Spotlight on Mom: Naama Bloom of HelloFlo, a Monthly Tampon and Pad Mail Subscription Service

Last month, I shared a review on a monthly tampon and pad subscription service called HelloFlo, which is run by a mom entrepreneur.  If you missed my review, click here to read it now -- http://www.inspiredbysavannah.com/2013/05/sign-up-for-helloflo-and-never-run-out.html.

Since trying out the HelloFlo service myself and sharing a review with you, I had the opportunity to learn more about the mom behind this amazing subscriptions service, Naama Bloom.  She graciously took the time to answer my Spotlight Mom questions, and I am excited to share her responses with you today.  

Keep an eye out on Naama's HelloFlo site, as she will be soon be a launching a Period Starter Kit, which I know moms of tweens beginning to menstruate will want to have on hand.  In the meantime, please enjoy my Spotlight on Mom interview with Naama Bloom of HelloFlo.

 

Name: Naama Bloom

Company Name/Product/Service: HelloFlo - tampon and pad subscription. Plus Period Starter Kit launching soon.

Company Location: Brooklyn, NY

Company Website: www.helloflo.com

Facebook URL: facebook.com/gohelloflo

Twitter Handle: @helloflo

Age of Company: 1 year

Favorite Inspirational Quotes: It's not inspirational, per se, but I have a favorite poem about being a parent I would like to share:
 

A Little Tooth by Thomas Lux
Your baby grows a tooth, then two, and four, and five,  then she wants some meat directly from the bone.  It's all over: she'll learn some words,  she'll fall in love with cretins, dolts, a sweet talker on his way to jail.  And you, your wife, get old, flyblown, and rue nothing.  You did, you loved, your feet are sore.  It's dusk.  Your daughter's tall.

Favorite Book: The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

Tell us a little bit about yourself.  How many children do you have?  What are their ages? Your hobbies? Etc.

Two children. A 2 year old boy, Micah and a 4 year old girl, Orly. I really enjoy cooking, not baking - I'm terrible about that because it's so rigid - but cooking is such a calming activity for me. I know it sounds crazy but nothing is more therapeutic than chopping vegetables. I used to be a runner and would like to bring that back into my life but I'm struggling to make that happen.

Briefly explain your business.  How did it come about?

The goal of HelloFlo is to make girls and women stop hating their periods. I know many girls and women don't like buying products for their periods - especially if they are at work or school and surprised by it and I thought about what I could do to make it easier. After I started talking about it I learned that the tween years are very challenging for parents and many don't feel like they can educate their daughters about their bodies in the way they'd like. I realized that a Starter Kit would be a perfect gift to get the conversation going and create an open environment at home.

What is a typical work day like?

One day each week I use for packing boxes. This takes up more time and space than I'd like. But, other than that day, I ship boxes, respond to emails, work on content and try to get some press for my business. I'm also constantly thinking about what I can do to improve my website.

What has been a struggle while starting up your company? 

It is expensive to go without my salary and to invest in the business. I've always been a real earner so I am constantly worried that rather than saving money for my kids, I'm depleting our resources.

What did you do in your past work life?

I worked at American Express for 9 years doing Marketing. I also ran marketing for a small software company based in NYC.

What have been some of your major successes?

When I launched, I got a tremendous amount of press and people were really talking about my business. I felt like I had hit a nerve with my business and my branding. But, as sappy as this sounds, the biggest marker of success for me is when I get an email from a customer telling me that they no longer dread their period because they like getting my box. It makes me feel like I'm on the right track.

What have been some of your major challenges?

I need more customers. It's very hard to grow your business if you don't have a lot of money to sink into marketing. So I get very frustrated. I used to work with really big budgets and I just think about how much I could do for my business if I had just a fraction of those budgets.

On those impossible days, what motivates you to keep going?

Sometimes I don't feel motivated to keep going. In fact, I often think about how much easier it would be to just get a job again. But I have friends and family that are very supportive of what I'm trying to do. And I have faith that this is the right thing to do.

What is your balancing secret in managing a business and family?

Figure out what your non-negotiables are - what you're willing to give up and what would break your heart. Then give up the things you can and hold the others dearly. Maybe for you it's a yoga class or cooking a home cooked meal each night. Whatever it is, hold onto it and then letting go of the other stuff won't seem so bad.

What is next for your business?

The Period Starter Kit for tweens. I'm so excited about this. It's going to be amazing. Great content for families to use to spark conversations and cool gifts for the girls so that their transition is simpler. 

Do you have any advice for other mom entrepreneurs that are starting out and struggling, or are on the fence about starting a business?

Find a friend who is going though it too and meet with them weekly or every other week to work out business problems and/or support each other. Your husband is great but you need someone outside your marriage for this.