Every month a new mom in business will be featured here! So, be sure to check back regularly
month to see what's new! The moms in business interview is a great way to learn new tricks
and others points of view!

Our Successful Mom In Biz for the month of February-March is Shawna Straub manager of
Urban Botanic which helps women create signature fragrances to fit their unique personalities.

Below you will find generic questions that we use for our Successful Moms In Biz.  However,
if you would like for us to use specific questions pertaining to your particular work at home
mom business we can certainly do that too.

If you have a Successful Mom In Biz story to share, please email us.

CM: Tell us about yourself.

Shawna:  I am a MIB that works a full-time job for a large software company and also has
a new business that will soon become my only business in the near future!  Urban Botanic
launched in late 2006 and I am the first manager in the company.  I currently have 15 team
members and am working hard to have 100 directs by the end of 2007.

I am married and have a 7 year old son that also keeps us hopping with basketball and
baseball games.  If we're not completely swamped schedule wise we honestly start to feel
like something isn't right.  It's amazing what we can fit in on the weekends and also work
2 jobs but stay close as a family.  We do this by involving everyone in the family
in Urban Botanic as well.

CM: How long have you been in business?

Shawna:  Since August 2006

CM: What simple ways do you use to promote your business?

Shawna:  The biggest ways is online advertising and working through bloggers that blog about
perfume and bath/body products.  Visit my personal blog at www.ubqueenbee.blogspot.com and
scroll to the bottom to see all of the articles and blogs that I've been featured in!

CM: When recruiting, what have you found to be the most effective approach?

Shawna:  I believe that timing in everything.  Nothing that I can say will change the fact that
people need to save up for the investment, need to make the time to fit UB into their lives, or have
been burned by another company in the past and are nervous.  What I can tell them is what I've
done exactly to make back my kit investment and how long it took me and let them decide if it's
something they want to do.  I think the low pressure but high enthusiasm I portray allows people
to stick their toe in the water and see that it's VERY warm.  I also make sure to continually follow
up and have a tickler file for those that are just a "not right now, maybe later."

CM: As a successful mom in business to what do you attribute your success?

Shawna:  I'm definitely a workaholic but I know that I have an infectious personality (or at least
I've been told) and I'm always positive and excited.  I think that anyone would agree you'd rather
be around someone that is fun and exciting instead of a boring and negative individual.  My team
knows that if they call me I will be up and ready to hear about their day and empathetic to any
of their challenges but will also help to boost them up and send them back out to the battle. 
I think my creativity and love for what I do is what makes each day a winner!

CM: Does your business offer fundraisers and how do you market that service?

Shawna:  We actually "can" do fundraisers and do this by creating workshops that are per-paid
that people come to and created their product.  We have a 40% commission on our products and
can offer up to the 40% if we want to help out charity or school of our choice.  It's a great deal for
the school and even better for us to help get the word out with Urban Botanic.

CM: How do you balance work and home?

Shawna:  I honestly think that work and home have become one.  Because I involve my family
in putting together party packs, putting stickers on the map every time we have a new recruit
and my husband handling all the financial aspects of UB (he's an accountant), that it never
really feels like work.  I also reward my son with allowance when he's really good for the
babysitter or my husband when I'm at a party.  He knows that he's earning special prizes
as well from helping out.

CM: Any advice for moms struggling with their online businesses?

Shawna:  Use professionals to help you reach your audience.  Between the bloggers and
business coach that I have, it's the perfect way to help others find me and I've learned that
my personal blog is a great way to let others get to know me and find out more about the
business before diving into it.

CM: What goals do you have for staying a successful mom in business?

Shawna:  My current goals are to have a team of 270 consultants total.  This will allow me
to make way over a six figure income and quit my full-time day job.  Due to the newness of
this business and the concept that has no competition we've been growing fairly quickly and
I hope to have this happen within 2 years.  Focusing and consistently growing will allow me
to stay in business and really do well.  I also work closely with Corp Headquarters to give
constant field feedback and weigh in on new product lines and contests, etc.

Thank you, Shawna, for sharing your Successful Mom In Biz story here at Consultant Moms!