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Mom Entrepreneur: Camille Andrews
Business: MobileWorks LLC
Website: www.mobileworkssoftware.com

Founded by Camille (Chairman), David (CEO), MobileWorks is focused on creating mobile applications that make life easier for busy parents. Our first product is the Baby Super Tracker for iPhone and iPod Touch. It helps track diaper changes, feedings and rests, and helps predict when the next event will come. It even predicts the amount of supplies you might need.

What inspired you to start your business?
The birth of our first son Evan in April of 2008 opened our eyes to a whole new world. He is just so amazing … such a joy, but we quickly realized there is so much to learn and so much to keep track of as new parents. We bought tons of books to learn about babies, and about being parents. In the hospital we started keeping track of feedings, diaper changes and other vital info on paper, but soon found this system to be lacking. Changing shifts meant keeping track of what was written down where and remembering what it all meant. We realized that what we needed was a way to sort through mounds of info to find the info we needed. We both love our iPhones and wanted to see if they could help. The result is the Baby Super Tracker.

How long have you been in business?
Only a short while … since October of 2008.

What did you do in your past work life?
David worked in marketing at a variety of software companies. I worked as a teacher and a counselor.

Describe your ideal workday.
My ideal workday balances my family’s needs with the requirements of the business. On my perfect day I would enjoy meals with my family, spending quality time with my son, and running the business with my husband.

What have been some of your major successes?
Getting version one of the Baby Super Tracker finished and on the iTunes Store was big. Things seemed to drag, and there were days when we wondered if it was ever going to be finished. Relocating back to our home state was a big win. It took much planning, but we kept rolling and are much happier as a result.

What have been some of your major challenges?
The major challenge is finding enough time in the day to take care of all the important aspects of the business while making sure the family gets the attention they need. In both facets, there is so much to learn. On the business side, its all about improving your product based on the needs of your customers, and getting the word out so they know your product is available. This leads to another big challenge: how to best reach potential customers? With the rise of the web and social media, reaching an audience is easier than ever, but, there are so many possibilities.

On those impossible days, what motivates you to keep going?
Well, I take a deep breath, and look at my son. We are so lucky to have him, and he is more than we could have asked for.

What is your balancing secret in managing a business and family?
I’m still working on that. Working from home, it’s tempting to work all hours, including after I put the baby to bed and weekends. I’m trying not to burn the candle at both ends by making weekends exclusively family time.

If there was one piece of advice you could give to your children about running a successful business, what would it be?
I’d tell them to follow their heart. Being creative and making money do not have to be at odds. Be persistent. It is so easy to give up and take the simple way out. Its much harder to see things through to their completion. Follow-through generates great rewards.

Do you have a favorite business tool and/or resource?
We’re big fans of Google and of the iPhone (as you can probably guess). We use Google to track how our website is doing and how our advertising is doing. Its amazing the tools that they provide for free. I can tell how many people come to our website and where they are coming from. All this helps us create a better experience, and it helps us better target our efforts. We use Twitter, but we are still trying to figure out how it fits in.

What is next for your business?
Version one of the Baby Super Tracker just got to the iTunes Store. Version 2 is almost ready to go, and we are looking at what to add for version 3. Beyond that, we have a new product, very different that we are working on. Can’t tell you yet what it is, except that its unique. We want it to stay that way. But, right now, mobile, and the iPhone look to be our focus for the next year or two.

What is your two cents sales pitch?
The Baby Super Tracker helps provide busy parents with peace of mind. It helps track their child’s changes, feedings and rests It also predicts what’s next to help better schedule their little one and to take advantage of the breaks as they come. Where else can you get all that for under $10?

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