KATIE DANZIGER - Founder, nomie baby

12/4/09 | Katie Danziger | 2 Comments

Katie Danziger, Founder, nomie baby

I am a NYC mom of three (16, 14 & 3), who had one of those "there has to be a better way" moments, and invented the nomie baby car seat covers. From there, I started nomie baby, a company who's mission is to help solve problems for parents.

Starting a business is no small undertaking. Here are my five tips for how to make the process smoother --

1. Make business cards.  When I was exploring the idea of nomie baby, I met and talked with many different people. Having business cards showed them that I was serious, as well as providing them with all of my contact information.
2. Remember that not everything needs to get done at the same time.  It's key to pace yourself, otherwise, you'll run the risk of getting overwhelmed by all that needs to be tackled -- for example: setting up a corporation, creating a prototype, developing a name, logo, brand image, website design, packaging ideas, manufacturing, and the list goes on...
3. Determine what it is you are capable of doing yourself, and where you need help.  I found that being clear on my strengths and weaknesses helped me determine where I needed to allocate resources and where I could save money by doing it myself.
4. Ask yourself why you want to start your own business.  If it's to make money, then having a solid business plan and understanding how much start-up money will be needed is critical.  If you are doing it because it's a passion, then you might have other concerns, for example, "Will I enjoy it as much if it is my 'job'?"
5. Perhaps the most important piece is to surround yourself with positive, supportive people.  Starting your own business is incredibly rewarding and difficult, and there may be times when you might feel overwhelmed, challenged as to how to get something done, or frustrated that things are not going as smoothly or quickly as you would have liked.  Having the encouragement of others is key to getting through the tough times and moving forward.

I am NYC mom of 3 (16, 14 & 3), who had one of those "there has to be a better way" moments, and invented the nomie baby car seat covers, and started nomie baby, a company who's mission is to help solve problems for parents.  I used to be in marketing and PR, which has helped in getting the word out.  I volunteer at a number of organizations, and since my youngest daughter was born 2 month premature, and spent over a month in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), I knew that I wanted to say "thank you" to the doctors, nurses and social workers who do so much the tiniest ones, so a percentage of all profits go to the NICU! My site is www.nomiebaby.com