If you’re a mom looking for opportunities to work from home, or if you already have an existing business and would like to list it in a one-of-a-kind directory, continue reading to learn more about Our Milk Money. Created with an idea by two moms, Our Milk Money is a unique directory of self-employed parents who offer products and services in local communities all across the nation. In an interview with Our Milk Money founder, Ally Loprete, she discusses how the concept came about, and how parents who own small businesses can get benefit and get involved.
Mommy Reporter (MR): How did you come up with the idea for Our Milk Money.com??
Ally: I was a working parent and hated it. I didn’t like the daycare my son was in and the number of hours I spent in the car with him during the commute. I wanted to come home desperately but could not find the right opportunity to leave my job, and we did not believe that we would be able to survive without my income. During a strange turn of events, I was laid off, and was able to collect some severance. While at home, my son started to flourish and I realized I never wanted to leave him again.
I started searching for parents who sold the everyday products and services that I was spending my money on anyway, but this wasn’t easy. I spent hours searching on the internet for parent-owned businesses, but never found what I was looking for. I couldn’t believe that there was nothing out there to aid me in my search. I told my friend Kelli Shand about my frustration and how I thought there should be a directory that lists only parents who are working from home. Kelli loved that idea and urged me to create it myself. I had never run my own business before and didn’t want to attempt it alone. Because I saw Kelli’s passion in the idea, I knew she’d make the perfect partner. So I asked and she agreed.
MR: What makes Our Milk Money different from other directories?
Ally: The first and most obvious difference is that we have a very strict membership criteria. We will only list small businesses that are owned by parents, but we are open to the public for searching and shopping. Our Milk Money was created to make a meaningful difference in communities across the country by supporting parents who have opted for self-employment as a way to provide for their children. This new approach to earning revenue, as a means of supporting one’s family, has become a terrific alternative for many moms and dads. The members of our organization are some of the most heroic and spirited people we’ve had the pleasure of knowing, and they should be commended for their courageous efforts to provide for their families.
MR: How did you come up with the name “Our Milk Money?”
Ally: Once we had come up with the concept, we knew we had to come up with something that encompassed our mission to support families and our mission to help parents create more revenue when choosing to stay home with their children. My business partner and I were over at her house brainstorming on the name when we heard screaming coming from the next room where our kids were playing. We found her youngest covered in chocolate milk. My 2 year old son had poured it all over him! We had a good laugh and actually felt that this might have happened for a reason: to help us come up with the perfect name. We knew instantly that we were going to be called Our Milk Money.
MR: What is the most challenging part of running Our Milk Money?
Ally: Kelli and I both wear many hats. Running our own business we are in charge of everything. Between the two of us, we are the Chief Executive Officers, the finance department, business and legal affairs, the online team, customer service, membership coordinators, community outreach, advertising, public relations, and a million more things that don’t fit into any categories. We are both full time stay-at-home moms. Between the 2 of us, we have 5 boys all under the age of 6, and that includes 2 infants born this year.
MR: What advice would you give to moms who want to start their own business or to become self-employed?
Ally: OurMilkMoney.com provides many resources for parents looking to make the transition. We start by encouraging parents to look at the skills and expertise that they have already achieved working for someone else.
Chances are they should be able to offer those same services to the community out of their own home. Next, it’s important to see that by leaving the work force, you will be cutting down on costs such as daycare, business attire, dry-cleaning and gas. For most families, this is all it takes for it to become possible. Finally, most people don’t realize how inexpensive it is to start a small one-person business. Thanks to the internet, resources are much easier to find than ever before, and most of the time they can be found for little to no charge. It’s a fantastic shift in possibilities for this generation of parents.
MR: What types of resources does Our Milk Money offer to parents who are interested in self-employment?
Ally: The main resource is the ability to list your business to your community for only $25 a year. Promotion is key, and all of our members are given extra opportunities to get exposure through blogging, writing member articles, spotlight interviews and more. We have a resource page for those that need the education on getting started, a classifieds section for bartering, and a forum for networking. We are always adding new features to the membership. We want everyone to be successful.
MR: Anything else you want moms to know about Our Milk Money?
Ally: We believe that OurMilkMoney.com is a solution for families across the country to regain control of all that feels misplaced in the last few decades. This concept has allowed us to adequately embrace our family values and our entrepreneurial spirit. We are contributing to a vibrant change in the choices we make as consumers and we appreciate the VALUE of what we are purchasing. We believe this may be the solution to rebuilding the economy and bringing back good old fashioned customer service. Every little thing we spend our money on from shampoo to greeting cards–somewhere it is being offered by a parent–and by giving them your business, you are helping to support a family.
Visit Our Milk Money to learn more.
