What expecting mother hasn't had an all-knowing friend tell her to make sure to wear a postpartum belly wrap by now? Well, back in 2008, belly wraps were hardly a thought in anyone's heads, let alone one of those must-haves to pack in the hospital bag. Enter Lori Caden, a mother of two, who came up with the concept for the first-ever postpartum compression wrap, the Belly Bandit. Since then, sales of the original Belly Bandit have gone through the roof with celebs from Kourtney Kardashian to Bethenny Frankel singing its praises. The company has since introduced another popular postpartum product, the Mother Tucker.
So how does this busy mom to daughter Charlee and son Chase do it all? Lucky for us, Lori was kind enough to share some of her tips and insights into being a successful momprenuer and all the bumps along the way.
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How did you come up with the concept for your business and at what point did you decide to make it a reality?
It all started after my first pregnancy. My sisters were sick of hearing me complain about my post-baby belly. We knew there had to be a better way for women to get their body back after baby. The Belly Bandit was conceived after years of research, consultation with ob-gyns, and trial and error. By the time my second child was born, we had created our first band and knew we had a product that would revolutionize the industry.
Prior to starting my own business I never had a secure paycheck, I was always hustling! Since I was in sales it was simple—the more I sold, the more I got paid. I never put limits on that and still don’t!
How much money should someone have saved before starting their own business? It’s really tough to put a dollar figure on that as every business is different. But, mistakes are inevitable so you’ll need enough in the bank to help pick you back up when you stumble!
How long did it take for you to be profitable?
Luckily for us, Belly Bandit took off fast and was in the green only months after our launch.
Was there a moment when you wanted to give up but pushed on through anyway?
My parents instilled in me that failure and giving up aren’t options in both business and in life. That’s not to say I don’t sit at my desk and cry sometimes, but give up—never!
How do you balance your work/home life, or is there even such a thing?
Every day brings different challenges and I don’t think I’m ever completely in balance. Will I leave the office in the middle of the day to take my kids to the doctor? Of course! Will I take a business call while out with my family? Yes, I’ll do that too. I try to make it all work—but while I can’t say that my life is always in balance, I can say that it’s never dull!
What was the best advice you ever received? Worst advice?
The best advice I got actually came from a quote that I love, “A successful woman is one who can build a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at her.”
Bad advice is not worth repeating!
Since you’ve been through it, what would you tell someone starting out?
I always tell people you only need two things to start a successful business passion and perseverance. I believe that is an unbeatable combination__.__
It takes a village for any mom, but for a mom starting her own business, it must take a huge village. So who are your go-to people/services?
My sisters are not only my business partners but also my best friends, and they are always my go to source for everything! And as anybody who knows me can tell you I’m addicted to Hautelook and Gilt—online shopping is key to helping me manage my time!
What do you do to unwind and recharge?
A hike, a bike, a good massage and a staycation all work wonders for me!
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Finally, take us through a day in the life of Lori Caden.
6:45 – Wake up, make kids lunch and breakfast
7:00 – Get kids up
7:15 – Feed kids breakfast and do my quick 7-minute getting-ready regime. I shower at night, hence the low-maintenance timeframe.
7:25 – Get kids dressed and brush teeth (sometime hair if I am lucky), and apply sunscreen (this is Southern California after all!)
7:35 – Out the door
7:55 – At school
8:10 – Head to either Trader Joe's or CVS
8:20 – Swing by Coffee Bean for a 32 oz glass of the best ice in town (I only drink ice water)
8:30 – Arrive at work, make calls, take meetings, answer emails
2:25 – Kids are calling me, "When are you going to be home, Mom???" The have an hour of homework.
3:30 – Soccer practice for Charlee (thank God for a nanny with a driver's license)
4:45 – Voice lessons for Chase
5:15 – A text from my kids: "What are we doing for dinner?"
6:30 – Charlee basketball game
7:30 – Out for sushi (meet my hubby and kids for dinner)
8:30 – Shower
9:00 – Bedtime
9:40 – I leave one of their beds. I get suckered into a long goodnight with reading, and the routine Q & A, “What was your favorite thing about today?”
10:30 – I am back on the computer
11:30 – I turn on my sound machine and fall asleep (dreaming about getting up in a few hours and doing it all again)
