Hi everybody! Thanks for visiting my new blog on Startup Nation! I am so excited to be an official SuN blogger. When Rich Sloan contacted me about it, I just about peed my pants! I didn’t thankfully. I checked. (Hey – I’ve had 2 kids and am getting old!)
So, yeah – I’m super excited about this and hope to give you all some insight into the life of a homepreneur. I am located in the seacoast area of New Hampshire. It’s very pretty and New England-y here. My company is actually based in the lower level of my home. It’s a basement, but it’s the kind that you walk out of and there are lots of windows. We renovated it last year and it’s all brand new and clean and nice. It’s really not very basement-like at all, except for the fact that it’s kind of cold. Thank goodness for space heaters! My space heater is one of my best friends. I also like how the clothes dryer helps heat up my space – and it’s April fresh too! I’ll be writing about my favorite non-traditional office equipment soon.
My business is called The Dippy Chick Company, Inc. and I started it in 2004 when I was pregnant with my second child. I needed a way to bring in money while caring for my kids, so this was the answer. I started my business on $1,500 and no business plan. I know! Bad entrepreneur! Bad! Bad!
I basically buy herbs and spices in bulk and blend them according to my own recipes to make mixes for party dips. It’s a really fun business, and I make it even more fun by giving each mix a funny name and hand-drawing the illustrations on each package. It takes a lot of extra effort, but it’s what really sets my products and company apart. It wasn’t planned, but my personality couldn’t help but come through. (It also helps that I have a graphic design background.) I never expected I’d be getting so much attention, but I sure am not complaining! Not only did I get to be on Startup Nation radio, but I was also on ABC’s World News and in Family Circle magazine! I also have some really good stuff in the works. Life is GOOD!
Another thing that I enjoy about my business is that I have more time to spend with my sons. They are turning 5 and 2 in May, and they are great kids! I take care of them most of the time, but they do go to day care 4 mornings a week. My older son goes to preschool 4 afternoons a week. It sounds like a lot, but they both have learning delays and this is part of what they need for socialization and therapy. They are both thriving in this set up, and it helps me have time for the business and for keeping the house in a state that doesn’t make people spontaneously vomit when they walk in.
Back to the product thing I was talking about – I think it’s really important to think outside the box and let your personality shine in your products. You might have a product similar to others, but sometimes the name you give it or the way you package it can really set you apart. Have some fun with your business!
Have a fantastic, fun and productive day!
