Park City's Mompreneurs
Photography: Robert Kopecky
With motherhood come many changes. All of a sudden, you’ve embraced diapers, sleep deprivation and the balancing act between parenting and pursuing life’s passions. For several Park City women, motherhood has also spawned a new chapter in their lives–entrepreneurship.
After taking a motherhood sabbatical from their previous careers, these women have successfully combined their commitment to parenting with their desire to work and follow their professional and personal passions to create their own businesses.
When Jennifer Jackenthal and Marcia Hales met at their toddler’s weekly playgroup, the discussion turned to … “What’s for dinner?” Jackenthal, a former fashion executive and mother of two, was lamenting to Hales, a food service executive and mother of one, about the daunting task of cooking. Hales was surprised to hear that most people don’t enjoy cooking from scratch. Jackenthal was equally in awe of Hales’ ability to whip-up several meals each day. Their conversation inspired the concept of My Girlfriend’s Kitchen–a one-stop communal kitchen where customers gather to assemble 12 ready-to-cook entrées.
The women launched My Girlfriend’s Kitchen in February 2003 in Jackenthal’s Jeremy Ranch kitchen. Today, the thriving multi-state, multi-franchise operation has garnered national attention and continues to grow.
Jackenthal and Hales credit much of their business success and ability to juggle motherhood and work to their unique partnership. “We’re like an old married couple,” says Jackenthal. “We really take care of each other and look out for each other,” adds Hales.
Friends and cycling enthusiasts Betsy Quintana-Bothe and Lynn Ware-Peek have combined their passion for travel into a new business partnership–Girlfriends Go Tours, an adventure travel company that leads women-only bike tours.
Both women had reached a point in their lives where their children had become more independent, and they were looking for a creative way to combine work and family.
Quintana-Bothe, an artist and mother of one, had toyed around with the idea of starting her own adventure travel business following a women-only sailing trip to Greece. “The best way to soak up the culture of a new country is to explore in a small, intimate group of like-minded women,” says Quintana-Bothe. She shared her concept with Ware-Peek over a glass of wine.
“Betsy mentioned that having a partner would be just what she needed to have that zing of energy to make this a really great business,” says Ware-Peek, a massage therapist and mother of two. Following an “ironing out the kinks” bike/wine tour through Tuscany, the two formed a partnership and launched Girlfriends Go Tours.
“The Girlfriends Go business has been a way to funnel my passion for language, travel, and biking into something that hopefully enriches the lives of others. And it, in turn, enriches my family life,” says Ware-Peek.
Denise Method and Monica Rafferty hatched the idea for their business–Kids’ Kollection, a children’s gift and consignment shop–over brunch. “We were talking about our kids and the amount of clothing they go through so quickly. We saw an opportunity to recycle objects and take advantage of selling new and gently used items for children,” says Method.
Method, a former management consultant and mother of two, and Rafferty, a former banking executive and mother of two, opened Kids’ Kollection in February 2004.
“We wanted to find a niche that wasn’t being met in Park City, so we decided to create a gifts, gear and furniture consignment shop for children,” says Rafferty.
“We are very fortunate to do this as a team,” says Method. The two women split their work schedule, which allows each to spend time with her family. Having a business that caters to children also allows the women to bring their kids to work regularly, where the kids often pitch in to help.
By helping others rid their homes and businesses of clutter, Corrie Kirklen found an e-business opportunity that would allow her the flexibility to spend time with her two young daughters.
Kirklen, a former corporate staffing specialist, was inspired to launch her business—It’s a Done Deal—while reading an article on franchises in an issue of USA Today. “The article talked about the numerous cottage industries sprouting up around eBay consignment sales. I had looked into different franchise opportunities, but working 80 hours per week wasn’t the approach I wanted to take,” says Kirklen.
After a “meeting of the minds” with her husband, Corrie opened her home-based cyber business in August 2004. Kirklen’s motto is simple: “We pick it up, sell it on eBay, you get the check.” Selling everything from china and antiques to mufflers and a 1937 vintage automobile, her business has been steady and diverse.
It was the sight of her infant son’s feet that encouraged Naomi Doyle to start her own company.
Doyle, a fashion art director and mother of two, had struggled to find ways to keep her son’s toes covered during outdoor adventures. It was her cute and clever design of leather baby shoes that kept young Caden’s feet covered and launched her home-based business Cade & Co.
Tapping into her older son’s interest in animals, together they chose several of the Cade & Co designs, including dogs, monkeys, frogs and teddy bears.
Primarily a one-woman operation, Doyle handles sales, marketing, production and shipping for the line which now includes clothing for boys and girls. Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship has been an ongoing challenge.
”I do a lot of work at night and when the kids are playing,” says Doyle. “I squeeze in work time as often as possible. I can multitask like no one else.”
Doyle’s clothing and shoes can be found at several retail locations throughout Park City, including Colesport, Mary Jane’s, No Place Like Home and the Farmers Market.
A freelance writer and full-time mom, Linda Jager delicately balances time among family, friends, work and volunteering while still saving enough time to savor Park City’s outdoor activities. Jager is a frequent contributor to Park City Magazine and The Park Record, and is editor of Park City Parent Magazine.
Cade & Co
Naomi Doyle
435.901.1362 (w) or
435.658.2730 (h)
www.cadeandco.com
Girlfriends Go
Betsy Bothe: 435.513.0659,
betsyqbothe@comcast.net
Lynn Ware-Peek:
435.640.3931,
lynnwarepeek@hotmail.com
www.girlfriendsgo.com
Kids’ Kollection
Denise Method & Monica Rafferty
435.649.5656
It’s a Done Deal
Corrie Kirklen
corriek@iaddeal.com
435.615.7747 (office) or
435.602.0690 (mobile)
My Girlfriends Kitchen
Jennifer Jackenthal & Marcia Hales
801.747.2201
www.mgfk.com
Your comments may be edited for brevity and foul language.