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“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
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How 5 local moms created their own businesses Like other brilliant ideas, mom-owned businesses are often borne out of necessity. Mothers wanting to optimize their time with their children while supplementing their incomes have been at the helm of many lucrative businesses. Orange County is no exception. Who are they? How did they do it? Where did they start? Their stories can inspire any mom who wants to nurture a creative spark, make additional money or be her own boss. Angela Chittenden of Newport Beach Business: Beach Bunny Swimwear What does she sell? Luxury swimsuits Family: Husband Andris, daughters Kaelin, 13, Jordan, 11, Peyton, 7, Jasmin, 5, Presley, 2 Designing swimsuits was a hobby of Angela Chittenden’s since she was a teenager. After years as a swimsuit model, and now mother of a 2-year-old and stepmom to 4 girls, she has parlayed her passion and expertise into an international label with her sexy, innovative swimsuit designs. With an emphasis on lingerie-inspired glamour, Beach Bunny Swimwear was launched in 2004. “It was very hard at first,” says Chittenden. “I had no industry experience, so it was all trial and error.” She started out with some personal loans and after the first and second year when Sports Illustrated used 4 or 5 of their suits for their annual issue, she knew they had to take a risk and go bigger. This model and designer, who is the epitome of the OC beauty ideal, actually hails from Iowa, but she trusted her instincts and knew her adopted home was the perfect place to be. “This is a key location in this industry; I took my line from store to store and built great relationships,” says Chittenden. Now a favorite with such celebs as Eva Longoria, who has bought 10 at a time, Jessica Alba, Paris Hilton and Salma Hayek (among others), Chittenden shops for fabrics throughout Europe and is available all over the U.S. and in more than 10 different countries. Jeannie Savage of Irvine Business: Details Details Wedding and Event Planning What does she sell? Premiere wedding and event-planning services Family: Husband John, daughter Madison, 2 1/2 When Jeannie Savage and her groom, John, were planning their destination wedding in Santa Barbara, they realized they knew more about organizing and executing the details than the wedding consultants who were charging thousands of dollars. Coming from the hotel industry, Jeannie had done extensive event planning for the properties she worked for. Their wedding involved a weekend in Santa Barbara for all their guests, spa appointments, tee times, social gatherings…and Savage realized she was the best person to coordinate. After getting pregnant, she realized this could be the perfect niche for her career. “We knew, coming from the hotel end, that when you use their consultants, they’re going to do what’s best for the hotel,” says Savage. “Not necessarily what’s best for the couple.” Four years ago, she was a newlywed with a newborn and a new business, but Savage was in her element. The business built steadily, mostly from word of mouth, which is invaluable in the industry. She later hired a P.R. agent and has since been featured in 8 or 9 national magazines. “That’s when things really started taking off.” She has to make sure to keep a balance with John and her daughter, Madison, while giving the best possible service to her clients on the biggest day of their lives. Shelly Bostrom of Foothill Ranch Business: Patricia Ann Designs What does she sell? A baby accessory line Family: Husband Dana, daughter Faye, 4, sons Dane, 9, Cade, 6 On Jan. 1, 2004, Shelly Bostrom and her mother, Mary, went into business together. Armed with a desire to work from home, years of retail experience and a fistful of coupons for Joann’s Craft Stores, Shelly bought yards of adorable fabric and Mary began sewing 50 blankets in the garage. They christened the line with their middle names; Mary Patricia and Shelly Ann became Patricia Ann Designs. They began by taking their chic, luxurious baby blankets to schools and church boutiques. “Everything we made sold,” says Bostrom. “This is when I took our line to a store.” In weeks, they made business cards and a sales rep helped circulate their now-evolving line of blankets, travel silkies, changing mats, carrier and car-seat covers. When they got into Nordstrom, they needed to decide: “Do we go big or keep this as a hobby?” They went big. They rented office space and scoured Los Angeles and Orange County for quality sewing houses. “My mom did all the sewing for the first 4 months,” says Bostrom. “We are very particular about our quality, and we are proud and happy to say we found an excellent family sewing house right her in OC. “We had our first celebrity sighting with Brooke Shields,” says Bostrom. “Our P.R. agent in New York ran with that and began courting the celebrity market by sending gift baskets to high-profile expectant mothers. Now we see celebrities with them all the time.” Patricia Ann Designs has 6 sales reps and are featured in hundreds of retail shops. “It’s hard for me to keep the balance,” says Bostrom. “I started this business to have more time with my children, but if it grew as quickly as it could, I’d be taken away from them much too often.” Bostrom limits herself to 4 major trade shows a year: 2 in L.A. and 2 in Vegas, where she can come home for the night, if necessary. Mary Harrigan of Newport Beach Business: Stonefire Grill Restaurants Family: Sons Justin, 23, Kyle, 21 Mary Harrigan grew up in a family of 11 and has worked in restaurants since she was 15. She learned from her parents to develop a strong work ethic. Restaurant work instilled this further and after earning her degree in psychology from Loyola Marymount, she decided her place was in the fresh, fun, exhausting world of food service. After managing several restaurants, Harrigan took a leap of faith when her sons were 16 and 14. “I wanted to create a restaurant by soccer moms, for soccer moms,” says Harrigan. “We wanted to make food you would make at home, but you don’t have to.” She used equity in her house to start the first Stonefire in Valencia and the family opened the doors in 2000. It was an immediate success. “A fresh approach to family dining,” Stonefire Grill offers such casual, homey food as grilled chicken and tri-tip, mashed potatoes, pizzas and garden-fresh salads. Stonefire has struck a chord with families who want good, wholesome food, available quickly, for a reasonable price. With 50% of its business being takeout, Stonefire now has 5 locations, including Irvine, Fountain Valley, West Hills and Chatsworth. Harrigan and her sister, Maureen, are emphatic about giving back to the communities of which they are a part and have created multiple charitable programs. Rita Kandel of Lake Forest Business: Personal Video Cards What does she sell? Custom DVD cards Family: Husband Douglas, daughters Sarah, 8, Lexi, 4, son Spencer, 6 Rita Kandel was a stay-at-home mom for 7 years when she began developing innovative gifts for her in-laws, while nurturing a creative outlet for herself. As an amateur photographer, she knew people were looking for more personal solutions to greeting cards and photo albums. She began creating movie-like DVDs by choreographing camera movement with still photos and music. “I knew there were so many ways this type of presentation could be used,” says Kandel. And she launched PersonalVideoCards.com Suggestions now vary from digital family Christmas letters, to weddings, anniversaries and professional tributes – any milestone where memories or details from the past need to be beautifully rendered in the present. Travelogues, oral histories, a narrative of your life together – the possibilities are endless. “I suggest as many as 60 photos for a Christmas DVD, depicting everything the family has done,” says Kandel. “Then I give my customers suggestions for music, because that’s one of the more difficult parts. “If the subject is more intimate, I usually interview my clients to draw out what it is they really want to say,” says Kandel. “When I ask specific questions, it all comes together.” It’s still difficult for her to juggle the time demands between her company and her children, but with help from her husband, she is able to really dig into work after they go to bed. Susan Belknapp is a senior writer for Churm Media. |
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