you could be baking million dollar cookies

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Aug 15 5:56 AM posted by Team Ricki

With school getting started around the country, more moms are wondering, "What now?" Friend of Ricki Sandy Abrams has some ideas that could occupy your time and potentially fill up your wallet.

Are you the one that everyone calls to make those amazing homemade cookies? Do you create flower arrangements that look like they belong in a magazine? Are you the one responsible for that hugely successful fundraiser at your kid’s school? If you answered yes to any of these, or you find yourself serving as the go-to resource for that one special thing, you should consider building on that reputation as the “specialist” within your circle of friends and neighbors. Maybe it's time you set up shop and turn your idea into cash flow.

Kimmy Cavallo was obsessed with mixing fragrant oils to create her own perfumes and was constantly asked by friends, family and even some moms at school about her signature scent. Soon after that, she began to make scents for others, leading to her own business called Kimmy Makes Scents. She tied her passion into the hottest trend in 2009 when the first Twilight movie was released, by marketing a Twilight inspired scent and selling it at the Twilight Convention in San Francisco that year. That allowed her to expand the line, selling online and in boutiques. This year, Kimmy created three custom scents developed for The Pussycat Dolls, sold exclusively in Las Vegas. 

The idea of “piggybacking” on a hot new trend as Kimmy Cavallo did with Twilight has garnered huge success for other businesses as well. One well known, yet extreme, example is Jibbitz.  Sherry Schmelzer, a Colorado homemaker, decided to make charms to differentiate her kids’ Crocs shoes in 2005. These charms became all the rage locally, so the Schmelzers created a website, garnering attention from consumers and the Crocs company, who bought her Jibbitz idea for over $10 million dollars.

With technology allowing us extensive reach online at virtually no cost at all, it makes it very easy to give it a shot by simply promoting your product or service online through a social media platform like Facebook. Mandie Miller and Jenny Robertson are self proclaimed “Facebook Mompreneurs” who have found biz success online through word of mouth referrals on Facebook (full story here). While you may not be a baker or a photographer, there's a good chance you have "that thing" and don't even know it. Think about it: After years of designing the newsletter for your school or team, are people requesting your graphic design talents for other projects? Are you always organizing everyone's homes or desks just because you love doing it? Is your kids' back pack the envy of other students because you customized it yourself?

How do you start? Simply continue doing what you love! But next time a woman on the street compliments that fun diaper bag you made, tell her that you can make it for her too! Make a sale from every compliment. Word of mouth is the key to launching businesses like this everyday.

If people love "that thing" you do as much as you love creating it,  maybe it's time to reap the rewards from your reputation of being the best.



What's your "thing"? If you know what it is without a doubt… you may have just started your own business! Tell us in the comments.