The infant car seat is heavy and awkward to carry!  Yet all new parents have to have one.  Well, after my 3rd child was born, I came up with a great idea.  I invented the Padalily®!  Ultra-stylish and oh-so practical, Padalilys are fashioned in gorgeous prints and perfectly padded for effortless carseat carrying — just right for keeping both mom and baby comfortable and happy.  I thought of the idea at the post office while juggling my newborn, a box to mailed out, and while trying to hold my two daughters’ hands. A lightbulb went on in my head as I agonized over the handle digging into my arm – and I knew I could design something cute and comfortable for myself and hopefully other parents too.  After making the first prototype that very day, I knew I was onto something.  I sewed about 300 more in my attic and began sharing the idea with friends, and local boutiques.  Everyone thought it was genius.  Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best! I was inspired by moms such as the inventors of Diapees and Wipees and the Patemm Changing Pad, who came up with a great solution to every day problems.

My idea really took off and before I knew it, I had to find a manufacturer, a distribution center, and sales reps across the country!  All this, while breastfeeding a newborn and trying my hand at homeschooling my daughter.  As the company has grown, I have learned to delegate many responsibilites and relinquish control of my beloved “Padalily Baby”. 😉  My husband works with me, and I have a marvelous assistant who takes care of the daily to dos.  My heart is devoted to my family and I find that as long as I focus on “people first” and “things second” life goes very smoothly and the balancing act is possible.

Four years ago my husband was laid off from a successful career in the medical device sales industry.  As the months went on, we realized him finding a new job wasn’t going to be as easy as it had been before the recession.  Padalily was going to have to sustain our family of 5!  And guess what?  It did so beautifully! It’s amazing how one little idea, a lot of determination, and a little style can turn into an empire that is run right out of our guest bedroom!  Last year I was recognized by the Huggies® MomInspired Program.  They gave me a $15K grant to support my business and have been an incredible source of support and resources.  Last year, after three years working with Padalily, my husband was hired back on into the medical device industry which has allowed us to use Padalily profits to come up with new products like our designer clutch called Poche, which is French for “pocket.”  It couples as an arm cushion and has a inner pocket for a diaper and wipes case.

Our children see me working hard, they know the value of good day’s work.  They see Padalilys come in and go out daily.  They even ask to help sometimes.  I think this is teaching them invaluable lessons about life.  I get to spend more time with them than I ever did before, and we truly feel like a tight family unit because of this company.  The last 6 years have been such an incredible learning experience for me.  My next goal is to start a consulting business to help other mompreneurs get their idea off the ground.  I do this already on a daily basis with women who reach out to me, and I love it.  It is so rewarding to help others succeed.  Feel free to comment below with questions and I can share what I have learned as a mom entrepreneur!