I met Mary (online) through a friend of mine and a couple of years ago and she has proven to be the Queen of Organization! She now juggles 2 toddlers an upcoming book and a business.  I can’t wait to read her new book! I love her tips on de-cluttering and keeping it all in check.

Something about Mary:  Mary Carlomagno is an author, speaker and owner of order, (www.orderperiod.com)  She has been featured on the The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, CBS News, in Redbook, Real Simple, Design NJ and Woman’s Day and been interviewed on National Public Radio, the Joan Hamburg Show, and Martha Stewart Living. 

What was your AHA Moment for starting your biz?

One morning while choosing which of my countless shoes to wear, the entire shelf hit me squarely on the head.  I knew at that point that I had enough of the shopping and that there were probably others like me.  This was the kernel of my writing and my business.

 What made it feel like THE one idea that you had to follow through with?

Organizing was not only innate to me, but something I knew I could teach.  I knew I had a practical skill and soon came to learn that this like any other practice can become a part of one’s ritual.

Where were you when you had the AHA moment?

I was in my closet, I always say that my life changed in my closet and then worked it’s way out. 

Did you feel the Aha Moment turn into Momentum? How long did that feeling last? Did you wake up with that giddy feeling for several days?

The entire journey for me, which is still ongoing, has always had some momentum, often in different degrees.  My best ideas often come from a nagging feeling that something is missing.  It is almost as if I sense the vacuum before the opportunity. In all cases, writing, speaking, starting order, it begins with a significant push out of the comfort zone.  I also knew that I would have to find something in my work that differentiated me from the pack and that provided me with some good energy to take the ideas forward.

What were the first few steps you took to turn the AHA moment into reality?

Lao Tzu once said that if you create space for something, it has room to take root.  Once I began to apply this philosophy to my life (rather than my previous habit of shoe shopping where a perfectly functional pair of black pumps could be replaced at any moment) I began to see new ideas have a place to germinate.  I began writing; I enlisted good partners who gave me feedback. And in a rather naïve way, I just started the business, pitched the book and let go of the outcome, meaning I did not think success or failure.

How did that moment change your life perspective?

In a way it cemented all that I had learned in life, to try because if I didn’t I may regret it.

When you went through challenges, did you go back to the power of your AHA Moment to give you strength?

Since my concepts are based on day-to-day habit changing, I don’t let myself get too hung up on the setbacks. After all, there is only way to go when you get knocked down, right?  For me, the opposite is true, the high points sometimes scare me. 

What do you think you’d be doing if you hadn’t had your AHA moment?

I think I would have searched and searched for another job in an office that did not fulfill me.  My lesson was to learn how to change and my career switch fueled every area of my life.  Had I not made the jump into entrepreneurship, I question whether I would have moved out of my apartment, gotten married or anything that followed.

Who do you want to thank for either the idea, the inspiration or for helping you get there? Also, was there someone who helped you along the way through some small gesture that turned out to be a major turning point?

My good colleague Lisa Johnson who owns a company focused on marketing to women advised me when I was still in book publishing to write a book! Huh? I said.  It had never occurred to me and this revelation was long before I was even thinking of leaving corporate! A big gesture!

What 3 (hashtags) words describe your life as an entrepreneur?

#          Ever changing                     #    Surprising               # Self possessed

**********************Thanks, Mary!

I came across a TED TALKS video online and loved it because it made me smile & I just wanted to show it to other people! (Link is at the end of this post)

The speaker was Ruth Kaiser talking about her Spontaneous Smiley project.  She’s all about optimism and choosing our lives by choosing our behavior. You will love her story because she took her hobby and spread it with a smile… It’s turned into a grassroots movement that not only makes everyone smile, but helps kids through OperationSmile.org and she has a book coming out this March. She’s creative, fun, lovely & very smiley…enjoy this AhaMomentum story:

What was your AHA Moment for starting your biz?

As I write this I can’t help but feel like I am riding on the Good Ship Who’da Thunk?! What started as my goofy hobby being shared on Facebook has evolved into so much more. The Spontaneous Smiley now involves 1000s of people worldwide finding and sharing photos of Smiley Faces in everyday objects. What really turned it from goofing around, into a project about promoting the choice of happiness, was messages like these:

I wanted to tell you how much you’ve inspired me the last couple of years. When you first started your smile project here I wasn’t in a good place. We were fully immersed in the cancer world, I had no job and I didn’t have much around me that was either happy or made me happy (except the animals). I watched as you posted pic after pic and happy ‘stuff’ and kept thinking “OK, if I just hang on, she’s certainly got enough happy to share. Maybe some will rub off.”…Everyday there was some silly thing that someone found a smile in, some SO silly that I couldn’t help but smile. I still look at your pics, read your blog postings and am so glad that I followed the little light you put out. It took a lot of work to get back… but at least I’m happy and in control of my future. For the part you had, and the inspiration you gave, I thank you : )

 @SpontaneSmiley U are a stranger to me but a month ago u gave me kind words that’s motivated me more than u can imagine.

  What made it feel like THE one idea that you had to follow through with?

 The decision to launch a website so that Spontaneous Smiley could be more than just Facebook fun, was really the moment I committed to thinking of the project as something to put out into the world beyond just social media. It was the step that said, “People, across all cultures, are responding to the simple message of: Stop and notice how life is really great!”

 The biggest Aha moment came when I was getting requests from strangers who wanted to use my Smiley photo for their profile pic, or asking if they could use Smiley Birthday Cake to send to a friend.  The charm of the photos was clearly contagious.  Why not seeing if Spontaneous Smiley could be a book, a calendar, greeting cards, posters and Tshirts?

Where were you when you had the AHA moment?

You’ll laugh! It was a nay-sayer who helped me realize how popular Spontaneous Smiley really was!  I was at the home of a neighbor who just could not “get” what Spontaneous Smiley was all about. He’d read an article in the local paper and kept asking, “But what’s the point.” It was as I was defending the effort, the followers’ passion, the idea that by slowing your life down you improve it, the inherent fun, etc. that it hit me.  Yes, he was one of a small handful who don’t get it, but that leaves everybody else who does.

  Did you feel the Aha Moment turn into Momentum? How long did that feeling last? Did you wake up with that giddy feeling for several days?

I left the neighbor’s house 100% sure that I was going to put Spontaneous Smiley out there, through every avenue I could find. I was equally sure that if I made the presentation, there would be people out there who would be excited to help me bring Spontaneous Smiley to a larger audience.

What were the first few steps you took to turn the AHA moment into reality?

I have to admit a lot happened by my being kind of a dopey, novice, who was naive enough, to simply ask. This optimistic and honest approach has been a wonderful guiding force for my Spontaneous Smiley Project.

 For instance:  I wanted to get Spontaneous Smiley into a newspaper. A friend who was a reporter offered to help me write up a slick, official looking Press Release. I said no thanks and instead sent out a Teacher Ruth style, pictures everywhere, goofy and playful project description and ended up in newspapers and magazines in the US, China, Europe and South America…

 I wanted to see if I could get on the TV news…local news would certainly be cool, but what about asking the big dogs at the networks. Couldn’t hurt to Google around and search Facebook to see if I might take a shot in the dark. I happened upon a fellow at CBS whose posts I saw on Fbk because of a friend, of a friend, of I don’t even really know…and I ended up on The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5993121n&tag=mncol;lst;1

 Then I wrote a child’s book of optimism and had no clue how one gets their foot in the door of the world of publishing…so I posted on my Fbk status that I could really use some advice. Someone I didn’t know replied that he had a friend who knew everything about kids’ books. He gave me her name and I sent her a FBk message. As we chatted back and forth in messages, I came to learn she was an Editor at Random House. Lo and behold A Smiley Book of Colors is coming out in March!! www.tinyurl.com/3c2qyd6

 Knowing I wanted to connect with like minded people, I had my kid (he’s way tech savvy) set up Google searches for key words like Smile, Optimism, etc. If I read something interesting, I’d shoot the person an email telling them all about Spontaneous Smiley. That’s how I connected with a great guy named Ron Gutman who had done a TED Talk about smiles (one of the most viewed TED talks: www.ted.com/talks/ron_gutman_the_hidden_power_of_smiling.html). In our email exchange I learned he was curating a TED Talk, so I pitched the idea that Spontaneous Smiley can fit at any Ted Talk, no matter the theme. I shared my feeling that any Ted Conference could use a few moments of levity and all those heavy thinkers really needed an opportunity to lighten up! Bah-da-bing, bah-da-bing, I got a TED Talk. www.vimeo.com/26190208 

 A kind participant that day told me it was refreshing to see a Ted speaker who was endearingly nervous – that was me all right. No one had asked if I’d ever done any public speaking so I didn’t mention that the TED Talk (in front of 350,000 people via simulcast) would be my first attempt! LOL and then the clicker wasn’t working for about 40 seconds.  

 After the event, to thank Ron, I offered to loan him dozens of Smileys for an installation in his new offices (www.HealthTap.com). And now I have made dozens of lovely connections with people who visit his Silicon Valley company and find themselves cracking a grin at the walls and walls of Smileys. Ron just wrote a book about Smiles for TED’s new publishing company and is included information about Spontaneous Smiley and 12 of my Smiley photos (http://www.amazon.com/Smile-Astonishing-Powers-Simple-ebook/dp/B006IS4WW0)!! How cool is that?!?

I also got the idea that so many people being so excited about Spontaneous Smiley could be channeled into doing some good and approached Operation Smile (www.Operation Smile.org). The Smiley community donates $1 for every Smiley uploaded to the website. I funded uploads until the first surgery was earned. Then my Orthodontist, then a member of the Spontaneous Smiley Project, then another dental office and so on. I am constantly seeking people to step into the sponsor roll. So far we have funded 18 FREE SUGERIES, one Smiley at a time (www.spontaneoussmiley.com/smileathon.htm).

How did that moment change your life perspective?

By confronting a nay-sayer, I was forced to put into words what I had known all along. It was like having to come up with a Philosophy or Statement of Purpose in a way that shook me into action. I was so invigorated with the idea that I was onto something, that I have plowed forward without self doubt.

When you went through challenges, did you go back to the power of your AHA Moment to give you strength?

In a very real way, the challenges I’ve faced with The Spontaneous Smiley Project have been about two things. One, do I spend money when none is coming in? And two, where will I find enough hours in the day to apply my best effort when I do have a full time job!

 The first challenge has been a tricky one. I have 3 kids I’m in the middle of putting through college on my own. I’m not whining here, just stating the truth: man, oh, man college is expensive. And darned if those kids don’t want to eat and have apartments! As I was already incurring lots of debt, it was scary to incur more. But I knew Spontaneous Smiley needed me to throw some money at it, if it was going to get out to the world.

 The second challenge, is what it is! Yes, I am often working late into the night on projects for Spontaneous Smiley and then popping up and out bright and early to go be Teacher Ruth at TOT DROP (my small chain of drop-in preschools in California). It’s taken lots of self discipline and organization of my time to make it all work. But, good golly Miss Molly, nothing comes without work. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work.”  Thomas Edison

What do you think you’d be doing if you hadn’t had your AHA moment?

I’d still be chugging along as Teacher Ruth. I don’t think The Spontaneous Smiley Project has changed how much focus I have toward my day job. Before Spontaneous Smiley I had been very actively growing TOT DROP.  But with the downturn in the economy we instead scaled back from seven locations to three.  That would have happened regardless. And truthfully, not feeling the need to explore and negotiate for new sites freed me to focus on Spontaneous Smiley.

 Who do you want to thank for either the idea, the inspiration or for helping you get there? It’ll sound corny, but I want to thank my hubby. He has been unflagging in his support and unquestioning in his acceptance of decisions I made following my gut.

Also, was there someone who helped you along the way through some small gesture that turned out to be a major turning point?

Scott Kleinberg at RedEye Chicago was the first reporter to write a piece about The Spontaneous Smiley Project. I was a nobody yet he took a chance. His article immediately made it easier for me to get other reporters to take a look. 

What 3 (hashtags) words describe your life as an entrepreneur?

#JoyRising #MakeItHappen #Optimism

You can learn more about her Spontaneous Smiley Project via the following links: 

ABOUT www.spontaneoussmiley.com/abouttheproject.htm

TED Talk: www.vimeo.com/26190208 

BLOG: www.blog.spontaneoussmiley.com/?cat=4 

FBk: www.facebook.com/ruth.kaiser 

FBk group: www.facebook.com/groups/SpontaneousSmiley/

Necessity is the mother of invention. Case in point with Laura…She shares her story of yet another product/service biz that came from a mom trying to find “a better way.” If it’s not out there, leave it to a mom, she’ll make it happen! 

  Laura Fuentes is the Chief MOM at MOMables™.  A wife, mother of 3 and a lunch enthusiast who insists on healthy, wholesome food for her family. 
She’s on a mission to help busy parents overcome the difficulties of packing fresh school lunches.  On her personal blog, SuperGlueMom.com, she writes about motherhood, deadlines, healthier living, and keeping her cool, even when her kids super-glued her hair. She’s also a food contributor to numerous sites and is published weekly on an online news hub. 

You can find her on Facebook or Twitter and MOMables on Facebook and Twitter.

What was your AHA Moment for starting your biz?

My daughter, who has severe food allergies to phosphates (a common ingredient in processed foods), began to ask for the packaged lunches her friends were eating.  I set out to make food that looked like what their friends were eating but made fresh in my kitchen.  The biggest challenge was packaging her food. Three years ago, I set out to make a new lunch container that compartmentalized food like a popular, store bought lunch with deli meat, cheese and crackers.  After a year of design work and prototyping I looked at the container and thought: what parents need are fresh ideas of healthy school lunches not another container!  Sometimes our AHA! moment takes place throughout the evolution of a thought process and not the original idea we thought we set out to develop.

What made it feel like THE one idea that you had to follow through with?

After months of recipe testing and recreating lunches; parents at my daughter’s school began to ask me to share the recipes and to create a simple plan they could follow having little or no kitchen experience.  Through lots of encouragement from my husband and prayer, I knew my passion for food could help other busy parents feed their children uncomplicated fresh food.

 Where were you when you had the AHA moment?

I was driving back from my last meeting with the design engineers when the final prototype I just picked up broke in half.   I pulled the car over and in midst of a storm of sobs and tears I felt my discouragement be erased with calmness.  At the next red light, I looked at the car parked next to me and there was a mom driving her kids who were eating one of those store bought lunches.  It was then when I realized, that the average mom needs quick, nutritious and fresh options her children will actually eat.

 Did you feel the Aha Moment turn into Momentum? How long did that feeling last? Did you wake up with that giddy feeling for several days?

That evening, I told my husband what had transpired on the way home.  I told him that my original idea had changed into something I could make a difference in other people’s lives.  I consulted a few friends about some of their lunch packing challenges and specifically, what it was that they needed to create healthier school lunches.   I began to make simple lunches for my daughter and shared the recipes with a few friends.  Their encouragement and feedback fueled the momentum and turned me into a mom on a mission.

 What were the first few steps you took to turn the AHA moment into reality?

I immediately scoured online bookstores and ordered every kid’s cookbook and lunch book available.  I spent weeks reading, taking notes, and doing online research on the popular bento lunches that were cute but time consuming.  It became clear that parents’ options are limited: cookbooks with the same recipes and few pictures, food picky eaters will not eat, or websites that have some good ideas but are time consuming.  This motivated me to create a plan every parent could follow: five pictured lunches, a prep sheet and a shopping list.

How did that moment change your life perspective?

I realized that it’s our responsibility, as parents, to feed our children the best food available to us.  It’s about taking a few minutes daily to make healthier choices for our families and that we don’t have to sacrifice freshness for convenience.  

When you went through challenges, did you go back to the power of your AHA Moment to give you strength?

The AHA moment was more of a turning point for me.  What gives me strength are the daily emails from our MOMables™ subscribers letting me know how much their child enjoyed their lunch, photos, and comments.  They let me know I make a difference.

 What do you think you’d be doing if you hadn’t had your AHA moment?

I would probably have put the container project on hold and have continued to write on my personal blog, Super Glue Mom and other contributing sites.  I love being a wife, a mother, and living life to the fullest.

Who do you want to thank for either the idea, the inspiration or for helping you get there?

I will never forget the day I told my husband that I had a great idea and that I was going to cash out my retirement account to pursue it.  He said: If that’s what you want to do, I will support you.  I have no doubts you will succeed.  My daughter, with her food allergies, continues to give me ideas of what kids like to bring to school, what others are eating, and what they think it’s cool (she’s only 5!).  There would be no MOMables™ without their love and continued support. 

What 3 (hashtags) words describe your life as an entrepreneur?

#     workingmom                # foodrevolution               #schoollunch

Thanks, Laura! #MomsHelpingMoms  I’m signing up for your blog.

It’s a pleasure to introduce Paula…We connected on Twitter from our mutual love for OWN’s new show Behind the Scenes of Oprah’s shows.  We were Twitter regulars and her and her sister took that love for OWN to a whole new level…You are sure to be inspired by their focus on being present and really paying attention in life…and as Oprah says “Living Your Best Life.”

Paula Pritchard is the Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief of TheDailyOWN.com, Entrepreneur, Author, Blogger, Web Designer and Marketing Consultant. A native Californian who somehow ended up on the East Coast, Paula is a right brain writer trapped in a left brain reality. Embedded into the world of technology and software marketing, her counterbalance in life is her equal passion for writing and photography. A proud Starbucks gold card carrier, Paula can often be found at the local coffee house jotting down ideas in a notebook or with her head buried in her laptop and enjoying a nice iced drink. Working to inspire the world one word at a time, one cause at a time, one tweet at a time, one story at a time and one photo at a time, she does what she can and often can be found @thedailyown on Twitter.  Email: Paula@TheDailyOWN.com

 What was your AHA Moment for starting your biz?

Last New Year’s Day is when my AHA moment started.  The “AHA moment” was more like the “whisper” that Oprah always says to listen for.  While watching Oprah’s vision for her new OWN channel, it started. I kept having this feeling that “this” was it…but I didn’t know what “this” was.  Sitting and brainstorming with my sister and now business partner, Patricia, there were a couple of points that kept coming up.  Oprah’s lessons were meant for a worldwide audience and Oprah’s network was starting out small and not available worldwide or on traditional “free TV.”  So, it became more and more clear as we talked through it…the world needs inspiration and anything that will empower us to be the best that we can be. 

 So, finding the right name was the first thing we did and starting www.theDailyOWN.com has been a labor of love and life changing…and we are just getting started!

 What made it feel like THE one idea that you had to follow through with?

I’ve had semi-great ideas before…but this one was different.  I just couldn’t shake the energy that was coming into my life and pulling me toward making this happen.  Then, when my sister, Patricia, joined in the conversation, there was no stopping the momentum.  Within a couple of weeks, we had an idea.  From there, it just took off!  Years ago, I saw a motivational speaker that talked about Olympic speed skiing.  He talked about how scary it was to do but you just had to “lean into it” and the gravity would pull you the rest of the way.  He talked about how this was true for anything in life…you had to lean into it.  Gravity was defiantly pulling me in this direction…so, I just leaned into it and away we went!

Where were you when you had the AHA moment? Describe the scenario, the feeling,who was with you, middle of the night??…

 The start of the AHA moment was on New Year’s Day. On January 1^st of 2011 like over a million others that day, I found OWN, the new Oprah Winfrey Network. Brand new, with that squeaky clean smell and shine, I watched Oprah looking angel’esque as it felt like she was talking directly to me…walking me through her new network and what I had to look forward to. That afternoon I realized two things – I loved her vision and my life was forever changed. 

Believe me when I say, I’m not a “crazy Oprah fan” (although they are just fine with me) so this “whisper” was not something that was familiar.  Something kept me moving in this direction…So that day, I called and talked to everyone I knew and I kept talking about the shows and the vision and the possibilities.  The decision to start The DailyOWN.com came fast… but getting it started required a bigger push down that mountain which often came from my partner in this endeavor, my sister, Patricia.

Did you feel the Aha Moment turn into Momentum? How long did that feeling last? Did you wake up with that giddy feeling for several days? Tell us anything in regard to how it changed from a moment to momentum.

 I still feel giddy when I think about how this all started.  It just feels like everything aligned and as crazy and scary as it was, we went down roads that we had never considered traveling.  There were sleepless nights…and there still are!  The momentum is still keeping us up and our minds going a million miles a minute!  We are still in the young stages of growing this into our life work and with each step we feel like we are moving in that direction. 

 With each lesson we share or inspirational piece that we put out on the site or review that we contribute, we can feel the change in the world.  People are finding OWN and the Daily OWN and lessons are traveling half way around the world to many who don’t have access to Oprah’s network.  People are connecting with stories.  People are feeling inspired.  We hope to add empowered to that list…because after inspiration comes the power to change your world and live your best life.  THIS is one of the things that we are hoping to help move out into the world.  Change the channel, change your life.

 The Aha moment turned to momentum as soon as I told someone…and then, with each step we have made, it feels like the momentum just keeps speeding up!  Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with it…but we just do our best.

What were the first few steps you took to turn the AHA moment into reality?

We made a business plan.  Not the stuffy elaborate kind with a template and a timeline but an “on the back of a napkin” kind with an outline of our intention, our requirements, our initial punch list to get done and what measurements for success that we would use.   We went through quite a few napkins!  By setting those goals early on in the process, it gave us a roadmap…giving us something to work towards.  It gave the AHA moment a structure and foundation to build on. 

 By October, we had surpassed all of the goals we had set – including having over 100,000 page views, being contacted by the Oprah Winfrey Show before it went off the air, getting noticed by someone within Oprah’s circle – which happened both on Twitter and then, when Gayle King contacted us and sent us to an OYOU conference in Atlanta.  Add the O Magazine goal of being in it (next time, maybe we’ll get a mention of the website but just getting in was amazing!) and we had wiped all of our big and little goals out by mid-October! Now, we are making sure that we are reaching further and dreaming bigger!  Nothing is off limits!  Nothing!

 HOW did that moment change your life perspective?

It made me more aware of my world around me…to pay attention to what is going on…to be aware of the things in my life…and to definitely listen to the whispers…because at any time and moment, what you were meant to do might just show up right in front of you.  You have to look for it! 

When you went through challenges, did you go back to the power of your AHA Moment to give you strength?

When the challenges show up, I go back to the AHA moment and the small successes.  I keep those things close by, including a handwritten note from Gayle King about our website – it starts with “I LOVE your blog…”  Those things remind me of how far we’ve come and how right the road has been so far.  I still keep my eyes open because while I still believe that the AHA moment was the catalyst of something wonderful, I am smart enough to know that change is what will shape the future…and even I don’t know what that change might look like.  So, I just keep on listening to my instincts…and keep riding the wave. 

What do you think you’d be doing if you hadn’t had your AHA moment?

Wow.  That’s a good question.  I like to think of how I have been changed and how I am different because I paid attention to my AHA moment.  I am more aware of life.  I feel richer, wiser, more powerful and more directed.  I have a new love and passion for life that I didn’t always notice before.  I feel more positive and more empowered to move through the world.  I feel worthy.  I feel like anything is possible.  I feel awakened.  If I had not listened to my AHA moment…if I had not recognized it…I would have lost all of that and so much more.    I would not have been changed – which is not good and not bad.  I would just have missed out on all of the icing on the cake that I have discovered this year and the icing is always the BEST part!

Who do you want to thank for either the idea, the inspiration or for helping you get there?

First, to Patricia, my sister and partner in TheDailyOWN.com, who gives me inspiration every single day.  She continues to keep the momentum of the AHA moment going when things get rough and reminds me of why we are doing this…

Next, to Pamela, our older sister, who has been our number one reader since the beginning and who is always willing to offer constructive thoughts and kudos. 

Finally, to my mom who has always lifted me to reach for the stars and to be anything that I could dream of being.  It is on her shoulders that my sisters and I are here, reaching for our best AHA moments to change our lives and change the world.

And to Oprah…for inspiring the world to make this the kind of place that is amazing and empowering and wonderful.  She has been a great teacher…and it’s time for students to carry out those lessons and begin the chain of inspiring the next generation…

  Anything else you want to share about your Aha Momentum experience?

This is what this last year has taught me about AHA moments.  We have them all of the time.  Every single one of us has them…really – ALL OF THE TIME.  Stop and pay attention to your life.  When you do, AMAZING things will happen.  

*******Thanks for sharing, Paula! I look forward to many more OWN moments/lessons with you in 2012!

Sharon is the mom of three young girls who adores everything about motherhood!  She has always had an itch to create a business of her own, so by utilizing her background as an educator and the hands-on education of being a “real-life” mom; Capital City Mamas was born!  Together with friend Meredith Wade they have grown their business, which is “not your moms mom’s club”, the place to go in the Washington, DC area as the premier resource for education and community.  They are the Mama Gurus!  www.capitalcitymamas.com

 What was your AHA Moment for starting your biz?

My business partner Meredith and I were researching an idea on the internet and we fell upon the Baby Planning industry and we literally looked at each other, and said, “This is it!”  We knew the combination of personal and professional experience and our passion for all things baby and child were the perfect fit.  We took off from there and we have not looked back!

What made it feel like THE one idea that you had to follow through with?

We knew it was special and so necessary, and it was like we were pushing the fast forward button and we could not slow down.  Our ideas were endless and after a serious amount of research we had literally created our business plan and the substance for our website in less than three months.  Once we got rolling, we lived and breathed all things baby. In just a year and a half, we have morphed into our true niche, offering events and education for moms and moms-to-be.

Describe the scenario for your AHA Moment

We had worked on a children’s book, together, and after making what felt like hundreds of submissions, it occurred to us, that this baby and children’s world really resonated with us.  One day, while researching an idea about helping women prepare for babies, we saw a baby planner’s website come up, and from that moment on, we were full steam ahead.  There was not a doubt in our minds that this was our calling and we had to pursue it!

Did you feel the Aha Moment turn into Momentum? How long did that feeling last? Did you wake up with that giddy feeling for several days?

Both Meredith and I have that obsessive, type A personality, and once we get rolling, we cannot seem to slow down.  We would send so many emails in a row, we might as well have had full conversations on the phone. Then we would talk all night, while at the computer, and then be the first email of the next day.  We worked every night until close to midnight until we had the outline for our website, and every free and waking moment of the day we spent fine-tuning.  We have evened out now to a more comfortable balance, but it is almost like having a child, where only you and your husband, get so excited about every new milestone. We are so passionate about what we are building and growing, it is our own baby.

What were the first few steps you took to turn the AHA moment into reality?

Literally the next day after we fell upon the idea to start our own baby planning, and now events and education for moms and moms-to-be, we began the networking, research and compilation of our business.

How did that moment change your life perspective?

It is really empowering to know that you have something inside you that has been waiting to emerge. This idea, turned into reality, has given both of us the satisfaction and pride to know that we can take all of the training and life experience we have and grow it into something we have built from the ground up.  This is a new career path for us both, and to know that with enough hard work, dedication and passion, we can create something real and valuable to help others, is so fulfilling and life changing.  We cherish the life we have built for our families, and now we both treasure what we are building for our new career!

When you went through challenges, did you go back to the power of your AHA Moment to give you strength?

Absolutely!  We never wavered that we are working toward something valuable.  It felt right from that first moment, and even through the many challenges we have had, we know we are meant to create these events, community and education for other moms!

What do you think you’d be doing if you hadn’t had your AHA moment?

Probably still searching for the right idea to pursue.

 Who do you want to thank for either the idea, the inspiration or for helping you get there?

As any true entrepreneur knows, it takes a village.  Without the support, advice, connections and referrals from friends and family (including you, Sandy) we would not have survived those first few months of launching our business.

Anything else you want to share about your Aha Momentum experience?

Just to remember, that being truly inspired and believing in yourself make all things possible.  Never give up!

Thanks for sharing, Sharon! I  knew you could do it & its a pleasure to watch your success…

The beauty of Twitter…that’s where I connected with Lauren Lien.

Lauren is a Southern California native. She’s a Visionary, Actress, Writer, Producer who’s mission is to bring class back to Hollywood and empower women. One of her many endeavors is starting a female clothing/accessory line that “will unite women internationally and restore our hearts and minds.”  Feel free to follow her journey www.laurenlien.com.

What was your AHA Moment for starting your biz?

Getting my heart broken and venting to my girlfriend over his “one liners” that led to bad judgment…then BAM an idea was born.

What made it feel like THE one idea that you had to follow through with?

The idea did not just affect or fulfill me; it will be an international movement to unite women, to celebrate women – our hearts, minds, fears and dreams.

Where were you when you had the AHA moment?

Nashville TN, on a cold fall evening drinking wine with my assistant/best girl friend working on the kitchen table (my home at the time). Lap tops spread out, comfy clothes on, gossiping and giggling over stuff men say to us that we fall for like helpless prey all while Tumbling and Facebooking…

Did you feel the Aha Moment turn into Momentum?

The feeling has last for a strong 3 months. All this very recently occurred. The idea is something I think about every day and talk about constantly. It has evolved from an exciting adventure to now a sense of responsibility to complete. The idea went from an AHA to a brainstorming session to constantly bouncing off thoughts with my business partner. Now there is a long list of potential company partnerships and others we plan on approaching. The idea is so relevant we almost feel the heart break happened solely for this movement to be born. There are no coincidences.

What were the first few steps you took to turn the AHA moment into reality?

Picked a brilliant name, identified my business partners, held several Skype conference calls and brainstorming sessions and now we are in the process of legal protection and approaching investors. 

 How did that moment change your life perspective?

That everything in life really happens for a reason. Also we are in control of our relationships and how we choose to use them; from my friend sitting at the table who is now my business partner; to the boy I feel for that ripped my heart out, which ironically enough I will capitalize on that pain and share it with the world. Ultimate healing!

 When you went through challenges, did you go back to the power of your AHA Moment to give you strength?

Absolutely. That moment is the center of my passion and where it will always remain. The fuel of the driving force. Remembering where it came from and where I was emotionally/mentally before it entered my life. I live for the ‘conception’ process. We all start somewhere. Just not everyone knows how to finish. That’s my strong suit. 

What do you think you’d be doing if you hadn’t had your AHA moment?

As an entrepreneur and entertainer, my hands are in several projects, but this is one that ties everything together – all passions and all industries. It truly is the glue that keeps the other engines running.

Who do you want to thank for either the idea, the inspiration or for helping you get there?

Always my family, especially my mom for her constant support and belief in me – an incredible role model. My business partner and friend, Kaitlyn Hamlton, Farida Amar, our creative genius and a boy named Chance.

Anything else you want to share about your Aha Momentum experience?

Due to where we are at with our launch and protection I can not reveal the idea just yet. However, let’s just say this is a female retail company that will unite women all around the world. 

********It’s inspiring to see such energy and passion for an idea. We can’t wait to see what you’re building! In the meantime, Lauren, thanks for sharing your Aha Momentum story! Much success.