What is your name & how many children do you have?
My name is Jen Singer & I have 2 tween boys.
What’s the name of your company and the inspiration behind it?
MommaSaid, LLC
Back in the day, before there were 200,000 mommy bloggers and social networking a la Facebook and Twitter, I wanted a way to build a community of moms while entertaining and validating them. I created my web site, MommaSaid.net in 2003, when my kids weren’t in school at the same time. I taught myself HTML so I wouldn’t have to rely on my husband, an IT guy, and I worked nights. Blogging for MommaSaid led to a paid blogging gig for Good Housekeeping.com, where I’ve written my Good Grief: A Tale of Two Tweens blog for two years.
My online presence helped cultivate a relationship with my readers, who read my blogs and buy my books. Last year, I published my second book, You’re a Good Mom (and Your Kids Aren’t So Bad Either) (Sourcebooks). This week, HCI published MommaSaid.net Presents: Stop Second Guessing Yourself — The Toddler Years. It’s filled with advice and “Okay I admit it” quotes from MommaSaid fans. And of course, it features my trademark humor and advice. It’s the first in a series of three MommaSaid Stop Second Guessing Yourself books: There will be the Preschool Years (September 2009) and Baby’s First Year (April 2010) as well.
The back story of the book deal amazes some folks. HCI had approached me to write the three books; editor Allison Janse had been a MommaSaid fan for years. But before we could get the deal on paper, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was in the hospital having a 5-day infusion of chemo when my agent e-mailed me to let me know that HCI was 100% behind me. I finished writing the first book shortly after I found out I was in remission. I wrote the two other books, back-to-back between PET scans and biopsies. I am now 17 months in remission and feeling great.
I’m also a spokesperson for Pull-Ups, Coinstar and Nature’s Source – all because of the web site and the books.
Ultimately, I’ve able to craft a writing career around my kids’ schedules that works for me and my family. I am a class mom and a soccer coach, not to mention the hostess of the frat house for fourth graders. But it took steadfast dedication – I never stopped writing, even through cancer treatments – and focus on an ever changing goal to make it happen.
What advice would you give to a new mom entrepreneur?
If you’re a new mom entrepreneur, I would offer up three bits of advice:
1. Carve out space for your venture, even if it’s a laptop in the kitchen.
2. Don’t apologize for what you’re trying to do, even if it’s not yet making much (or any) money.
3. Surround yourself with good people. I didn’t do all this without help. My husband and kids have supported me no matter what. My publicist has long been my right-hand woman, and my literary agent and my manager have helped me reach each new level. Now, I didn’t start with that entourage (except the husband and kids, of course). Just keep building your platform little by little and you’ll make it. You’ll see.
How can we connect with you? (Email, Twitter, Facebook, The H.O.D., website, etc.)
Friend me on Facebook.
Related posts:
- Success Tips From & For Mom Entrepreneurs One of my favorite things about being a mom entrepreneur...
- The Mogul Mom Features…Mogul Dad Mike Michalowicz, Author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur! Don’t judge a book by its cover. Literally. Last fall,...
- How Do I Start My Start Up? If you’re like most mompreneurs, you probably have a million...
- The Mogul Mom Features…Judy Laliberte of Laliberte Photography What is your name & how many children do you...
- The Mogul Mom Features…Barbara Schantz of Baby Dipper What is your name & how many children do you...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I bow to Jen Singer. To do everything that she is doing/has done and do do while being sick/getting well is truly inspirational. Not to mention that her name rocks! You go girl. All the best wishes and prayers to you for continued good health. And, btw, great advice for other mompreneuers.
[Reply]
I, too, tip my hat off to you Jen. Your determination and perseverance inspires and motivates me to press on despite the challenges. I’m a mother of a mentally retarded child and sometimes feel guilty for devoting time to my business. Thank you for your great advice and especially for sharing your heartfelt story.
More blessings and continued good health!
Ros
[Reply]
Jen, you are just hands down amazing. My admiration, respect and wishes for continued good health and success. Someday soon I hope to hear you speak.
I’m a blogger, mom entrepreneur, and Jersey Girl too. I leave this page having received solid confirmation of what I already know to be true and more importantly inspiration from your story. Thanks and thanks to Heather also for the great post!
[Reply]
Jen-
Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. I have been such a fan of yours for years & it’s my sincere honor to feature you here on my blog. I was so happy when you responded to my HARO query.
Your courage, strength, determination, hard work and advice are so inspiring to mom entrepreneurs who have traveled that long road of entrepreneurship or battled cancer–or both, like you.
Heather
[Reply]
Wow. Everybody’s so nice in here. Thank you. And thanks, Heather, for letting me drop by your site during my blog tour. Honestly, I don’t feel all that amazing. You’d all have done the same thing, I’m sure. You’re Mogul Moms.
What’s amazing is that I remembered to feed the neighbor’s cat while they’re on vacation. Also, that their fish died two days before they left. I’d have spent all of spring break looking for an identical fish.
Thanks everyone.
Jen
[Reply]
Heather Allard Reply:
April 5th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Jen,
The thing that I love best about you is your sense of humor–I’m sure it’s what carried you through everything. It’s what saves me all the time.
Heather
[Reply]
Jen,
Loved your advice especially about not apologizing if it’s not making money. Money alone shouldn’t be the only thing people use to validate what they are doing. Kudos to you!
[Reply]