Mompreneur: Josephine Geraci
Company: My Mom Knows Best, Inc.
Website: www.glovies.com
My Mom Knows Best, Inc. is the inventor of the gLovies – Disposable Sanitary Hand Covers for children. We are in the business of helping kids keep their hands clean.
What inspired you start your business?
My business started from taking my two-year-old potty training toddler into a public restroom for the first time. My son managed to touch the floor, the stall door, the ladies sanitary box all in a matter of seconds. Then, as I was placing him on the public toilet seat his tiny little fingers were gripping the bottom of the seat for fear that he was going to fall into that deep hole. I was stressed out of my mind at the thought of all the germs that he was gathering on his hands. Yes, I’m a firm believer in washing hands “properly” with soap and water and we got the whole Happy Birthday song down, but holding a two-year old over a germy sink and touching all the fawcets etc. I thought to myself, there MUST be a better way.
How long has your business been in business?
The concept of gLovies began four years ago and our company was incorporated in 2006.
What did you do in your past work life?
I had plenty of business experience working for some top financial firms on Wall Street. I worked in various Marketing and Sales positions before becoming a founding partner of Lionheart Research, Inc.
What is your ideal workday like?
My ideal workday: I try not to get obsessed with the number of hours that I clock into the business. A great day is when I know I worked smart and efficiently and accomplished my top goals AND manage to have time left over to spend some quality time with my kids and husband.
What have been some of your major successes?
My biggest success to date has been the fact that I had a concept of a product, created a proto-type, went to China, got my product manufactured and landed on the shelves of one of the largest baby retail stores around—BuyBuyBaby!!
What have been some of your major challenges?
My biggest challenge has been getting the word out that my product not only exists but it really works. And yes, I have a call into Donny Deutsch and I’m waiting for his call. Ha! Ha!
On those impossible days, what motivates you to keep going?
When I’m having an impossible day, it is my drive to succeed that keeps me going.
Do you have a motivational quote?
One of my favorite motivational quotes is: If you don’t shoot, you can’t score.
What is your balancing secret in managing a business and family?
I was watching TV one night and the makeup artist Bobby Brown was on the Donny Deutsch Show and she suggested that the best way to create a somewhat balanced life would be to hire the best help you could afford to run your household and take care of your children. It was by far the best thing I have done for my family and my business.
If there was one piece of advice you could give to your children about running a successful business, what would it be?
One piece of advice I would give to my children about running a successful business is that if you run into a road block, no matter what it may be, never ever give up ’cause you can do whatever you put your mind to.
Do you have a favorite business tool and/or resource?
My favorite business tool is my Blackberry–I never leave home/work without it!
What is next for your business?
I’m thinking about doing an infomercial for gLovies. Getting on the shelves of retail stores is one thing, getting your product off of the shelves is another. My customers need to see and understand the benefits of using gLovies in public places.
Your two cents sales pitch?
gLovies help keep kids hands clean. Every diaper bag should have a package of gLovies ’cause trust me you don’t want to be caught in that public restroom without them.
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