| Cary, North Carolina is a great place for families for a | | | | a nonprofit association dedicated to educating |
| multitude of reasons: the weather, family activities, | | | | entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success |
| education opportunities, business economy. But Cary is | | | | of small business nationwide. You can apply for a |
| also a great place for Moms who have the passion to | | | | personal mentor (no charge) who has extensive |
| own their own business. Why? Because of the | | | | experience in your industry. We were assigned to a |
| amazing opportunities, resources and support system | | | | fantastic gentleman who advised us on everything |
| right here within easy reach. How do I know? Because | | | | from pricing our product to manufacturing our own |
| I am a Cary Mom who started my own successful | | | | designs. You can communicate with our mentor via |
| online family apparel boutique. | | | | email so its easy and can be accessed anytime. |
| I sought out and took advantage of all the resources | | | | 3. WAHM Zone provides resources for home |
| that our area has to offer. I am proud to say that | | | | businesses, work from home jobs, with support, advice |
| Footsteps Clothing (FootstepsClothing dot com) is | | | | and resources for work-at-home moms. This is a |
| profitable after just the first year and currently tripling | | | | great place to look through if you have a specific issue |
| sales in our second year. We have exploded from just | | | | or question. |
| a few products to hundreds, creating our own designs | | | | - Trade and barter (instead of paying cash) for as |
| and even trademarking our Love Your Family brand. | | | | many services as you can - This will help keep your |
| Our customers are all over the United States and | | | | cashflow flowing. If you know someone who has |
| international, but we started right here in Cary. | | | | knowledge or skills that you need, try offering them |
| If you are Mom here in Cary who is interested in | | | | something you can do in payment. You will be |
| starting their own business, I am thrilled to share with | | | | surprised how many people will respond to this. I am a |
| some tips on starting a business and the local | | | | writer and I trade writing services for many different |
| resources (most of them free or reasonably priced) | | | | needs that we have and can't fulfill ourselves. |
| that we utilized in getting started and continue to use. | | | | - Use your own contacts, don't be shy - One of great |
| While this article is geared towards moms owning | | | | things I have found about living in Cary is the |
| online businesses, many of the concepts can be | | | | encouragement from others. When you discuss your |
| transferred to other types of businesses. These are | | | | business with others, they will want you to succeed, |
| real examples, real places and real people right here, | | | | they will support you, they will give you ideas, they will |
| willing and ready to help. You only need two things to | | | | root for you from the sidelines. Even casual |
| get started: an idea and a passion. Everything else you | | | | acquaintances are usually genuinely supportive (and |
| can learn along the way. | | | | often admiring) of someone with the courage to start |
| - Find someone who knows more than you do - | | | | their own business. You have friends, neighbors, |
| When we started Footsteps Clothing, we had no | | | | husbands, co-workers, playgroup contacts here in |
| experience in the retail clothing industry or online sales. | | | | Cary who possess various skills to tap into. My |
| We just had a glimmer of an idea. We were lucky | | | | business partner has an unbelievable social network |
| (and smart) enough to find Jen Gault, another mom | | | | and every time we have a certain need arise |
| business owner in Cary, who did know the industry | | | | (everything from modeling our clothes to website |
| and had done it successfully already. Jen now owns | | | | design), she can uncover someone within her circle |
| her own consulting business at Pure-Ecommerce dot | | | | that can help us. |
| com and she helps other moms get started. She | | | | - Learn what you can, pay for what you can't - You |
| provided us with a plan to get going and at very | | | | can't do and know everything, although I have tried! As |
| reasonable rates. We still consult with her for a variety | | | | a new business owner, you pretty much wear every |
| of issues that come up as our business grows! | | | | hat in your business. But in reality, no one can do |
| - Tap as many FREE resources that you can find - | | | | everything well. Know what you can do and do it. |
| New business owners are a thrifty bunch - we have | | | | Learn what you need to know if you can and it makes |
| to be. Living in Cary, we have access to all sorts of | | | | sense to spend the time. When we started out we |
| resources - people and organizations existing for new | | | | didn't have any clue about SEO (we later discovered |
| business owners to utilize them. Here are some free | | | | this acronym stood for search engine optimization). |
| business resources that we find invaluable. This is not | | | | This was something I felt I could learn (with help and |
| a comprehensive list of all free resources in the area - | | | | guidance). Type in 'mother daughter clothing' to the |
| these are the ones we used and can attest to. There | | | | Google search engine - Footsteps Clothing is the #1 |
| are many others and I encourage you to seek out | | | | search result. This is a free search result, not a paid |
| take advantage of any and every free resource in | | | | advertisement. You can learn more than you think. If it |
| your industry: | | | | doesn't make sense to invest in learning a skill, find |
| | | | someone who can fill that need for you: take on a |
| 1. Small Business and Technology Development Center | | | | partner in your business, pay for this service, ask your |
| (SBTDC) - Located in Raleigh, this office offers an | | | | social circle for anyone who might have this expertise. |
| extensive list of services, everything from researching | | | | I like to think of Cary as having all the resources of a |
| your business idea to business planning and operations | | | | big city with the friendliness and support of a small |
| issues. Meet with a Business Counselor and discuss | | | | town. If you are mom hoping to start your own |
| your business with them. This was a very first step. | | | | business, you aren't alone and we are rooting for you! |
| 2. SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" - | | | | |