My BFF Marci and her friend Tricia are creating the lives they  really want – for themselves and girls all over the world! Wishful Thinking Works presented their first mother-daughter workshop, which was great fun. Look forward to doing more!

DOING IT WITH MIRRORS

Local ‘mompreneurs’ bent on making young girls believe in themselves

By Lauren Sable Freiman

The little girl that Tricia Price sent off to kindergarten was confident, secure, and comfortable in her skin. But as the year went on, Price observed that her daughter’s confidence was beginning to waver.

“You tell your children how beautiful they are and how smart they are, and then they go out into the world and people tell them differently,” Price says.

That disheartening realization sparked a conversation between Price and her long-time supervisor and confidant Marci Hower — a conversation that ended with the decision to dive in together and become “mompreneurs.”

“I can’t be with my daughter all day every day, but how great would it be for her to pass her reflection in the mirror and be reminded of how wonderful she is,” Price says. “I told Marci about the idea, and we decided to start a business.”

That business is Reflect Who I Am. After several years of planning and conversation, the business officially launched in July of 2012. Reflect Who I Am sells mirror-image T-shirts for girls and women, so when they pass their reflection in the mirror, they are reminded of their value by the phrase on their shirt. Current designs include “I am beautiful,” “I am unique,” “I am fearless,” and “I am loved.” The company plans to launch four additional designs and messages before the winter holiday season.

“We had a message that we knew was important and a product that we loved,” Hower says. “This ignited the passion to get our message heard and gave us the confidence to launch the business. We did not set out to be entrepreneurs as much as wanting to encourage every young girl to love who she sees in the mirror.”

According to Price and Hower, their business venture is much more than a money-making operation, and the company is much more than a typical T-shirt company. It’s an opportunity to have a real impact on the lives of girls everywhere — an opportunity that, as mothers, they take very seriously. Last spring Reflect Who I Am hosted its first mother-daughter workshop, an afternoon designed to help girls celebrate who they are while boosting self-esteem. Because of the success of the first workshop, additional workshops are in the works. The company’s website also features a blog that is directed toward parents, group leaders, and educators, with information on how to create self esteem in young girls.

“We have a product that we hope can encourage young girls to love who they are and help boost their self-esteem,” Price says. “Our hope is that every girl loves who she sees in the mirror both inside and out. It’s not just a product but a mission.”

Attention from mommy bloggers and local media has helped the company gain exposure, and in 2013 Price and Hower hope to grow their business beyond their website and establish a presence in retail stores.

They’ve been fortunate to work with the accelerator group of Entrepreneurs Organization, an experience that has proven invaluable for the start-up.

“They have an intensive program that helps guide young companies to grow in a smart way,” Hower says. “The group gives the education, mentorship, network, and drive that young companies need to take it to the next level.”

“We have a product that we hope can encourage young girls to love who they are and help boost their self esteem.”

After many years of working for other people, Hower and Price are enjoying the newfound flexibility that comes with owning their own business. As they both have young children with busy schedules, the flexibility is imperative, as is the ability to play off each other’s strengths and skills.

“It is always about balance, and the balance always changes each and every day,” Hower says. “What works one day, doesn’t necessarily work the next day. Luckily, Tricia and I have the same family values, and we place priorities on similar things. Prioritization is a key to maintaining our balance. In the end it has to get done, we have the flexibility to determine when it gets done and in what priority. Having a partner certainly helps, because when one of us can’t get to it, the other one always seems to be available.”

For more information: reflectwhoiam.com

This article was reprinted in full from CBC, Cleveland Business Connection, a Cleveland, Ohio business magazine.