The recession has left many families in financial despair. It has been devastating for many with losing not only jobs, but also homes.  The outrageous cost of fuel and food hoes not help the situation either.  It has been difficult to see the positive in all of this, and so it is refreshing to read or hear about new business ideas popping up and being successful.  What is very surprising, is that these new businesses are being created by women – and they are on the rise. Many of the women owned businesses are not in need of any merchant lending. Perhaps they have another income stream, such as an employed spouse or their business is home based and the need for inventory is small.

Sometimes, however, a little idea can explode almost overnight, leaving a project suddenly underfunded.  This happened to two moms in Oregon.  One of the moms had an infant with a stuffy nose.  Trying to put saline in the baby’s nasal passage was difficult so she put some on a wipe, which had the same effect.  That simple task triggered the idea of creating what is now sold in many big-boxed stores all across the states as “Boogie Wipes”.

From the moment the idea was born, it took no time at all to find the perfect manufacturing company and even the chemist. A fun and yet informative web site was launched.  The issue of funding was not a problem until a chain pharmacy ordered a large quantity of Boogie Wipes, and the ladies realized this was about to snowball into something huge. The $20,000 start up budget had gone dry.  Investors had to be procured.  Not wanting to go to a bank or any other type of lender, they decided to just blog about it, and it worked.  The first pack of wipes was sold in December 2007. Today, some short years later, they have 18 employees and the projected revenue for 2011 is $10 million.   What a success story starting with wet tissues for kids with stuffy noses!

In 2009 the Boogie Wipes team had a National Mother’s Day Giveaway, announcing their first “Mom-Invented Boogie Baby Shower”.  The winner and expectant mother received a party in her honor valued at over $5,000, which included a Boogie Wipes Diaper Cake.

The two moms known as the “Boogie Moms” have been busy marketing and branding their product all across the states and have been involved with various projects such as “Save the Sleeve”.  They have participated in several Health Expos and Baby Fairs and have their own Boogie Buzz.   Both have led business seminars and have released their first book, “The Business Behind the Boogie”, just this Mother’s Day.

“Start Up Nation” has recognized them by including them in the top 50 leading moms in business.  They were also finalists of the Oregon Entrepreneur of the Year and the keynote speakers for the “National Moms in Business Unite Conference” by “Moms Reinvented”.   The ladies have been featured on the cover of Reuters, National Post and Career Magazine.

Embracing the strengths from being a mom and a business owner can be done by thinking outside of the box.  Maybe Mompreneur is the word of the future?