What was your proudest moment?

I think so far our proudest, and most excited moment, was winning the DailyCandy “Start Small, Go Big” Contest http://www.dailycandy.com/startsmallgobig/index.html. It was very satisfying to get some validation that all of our hard work was paying off and that Thursdays has widespread appeal.

What was the most exciting aspect of starting your own business?

The most exciting aspect is the possibly of one day being able to quit our day jobs and be our own bosses and to put all of our energy and effort into this project that we are very passionate about.

What was the best compliment you have ever received about your business or your business efforts?

Some of the greatest compliments we receive are from women who connect on some emotional level with our site. We think it’s a huge compliment when women want to tell us about their own stories about themselves and their group of friends.

How do you stay calm when your business stresses you out?

We have Thursday night dinner with our girlfriends to keep us calm! Seriously, for us cooking, being creative, and spending time with our friends is the biggest stress relief in the world.
What did your parents or friends say when you told them you wanted to start your own business/ about your business idea?

Our parents and friends have been incredibly supportive- whether it’s modeling for photos for the website, sending us recipes or craft directions after our incessant nagging or just sharing in our excitement when something good has happened for us. We can’t be more grateful to have the kind of friends and families who support us 100% but also continually challenge us to be better and to do more than we think we can.

colleen@thursdaynightdinner.org
stephania@thursdaynightdinner.org
info@thursdaynightdinner.org

You know exactly what to do to take your business to the next level. You are in a community of other like-minded, high achieving young women entrepreneurs. You feel supported, motivated, and confident that you have everything it takes to succeed. On your mark, get set, let’s play big. http://bit.ly/aClxNk

This week: What are the books that have most influenced us as business owners?

What inspired you to start your own business?

I moved to New York in 2003 to be an actress, which meant I had about 5 different jobs (waiting tables, babysitting, doing the mailing list for a boutique… the list goes on!) I gradually dwindled down my jobs and began to work with Citibabes, a NYC family club where I was one of their main music teachers. Singing songs and dancing with children definitely beat waiting tables!

After working with Citibabes for a year I wanted to go off on my own and perform for children. The only problem was that I had no idea how or what I would be doing. A friend of mine’s sister was looking for a children’s entertainer for her son’s first birthday party and she said that I should perform. I was SO intimidated by this idea. I thought, how am I supposed to entertain 15 sugar-high children by myself for 45 minutes??? I knew this was a great opportunity to start a business, so I tuned my guitar, bought some fun props and instruments, and started “Jam with Jamie!” The party was a HUGE success and from there the business kept growing. I now perform for at least three parties a week, do private playgroups, and teach music classes at Kaplan Nursery School on the Upper East Side.

What was the best compliment you have ever received about your business or your business efforts?

I entertained at a first birthday party and the parents filmed my entire performance. I was later told by the mom that her daughter watches the video over and over again and “loves to sing-a-long with Jamie!”

What is the craziest/most interesting business experience you have ever had?

It is amazing what some families will do for their children’s birthday. On one occasion I walked into a first birthday party and I could have sworn that I had been invited to a wedding reception by accident. Fifty tables dressed in white satin, caterers running hors d’oevures, and an ice sculpture of the number “1″- the whole nine yards! I wasn’t sure if I should ditch the ABC song, and instead warm up my vocal chords for a performance of “At Last!”

What is the best lesson you could give a young woman who wants to start her own business?

When you are starting your own business it is easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when it is just you orchestrating every part of the business. It is important to stay organized. First step is create a website that is clean, inviting and to the point. Once you have your website, get the word out about your business through the internet. Find out WHO would be interested in your business? I targeted all mommy and kid websites and tried to get listed on as many of these sites as possible. The internet is a very powerful tool when starting a business. 60% of my business comes from the internet and the rest is from referrals. Once you have gotten your name out there it is important to keep in touch with your clients, follow up with them through e-mail and continue to network. Lastly, always have business cards with you, you never know who you might meet, they may be interested in working with you!

Describe a moment where you might have said, “I can’t believe I am getting paid for this?”

Every day!

www.jamwithjamie.com

jamie@jamwithjamie.com

Twitter: @jamwithjamie

Pick up the phone. Write that email. Send your prospects some love, and see how many of them turn into clients.

www.samesky.com
Buy bracelets from women artisans in Rwanda and feed the movement lifting women out of poverty by giving them the tools to become entrepreneurs

http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/catalog/artisan.detail.php?artisan_id=14
Aristians from Honuras construct “firefly candles” decorated with natural materials that, when purchased, help fund a shelter for abused women and their children, a home for pregnant women, and a microlending program

www.hellorewind.com
Turning your old T-shirt into a custom laptop sleeve can provide female human trafficking survivors with employment, language skills, and vocational training

http://womenspeacecollection.com
Choose for a number of handmade gifts to purchase to support women entrepreneurialism and skill in regions of conflict and post-conflict

www.globalgirlfriend.com
Women-made, eco-friendly items that, when purchased, help women worldwide gain economic security

http://www.siwthaisilk.com/
Works with women artisans in Thailand to design and manufacture an eco-friendly line of handcrafted home and personal accessories which, when purchased, directly support and help to empower village women and their families

www.onemangotree.com
Offering clothes and accessories for sale that, in turn, provide income generating opportunities for women in
impoverished and conflict-ridden areas of the globe

www.serrv.org
450 women embroiderers in India earn income through their products sold by receiving benefits in the form of a savings plan, school scholarships for their children, and technical courses to upgrade their skills.

www.marketplaceindia.com
Handiwork from India that whose profit offers women opportunities to earn a fair wage and to have work that draws on their talents

http://store.feminist.org/afghancrafts.aspx
Pouches and pillow covers handmade by Afghan women and girls who receive 100% of the proceeds from their sales

What inspired you to start your own business?

I started my business during the recession, but little did I know that I had been grooming myself for this job for 10 years. See, I’ve been online dating since 2000. Yes, I was only 18 at the time. No one was talking about Match.com back then, but I was having  a blast on the site. As it became more socially acceptable, I started convincing my friends to date online too. After a month or two of unsuccessful eFlirting, they would always return to me virtually kicking and screaming. I’d take a look at their profiles, re-strategize their online dating techniques and soon they were meeting fantastic people. Meanwhile, I was in marketing professionally. I consulted for Fortune 500 companies … until the Madoff scandal happened. One of my biggest clients was directly affected and canceled my contract. One unemployed day – while brainstorming what hidden talents I might have – one of my friends called to tell me he was moving in with his girlfriend! The light bulb suddenly switched on; I’ve been helping people date online and transition their flirting offline for years! I developed eFlirt Expert soon thereafter on a budget of $50.

What did your parents or friends say when you told them you wanted to start your own business/about your business idea?

My family is always on my side – they are super supportive. My friends are another story though. Some people called me crazy and some called me brilliant. Now that eFlirt Expert has been successful though, all of the nay-sayers have converted!

What was your proudest moment?

Here are my top three, in no particular order:

1. Taking on my first full-time employee. While an exhilarating feeling – and one that allows me to actually sleep from time to time – it was also initially terrifying.

2. Being featured in the New York Times. Need I say more?!

3. Every time a client meets someone awesome online. It might be sappy, but the real reason I’m in this business is to help singles find love. Even if it doesn’t always blossom to full blown can’t-live-without-you feelings for the two people, it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, I’ve helped people smile … big time.

What is the craziest/most interesting business experience you have ever had?

There are so many interesting and funny experiences that naturally occur when you own a company in the dating industry. Some happen daily – like when I’m working from a coffee shop and someone comments on me perusing women’s Match.com profiles or when I take a client on a mock date and pretend to be his girlfriend. Others happen here and there, like when my assistant and I both locked our keys in my apartment/office. We had a posh event later which I was ill-dressed for. Did I mention that it was raining and my umbrella broke? With one hour to go, we went shopping to buy me a new dress and accessories, and then dashed to Sephora for hair product and makeup. By the time I stepped into that party looking polished and poised, party goers were none the wiser.

How do you stay calm when your business stresses you out?

The technique that works best for me is to take a break. When I leave my laptop behind and go see a movie or head to the beach, amazing things always happen in my absence. I love releasing stress at yoga or the gym as well, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. When I schedule “me” time in my calendar, it reminds me to breathe and prioritize. Physically deleting my favorite vinyasa yoga class in my calendar holds me accountable for my
work/life balance.

What is the best lesson you could give a young women who wants to start her own business?

You don’t need an MBA or even an associates’ degree. You just have to be driven, incredibly resourceful and great at what you do.

Speak confidently and the rest is cake.