Speaker: Monica you left a very successful career to raise your two girls. Tell me a little bit about that.
Monica Moody: You know you are right, I was working as an Assistant Dean at Oglethorpe University and I left that position and soon thereafter I found myself with my second daughter and a conscious decision was made at that point to remain home and to care for my family. And during that time I should mention that I did a lot of soul searching and trying to find my passion and my purpose in life and out of that Spa Party Creations was born and so I have the business now that I have been running for almost two years.
Speaker 2: Why don't you share with them the emotions that you go through when you happen to have give up your power and your finance and your education though because you speak of not regretting it but what are those things that you gave up?
Monica Moody: Well I think initially especially with my second daughter I realize that there were days when I just felt like I didn't know how to think anymore because I had this educational background I had worked in higher education for so long and I wasn't using any of that. And so you have days when you have a self doubt and then you just have to remember to just allow the positive things to kick in.
Speaker: How did you get to this place that you started your own business?
Patricia Joseph: I was Stay-at-Home Mom earlier but I have always had a home based business and as my children got older I went out into the workforce, but I continued to work my business at home. So they were very used to seeing mommy sort of multi-tasking.
Speaker 2: So what type of business do you have now?
Patricia Joseph: Now I design and sale, basically online tech accessories for women laptop, computer cases, iPod cases anything for your tech equipment.
Speaker 2: I think it is amazing that you have even incorporated your children and your husband into your business, why don't you share that because I am sure moms out there would love to put husband to work or kids to work.
Patricia Joseph: Exactly, well everything is centered around our family structure and we do everything as a family, we support one another. My younger boys, they help me with boxing up the products, they put the shipping labels on. Husband is dropping of the packages at the UPS store. My oldest boy, he works with me in designing the website and doing the web work. My daughter helps me with fabric selection and designing the next collection.
Speaker 2: So that is truly a family business.
Patricia Joseph: It is truly a family business.
Speaker 3: I think it is really wonderful about that and probably even in the future you will be able to see this because your kids are watching you work at home. But this makes them feel like they are part of what you are doing and when you are working they are not excluded. Your job isn't so separated from you being a mom and being a family. So having them being able to watch you do your job at home and be a part of it incorporates them into the dynamics of your career.
Speaker: Monica how do you balance everything? Do you have any time?
Monica Moody: I do at night as when I take my break and I just make sure that 9:30 10 o'clock that's my time. So I start off with my bubble bag on my head and candle light going and I might end up with meditation. So it is important that I feel nourished in order to get everything done that has to be done in raising a family and then running the business as well.
Speaker 2: I think that's a great point for moms out there watching because with my children I didn't take mommy time or me time and it is so important I am still learning to do that and it is like my whole schedule is all about the kids from sunup to sundown and I think those moms out there watching need to hear that because it is so important.
Speaker 3: And both of your businesses, you use the internet a lot to be able to reach woman.
Patricia Joseph: I don't think I could have done it without the Internet. I mean the Internet allows for anyone to start a business at a relatively low cost, the ability to communicate with people all around the world. I mean you never would have been able to do that as a small business without the necessary capital. So my whole business is on the Internet. Everything that I do is electronic.
Speaker: For moms that are at home right now that have the new born, that passionately have entrepreneur quality like the two of you have and a dream and that new born that could be breast feeding and looking up and researching, right and getting -- and fulfilling a dream and raising a well adjusted wonderful baby and planning a --
Speaker 3: My dinner is in the crock pot.
Monica Moody: Exactly.
Speaker 2: That's a really savvy mom.
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