Sabina, from Collective-E about recent press, she said, "Just think about where you were last year!" I took a minute to think about where I was a year ago in terms of so many things with my business, and realizes that I really had made progress. The number of press hits nomie baby had gotten this time last year I could easily have counted, and now they are in the 100's. I hadn't received much recognition, much less awards, and the website was simple, but now with my web mastermind Katie's SEO genius considerations, it's getting many more hits, which translate into sales. I didn't know what twitter was, let alone how to use it to get more exposure, and Facebook was just a way to stay in touch with friends, and now there is nomie baby fan page as well as a nomie baby group. I have a blog (thank you for reading it), and just the other day Beth Schoenfeldt, who has been my branding guide, taught me how to create even more links and connections. As far as distribution and sales, I started out with a few wonderful stores here in NYC, like Citibabes, Albee's, the Upper Breast Side, and Ola Baby, and now I have branched out to stores in close to 10 states, a number of online stores,including Diapers.com and soon buybuyBaby.com.

WIth so much going on, sometimes it's hard to appreciate the progress. When I take the time to step back and look at where I was instead of where I am, it's great to see the results. With time comes progress and perspective.

Disassembling the car seat cover is not fun exercise

I used to calculate the snacks we brought into the car based on their messiness factor. I knew the messier, the more likely it was that I would have to clean the car seat, which took a lot of time, a great deal of struggling and wrestling, and not a fun way of breaking a sweat. First I would have to take the car seat out of the car, then I would have to disassemble the car seat straps, and hope that I would remember exactly how they threaded through, so I could reassemble them. After all that I would have to wash the car seat cover, and air dry it, so it didn't shrink, all the time hoping that I would not have to use the car seat until the cover was dry and the whole thing reassembled. Often this meant that I would wait until the cover was really gross before tackling this task.

Now, however, the type of snack doesn't bother me, since the nomie baby car seat cover makes cleaning up a snap! I just slip it over the existing cover. I don't have to remove the car seat from the car, or disassemble the straps, and when it gets dirty. I just slip it off, throw it in the washer and dryer, and we're good to go! It never has to get really dirty before it's cleaned. Now I get exercise the fun way - running around with the kids, or even going to the gym!

Entrepreneurship Requires Patience Patience Patience

There are many suitable cliches, "Patience is a virtue", "Good things come to those who wait", "Rome wasn't built in a day"... take your pick. They all apply to building a company and entrepreneurship. For some reason, with all the advise I received about launching a new product and business, everyone neglected to tell me just how long it would take to introduce a new product to consumers and the press, or how long it would take for stores and sales to take off. Therefore, I naively started off, thinking it would be an overnight success. After all, everyone was telling me that they thought the nomie baby car seat covers were a great idea, and every mom would want one. So when I first met buyers and they didn't place huge orders, I was not only disappointed but puzzled, and yes, frustrated. This wasn't part of the plan. I didn't lose faith in the product, but instead I knew I had to readjust my thinking, objectives, and strategy.

I began to focus my energy on getting the word out, stepping up my pr efforts, and realizing that as awareness grew, so would sales. There is a direct relationship between the two. While I worked hard to get many different wonderful smaller stores in lots of different cities and states, and ramped up my website, I never gave up on the larger accounts that I believed would be a perfect fit for nomie baby as well. Periodically I would touch base with the buyers at Diapers.com and buybuyBaby, and let them know about exciting news, press and awards that nomie baby was receiving. I always got friendly email responses, which encouraged me to keep in touch. I was determined to be persistent without being pestering. After over a year since first being in touch, I got an email from the buyer at Diapers.com that I had to read twice, before allowing myself to believe what was written. "We would love to add the nomie baby car seat cover. Please send us the UPC codes and photos to upload!" 14 months after first meeting a buyer from Diapers.com, and getting switched to another buyer over the year, the first shipment of nomie baby car seat covers is on its way to Diapers.com's 3 warehouses! In the same week I reconnected with the buyer for buybuy Baby, and she said that she is "interested in the covers," and she would like to try them out on buybuyBaby.com. If they do well, then they'll be added to their stores! It is a huge jump, but it didn't happen overnight, although overnight the changes are dramatic. Here are other apt cliches - "When it rains, it pours" and "Be careful of what you wish for" - or at least be prepared!

Little babies - lots of gear!

When you first have a baby, or even before, it is exciting and overwhelming to shop for all the new gadgets and gear. However, once the baby is born, you start to realize that these tiny little babies have lots of gear that takes up tons of space, and often they only use things for a few months, then they have outgrown it. There are some items that we all want to save, but then there are others that we can't wait to get rid of. We are happy to pass along the exersaucer, which has become the latest piece of artwork taking up half the kitchen. A quick wipe-down with the disinfectant cloth, and it's clean as new. However some of the gear is just to difficult to clean, and too dirty to pass along. This is the case when it comes to the car seat, and after all the accidents, exploding diapers, spills and crushed Cheerios, the thought of passing it along is more embarrassing than generous. Now you can feel good about handing down a well worn car seat, because the nomie baby car seat cover makes it good as new. Go ahead, give the grimey car seat to your best friend, cousin or neighbor who just had a baby girl, and add a pink with it, and it's their very own, and clean as new!

"Good things come to those who wait - patiently"

I know that nomie baby is my main career focus, but while it's hard, it is also important to remember that this is not the case for many others. I may be spending a tremendous part of each day thinking of traditional as well as creative ways to increase exposure, distribution and sales, but this is not what is on everyone else's mind. Just because I have spent time crafting a PR pitch, I have to remind myself that it is not the only one that is received that day, or even that hour, and that it might take time to hear back and get a response. It is key to put a lot "out there" with the hope that some will stick and be picked up.

Months ago I sent Brooke Burke, Co-CEO of ModernMom a nomie baby car seat cover for her littlest, because even though she is a celebrity, she has the same desire to make cleanups more hassle-free, and have more time for the fun stuff, and ModernMom speaks to the moms I am trying to reach. What a perfect way to spread the word. I'm sure Brooke must get tons of products to review, and PR pitches, but in my world, this was my focus. Sometimes, OK more often than not, it is frustrating and even discouraging to have to wait. However, this also means that when I have almost forgotten, or almost given up, I sometimes get a wonderful surprise.

I received just such a treat today when I heard from ModernMom that they will be featuring the nomie baby car seat cover as one of their "must-haves!" Needless to say I was thrilled to open that email with the news. It was confirmation, and served to show me once again, that yes, my pitches are read, and better yet, when people have the opportunity to feel the coziness, and experience how easily the car seat cover slips on and off the infant or toddler car seat, parents "get it!" Hearing this news and getting positive feedback is incredibly gratifying, and makes all the difference in pushing ahead.

It all does take time, persistence and perseverance, but if you are willing to take the time, be patient and you believe in what you are doing, this will come through, and others will recognize this as well! Who ever said, "Good things do come to those who wait" right,wise and spent a lot of time waiting!

Personal Touch

When ever I give a gift, I try to think of a way to make it personal. Either I chose a color I know a person loves, or perhaps a theme like sports, music or their favorite animal. This is particularly true when picking a baby gift, especially if it's not their first child. I know that there will be plenty of hand-me-downs, so it's nice to give something that is the baby's very own.

Many people have asked if there is a way to monogram or personalize the nomie baby car seat covers, and now there is! WWW.myembroideredgift.com will personalize your infant or toddler car seat cover, so it will have that special touch. Now whether it's a gift for a 2nd boy, the little sister, or distinguishing one twin from another, it can be their very own. Visit http://www.myembroideredgifts.com/nomiecarseatcover.html to send a baby present that is unique and shows that you really thought about just what they would love!

Picture says it all, or at least a lot!

One of the most difficult things about launching a new product is trying to describe it as quickly and simply as possible, while still being detailed. It's a trick, and one that I learned, was not so easy. I discovered early on that almost everything means something different to different people, for example, the price. I was determined to keep the price low enough that the nomie baby car seat covers could and would be able to be considered "must-haves" and no-brainers. However, I learned that some interpret low prices with poor or lower quality, so I had to figure out a way around that without raising the price. I also realized that "waterproof" might make some think of your grandmother's plastic covered couches - not so cozy to sit on for an infant or toddler. Therefore, it quickly became apparent, that I would have to be more, rather than less descriptive. The word "nomie" might mean "cozy" in our family, but it will take a while before this is universally understood.

Another piece of feedback I regularly received was the surprise at how soft and cozy the car seat cover is. People are pleasantly surprised. This I have found trickier to accurately describe in words, and have been relying on reviews and moms spreading the word to get the coziness out there. Then this summer I decided to take some more pictures of my little one in her toddler car seat with its lime nomie baby cover on it, and I think I was able to capture "Cozy, soft, comfy" with one smiling shot. So I guess when they say, "A picture says a thousand words" this is what they meant!