Women Supporting Women

Today, on International Women’s Day, I cannot help but think of all the great female business owners I have come to know and love since I entered the world of business ownership six years ago. They have seriously been one of the greatest blessings- and surprises- in starting my own blog and business.

Sometimes we have meet through times I was investing in my blog and business by going to conferences, taking courses, classes or workshops. Other times it been through putting myself into groups designed to help with education and accountability. Many times it thanks to social media; never underestimate the connection that can really found in a DM or an Instagram comment. Sometimes it’s through work and other times it can be totally random.

But, through all these avenues, I am constantly finding women who are crazy interesting. They are killing it in the content creation space as bloggers, podcasters, authors and photographers. Offering great services like wedding planning, business courses and even marathon coaching. They have shops, restaurants, farms and salons. Because of my passions, many in my circle are rockstar food producers creating their own line of baby food or allergy friendly treats. But, it wasn’t until recently, I met someone who has created a product.

Sure, okay. My farm sells products. And, I know people in the planner game and, yes, cookies are, in fact, a product.

But, they didn’t dream up and create cookies. Planners, while updated and unique, are not a new concept. And, I didn’t invent eggs. I just happen to sell eggs that are produced by chickens.

I don’t mean to make these or any businesses smaller at all. Creating a business is so crazy hard. I am so proud of all of these women. Creating a business- no matter how big or “small-” takes guts… and the totally unsexy backend of it all (Think: Taxes, LLCs, insurance, etc.) is wildly confusing.

But, the only thing that I can think of that would make things even harder would be adding on the creation of a product… that has never existed before.

I am a big fan of How I Built This, a podcast hosted by Guy Raz of NPR. On HIBT, the stories of how some of our favorite businesses got off the ground are shared. There’s RX Bar, Method Soap, Melissa and Doug Toys, Rent the Runway, Kate Spade and more.

But, one of my favorites is the episode with Sara Blakely from Spanx. She shares how she was new in her career and had to wear tights and stockings often. Then, she went to wear white pants to a party and wanted things to look smooth, like they did with the control top support of her stockings… So, she cut the feet out of them and realized she was onto something.

She was young, but she began navigating the world of sewing, materials, factories, production, patents, testing and more.

(Side note: Just today on Instagram, Sara shared a bit of those early days in a heartfelt post on social media honoring her friend that passed away seventeen years ago. She is @sarablakely.)

On Valentine’s Day, I met with Christie of Bibago, an Indianapolis baby bib company, and I was reminded of Sara.

Christie, introduced to me by Jeannie of Cafe Baby– another great business owner turned friend- is a busy mom that invented a bib with a pocket that can hold a container. I love meeting with small business owners because I like the conversation and believe two heads are better than one. I like hearing that I am not alone and I find that I am not bad at offering help and perspective.

As we talked over coffee, she told me about her current hurtles with attorney’s in getting a patent.

Things I have never dealt with.

How she was working on sourcing the best container for the bib. Food grade, BPA free, dishwasher safe, fits the dimensions, and would have to have a snap.

Things I never had even had to consider.

That she is looking into manufacturing facilities to produce her bibs so she can scale production.

Things I had never worried about.

… I was starting to wonder if I would be any help in this conversation. Then, she started to tell me why she created Bibago.

She was a new mom. Working and trying to continue to train for triathlons. That meant long runs with the stroller. Long runs when her kids would get hungry and need a snack… and she would have to stop, open a bag of goldfish or whatever… that, a few hundred yards later, would be thrown out of the stroller and onto the ground.

Things I have dealt with.

She was a bit of a neat freak and learned quickly that kids are messy. Trying to get them to learn to eat with utensils is tricky and even with bibs, food still fell into their lap, saturated the bib’s fabric and got everywhere. This was hard at home and even harder when out to eat.

Things I had considered.

Mornings were busy and she wanted her kids to have a good meal for breakfast. But, in order to get where they needed to go, they had to eat in the car. This meant something balanced and nutritious to start the day was out the window. It was granola bars and Pop Tarts. Things that could be held. That gave her Mom Guilt.

Things I worry about all the time.

Instead, with Bibago, thanks to it’s waterproof fabric covered in cute patterns (all designed by Christie) and pocket with a snap in container, she didn’t have to deal with these things anymore. She didn’t have to worry.

She would make overnight oats and snap the container into her kids bibs and they ate on the way to daycare without fears of spilling or a sugar crash. Before runs, she would fill a container with a snack, snap it in and go. Her kids could eat as they pleased while she got her workout in without interruption.

I loved it all. I could totally resonate with the need in the car and on runs. She shared a Bibago with me for Savannah and we are loving it. (Theo is even jealous and asks to wear it all the time.)

I have written here that Savannah is a little destructive. Still true. So, with the Bibago, snacking is so much easier because she can’t dump the bowl.

What I have never shared, likely out of fear for jinxing it, is that Savannah is a great sleeper. I feel bad telling any new parent about it because it’s that good. It’s so good that I have to wake her up after 8:00 AM each morning so we can get a move on.

Now before you, 1. Flood my inbox for tricks on this, let it be known that we got lucky. She just has always been a good sleeper. (Her brother on the other hand… Send coffee, please.)

And, 2. I hate to complain because the sleeping in is great on weekends; but, on weekdays? It makes things complicated.

Theo is up two hours before her so he is already fed and ready to go. But, Savannah still needs to eat and eat something that I feel good about. Like Christie, thanks to Bibago, I can make Savannah overnight oats or scrambled eggs or just put cereal in the bib’s container, snap it in and get her in the car. We are good to go. No spilling, no messes in the tiny crevices of the car seat and no Mommy Guilt for me.

Another thing to not feel guilty about? Supporting another woman’s business.

I recently heard that, globally, for every dollar a woman makes 80% goes back into care for her family. While, for every dollar a man makes 30% goes back to their family. By economically supporting a woman, you are supporting families, your community, and the future.

To support Christie, visit bibago.com. These make for great shower gifts and are great through toddlerhood! We were gifted this bib for Savannah, but I will be purchasing one for Theo. They are functional, handy, smart, and so cute.