Getting back on the highway with Lea Curtes-Swenson
Finding inspiration everywhere you can
Whether you stayed home with your kids for 10 months or ten years, kudos to you for a) working so hard at a sometimes-thankless job; and b) making the decision to become an On-Ramp Mom. This is the place for you to find inspiration, along with all the resources you’ll need on your journey… welcome!
Do what you love and find inspiration everywhere. Wendy Seebohar, owner of CnK Designs, LLC, found her way back to the on-ramp – but, like many moms going back to work, ended up in a very different place from where she first started.
And, she says, she did it by staying close to what she loved. Before having kids, Wendy worked in physical therapy and exercise physiology, a field she enjoyed. But once the first of her three children (now ages 7, 5 and 3) came along, she left the work world and stayed at home for six years.
On top of her duties as a busy mom and wife, the Littleton, Colorado resident kept up her organizational skills by starting and managing a large neighborhood playgroup. She fed her creative side by diving into landscaping and interior decorating, and stayed sane (and fit) by running, which the four-time marathon finisher describes as her “meditation and thinking time.”
“I really valued the time I spent at home with my kids,” says Wendy. Besides the obvious rewards, she says that taking time off gave her a chance to step back and re-evaluate, explore new ideas and learn. “It really set me on the path to what I’m doing now as a jewelry designer. I couldn’t have done all that while working full-time.”
With her kids getting older and starting school, Wendy’s thoughts began to turn toward the ideas percolating in her head. She still remembers her “light-bulb” moment of inspiration – upon opening her very first Robert Redford Sundance jewelry catalog, she says she was struck by how the independent, relaxed and Western-influenced aesthetic appealed to her creatively.
It was then she knew she wanted to start a jewelry-making business on her own terms. Wendy spent a good deal of time considering how starting a business would impact her family – both good and bad. She wondered if she could juggle it all, and if it were doable financially.
With enthusiastic support from family, friends and her husband Bob, Wendy then began a series of next steps, although admittedly without a super-structured plan in mind.
“Maybe it wasn’t the best approach for starting a business,” she says. “But at least I didn’t get so bogged down in research that I was afraid to start. I learned as I went along, and just focused on filling in the gaps in my knowledge.”
Here is some solid advice from Wendy’s own experience:
- Learn from those you know. Wendy got started by learning new silversmithing techniques from family members and other sources, then used those skills to design and handcraft unique necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
- Read and use existing resources. When she had a business-related question, she checked books out of the library, scoured the Internet, and talked to her mentors. Although she did use tools such as the ones offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Wendy says she learned the most from her initial attempt at selling her designs online through Etsy, an online store for independent artisans and craftspeople who want to sell their handmade items. She took advantage of many of the learning opportunities offered by the Etsy community, which include forums, teams (members united by craft, location or interest), articles, online workshops and classes.
- Get support. Wendy says, “surround yourself with supportive and encouraging people. Be confident and do something you are passionate about. Find a mentor – his or her experience and knowledge can be invaluable.”
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