Mom to Mom of Maine - Latest Blog Entries

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Lisa Flynn, Founder and Director at ChildLight Yoga and Yoga 4 Classrooms

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:56:00 -0400

When did you join Mom to Mom?
April 2007

What is your business?
ChildLight Yoga and Yoga 4 Classrooms. We providing evidence- based yoga education to children in schools and communities, and to professionals whose work supports the well-being of children. It is our mission to teach strategies that help children and youth develop resilience, positive perceptions, good health habits and mindful awareness.

Where is your business located?
Our home studio, boutique and offices are located in downtown Dover at 453 Central Ave. In addition to hosting programming at our studio, we also offer on-site yoga enrichment programming at many seacoast area preschools and schools. As well, our training programs are offered nationally as well as online.

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
YES! Members receive $5 off any class series, workshop, camp or birthday party. Just use coupon code SMA at checkout online.
We also offer SMA and homeschooler groups with similar age children special rates for private classes or class series. It’s fun to come with a group of friends!

How did you get started in this business?
As a yoga practitioner, I felt and saw the tremendous benefits for myself. Searching the area for classes for my then toddler – age children, I came up empty-handed. As a former marketing director and business manager, I decided to combine my passion for yoga and children with my business experience to create a service-based business that could make a real difference in the world.

What's your favorite product/service that you offer and why?
Right now, it’s our Yoga 4 Classrooms affiliate that is really inspiring me. To watch the lightbulb go on for students and teachers realizing the importance and benefits of taking a deep breath on their ability to self-regulate and create a more compassionate, productive teaching and learning environment really fills me up. School counselors are grasping onto Yoga 4 Classrooms as being an essential tool for integration into schools for whole child health and wellness, stress reduction and resilience.

About Me
I often get asked why it is I do what I do. What exactly brought me to this life's mission to see yoga integrated into every child’s experience? I could cite the growing body of supporting research, talk about my teaching experiences, give a speech on how important it is. Instead, I typically find myself telling a story. Since finding my way to yoga in the 90s, I can’t count the number of times I have wondered to myself “If I only had had these tools when I was a child, would adolescence, early adulthood, and beyond have been less painful?” To many who practice yoga, this is an all too familiar question; so many people are drawn to the practice as a way to soothe pain, anxiety, and many other common ailments of the modern life. For me, it was a bout of depression and a subsequent eating disorder during my college years, (from which (fortunately) I came out triumphantly on the other side) that first led me to yoga. Years later, as a newlywed working as a marketing director, I pondered how I might help others avoid, or at least healthfully navigate through, the lingering effects of the types of suffering I had experienced in my early years. And then I thought— better still—how to help children navigate the everyday “traumas” of school, homework, broken friendships, life before they become permanent scars. But how?

From the time they were babies, my children would join my morning yoga practice. I quickly noticed that our moods improved and our connection and bond grew through our practice together. As they became toddlers and preschoolers, we began to develop a “language of wellness” in our home. We’d say things like: “When we start to become frustrated, what can we do? Well, we can practice Balloon Breath...” and so forth. I tried to look outside my home for local children or family yoga classes and came up empty-handed. Then the proverbial “light bulb” flashed in my head, and so began my personal journey with yoga for children. It soon became a full-time adventure.

My company, ChildLight Yoga has been providing yoga-based classes and programs to children and families in the New England area since 2005. The ChildLight Yoga Teacher Training program was designed to empower adults to bring the practice of yoga to the children in their own communities, now numbered at nearly 1,000 instructors worldwide. As a volunteer yoga teacher at my children’s elementary school in 2007, I realized yoga had a place in school as well. I saw firsthand the enormous impact even the most basic yoga tools can have on children’s learning and the classroom culture as a whole. With that in mind, I expanded ChildLight Yoga to include the Yoga 4 ClassroomsTM program, which has now empowered thousands of educators to integrate yoga and mindfulness into their classrooms. With the creation of my new book, Yoga for Children: 200+ Yoga Poses, Breathing Exercises and Mediations for Healthier, Happier, More Resilient Children, it’s my intention to inspire parents to bring yoga into the home! .

In his article “Healing Power of Yoga,” which appeared in a 2010 issue of Yoga Journal, Sat Bir Khalsa, PhD., Assistant Professor of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and renowned yoga researcher, stated “I think of this [yoga] as hygiene. We have dental hygiene, which is a well-accepted part of American culture. Schools teach it, doctors recommend it, parents reinforce it. Imagine if people didn't routinely brush their teeth. That would be unheard of in this country! But what about mind- body hygiene? We have nothing for that.”

Khalsa believes if yoga was routinely taught at schools, practiced at home, and written on doctor’s prescription pads, we’d be raising a generation that is physically and emotionally healthier, equipped with self- awareness and tools for managing stress. I agree—as do many parents!

Over the last few years, I have noticed more and more adult and kids’ yoga programs popping up at childcare centers, gyms, in classrooms and after school programs, in juvenile detention centers, half way houses, shelters, jails, health care settings and more. As a society, we are fast realizing yoga’s ability to positively transform lives. And researchers are setting out to support that realization with scientific evidence to drive that point home to policy makers as well. Just imagine a world where yoga and mindfulness is integrated into every classroom, into every home, and is subsidized by insurance companies. It’s coming. So, let’s keep brushing our teeth... and bring yoga home to our families! As you breathe, move, connect and play together, know that you are helping your child practice “mind-body hygiene,” supporting a lifetime of health and wellness for the mind, body and spirit.

Edited excerpt from Yoga for Children: 200+ Yoga Poses, Breathing Exercises and Mediations for Healthier, Happier, More Resilient Children

Work/Family Balance:
I have found if you are passionate about what you are doing, it is not ‘work.’ The downside of that is that it’s very easy to get “in the zone” of doing what you love– sometimes to the detriment and neglect of the rest of our lives, our other life’s mission as mom, wife, friend. Honestly, this has been my struggle!
I’m sure other entrepreneurs can relate.

Last fall, as I wrote Yoga for Children, juggled two businesses, two active kids, a busy household and our new family member, our enormous boxer/hound puppy, Stella; I knew that clearly I had taken on too much. I found myself saying, “just one more week” or “by Christmas all will be in better balance”. But you know what? Though the puppy is now house-trained and my book is done, I never did arrive as the quintessential “destination” of balance and having it all figured out. Balance is where you find it.

I’ve come to realize that being in the moment as much as possible is crucial not only to my sanity but to the health of my family and relationships. That means taking time for my own yoga practice, walks and snuggles with my kids, tea with friends. It means putting the computer away during dinner (at the very least) and having faith that things will get done at some point and that the world will not end if it does not.

Admittedly, I don’t have the work/ family balance figured out. At the same time, I know that my children and husband are proud of the work I do and they might even argue that I’m a decent Mom, a real Mom who is learning and growing every day, just like them.

Business Contact Information:
Lisa Flynn, E-RYT, RCYT
Founder of ChildLight Yoga, on FB, Twitter, and Blog
Founder of Yoga 4 Classrooms, on FB, Twitter, Blog
Author of the Yoga 4 Classrooms Card Deck; and Yoga for Children (Adams Media, an F+W Media company, Spring 2013)
453 Central Avenue, Suite 103 Dover, NH 03820 Office: 603-343-4116 Cell: 603-781-3323 lisa@childlightyoga.com

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Suzanne P. Grondin,DC of Alternative Nutrition Therapy

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:18:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom?
I joined Mom to Mom during the founding years when Mom to Mom was actually called F.E.M.A.L.E. It must have been the later 90’s!! Am I aging myself?

What is your business?
Alternative Nutrition Therapy is working specifically with patients in restoring health by correcting nutritional imbalances in the body. When a person cuts themself, we all have faith that the body can knit itself back together. Why is it then, when someone becomes chronically ill, that people often just give up? If the body cannot find its balance and self-healing, why can we not help it along?

With today’s food lacking in quality, high levels of stress, and high levels of toxins, the body often finds itself in a depleted state and can no longer rebuild itself. That is where Alternative Nutrition Therapy comes in.

Through documenting detailed patient histories, employing specific nutritional testing, and utilizing years of experience in the field of nutrition, I can help your body find its potential for healing once again. Together, we develop a customized and very specific nutritional program to improve your health. Where there is life there is HOPE!

Where is your business located?
Alternative Nutrition Therapy is located at 1486 Broadway in South Portland.

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services? I would love to offer a $25 discount to any Mom to Mom for an initial evaluation. One discount per family.

How did you get started in the business?
Years ago, I was working as a sole Chiropractic practitioner in Lewiston. I became very ill with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I became so sick that I would spend a few hours working, go home and sleep for a few hours, go back to work, and finally come home to crash until the next morning. I was unable to even care for my own home. I saw a medical practitioner who told me to “Learn to live with it” and sent me on my merry way. She was not the one not having a life. I sought out a chiropractic doctor doing this type of work and within a month I was 90 percent better. It was a miracle! I immediately began to learn more and more and incorporating it with my Chiropratic patients. As they were getting better, people started coming from farther and farther away. My dream came true of having a child and of course my life changed. I decided to take time off to raise my children. I continued to study my passion with various doctor’s around the United States in hopes of someday returning back to work. The time is now after having this glorious time at home with my children.

What is your favorite product/service that you offer and why? I love to offer people an alternative to traditional medicine and seeing the results! I have had so many patients come see me as their last resort. They truly thought they had no where else to go and no hope! Working together we found new ways to look at their problems and created a plan to renewed health. Seeing their progress and health return has been extremely exciting for them and for me.

About Me
I live in Scarborough with my husband of 25 years, our two boys Connor, 19 yrs old and Ty, 8 yrs old, and our two dogs Ozzie (Vizsla) and Nyla (Pug). My first priority is my family so I tend to schedule everything I do around their schedules.
It is very difficult to be there for everyone but I try as best I can. I schedule my patients during school hours and balance household chores by finally giving in and hiring a cleaning person. It was the best decision I ever made! Life is truly too short for sweating the small stuff. I love taking a minute to stop and be in the moment.

Contact Information
Suzanne P. Grondin, DC

Alternative Nutrition Therapy, www.grondinnutrition.com, 207-329-0348, suzannegrondindc@gmail.com

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Stacey Koloski, STAGES: The Performing Arts Academy for Kids

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:11:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom?
November(approx) 2005

What is your business?
STAGES is a year-round youth theater company featuring a full season of programming for kids ages preschool through high school, both as part of our in-Studio programming and in local schools as part of our STAGES in the Schools initiative. Our school programming ranges from weekly enrichment classes to one-week intensive workshops for kids and teachers. Our studio productions start with beginning play-making experiences for kids ages 5-6. Kids ages 7 to 18 participate in large Broadway-style musicals that culminate in a weekend of fully-staged, professional quality public performances. STAGES offers a production experience for each age group during the school year and as part of our popular summer camp program.

I think what makes STAGES unique is that we celebrate the creativity of every student regardless of ability, past experience, etc. Our casting process is based on readiness and fairness. We try hard to make sure each of our kids has a principal role when their time comes – STAGES strives to be a nurturing, safe, non-competitive place for kids to SHINE!

Where is your business located?
The home STAGES studio is located at 24 Mosher Street in South Portland. Our regular rehearsals take place there, with performances being held in various Portland-area theatrical venues (Lyric Music Theater, Portland Stage Company, Westbrook Performing Arts Center). Our 10-week summer program for ages 10+ takes place at the St. Lawrence Arts Center. STAGES also offers weekly enrichment programming at the Breakwater School in Portland (for Breakwater AND non-Breakwater students).

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
STAGES has always offered M2M members a 15% discount on all program registrations! Just mention it when you call in to register!

How did you get started in this business?
STAGES was an (early) mid-life crisis business! While I was on maternity leave with my second daughter I was dreading returning to my corporate consulting life. STAGES came about from some right- place, right-time, right-opportunity magic involving access to a retail location, motivation to change career course, and an incredibly brave and talented business partner (Hollye Seddon).

What's your favorite product/service that you offer and why?
That’s hard. I love EVERYTHING we do. But if I had to pick one thing I would probably say our productions, of course. There is something about watching those kids walk into the “real” theater building during our final rehearsal (tech) week, and seeing their eyes light up when they see the professionally designed sets, costumes, lights, and an orchestra of professional musicians waiting JUST FOR THEM. With the right support in place, the kids can rise to the challenges of these big shows, and their happiness and confidence grows. It is an educational, real-world, professional quality experience for children – sounds absurd, and it is in some ways – but I am so proud that STAGES can do this for kids in Southern Maine.

About Me
I am fortunate to be supported by a tremendous family including my husband, Dan (a software company executive by day and a music director and sound engineer for STAGES on the side!), my two beautiful daughters, Maiya (8.5) and Chloe (6), and our patient coonhound, Fenway. Owning and actively operating a business that focuses entirely on kids is very difficult because all of our critical work takes place during those crazy after-school hours each day. So our biggest challenges have always been making sure the kids get where they need to get after school, while making sure both Dan and I are paying the proper attention to our jobs. When the kids were younger we relied a lot upon nannies and sitters. But the amazing upside of owning a youth business is that once our kids became old enough to participate in our own programs, life became a lot easier! It’s difficult at times to teach your own children. I try not to do that, by putting them in classes/shows being taught by other STAGES teachers! But I’m proud that they can grow up seeing Mommy doing something that she loves doing, and seeing her loving to share it with THEM.

Other things that we’ve learned about the work-life balance – at work, Hollye and I have made the STAGES schedule work for us. We each work only three days a week. We do not work on weekends (excepting show weekends), and we never work past 6PM. At home, Dan and I plan meals and do grocery shopping at the beginning of each week (otherwise we would never eat!). And we try very hard to pack lunches the night before school to eliminate the morning crunch.

It is hard. But worth it.

Contact Information: STAGES: The Performing Arts Academy for Kids
24 Mosher Street, South Portland, ME 04016
207-699-3330 | hello@stagesacademy.com | www.stagesacademy.com

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Nancy Charlebois, Jade Integrated Health

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:00:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom?
I joined in April 2012. After having my first son 8 years ago, I filled out the paperwork twice. As many of you know when you are a first time mom, just getting a stamp and envelope in the mail can be a challenge! Finally, 8 years later, I am a member. Hurrah for online registration!

What is your business?
We offer physical therapy, massage therapy, traditional Chinese medicine including acupuncture, acupressure, cupping, moxibustion, herbal consultation, diet therapy and Asian bodywork.

As a physical therapist, I specialize in Women’s Health and most enjoy treating pregnant and postpartum women. I also treat urinary incontinence and women recovering from mastectomy.

We also provide a variety of yoga classes: Gentle Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Mom and Baby Yoga, Mom and Baby Fitness Class, Yoga For Guys, and Yin Yoga. Our newest class offering is Qigong.

Our goal is always to provide the highest quality of medical services and integrate traditional and non-traditional treatment strategies for patients to optimize health and wellness. We often incorporate yoga, pilates, strength and conditioning training or pool therapy if it will be beneficial for the patient to meet their goals.

Where is your business located?
We just moved to our new office on 100 Fore Street in Portland.

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
We are offering M2M members a free trial of any of our drop in yoga classes the week of December 10th. Check our web site for the drop in schedule!

We also hosted a mothers’ night out in October. I was able to speak to M2M members about how to raise children without breaking your back.

How did you get started in this business?
I was drawn to physical therapy after participating in athletics in high school. I was eager to find a career that satisfied my interest in how the body moved and recovered from injury.

After graduating with my degree in physical therapy, I became interested in treating pregnant and postpartum women. I was able to develop this specialty and found that it was most satisfying to work for myself. I am able to spend more time with my patients and offer greater diversity of treatment options since I have been self-employed.

What's your favorite product/service that you offer and why?
My favorite 2 hours of the week are the mom and baby fitness classes that I teach. It is such a wonderful opportunity to teach women that are eager to learn about self-care and exercise so that they can model wellness and healthy habits for their children.

About Me
My husband John and I have two boys ages 8 and 3. I love one-on-one time with both of them. While I used to find bedtime challenging because they want me to sit on the edge of their beds for what feels like an eternity, I have found that this has become the most precious part of my day. They have usually decompressed and processed their days by bedtime and it is a lovely time to chat quietly, hear about the ups and downs as well as answer their questions about life.

Owning my own business means long hours at times, but also the opportunities to set my own schedule and flex my schedule to be available for the meaningful moments in my kids’ days. This means getting out of work at a decent hour or taking a break in my day to take them to an event, but doing a lot of my paper work and business planning at night!

Contact Information: Nancy Charlesbois, Jade Integrated Health
Web: www.jadeintegratedhealth.com | Phone: (207) 773-5778 | Email: nancy@jadeintegratedhealth.com

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Leisa DuPuy, Owner of Navigator Vacation Rental Management

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:53:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom?
Late 2005 or early 2006—just about the time my family and I moved from Newburyport, MA.

What is your business?
We are a cost-effective and efficient full-service management company that provides various services to vacation property owners (our clients) that wish to rent to vacationers throughout Maine and New Hampshire. We effectively manage the rental process from the online advertisement listing and website creation right through the rental inquiries, bookings and the stay, and then follow-up with the deposit refund and collection of feedback. We also provide a full range of monthly reporting options including booking and inquiry statistics as well as annual tax reporting. In order to increase bookings we do offer various consulting services as well, including shopping, coordination of minor repairs and improvements, and photography. Our mission is to make the rental process stress-free and profitable for the property owners.

Where is your business located?
Our ‘store front’ is purely our website, www.navigatorvrm.com (which interfaces with various online vacation rental listings such as homeaway.com, vrbo.com and vacationhomerentals.com), and all of our business is conducted via email with our clients. Having virtually no overhead allows us to offer such a price break when compared to other management services.

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
Absolutely! We’d be happy to offer a 20% discount on any base vacation rental start-up listing package for anyone in M2M or a $50 referral bonus for anyone brought to us through M2M too!

How did you get started in this business?
We purchased our first vacation rental home in 2006 in Wells, Maine (my home town) because we were living in Massachusetts at the time and wanted to secure a fun and exciting Maine getaway for our family. Being that it was expensive to own a second home, a friend suggested we rent it out for part of the year to help cover costs. During our very first season of rentals, we booked the entire summer and I then realized how much I enjoyed meeting new people, telling about the fun things to do in my hometown and selling people on our cottage and its resort. Two years later we decided to purchase another vacation rental in North Conway, and this past January we bought our third in Bridgton.

After providing advice and assistance to others also looking to become profitable vacation property owners over the past 7 years of ownership I recognized there was a niche market that I needed to capture. Today people are very smart and efficient consumers and are therefore less likely to go to a travel agent for a vacation rental, and are more likely to jump on various websites like homeaway.com, vrbo.com and vacationhomerentals.com instead.

I chose Navigator as a company name both for the travel aspect of the word and the fact that my husband and I met in a restaurant called Navigator on Martha’s Vineyard.

What's your favorite product/service that you offer and why?
My favorite service is definitely the on-site consulting that I offer. I love to go into a rental property and take notes on areas I think could use improvement based on what renters are looking for, then I find great deals at stores and even yard sales and also line up various inexpensive cosmetic fixes if needed. It is very rewarding to get the property looking as great as it can be and then take pictures for listings. By offering a vacation rental that is attractive and has all of the amenities of home, we are able to bring our clients more rentals at more competitive prices which translates into a successful business.

About Me
I live in Scarborough with my husband and two children (ages 8 and 11) and our yellow lab Zoey. We are very active with our kid’s schedules, and I do work full-time as a Finance Manager for an engineering/design firm so I (with some help from my husband who also works full time) manage the business evenings and weekends and anywhere else I can. It makes for a challenging yet rewarding work/life balance that’s for sure! I’m hoping as our business grows from the current size of 5 listings to many more, I will be able to hire others to manage and market the business for me so I can reduce my work balancing act. If all goes according to plan, I will take my business to the next step and will leave my full time job in the finance world! A career with Navigator Vacation Rental Management would allow me to have a rewarding and fulfilling career with great flexibility and excitement that would still allow me to utilize my finance and business skills.

Contact Information: Leisa DuPuy, Navigator Vacation Rental Management
Website: www.navigatorvrm.com | Phone: (207) 929-0193 | Email: navigatorvacations@gmail.com

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Natalie Kuhtmann Haskell Photography and Editing

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:47:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom?
2007. Not sure of the month, but I know I was pregnant with number seven!

What is your business?
Freelance editing and photography. I edit everything— books, business proposals, research papers, and papers awaiting publication in scholarly journals. I photograph a variety of subjects—senior portraits, maternity, engagements, and children and families. I hope to add on weddings and pet photography in the near future.
I’m freelance, so I do all of my editing online from the comfort of my home in the relative quiet of the evening. With my photography, I go wherever I am called. That could mean anywhere from a business to a park or to someone’s home. Many of my shoots are done at various outdoor locations in Southern Maine. Fort Williams and Two Lights are two of my favorite places to take photographs.

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
I offer a 10% discount to Mom to Mom members.

How did you get started in this business?
I have backgrounds in PR, marketing, and education, as well as degrees in English and secondary education. Editing and photography allow me to draw upon this experience and knowledge, and to use my sense of composition, my critical eye, and my skills with people. They are also very flexible careers, which is important to me as a homeschooling mom.

What's your favorite product/service that you offer and why?
I really enjoy children and sibling portrait sessions, especially those more candid outdoor shoots. It’s great to be able to capture those moments when kids are at their happiest and are most themselves. I know that when I want to reminisce about my own family, the first thing I do and will do for many years to come is to take out my albums and talk about the stories that their pictures tell. It’s great family bonding, and wonderful to think that I can help to give that to someone else.

About Me
I have a husband, Daniel, to whom I have been married for almost 20 years. I have seven children ranging in age from 19 to almost 5. My husband teaches and does seasonal work for LL Bean; I homeschool, try to keep a semi-neat home, and do my freelance work. It’s very hectic, but because freelancing allows me more flexibility than some other jobs might, and because my husband’s schedule tends to be lighter during prime shooting months, things generally work out fairly well.

Contact Information: Natalie Kuhtmann Haskell Photography and Editing
Phone: (207) 772-4514, (207) 939-0972 | Email: haskells@gwi.net |
Website: nataliekuhtmannhaskell.zenfolio.com | Facebook: Natalie Kuhtmann Haskell

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Jenna Daly, LCSW

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:57:00 -0400

When did you join Mom to Mom?
I joined Mom to Mom in October 2011.

What is your business?
I am a licensed clinical social worker, and provide health and wellness- related counseling services in private practice.

The fundamental purpose of wellness counseling is to help individuals, couples, and families move forward. Often new clients report feeling “stuck” in one or more aspects of their lives. I work with clients to identify patterns and themes that may be holding them back, find new ways of understanding their challenges, and then create pragmatic plans for change. Most importantly, I encourage clients to view their own challenges with compassion and humor.

I also work with individuals, couples, and families struggling with unwelcome health change, such as cancer, HIV, and other chronic illnesses. Although we rarely invite grief into our lives, loss is unavoidable. Our understanding and integration of these experiences can be both powerful and transformative.

Where is your business located?
My office is located at 142 High Street (the State Theater building), Suite 630. At client request, I also provide counseling online (via Skype or FaceTime) and via telephone. (This option has been particularly appreciated by patients and caregivers for whom travel is difficult.)

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
Initial consultation sessions are free, and current clients are not charged for Parents’ Night group meetings. I also offer a discounted Pantry Makeover or Therapy in Motion session for current clients who refer new clients to me.

How did you get started in this business?
After working in health care education and technology for over 12 years, I returned to school to pursue a Masters in Social Work. My internship experiences were focused in health-related counseling at the LGBT Community Center in New York City, and at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). After graduation I worked full-time as a clinical social worker at MSKCC—providing outpatient counseling and support to patients, spouses/partners, and their families facing late-stage lung cancer and melanoma diagnoses.

I began a private practice in Portland in 2011, with a focus on health-related issues. It has been my privilege to provide my clients with guidance and support as they confront life’s challenges and realize long-term change.

What's your favorite product/service that you offer and why?
One of my favorite services is Therapy in Motion, i.e., counseling sessions conducted while walking together. Like many mothers of young children, I found time for both physical and emotional self-care difficult to come by. After doing some research on movement and therapy, I designed the Therapy in Motion sessions specifically to meet the needs of parents balancing self-care with busy schedules. Therapy in Motion combines cognitive therapy principles with walking meditation to focus clients on what can be done in the present moment to foster long-term changes. After an initial consultation, I meet clients at an agreed-upon location, such as outside of work at lunchtime, or at home at the beginning of nap time, to begin our walking session.

As both a clinician and a parent myself, I also greatly enjoy the Parents’ Night group meetings, which are focused on nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, and other healthy family habits. I always learn from participant questions, suggestions, and observations. It’s inspiring to see so many parents approaching family health in a thoughtful way. I’ll be restarting this group series in either September or October of this year—with monthly topics posted on my website.

About Me
After living for almost 15 years in San Francisco and New York, my family and I moved to South Portland in 2008. We love living in such a great community, with quick access to the outdoors and lots of wonderful local foods.

In addition to counseling, I also work from home as a clinical consultant and writer for health care websites. When not working, you can usually find me exploring tide pools and trails with my husband, our 5 year old daughter Quinn, and the newest member of our family—one month old sister Beatrix.

Contact Information:

Jenna Daly, LCSW
142 High Street, Suite 630 | Portland, ME 04016 (207) 200-4769 | jenna@jennadaly.com www.jennadaly.com

Mom to Mom Entrepreneur's Group Presents: JoEllen Clive, Senior Marketing Distributor, Send Out Cads

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 17:16:00 -0400

When did you join Mom to Mom?
I’m not sure when I joined Mom to Mom! If I had to estimate, I’d say 2008.

What is your business?
My business is Send Out Cards. Send Out Cards is a greeting card, gifting, and photo product service. The mission of the company is to help people act on their promptings in an easy, convenient, and affordable way. The greeting card and gifting service is the heart of this. Customers can create a personalized greeting card by selecting from a pre-designed template or make a custom card with their own photo and videos—all from their own computer within a
matter of minutes. They add their own message (in their own handwriting if they wish), then Send Out Cards prints the card and mails it directly to the recipient. Monthly subscription service starts at $9.80 per month, for 7–10
cards. Unused points accumulate, you can cancel anytime and points are good for a year.

You can send a gift or gift card along with the card as well. Send Out Cards also has a great variety of photo products such as canvas and metal prints, posters, calendars, iPhone and iPad cases, and photo books.

Where is your business located?
Send Out Cards is a home-based business, but without the pressure to “sell.” We simply show the greeting card and gifting service, or introduce people to the products in the Photo Store. This is done in our everyday lives—at places like soccer and tee-ball games, and at gatherings with friends and family. Showing the service and telling people about the products is easy and natural because it’s something that everyone needs and it’s a great value. Our retail/customer site iswww.sendoutcards.com/mclive.

How did you get started in this business?
My husband was introduced to Send Out Cards through a coworker and he became a distributor in July of 2011. This business was going to be HIS thing—I gave him my blessing and vowed to not get wrapped up in it. Well, that didn’t last for long! I saw the quality and value of the products, and I very quickly saw the potential for earning extra income. The business opportunity is atwww.sendoutcards.biz/mclive.

What's your favorite product/service that you offer and why?
Send Out Cards is currently working to reach a goal of sending out 1,000,000 Gratitude Cards through their 30-Day Gratitude Challenge. The challenge is to express gratitude to at least one person a day, anywhere in the world, for any reason, for 30 consecutive days by sending a real greeting card with a heartfelt message of gratitude. For about $1 a day, you can send someone a personalized or customized card, letting them know how much they mean to you. The 30-Day Gratitude Challenge is atwww.socgratitude.com/mclive.

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” - Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

About Me
I live in Scarborough with my husband Matt and our 6-year-old son Nathan. I also teach 5th grade in Scarborough, and this is the first summer in a long time that I haven’t worked a traditional “summer job.” Send Out Cards is allowing our family to have more time together to enjoy summer vacation! We’re enjoying trips to the beach, visits with friends and family, and crossing off things on our Summer List!

CONTACT INFORMATION
JoEllen Clive, Send Out Cards Senior Marketing Distributor
Phone: (207) 885-0119 | Email:jclive@maine.rr.com | Website:www.sendoutcards.com/mclive

Mom to Mom Entrepreneur's Group Presents: Terri Donnelly, AKA "Terri's House"

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:57:00 -0400

When did you join Mom to Mom?
More than five and a half years ago.

What is your business?
Nanny share. We have a small group here, up to four children some days. For the past six years most of my business has come from referrals. The families I currently work for are part-time and drop-ins. This fall some of my little ones
will transition onto school which will open up my schedule, possibly leaving room for another family to come join in the fun.

Where is your business located?
I live in a beautiful house in the the Back Bay neighborhood of Portland. The children love this home setting and the socialization it provides, while building their imagination, which is key to learning. We spend a lot of time exploring our natural surroundings outdoors. We also work with materials which they can manipulate and create on their own. Music and books are part of our daily living, with at least one structured activity per day. With my Early Childhood Education background and being in this loving, enriching environment, I believe is why the kids love to come to “Terri’s House”!

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
I have worked for many M2M members over the past six years and have given discounts due to our ongoing relationships but not our M2M status. I am very reasonably priced for my business and the care and experience I offer. There is a substantial discount to everyone with a sibling attending.

How did you get started in this business?
I graduated in 1991 with an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education. I then went on to teach pre-school for several years. I moved to Germany to become a nanny for a year in 1996. When I came back to the States I had a nanny share business in New Jersey, prior to moving to Maine in 1999. Then six years ago, I became a single mom of a child who is now going into first grade. I found this was the best way to home school my daughter while running a business.

What's your favorite product/service that you offer and why?
The children I have cared for over the years love coming to “Terri’s House,” which is a name they decided on (it’s not an official business name). I just love the little people that I have watched and helped shape who they have become. Many of the kids have been with me from newborn on to school age. It is a blessing to be able to spend the time with them and I enjoy every moment.

About Me
My daughter Sage and I enjoy Maine very much. On Sundays I volunteer and teach Religious Education at our Unitarian Universalist Church. They and several of the families I have worked for have become our extended family. I plan on continuing this business until Sage is in middle school. Then I may go back to being a Chiropractic Assistant.

Contact Information:
Terri Donnelly
Phone (207) 831-6316 | Emailterristrinkets@hotmail.com

Mom to Mom Entrepreneur's Group Presents: Marina Waisman, Owner of Peekaboo Children's Center

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:58:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom?
January 2008

What is your business?
Unique play experience for children 0–5 years of age. In addition, the Center also oﬀers children’s classes (currently, its own “Sign Language for Babies” program is in progress through mid-April. The class is free with admission.); art & craft activities; and special events. Peekaboo also rents its play space for birthday parties and other special events.

Where is your business located?
Located in downtown Westbrook, the Peekaboo’s indoor playground has something for every young child: wooden structures (think the popular Ceadarworks playgrounds); colorful themed rooms such as dolls’ pink room, construction zone, music room, nature corner; a large hand-made train table; infants’ space; child-size doll house; play kitchen; ball pit; enclosed trampoline; an 8 foot long paint wall; and many wooden and fabric European toys.
Peekaboo Children’s Center serves primarily the Greater Portland communities, with occasional visits by families
from other states in the East Coast.

Do you oﬀer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
Peekaboo Children’s Center oﬀers the following discount to Mom to Mom members:

A 10% discount on the price of admission for any Mom to Mom playgroup of 10 or more. (The minimum requirement for general admission is 15 people.) Must RSVP to receive the discount.
A half hour of set-up in the party room ($30+ value). Please mention your aﬃliation with Mom to Mom (membership may be conﬁrmed with the organization).

How did you get started in this business?
My background is in childhood education and marketing. After several years of business experience, I decided that owning my own business was the way to go. I developed a business plan and obtained ﬁnancing while staying at home with my son. I was fortunate to be able to combine my background and experience with my passion for working with children. As a result, Peekaboo was born and is now in its third year of operation.

What’s your favorite product/service that you sell and why?
We sell fun and exploration in many diﬀerent shapes, sizes and approaches. To see children enjoying themselves for hours and wanting to come back again is satisfying to me. The creative aspect of planning children’s activities and other programs; choosing toys for the play space; and hosting special events, are things that I always look forward to working on.

My Story:
I love seeing the happy faces of children at play and their parents enjoying their little ones at Peekaboo. Having grown up in a family of educators, I was always around children helping out my grandmother and my mom. I’m very fortunate to be able to oﬀer the play space to the community and to create happy moments for children and their families every day. People are still learning about Peekaboo. As one visitor has put it, “It’s the best kept Westbrook secret.” Aside from the spacious play space, there are always some activities or events going on weekly: from monthly children’s clothing and book swaps and sing-along programs with Marcus Gale and Ellie Chase; weekly play activities on our light table and glow-in-the-dark room; to holiday crafts and special events. Currently, we have an art exhibit on display which features pieces created by young children from seven local toddler, preschool and Kindergarten programs. Peekaboo will make monetary donations to the three schools whose art pieces receive the most votes. Also, the voters (anyone who comes to the Center for general admission) will be entered for a chance to win a complimentary single-entry family pass to Peekaboo (three passes will be raﬄed oﬀ). The closing reception will be held on Saturday, March 31st, with a special performance by Rosalita’s Puppets at 11:00 a.m. on that day. The special event is free with admission. (Our Events Calendar is posted on Facebook page.) In addition, we’re oﬀering a summer day camp for children ages 2–4 from June 18th through August 24th. Families can sign up by week for two-, three- or ﬁve-day sessions. Enrollment paperwork is available on the www.PeekabooCenter.com website.

Contact:

Marina Waisman, Peekaboo Children's Center at the Dana Warp Mill

90 Bridge St, Suite 206, Westbrook, ME. P: 207-854-3500.

W: www.PeekabooCenter.com. E: info@peekaboocenter.com

Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Lisa Pelton, Independent Consultant for SimplyFun

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:25:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom? June 2007

What do you sell? Award-winning games and puzzles that help families learn and connect through play. All of our games focus on the concept that play is critical to children and families as it teaches academic, social and developmental skills in a fun, creative way. Probably what I love most about our products are that they are easy to learn & don’t require a huge time commitment. They are designed to be played in approximately 30 minutes or less. This is great for busy families who want to play games, but don’t always have time to sit down for an hour+ game.

How/where do you sell? I sell through home parties, catalogs, and my website. For parties & events I cover all of Southern Maine. I'm trilled to be the first person representing SimplyFun in Maine. It is a great opportunity and a company that I'm proud to promote!

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services? I have a Facebook page that I will use to promote specials or disocunts. You can search for me using Lisa Pelton, Independent Consultant for SimplyFun in Maine. Right now I'm offering a bonus hostess gift to anyone who books a party for February 2012.

How did you get started in this business? I wanted to find a way to earn some extra money for our family while remaining a SAHM until our son enters Kindergarten. I don't consider myself a sales person so I knew I had to find something that I was passionate about. I ran across an internet article last summer that mentioned SimplyFun as a great direct sales company. I began my research (hours & hours of research) and I was impressed by everything I read about the company. I finally signed a contract to represent them in early December and when I got my first games & puzzles I was 100% convinced - high quality, fun, and the kids love them!

What's your favorite product/service that you sell and why? Right now my favorites are probably Picky Sticks and the What If Chat Ring. Picky Sticks is one that our whole family has fun playing - 3.5-year-old Jake up to Grandma (who's age will remain a secret). I love that it challenges everyone! It is also a new tool I can use to work on an important skill with Jake. He's a pretty typical 3.5-year-old boy & slowing down and taking his time isn't always his strength. This is a good way to practice the skill and also helps both of the kids learn how to handle frustration. Great for teaching kids how to think before they act. The Chat Rings are fabulous, too. The "point" of the rings is to improve social interaction - either one on one or in a group gathering. There are three chat rings: Family Stories, Let's Chat, and What If (plus a fourth that has great road trip game ideas). The reason I like What If so much is that it is a perfect way to start important conversations with my daughter when we are both in a positive mood (not waiting for trouble). The categories cover Safety, Emotions, and Social Interactions. We've had some really nice conversations about how she thinks and feels - that's never a bad thing!

I'll be at the Gorham Co-Op Preschool's Frozen Family Fun Fest on February 18th - stop by and say hi if you are at the event! You can check out some of the games, get a catalog or just say howdy!

Contact Information:

Lisa Pelton, www.lisapelton.simplyfun.com, lisapelton@gmail.com, 207-730-3080

Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Lucia Rico, Khalimbo Unique Bold and Classic Styles

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:04:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom?
I have been a member for a total of 7 years.

What do you sell?
I sell handmade.950 silver jewelry from Peru.

How/where do you sell?
I do home parties - anyone willing to host one will receive 20% off show sales towards jewelry. I am also very fortunate that my jewelry is being sold exclusively at Jill McGowan’s store in 56 Main Street in Freeport. She is a famous designer whose collection was featured in Martha Stewart. I also sell on my website, www.khalimbo.com.

Do you offer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
Mom to Mom members receive 10% off any item.

How did you get started in this business?
I am originally from Peru. I had jewelry made all the time, and I was complimented on the pieces when I wore them here. So I decided to bring some back and started with a small amount. I am a stay at home mom, so this is a business that I have started from home with a goal of getting my name and my jewelry well known.

What's your favorite product/service that you sell and why?
My main concern is that people who buy my jewelry love it. I am a woman who loves fashion and art, so it’s very important that I sell items that are unique, and that my clients are 100% satisfied with.

My Story
I offer a unique collection of handcrafted quality silver jewelry from Peru. Khalimbo was my grandfather's nickname; he was someone who taught me that traditions and culture are everything. Each of the stones, shells and seeds in our handcrafted jewelry collection has a symbolic significance.

I love what I do. I get to meet great people who appreciate art and beauty. And I am very thankful to everyone who has supported my business. I only expect to keep growing and learn as I grow, and make of it not only a business but a way of transmitting art to the wonderful and beautiful people of the state of Maine.

Contact Information:
Website: www.khalimbo.com | Phone: (207) 409-3581 | Facebook: Khalimbo

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Erin Webber, Licensed Massage Therapist

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:32:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom?
I joined in March, 2011.

What is your business?
I am a licensed Massage Therapist. I oﬀer Swedish, Deep Tissue, Pre-natal and Hot Stone massage. I also oﬀer some specialty treatments for the feet and back, as well as a body exfoliating treatment.

Where is your business located?
I have a shared oﬃce in Gorham located at Gorham Massage & Wellness, 20 Mechanic Street. I can also make house calls and will travel in the greater Portland area as well as many other towns located within 30 minutes of Gorham.

Do you oﬀer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
I will oﬀer M2M members what I call my “Mommy Discount”: 60 minutes for $55 (normal rate $65) and 90 minutes for $80 (normal rate $95). I also have a gift certiﬁcate special through Christmas: $45 for a one-hour massage.

How did you get started in this business?
I went to Downeast School of Massage in 2004 and I’ve been practicing part-time since January of 2005. I worked at a salon right out of school and then began working at a spa in 2007. At the end of 2008 I opened my own practice in Buxton but closed that after the birth of my daughter in December 2009. I continued to see some of my clients in their homes and now they come to my new oﬃce in Gorham.

What’s your favorite product/service that you sell and why?
I do a lot of deep tissue work on my clients and specialized focus on their speciﬁc areas of stress, tension, or pain. I love to see clients on a regular basis because I like to being able to help them and see the improvements being made with massage.

My Story:
I love being a massage therapist because it gives me the ﬂexibility to stay home with my children, and also get out of the house a few days a week to interact with adults. I enjoy working with people and massage therapy is a great way to do that. I enjoy helping people with any issues they may have in their body or just for a nice relaxation time. My practice is slowly growing and now that I have an oﬃce space I hope to grow it even more.

Contact Information:
Erin Webber, LMT
Gorham Massage & Wellness | 20 Mechanic Street, Gorham, ME 04038
Phone: (207) 749-7097 | Email: csclax17@hotmail.com

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Ruth Summers, Little Hands Consignment

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:26:00 -0500

When did you join Mom to Mom?
Not sure of the exact date…sometime after my little one was born in 2009.

What do you sell?
Little Hands Consignment is a semi-annual consignment sale of high quality children’s clothing, toys, newborn items, books and maternity clothes. Consignors sign up and sell their items, receiving a percentage of the sale price. Unreturned items are donated to local charities.

How/where do you sell?
Our Spring/Summer sale will take place on April 28 and 29, 2012 in Scarborough on Route 1.

Areas covered?
We have consignors and shoppers from Augusta to Kittery!

Do you oﬀer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
At this time we don’t, but we are looking into various partnerships.

How did you get started in this business?
I have a little boy that outgrew his clothes overnight. Being a mom, I know how to make a dollar stretch—I think we learn it the minute we start buying diapers, clothes, toys, etc.! I realized the best way to survive during these economic times was to consign his clothes and toys while gettng great deals on his clothes and toys for the next season. I tried consignment stores, but didn’t meet with great success. Oﬀering this great opportunity to other moms seemed like a logical step as I had not heard of any other semi-annual seasonal sales in Maine.

What’s your favorite product/service that you sell and why?
Everything that has to do with children…books, toys, clothes, jumpy and noisy things that make funny sounds and keep them laughing!

My Story:
As we all know, being a mom or dad is a juggling act—especially when you are trying to make ends meet in this tough economy. Having a little one in my life is the most joyous adventure ever and like any parent I want him to have stylish clothes and exciting toys…I just don’t want to pay full price for them! That’s why this business is so wonderful for everyone. Consignors win by making money from their items that sell and shoppers win by gettng great deals. Our Fall/Winter sale was such a huge success that we are holding our Spring/Summer sale for two days, beginning April 28th. Consignors are able to shop the day before the sale is open to the public—even more of a win/win opportunity! I welcome Mom to Mom members to sign up for our newsletter at www.LittleHandsConsignment.com. This is the best way to learn more about the sale, how to consign and the great experience of shopping these outstanding deals!

Contact Information:
Ruth Summers, Little Hands Consignment
www.littlehandsconsignment.com | littlehandsconsignment@gmail.com

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Heather Quinn Cuzzi, Cairn Events, LLC

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:15:00 -0400

When did you join Mom to Mom?
October 2010

What do you sell?
We are an event consulting company that specializes in events with many moving pieces.

Areas covered?
We cover all of New England, and willing to travel beyond.

Do you oﬀer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
Absolutely, we oﬀer Mom to Mom members our friends and family discount of 10% oﬀ our cost.

How did you get started in this business?
My background is in event planning and fundraising. I have been planning fundraising, political and nonproﬁt events for the past ten years. After the Obama campaign, I had been traveling abroad to handle logistics for the White House. After I had my daughter I realized that traveling abroad for three weeks at a time was not feasible anymore, but I still wanted to do something for me. So my business partner, Meg, and I joined together in October 2010.

What’s your favorite product/service that you sell and why?
The majority of our clients have been island and coastal Maine weddings. It has been wonderful to work with the brides and their families and so fulﬁlling to make sure that their day is as perfect as possible.

My story:
As we approach our one year anniversary, I am in awe. When Meg and I started hatching the idea of Cairn Events we had two simple goals: 1) To have a business that we could maintain while we raised our children. So it had to be ﬂexible and something that wouldn’t take us away every day, because we wanted to stay home with our kiddos. 2) Our second goal when we started was to book three large events. We ended up contracting fourteen!

The most amazing part was that it was all word-of-mouth. I was connected to each of the brides and the nonproﬁts in a personal way, whether is was through a friend or a friend of a friend which led me to have an emotional tie to each event. This tie drove me to perfect each design idea and clarify each logistical piece.

October will certainly be a month for planning the future, which includes a new website and a few updates to our business plan. My goal as Maegan’s mom is to keep the business the size that it is, so that I can continue with the level of service that sets Cairn apart while enjoying watching my daughter grow.

Contact Information:
Heather Quinn Cuzzi, Cairn Event Consulting
www.cairnevents.com | heather@cairnevents.com | (207) 650-8486

The Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Emily Murray, Co-Founder, Birth Roots

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:26:00 -0400

When did you join Mom to Mom? 2010

What do you sell?
Birth Roots provides classes, groups, resources and referrals “from belly to baby.” Our classes are focused on assisting families in a holistic way throughout the process of becoming a parent. We like to think of our classes as a workout for the “parenting muscle” that needs to get in shape to sift and synthesize all the information, advice and expert opinions out there. A strong parenting muscle means they can make decisions that are right for their unique child and family. We oﬀer a free guide with directory listings of hundreds of businesses and individuals that serve new and expectant families. Our small “Tried and True” retail section includes slings, swaddle blankets, Nikki McClure journals, Putumayo CDs and a few other select favorites.

How/where do you sell?
Birth Roots is located at 101 State Street in Portland where we oﬀer classes and drop-in groups. We have hours by chance and by appointment for everything else. We also have a website (www.OurBirthRoots.org) and a very active Facebook page (facebook.com/birthroots). We have a new Kittery location headed up by veteran doula and childbirth educator Andrea Rutherford.

Areas covered?
Our Portland branch primarily serves Greater Portland, Midcoast, Biddeford, Gorham-Standish and beyond and our Seacoast branch in Kittery primarily serves York County, Southern NH and northern MA.

Do you oﬀer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
We just began oﬀering a Belly to Baby discount card that can be purchased for $15 that includes discounts at Birth Roots at about 50 other local businesses. Visit www.bellytobabyclub.org.

How did you get started in this business?
Birth Roots was co-created by myself and Leah Deragon in 2004 with the intention of deepening the support for perinatal families in Maine. It has developed into an amazing model for community-based education and support that we call “Community Supported Parenting”.

What’s your favorite product/service that you sell and why?
If I had to pick one thing it would be our Bridge Package of classes. It is 6 Birthing From Within childbirth classes plus a class about baby care and new parent care, another class about breastfeeding and Blossoming Newborns, our postnatal mom-baby series. It is a lovely way to be supported on both sides of birth and provides a place where moms can make sense of their experience as they get their “parenting legs.”

My Story:
Birth Roots is a very unique community service organization. There are very few cities that have this level of support for new families. We are currently working on training others in Community Supported Parenting: our approach to building community, helping parents ﬁnd perspective and gettng families connected with what they need to THRIVE in pregnancy and parenting. As a nonproﬁt we welcome donations of time, funds and maternity/baby gear for our bi-annual Baby Booty yard sale. We would love for Mom to Mom members to show their support at Sandsations, our third annual sand sculpting contest and fundraiser on September 10th from 12:00–3:00 p.m. on Pine Point Beach in Scarborough.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Emily Murray, Birth Roots
101 State Street, Portland, Maine 04101
(207) 772-4784 | info@ourbirthroots.org | www.ourbirthroots.org

Do you GoodSearch?

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:12:00 -0400

Online Searching & Shopping with GoodSearch and GoodShop by Cheryl Denis

Do you do online searches and shopping? If so, come GoodSearch and GoodShop for Mom to Mom!

GoodSearch.com is a charity search engine powered by Yahoo!. Every internet search you do earns 1 cent for Mom to Mom - this can add up quickly when we all use it! Plus, they just enhanced their toolbar so it now includes a click-through Mom to Mom icon. No need to remember either web address! The toolbar is so easy to use and install - just download the GoodSearch Mom to Mom of Maine toolbar and start searching! (I personally have the toolbar and use it every time for my searches - it works just as well as Google!) GoodShop.com works with more than 2,500 stores (all your favorites!) and every time you purchase something online, a percentage will be donated to Mom to Mom!* And, even more exciting, GoodShop also offers over 100,000 of the most up-to-date coupons and free shipping offers so you can save money at the same time. It's a win-win. (*Remember to specify Mom to Mom of Maine as your charity of choice.)

Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Elizabeth Caiazzo: Independent Beauty Consultant, Mary Kay Cosmetics

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:48:00 -0400

When did you join Mom to Mom?
December 2010

What do you sell?
Mary Kay products. #1 in Skin Care and Cosmetics!

How/where do you sell?
I hold facials, color consultations, skin care parties, spa parties, bridal shower parties, sell online and via catalogs.

Areas covered?
I am happy to say that, with Mary Kay, there are no territories! If I move, I take my business with me. I will ship products anywhere in the U.S. and there is ALWAYS FREE SHIPPING!

Do you oﬀer a discount to Mom to Mom members or other special services?
Sure do! For all Mom to Mom members I have a $20 gift certiﬁcate to be redeemed at an appointment with me! This one-time gift certiﬁcate would be towards any order totaling $50 or more. Also, I will give any Mom to Mom member 10% oﬀ ALL ORDERS placed on my website: http://www.marykay.com/ecaiazzo.

How did you get started in this business?
I attended a job fair in March of this year, looking to go back to work after being a stay-at-home mom for the past four years, when I found Mary Kay.

What’s your favorite product/service that you sell and why?
I love selling products that make women look and feel their best. The Miracle Set is a favorite and the most popular with my customers...I have yet to have a disappointed customer using this amazing set of products!

My Story:
I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom for the past four years, and my daughter, Jasmin, is my absolute #1 priority. When I left her father last fall, I began searching for jobs that would be ﬂexible enough so that I wouldn’t have to put my daughter in daycare all day and work just to pay for it. I also have physical limitations that prevent me from working a full time 9–5 job. I attended a job fair in March, resumé in hand, BA in Psychology, ready to ﬁnd a job...when I realized that the only table at the fair that interested me at all was Mary Kay Cosmetics. After gettng information about the company and a facial from a beauty consultant, I was sold! I absolutely loved the products and the way they made me feel, and I loved the company even more. Mary Kay was founded on the Golden Rule and puts the value of family before career. When I realized that I could start my own business, and plan my own hours around the needs of my family and my health, I felt more excited than I have in a long time. So, without one iota of experience in business or sales, I took every penny that I could and invested it in Mary Kay products (yikes!). I am so glad that I took a leap of faith and tried something completely out of my comfort zone. I am steadily growing my business and learning a lot along the way. My plans for the future are to be a successful business owner, with an income that can support myself and my daughter, without the help of anyone else! I want to teach her that if you put your mind to something, anything is possible. The sky’s the limit!

Contact Info:

Elizabeth Caiazzo, Independent Beauty Consultant, May Kay Cosmetics, 207-400-7723, ecaiazzo@marykay.com, www.marykay.com/ecaiazzo

Mom to Mom Entrepreneur Group Presents: Nancy Keast, Keller Williams Realty

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:15:00 -0400

When did you join Mom to Mom?
I’ve been a member of Mom to Mom for about 7 years. Having attended some of the M2M Monthly Speaker Series for a of couple years, I decided to become a member after my third child was born.

What do you sell?
My specialty is residential real estate and small multi-unit investment properties in Southern Maine. In addition I assist people in ﬁnding well-qualiﬁed real estate brokers in other areas.

How/where do you sell?
My business is primarily based on person-to-person referrals in Cumberland and York Counties. Having lived in the greater Portland area my whole life, I know the area inside and out.

How did you get started in this business?
I worked in Sales and Marketing for 20 years prior to becoming licensed. Our ﬁrst “home” was a three-unit apartment building. We lived in one unit and rented out the other two. It was a big renovation project and we learned a lot from that experience. After we did a handful of “ﬂip” properties where we purchased properties, ﬁxed them up and sold them, I fell in love with Real Estate. Following staying home for a few years once my second child was born, I decided to take the Real Estate Course at the University of Southern Maine. My husband said he never saw me so excited when I came home from the classes to talk about what I learned. I still consider ongoing education very important in this business and take all the continuing education credits I can.

What’s your favorite product/service that you sell and why?
I love all of it!
• Assisting buyers with their ﬁrst home—It’s very exciting to be a part of what is usually the biggest purchase people make in their lives.
• Researching homes, determining the best market value, working through the negotiations and gettng homes closed.
• Educating people to make informed decisions about their real estate sales or purchases; I feel like I would be a teacher in my second life.
• Investing in real estate for myself and assisting others in their investments.

Future plans and goals?
I see myself continuing on this path for the rest of my life. Lately I have found myself mentoring other agents, which has lead me into discovering new niches in the real estate business. For example: conservation and farming real estate, and vacation rentals. As real estate changes, so will I.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Nancy Keast, Keller Williams Realty | 50 Sewall Street, Suite 2, Portland, Maine 04103
(207) 615-7653 | nancy@nancykeast.com | www.nancykeast.com

Announcing Mom to Mom's Annual Yard Sale

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:26:00 -0400

The Yard Sale is a major part of Mom to Mom's fundraising efforts and all funds raised go toward activities that directly benefit our members, including the Halloween Party, playgroups at Riverton, discounted trips to places like the Children's Museum, appearances from Spark's Ark and Irene Jeffers, and much more. We would love your support and hope you will consider taking part in the M2M Yard Sale.

This is a large, family-focused yard sale (that's what happens when all your members have children). There will be plenty of kids' clothing, toys, books, household items, and much more.

Date: June 18, 2011

Time: 9:00am to 1:00pm

Location: Riverton Community Center, 1600 Forest Drive in Portland, ME. Plenty of parking available!!