Lessons Learned

2011 is a year that will stand out in my mind as a year of major change and growth.  Some of it is really so unbelievable that I keep finding myself looking back in awe of how life unfolds.  Through the highs and the lows, I've learned so much about myself and life in general that I know I can never go back.

I've always been a hard worker (credit to my parents) who grew up thinking that if I worked really, really hard, I can make things happen.  And to a huge degree, I believe this works.  It's worked for me in terms of my business/career.  But I've also come to believe there are no coincidences and that sometimes, no matter how hard you work, if it's not in the cards, it's just not in the cards. And that in itself happens for a reason. We've endured four layoffs/pay cuts since 2003.  Obviously, that's a lot of stress on a marriage and on a family.  It's so hard to put into words the kind of fear you feel when you're faced with worrying about paying for food/heat/housing. Unless you've lived through it, it's very difficult to grasp.  You're thrown into a panic state-of-mind which doesn't allow you to really trust that it's all playing out the way it's supposed to and that there's a bigger plan in place.  It took a lot of work for me to balance my "go-getter, make-it-happen, work hard, OMG we're gonna have to live in my parents basement if things don't change!"mode that I'm used to operating in with my more faith-based, intuitive side that was screaming at me to trust without proof.   This year has been all about that balance and releasing the fear.  Turns out, I'm equal parts analytical and intuitive.  Only now, I let the intuitive side call the shots more.

In 2011, we endured losses on all fronts.  Jobs. Friends. Loved Ones.  It was so difficult, and still is to some degree, to understand why giving all that you have at a particular moment isn't enough.  On a cognitive level, I may never really be able to wrap my brain around it.  But in my heart and spirit, I know that what is meant to be will be. Even if it doesn't make sense and is terribly painful at the time.  I'm learning to release old wounds, pains, and fears but at the same time, be thankful I endured them. We've been lucky to have found wonderful friends over the years, even those with whom we no longer communicate.  Those friendships shaped us and made us who we are today. 

In 2011, we also received so many gifts in the form of amazing family support, friendships we cherish, "gifts" that virtually came out of nowhere, a deeper understanding of what it means to have faith, and more time with our precious, amazing kids.  I don't want to leave out the other brave children that have taught me so much about life and courage.  One in particular, by the name of Amber, will always have a place in my heart.  While I know she believes I helped her immensely, I want her to know it is really the other way around.

While I know 2012 will bring more challenges on a global level; more than we've seen in years. I know I'm in a better place to handle whatever our little pocket of the world endures. Turns out for me, balance is truly the key.  But not the kind of balance most moms talk about when juggling work and kids.  The kind of balance that forces you to listen more carefully to your intuition and know that whatever happens, it will all be OK.
  
**I'm going to take a bit of time off starting this Friday to spend the holidays with my family.  Unless there's a "wood emergency," I promise to get back to an email or phone call after the New Year.  Of course, orders will still be taken and customer service questions/issues answered right away. :)** 

Overload

Mom Of The Year FORGOT to attend a school function on Friday for Grace.  Every year, her elementary school has an All School Picnic where parents can come for lunch and hang out on the lawn with their kids.  I've managed to make every one of them since 2006 but this year was different.  I just plain forgot.  I even had it scheduled in my Blackberry to remind me but the damn device must also feel like it's on overload because it locked up prior to noon and rebooted itself long after the event was over, when the buzzer for "All School Picnic" rang out loud and clear.  My heart sank picturing Grace at school sobbing because neither parent showed up when we made it clear one of us would be there.  Turns out, she was tear-less (until she saw me after school, of course), happy, and running around with friends.  Oh, and sometime before the end of the one-hour picnic, she had enough time to make a Christmas card that said, "You Ditched Me."  I couldn't have written it better myself.  All I could say was, "I'm so sorry.  I screwed up."  I, of course, felt horrible that I unintentionally ditched my third grader but I have to say, it did make me think about this overload mode I'm spending more and more time in.

As you know from a previous post, I'm homeschooling my 7th grader until the end of this school year due to unforeseen circumstances.  In all honesty, it's something I NEVER saw myself doing but it's going pretty well so far and knowing that we both understand it's just until the end of May, we make it work.  Then in between all of that, I'm managing all aspects of Mod Mom Furniture which includes marketing, invoicing, order intake, operations, growth, international distribution, taxes, some finishing of toy boxes, and all the media stuff.  Holy cow, keeping up social media alone is a full-time job.   And now you see why even my Blackberry said, "screw it - it's too much."

Every year since 2007, I work my tail off through Christmas, barely taking a day off even though the kids are off school. I'm not saying this to sound all "higher than thou."  It's just a fact that if you run your own business, you have to do it all. And last year,  I had to do all of the production as well.  This year will be different.  I'm learning that I can't control the economy or how quickly Mod Mom Furniture grows in light of the economy so I'm giving up control.  Letting the universe take over in that department.  And I'm letting go of the pressure to make all the right moves.  Clearly, I'm messing up left and right anyhow (i.e., you ditched me) so I'm embracing that and learning from it.

The State of Overload is a crappy place to live. I'm vowing that as soon as my kids are officially off school, so am I.  I've never done that in all my years of working. I'm going to service the immediate needs of my company but first and foremost, I'm going to do fun stuff with my family, bake cookies, watch movies, spend time with friends, and in general, just let it all go. I'm ditching the little voice that says, "But you have to keep going to get ahead or everything will fall apart. People are counting on you."

This morning, as Grace was walking out the door to school with Scott, she called out to me "Don't forget this (pointing to herself) today after school." "I won't, hon," I shot back. Partially because I'm moving out of overload and partially because I've set three very loud alarms to remind me to pick her up at 2:55pm. 

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.
~ Elbert Hubbard

Things that run, reveal, inspire by Hayley Strandberg

Things that run, reveal, and inspire

By Hayley Strandberg @ www.chalkboardsandsandcastles.wordpress.com

One of the things I like most about running is that it doesn’t require a lot of things.  All you really need is a pair of running shoes. It is the best sport for minimalists.

Once you start running regularly, however, it’s easy to get caught up in the stuff, and once you start training for a marathon, it’s even easier to start buying extras – fancy watches, socks, bras, etc. I’ve certainly made my share of unnecessary trips to local sporting goods stores.

When I was getting suited up to run the ING NYC marathon earlier this month, I made the bold decision to leave the deluxe water belt that I had trained with at home. I had started to feel that the belt was weighing me down. At first, I loved the belt because it stayed secure just above my hips and made me feel like a serious runner. But a month before the race, I found myself fidgeting with the belt a lot, wanting to take it off but anxious to lose easy access to water. Though it had been giving me problems, the belt was a kind of security blanket that I didn’t want to let go of.

In a pair of sunglasses, running shoes and a Mod Mom Furniture t-shirt I ran the best race of my life, finishing the 26.2 in 3:57. I didn’t need the belt at all and received all of the water and Gatorade I needed from the thousands of volunteers and spectators that came out to support and help. I received even more than I imagined from smiling Brooklyn five-year-olds and affectionate Manhattan canines.

“Go Hayley, Go Traci!” the crowds cheered directly to me and my friend, who wisely decided we should put our names on our shirts. The first 13 miles didn’t even feel like a marathon, we discussed after. The energy of the spectators seemed to magically propel us toward the finish (at least for a while - at mile 25 we breathlessly watched Mario Lopez blow past us). I had never felt so close to strangers or so much part of a city as I did that day.

In the photo above, Traci and I proudly sport our finisher’s medals. For the next day, I was reluctant to take the medal off. I had worked so hard, and it made my achievement concrete. I also love that it’s something that connects Traci and I with the 48,000 runners that raced that day.

I’m not sure where the medal is now. But a few weeks after the race, my finish still feels sweet. I took off the medal and have spent the past few weeks living a life that feels strange and unfamiliar because I’m no longer training for a big race. But it also feels nice, light and full of possibility.

Since the marathon, I’ve gone to a few concerts, tried new restaurants and recipes, and got caught up with The Good Wife. I’ve been dreaming of getting a dog and learning how to play the guitar. I started writing a novel. Last Sunday, I sat down with a Sunday New York Times for two hours.

Sometimes, opening up new possibilities means making space – moving things around, leaving things at home, and putting things away.

Other times, opening up new possibilities means creating space — bringing things together, making things at home, and putting on a tool belt.

Kiersten Parsons Hathcock, Los Angeles-based owner of Mod Mom Furniture, constructs possibility for a living. Her beautiful, contemporary toy boxes invite wonder. They are playful, functional, sophisticated and innovative.

A self-taught designer and carpenter, Kiersten created a thriving business from her garage. With fierce determination and inspiring imagination, she’s carved out a life and a product that are, quite literally, full of possibility. In New York, I proudly wore a MMF shirt across the finish line and am convinced its Mod Mom magic helped me dig deep into my potential to get there.

I’ve been reading a lot of minimalist blogs recently that have made me skeptical of the things that surround me. “You don’t need things” the bloggers say.

It’s true – there are few things in life that we really need and it can be liberating to get rid of things we don’t need. But like Kiersten’s furniture, things are beautiful products of the human hand and spirit.  Literature’s most famous castaway Robinson Crusoe naturally took to making things. It was making pottery that helped Crusoe survive in solitude for 28 years; there’s something primal about the creating things.

Things, in turn, seem to reveal something essential about us. Perhaps the things that create the most problems are those that don’t seem reveal something about us, those things that have become estranged from those who have created them or those who most need them.

I’ve put my running shoes away for a few weeks, but they will come out of the closet soon. My feet are starting to wonder where they will run next.


*****  Read more from Hayley at http://chalkboardsandsandcastles.wordpress.com/ *****

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NYC Marathon AND Twilight AND Baby Bot's Me Wee Tree, Oh My!!

So much of life is a mystery but there are three things of which I'm sure:  I will always be in awe of my sister's amazing athletic ability and mental toughness, Edward Cullen is the hottest, sparkle-y teen vampire EVER, and Baby Bot in Canada is headed up by two of the most creative people I've ever met.

My sister, Traci McMullen, and Hayley Strandberg, before the NYC Marathon!  Traci printed these AWESOME t-shirts (and one for me, too, so I can wear it when I eat Cheetos on the couch). They ran an insanely fast time of 3:57:46!  I'm so proud of both of them!!

Um...how can you not think he's cute.  Here we are when he used to work for me as an assistant in 2009. We were discussing the rising cost of lumber.  For more of me and my asssistant, go to
http://modmomfurniture.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-get-by-with-little-help-from-my.htm

The creative geniuses (Renee and Michael) over at www.babybot.com put together this KILLER app for iPhone, iPad, and Android!  You can win amazing prizes from top notch modern baby brands like Oeuf, Wean Green, Bugaboo, Dwell Studio and Mod Mom!

Hurry!!  Go to http://www.babybot.com/meweetree and plant a tree!!  OR if you're too excited to even read about how it works, go straight to...

App on APPLE;
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/me-wee-tree/id477411825?mt=8

App on ANDROID:
 https://market.android.com/details?id=com.babybot.meweetree

Can you find the Mod Mom Owyn Toy Box??

A Big THANK YOU to Veterans and Service Men and Women - Veteran's Day 2011

Happy Veteran's Day! And a big thank you to veterans, soldiers, and all those amazing military families who miss their loved ones on a daily basis.

I've been thinking a lot about my family members who served today and wanted to honor them in some small way . My mom was kind enough to share some of what she knows about my grandparents so I've included it below. Thanks Mom!

(Juanita Pennington, 1945)

My grandmother, Juanita Pennington was member of the WAVES (Women's Navy) and worked in D.C. during WWII. (Photo above was taken in D.C.) One of her jobs was to decode Japanese messages. She was put on a train with other WAVES. Juanita had no idea where she was going or where she ended up due to the black-out curtains hanging in the train windows. She got off the train at a secret location and worked on the messages. The women would be brought back to their bases the next day.

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My grandfather, Lawrence Pennington was a paratrooper during WWII. He was in Africa fighting Rommel (German) as well as parachuting into Europe where he was one of the first paratroopers to drop over the Ziegfreid line when Americans invaded Europe. Most of the men were killed as they parachuted, but he landed safely and hid under a snow-covered tree. He was discovered and held as a prisoner for nine months. The Russian army liberated him and when he came back home to the US he was sent to the Biltmore House Estate in North Carolina to recuperate due to his poor health.

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(Clifford Parsons with my dad, Barry Parsons)

My grandpa, Clifford Parsons, was in the Army Engineers division who was responsible for building the roads and bridges before the rest of the troops advanced. He fought in Europe and was ordered to invade Normandy. A week before the invasion, his units' orders were changed or he would have been one of the first men there.
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(Charles Hathcock)

Scott's grandfather, Charles Hathcock, also served during WWII. Charles came from a family of six siblings; he was the youngest of four brothers. At one point during WWII, all of the Hathcock brothers were serving in the war. Charles was recruited much later in the war and served in Austria Germany in two main roles. His first role was as a Military Police(MP) officer watching over German war prisoners. His second role gave him the opportunity to explore the German countryside as part of the communications reconstruction team. Charles helped hang telephone lines and open back up communications between German villages. He never had to fire a single shot in either role but instead left the war with an appreciation for the German Austrian people and their countryside.

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My grandpa, Calvin Deeter, served in the Navy aboard the The USS Conklin DE439. There's a wonderful website dedicated to those who served on the Conklin: http://www.ussconklin.org/index.htm.

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Red Tricycle held a contest...and Mod Mom Furniture WON!!

Huge thanks to everyone who voted!

Want to build your portfolio and learn the ropes of running a design business?

Are you studying design and need real life experience? 
Mod Mom Furniture wants you!

Mod Mom Furniture is looking for an unpaid intern, roughly 10+ hours per week starting immediately.  You'll get hands on experience with both the design side of the company as well as the operations side.  Learn what it takes to run a design firm and build your portfolio!
  
Design intern duties include but are not limited to:
- Assist Design in the conception and execution of new collections
- Assist in daily communication between manufacturer, retailers, press, clients and vendors
- Research necessary materials through local vendors and retailers
- If you have Sketch Up and/or CAD skills, put them to good use while helping design items that can be used in your portfolio.


Ideal Candidate should have:
-Knowledge of basic design principles
-Knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint and Word
-A very professional demeanor

Internship is located in Los Angeles.  Schedule is flexible. 

If interested, please contact Kiersten at Kiersten@modmomfurniture.com.

Brookstone Retailer Taps Mod Mom Furniture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  KIERSTEN HATHCOCK

818-399-1172

publicrelations@modmomfurniture.com

Brookstone Retailer Taps Mod Mom Furniture

(Los Angeles, CA., October 28, 2011)  Mod Mom Furniture recently announced a new partnership with the upscale chain specialty retailer, Brookstone, to feature its line of mid-century modern toy boxes via Brookstone’s internet-based catalog. This marks the first time Mod Mom’s children’s collection has been offered by a mass retailer in an e-commerce venue.

Brookstone, typically known for their high-end electronic products, chose Mod Mom Furniture because of its innovative features and design.  Each box—the Owyn, Gracie, Noah, Maude and Bertie, are intuitively designed for aesthetics, eco-durability and child-friendliness. According to Pauline Collins, Brookstone’s public relations manager, “Brookstone is known for clever ideas and cool products”, adding, “Mod Mom Furniture is both modern and traditional.”

Kiersten Hathcock, Mod Mom’s founder and designer is optimistic about the opportunity to introduce her children’s furniture to a larger audience, stating, “We are thrilled to be recognized by Brookstone as part of their family of high-end products and lifestyle solutions.” Samples of the toy boxes may be viewed by visiting Brookstone’s website: www.Brookstone.com.

Mod Mom Furniture was born in a Los Angeles garage in 2007, the product of designer-turned-carpenter Kiersten Hathcock.  Her unique, eco-friendly, child-proven toy boxes

have been sold throughout the United States, Canada and abroad.  Hathcock’s storage pieces have been featured in Dwell Magazine, Elle Décor, Los Angeles Times and Better Homes and Gardens as well as in episodes of ABC’s Shark Tank and the Nate Berkus Show.  For more information visit modmomfurniture.com.

The Mod Mom Furniture Adventure Ride!

I'm not even sure where to start this post.  Or if I even remember how to write one, it's been so long.  This past year has been a huge year of change for my family and my business.  HUGE change, I tell ya. We've endured so many peaks and valleys it really does feel like one of those adventure rides at the amusement park.  I don't normally throw up on those because I like the up and down but there have been more than a few times over the last year, I've wanted to throw up from both excitement and heartache.

The amount of change in the world is astonishing right now and in a very small way, we have the same kinds of change happening inside the walls of this house.  Now that I'm not building anymore, I'm pretty much glued to my broken Ikea swivel chair.  It's fantastic to have L&J Woodworking building for me now but there will always be a big part of me that loved the solitude of the garage.  The smell of cut wood.  And Toby Keith on a small radio.  I know I can steal moments of that while I'm designing new pieces out of scrap wood but for the most part, my job consists of sales and marketing, invoicing, accounting, forecasting, inventory control, customer service, and updating all the social media outlets.  I'm becoming an expert on international shipping, LTL Common Carrier rates, package research, Fed Ex tracking, and, well, you get the idea.  I am NOT bitching in the least but sharing the reality of growing a small garage business into an international brand.  It's a lot less saw dust and a lot more number crunching.  And far more work than what was required when I was building three toy boxes per week.  

Like a lot of families who've endured layoffs and salary cuts, we had to make the hard choice to pull our son Noah from his alternative learning school.   We just couldn't swing the payments and money for gas any longer (school was, on a good day, 30 minutes from our house).  He was in public school prior to his year last year at Alexandria but, for Noah, public middle school just wasn't a fit.  Noah and I are tackling online school together now which means I'm running a growing company and homeschooling at the same time.  We're both getting used to our roles but I won't lie and say there aren't days when I long for my old corporate office in Chicago where the coffee was made and I had a door that would shut.  And I know there are days he wishes I wasn't his teacher. There's a lot of, "Hon, do you understand the algebraic principle of blah blah blah? Kinda? OK, do these pages and I'll come back over in 20 after I call this distributor in Canada from the kitchen table."  I've never done so much multitasking in my life.  I know it will get easier for both of us but MAN, I hope it happens fast.  (As I'm writing this, my sweet husband is tackling a Language Arts assignment with Noah so I can work a bit.  Love that husband of mine.)

I've taken on other roles (or rather, they picked me) as well that I won't share but roles that mean a lot to me and have helped better me as a person. It's heavy, exhausting, tear-inducing work but I'm glad I'm a part of it. With all the change in the world, I feel lucky to have the kind of change we're experiencing but it doesn't mean I don't have moments in the day when I feel I'll never get to the top of the damn hill so I can coast for a bit.

Even if things don't play out the way I think they will, I know that this ride I'm on is all happening for a reason.  And boy have I learned A LOT this year about life, love, business, and 7th grade algebra.

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For new developments and giveaways from Mod Mom, check out http://facebook.com/modmomfurniture!

Here are just a few that happened recently...
Brookstone is now selling MMF!
And if you're in Hong Kong, you can buy MMF toy boxes at Jellybean!
And a recap from the ABC Kids Expo!
And my dad building my AMAZING trade show booth!
And lots more exclamation points!!!!!!!