Chris Loprete, daddysden, Dads
I know that doesn’t seem like a very provocative title or interesting subject of a blog so let me raise the stakes a little. My wife is reading this for the first time too. When my wife and I have some domestic dust up, I’ve always been pretty good at turning it into a humorous story or blog. Even she gets a kick out of it. Well, I’m taking a chance this time and flipping the scenario. I’m confessing something publicly and hoping she laughs it off BEFORE we fight about it. Will the gamble pay off? Well if it doesn’t…on the bright side I may already have next month’s blog.
So I’ve been ridiculously busy at my job this last month. Lots of late nights and weekends. My department is always busy this time of year because of a big annual presentation the president of our company gives to advertisers and media buyers in New York. Once the presentation is over, we can all breathe a sigh of relief on a job well done. Well, the presentation was given on a Tuesday morning and it’s tradition for our team to take the rest of the day off. Now my wife had an important meeting with her literary agent that night. She was going to take the kids to the supervised play at their preschool and I was going to pick them up. No problem. So I thought…”What would be the harm if I just went to a quick matinee? I haven’t seen a movie in so long. I don’t know when I’ll get to one. I’ve worked very hard at work as well as at home with the kids on the weekend (including giving my wife Mother’s Day weekend off)…why not just go to a movie and I’ll be home to take care of the kids tonight?” Now I’m pretty sure my wife would have preferred that I come home even earlier and help her with the kids. So why didn’t I call my wife and let her know that I was heading to the movies? Um…please save all questions until the end.
I drive to a movie theatre about 5 minutes away from our house. That way I can pick the kids up faster than if I went to a theatre near work. In fact I’ll still get them earlier than I would have if I worked the whole day. Am I a great Dad or what? I pay my ticket, grab my 3D glasses and head in. The movie begins and I’m usually vigilant about turning off my phone because I can’t stand when people talk or text during a film, but this time I kept it on vibrate…just in case. Good thing too. Sure enough because the Universe loves to screw with me, at about the half way point of the movie my phone begins to vibrate in my lap. It’s her. I started to perspire as I did something I would never dream of doing before. Pushed the “ignore” button. If it’s important I’m sure she’ll leave a voice mail and I’ll duck out of the theatre in a minute to check it. BZZZ. BZZZ. She’s calling back. Ooookay she’s looking for me. Duck out the theatre NOW. I scamper out of my seat. Luckily the theatre was mostly empty because most people were working or home with their families. I’m starting to hate myself as I write this. I hurry out to the lobby so she won’t hear the obscenely loud sounds of Thor saving the planet. “Hello?” “Hi” Oh God. She’s been crying. “Is everything okay?” “I’m sorry to bother you” she says. “You’re not bothering me at all” I say. (TELL HER!)”What’s up?” (YOU FOOL!) She then goes on to tell me about what a miserable day she’s been having and she’s thinking of calling off the meeting with her agent. I ask her if she wants me to come home. For the record I meant it. I would have left the theatre right then and hurried home.
Of course it would have confused my wife because I would have been home about 40 minutes before I usually get home from work. “No”, she said. “I just need a pep talk.” Now I’m REALLY good at breaking my wife out of her funks so I go into my best spiel. Please believe me when I say that I wasn’t b.s-ing her just to get back into the theatre. I really meant everything I was saying and I was telling her everything she needed to hear. I was even ignoring the curious glances from the people in the lobby. I’m sure they were impressed by this man who must be a motivational speaker. Not so much. Turns out they were looking at a lunatic having a very animated conversation on his cell phone…who had forgotten to take off his 3D glasses. I can imagine how many dinner conversations that night that started with “I saw the strangest thing in the lobby of the movie theatre today…” It worked though. My wife stopped crying, she said she felt better and she thanked me. I hung up walked back into the theatre glad that I had cheered her up, but feeling like pond scum. I watched and enjoyed the rest of the movie but I was obviously distracted. You gotta understand. My wife and I don’t lie to each other. We don’t know how. On the few occasions we have been deceptive it tears away at both of us like Poe’s Tell Tale Heart. In my case the heart beat under the floor boards was as loud as Thor’s hammer.
May I just interject here and say that last month Arnold Schwarzenegger confessed to fathering a child over a decade ago with his maid. I went to the movies. Just putting it in perspective. Okay back to the story. The movie ended, I picked up the kids, fed them, bathed them, and put them to bed. My wife got home from the meeting and told me it went well and she was glad she didn’t call it off. I considered telling her right then, but it seemed a little soon. No. Best to do the most cowardly thing imaginable and wait two weeks to tell her in a blog. So there it is.
This is my warped way of apologizing. I’m sure a therapist would have a field day. They say the truth will set you free. I am about to seriously put that theory to the test. You may not even be reading this. I have to send it to my editor first…who is also my wife.
So if you are reading this, one of two things has happened. Either I’m right and she is laughing this whole thing off…or I’m dead and she has posted this posthumously as a warning to other husbands out there. We shall see…
Julianne Wish, Member Contributions, Member Spotlights
Married more than 20 years with 3 children, Tim & Andrea began baking for friends and family at the holidays and it proved so popular that they decided to offer McLaren’s for purchase as gifts for the Christmas and New Years Holidays. They continued to grow and now MacLaren’s products are available year round.
The delicious Scottish Shortbread has been a tradition in their family for at least five generations; both sides of their family have their roots in Scotland, through the McLaren & Forbes Clans. The family recipe was passed down from Tim’s great-great Gran who lived in Glasgow, Scotland. Each batch is hand-made, baked in clay trays and hand packaged.
In 2020, the couple retired and sold the business… and so the tradition of hand-made Scottish Shortbread, Curds, Jams and more continues! Faithfully using the same recipes and methods, the new ownership continues providing customers with the best products all through the year. This is an interview from 10 years ago, reposted!
1. Tell us about your business and the service that you provide:
McLaren’s is a specialty gourmet food business, focused on hand made foods with a Scottish, British or civilized flair, for afternoon tea, dessert or any special occasion.
We make all of our products by hand, with the finest ingredients available. Our products include:
Original Scottish Shortbread
Ginger Lassies
Lemon Curd, Lime Curd, Orange Curd
Specialty Jams, Jellies, Marmalades
Traditional Scone Mix
Maple Scone Mix
Old World Gingerbread Cake Mix
We sell individual products as well as beautiful gift baskets. We also offer corporate gifting, weddings favors and special event bids.
To specialize gifts we have an ever-changing inventory of new, vintage and antique teacups, teapots, biscuit barrels and more.
Product Descriptions
Original Scottish Shortbread-
Ginger Lassies (a spicy chewy ginger cookie, 2 varieties, hot or mild)
Lemon Curd, Lime Curd, Orange Curd- no fillers or thickeners, only eggs, sugar, butter and fresh squeezed citrus juice
Specialty Jams, Jellies, Marmalades- all of our fruit is purchased from local growers, fresh and in season (with the exception of one jam whose fruit comes from Oregon) We purchase from local growers, not only to assure quality and freshness, but to support our local farmers as well.
We also sell 3 mixes to bake at home.
Traditional Scone Mix- this makes a light fluffy proper scone, and should be eaten warm, the day it is made.
Maple Scone Mix- this mix is sweetened with pure organic Maple Sugar and includes additional Maple sugar for a glaze. This makes a light fluffy proper scone, and should be eaten warm, the day it is made.
Old World Gingerbread Cake Mix- Our Gingerbread mix makes a fantastic dessert or teacake! This is not a gingerbread cookie mix, but a gingerbread cake, best served warm with fresh whipped cream, or better yet topped with your favorite Jam.
2. How did you decide to get started?
I am a teacher in the CA Community College system and Tim is a mortgage broker, so…. 2 years ago, when the market crashed and my class load was severely cut, we needed to do something to make money to support our family. That first Christmas season, we knew that our cookies were popular with friends and family, so we put out a little email and BANG! We sold over 1200 lbs of shortbread with very little marketing. We decided to take his family shortbread recipe public and expand into a legitimate business. So we moved from our home kitchen into a commercial kitchen and off we went, into the world of farmers markets, serv safe, sampling permits, and Scottish Festivals.
3. What kind of background of expertise do you have in your field?
We had no commercial baking/cooking experience. We did know that we and our friends preferred fresh foods with no preservatives and no additives.
4. What trends do you see in your current industry?
Customers want delicious foods, made with real, fresh ingredients and are willing to pay more for great quality.
5. What things do you find to be most demanding about your job?
We go into the kitchen at night, after we finish our other jobs. We travel to Farmers markets, Scottish Festivals and Craft shows all year, it’s tiring.
6. What do you find to be the most rewarding about your job and your day-to-day routine?
One of the most rewarding things for us is that we are able to pick up our kids from school, and be home with them after school. Also, let’s not forget the look on customer’s faces when they try our products! They love them. One of the greatest rewards ahs been being able to keep our home.
7. What advice would you give to someone else who is interested in starting a business like yours?
First, get ready to work very hard, long hours. Find a product that you believe in and that you know other people like and will buy. Try to find a mentor in the same or a related business, do not ask someone who sells the same product that you want to sell. Find out the laws and regulations in your sate and county, before you invest a dime! (CA- Take your Serv Safe class first, then get your DBA while you look for a commercial kitchen.)
8. What are you most proud of as a parent-preneur?
I am very grateful that I have been able to be home for my kids and that my kids have helped out, learned to bake and cook right along side us. I am grateful that as a family, we worked together to build this upstart business and my children have learned the value of hard work.
9. How have you been able to manage your time between work and your family?
By soldiering on. It has been very hard to balance everything. Some days it is more work and some days it is more family. We do the best we can. The idea of balance is a myth, perpetrated by pundits and magazine writers who have no children. Life is more like a crazy pendulum, but it eventually will swing back the other way.
10. What has been the most effective way for you to promote yourself?
We have built our business on our reputation for the highest quality products and the customer satisfaction we have built at Farmers Markets and Scottish Festivals. We also use Constant Contact, have a web site, Facebook, Twitter and a blog.
Finally: What does your “Milk Money” provide for you and your family?
It saved our home and continues to provide a growing income for our family.
Julianne Wish, Member Spotlights
Founder of The Next Big Zing. Dhana’s company finds and promotes inventors of new products! It’s a win for consumers…they get to see and purchase the latest new products! It’s a win for the inventors as they get their product promoted! Read on to learn about Dhana, what she’s learned and her vision for her company.
1. Tell us about your business and the service that you provide:
The Next Big Zing is an innovative way to shop online. Through video reviews, consumers will have the opportunity to watch, engage in a product or two they love, and then purchase. Inventors, on the other hand, have an amazing opportunity to get their products seen and heard through a third party endorsed video review…plus given a grass roots marketing program.
2. How did you decide to get started?
I have always had great ideas, developed products and always stopped short…I came up with the idea to promote other inventors and said video is the way of the future!
3. What kind of background of expertise do you have in your field?
My background is advertising and marketing…but from the old school of traditional media.
4. What trends do you see in your current industry?
Wow. That could take all day! Video for sure is the way to go to promote your business. No one wants to see a stagnant web page. I also see the changing face of retail. Traditional retailing is tougher now to get into…you must be creative!
5. What things do you find to be most demanding about your job?
That I don’t have enough time in my day to get everything finished and that I don’t have a staff to help.
6. What do you find to be the most rewarding about your job and your day to day routine?
I love finding those unique products and helping them get noticed!
7. What advice would you give to someone else who is interested in starting a business like yours?
It takes a ton of time and money and little to no pay for a long time! Be prepared for working harder than you ever had for someone else, because it truly is one of your babies!
8. What are you most proud of as a parent-preneur?
Proud that my kids want to be involved. In fact, my 14 year old son said today, “Mom, you need to tell me what meetings you are going to since I am the Vice-President.”
9. How have you been able to manage your time between work and your family?
It’s tough. I want them to be proud so I do work a lot, and since I run my business out of my home, I tend to work while they are around.
10. What has been the most effective way for you to promote yourself?
Through social media, networking and strategic partners.
Finally: What does your “Milk Money” provide for you and your family?
Not much yet…but I will say that I know in the future it will provide so much!
Uncategorized
If you are overwhelmed or even intimidated by all of the social media choices, the lingo and the technologies out there, you may be in need of a Social Media Diet. If what started off as cheap way to get your message seen and heard has turned into a tiresome and over-stimulating experience, the best thing to do is set up your own ground rules. Don’t get run over by the chaos.
Get in. Post your message. Get Out.
Of course, you do need to have some interaction with your connections, but make sure that you are allotting specific time for the social end of it or it could suck the time right out of you. If you are tired of being asked to “join everything” or being told “try it, see what happens” you may be in need of a strategy that will organize all of these clubs as well as measure results for you and your small business. Like the outdated clothes in your closet, if you have not been back to visit in 6 months to a year, the club goes in the garbage. If you find networking time consuming, try setting aside one day of the week to focus on it, or set a goal to spend 20 minutes an evening increasing your numbers.
There is no question that having an internet presence gives you credibility, but without some dedicated organization, social media can overpower. Stay focused on the diet and you should be fine.
Self -employed Parent Enthusiast Ally Loprete is the Founder of OurMilkMoney.com, a nationwide online business directory of self-employed parents, and the host of This Little Parent Stayed Home, a live weekly radio show, on The Toginet.com Radio Group which can be downloaded on iTunes. Ally is on a mission to bring home 1 million parents through coaching other’s to deal with the sometimes overwhelming prospect of leaving a full time job to start a new business, while running a full time household and raising kids. She is resolute about creating a haven in which parents across the nation will continue to thrive and obtain the support they need in their personal journeys. Self-employed parents, list your business for free at www.ourmilkmoney.com. Private coaching is available at www.thislittleparent.info.
Julianne Wish, Member Contributions, Member Spotlights
Formerly a staff member at Our Milk Money in it’s first few years, Wendy did our books for years and we can’t say enough about her!
For tax preparation in Santa Clarita CA, you can count on Wendy Conte at Bookkeeping Scv, Inc. Wendy Conte assists taxpayers and small businesses with taxes in Santa Clarita CA and the surrounding communities. Whether you are an individual or a local business in or around Santa Clarita CA, Wendy Conte has years of valuable experience as an IRS registered tax preparer.
1. Tell us about your business and the service that you provide:
I am a Certified Bookkeeper and Quickbooks ProAdvisor. I offer a full range of bookkeeping services in the Santa Clarita, San Fernando and Antelope Valleys.
2. How did you decide to get started?
After working for someone else for over 15 years, I decided to take control of my employment and use the skills I have to work with a wider range of clients rather than just the employer I had.
3. What kind of background of expertise do you have in your field?
I have an Associate’s degree in Accounting, I am a Certified Bookkeeper and I am Quickbooks ProAdvisor. I am always looking for more learning opportunities in my field.
4. What trends do you see in your current industry?
Bookkeeping is a key part of every business. Businesses will always need bookkeepers. Businesses are always looking for ways to cut costs. An outsourced bookkeeper is a way to accomplish that.
5. What things do you find to be most demanding about your job?
Deadlines are a demanding part of my job sometimes. My clients like to see the status of their financial picture on a regular basis and that means making sure that all of their records are always up to date. There is also the issue of invoicing client customers on time. Finally, reporting information to tax entities for payroll and sales tax.
6. What do you find to be the most rewarding about your job and your day to day routine?
The most rewarding thing about my job is being able to help people. I really enjoy working with very small businesses, many of which cannot afford to have an on staff bookkeeper. I love being able to take the stress of that task off of their hands.
7. What advice would you give to someone else who is interested in starting a business like yours?
I would recommend getting formal education in the field both in the basics of accounting and the software options that are available for the job. The Quickbooks ProAdvisor program is very helpful in learning the overall use of the program and how to set it up properly. Then I would say network and get your name out there.
8. What are you most proud of as a parent-preneur?
I am most proud of being able to demonstrate to my son the hard work ethic that I was raised with.
9. How have you been able to manage your time between work and your family?
Balancing time is always a challenge. I try to work around the schedule of my family as much as possible during the week and to take weekends off unless there is something that really needs my attention or my family has plans that do not include me.
10. What has been the most effective way for you to promote yourself?
Word of Mouth is extremely powerful. Actions certainly speak louder than words. I provide the best service that I can consistently and with attention to the details. Giving at least 100% to your clients is something they talk about.
Finally: What does your “Milk Money” provide for you and your family?
My Milk Money provides a way for us to pay the bills and have a bit left over to have fun.
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