When someone starts a business, it becomes a part of their life. They eat, sleep and breathe their business-in a way, it’s their baby. From idea to moneymaker, it’s all they can talk about.
But how do you juggle turning a passion into a job when you have a family? Stay-at-home moms who make raising their family a priority definitely don’t have it easy. So Jamie Rehm and Charlotte White, two mothers and wives who have passions of their own, decided to hold events to bond women together who also own their own businesses. They’ve created a friendly, helpful, professional group of mothers just like them where everyone can share their craft, their business secrets and their appreciation of one another.
This is the fourth year the group has hosted the open house on Signal Mountain. On a rainy, cold December morning, cars of shoppers lined the street in front of Jamie’s home. Inside, a warm, inviting setting allowed people to browse, talk and shop. Jewelry, floral arrangements, yoga accessories, custom menswear and repurposed metal pieces were just a selection of what was offered that day. The open house also shows how a diverse group of women with varying passions and interests can support each other, learn from one another and celebrate their success with friends and fans. The open house atmosphere allows them not only to do business but to connect with others just like them, Jamie says.
Jamie originally lived in Texas, but moved to Chattanooga when her husband relocated to be a plastic surgeon here. As shoppers darted in and out, admiring the fare or stopping into another room to get their hair curled, makeup done and to try out some laser therapy, Jamie explained she wasn’t always in the floral business. She knew she wanted to do something with her passion for flowers, so she started doing events for friends. That evolved into doing arrangements, and then she began a small business out of her home studio. “It was just what I could do. My family comes first and this was really a passionate hobby of mine that turned into this business,” she says.
Charlotte, who has a fulltime job, bakes and cooks goodies for people (in fact her brittle disappeared before shopper’s eyes during the open house). She’s also selling unique accessories. “Doing this on the side gives me a creative outlet, and it helps me. It gives me another way to help my family,” Charlotte says. “And this is a great group of intelligent women. It’s fun to be a part of this every year and get together.”
That’s exactly the point, these savvy businesswomen say. In the hustle and bustle of life, you be all you want to be. Mother, wife, friend and businesswoman can all coexist. “I feel like we’re just all in the same boat,” Jamie says. “We’re very fortunate in that we can relate to one another and support one another. Our families come first, and our businesses come second-no matter what the scale.”
Jewelry designer Jonesy Wood started making pieces to give her something to do at home with her two small children. But a hobby that turned into a passion was perfect for her. Now her Jonesy Wood Designs, gold and silver jewelry featuring semi-precious stones, can be found at N2 Shoes in the North Shore.
She participates in the open house every year, looking forward to meeting new people and learning from other women who have been in her shoes before. “I feel like this is an empowering event, for all of us to be here together and support each other,” Jonesy says. “It’s more than working, it’s bonding.”
New to the open house is Cheryl Roberson. One day she found a lamp in Anthropologie that she liked but wasn’t willing to shell out the money to buy. After some YouTube watching and experimenting, she was able to recreate the lamp in her vision. Soon after, she became an at-home electrician. Her creations became a hit with her friends, so she started scouting for other pieces, refurbishing them into chic, industrial lamps. Now she has a creative business named Altered. “I really do rely on this business for extra money and sometimes it pays the bills,” Cheryl says. “I love it! It’s creative, and I get to send these pieces all over the country.”
In the next room, colorful dots of enlightenment lined the table in front of Margaret Smith and Carrie Fowler. Their business, My Mat, My Mantra, features yoga mats, stickers, magnets, you name it, printed with words of encouragement. “It’s scary to take a hobby or an idea that you are passionate about and turn it into something more,” Carrie says. “It’s great to get some advice from people like Wendy Lupas. I mean, to sit here and get to know each other and learn is amazing!”
Wendy Lupas, one half of the sister pair who helms Gracewear Collection, recently relocated to Chattanooga. She met Jamie through their children, both Baylor students, and found a spot at this year’s open house. Her jewelry line that stands to empower women and encourage them to take up the armor of Christ benefits the Women in Crisis Centers. It can be found in hundreds of stores, and that makes her a little different from some of the women with much smaller businesses. But even the seasoned businesswoman has something to learn.
“This is such an inspirational thing. It’s amazing to meet so many women, so many moms! It’s powerful to see them here, and it is great for me,” Wendy says. “And with all of us, family is first. Always. And it’s great to get to know people in this setting. It puts a perspective to it.”