Contestant's Case to Win

Please consider me for the Leading Moms in Business Competition.

I am a mom of a 15 year old son. Those of you with teenagers know all about the teen years... it's not easy! The "attitude", and run them here, run them there, need I say more? :)

WE TURNED OUR HOBBIES AND CRAFTS into a business.

In February of 2006 I founded Kewl Tubes, LLC. "Kewl Tubes" are the brand name of my hand knit pom pom golf club covers. I began this business because of the lack of the old "classic" knit pom pom covers on the market. I built a web site and worked hard on getting it listed with the search engines so that customers all over the world could find my web site. IT WORKED! I take orders through my web site and over the phone on a daily basis, 7 days a week. We've been processing orders for customers all over the world.

Last year I hired my mother-in-law to help out with orders because I was becoming overwhelmed. She now helps with the knitting of golf club covers. My plans are too have her and a few other WORK-AT-HOME-MOMS working for me so that I can do the other things I enjoy. Such as woodturning ONE-OF-A-KIND cremation urns and genie bottles. PLUS I like doing the marketing and advertising end of things.

My husband and I have started another division of Kewl Tubes, LLC called "Kewl Boxes". Kewl Boxes are handcrafted wooden Cremation Urns and Vessels for people and pets.
We make these on our wood lathes from logs of assorted hardwoods that we find here in Pennsylvania.

I have another web site where I sell my ONE-OF-A-KIND Genie Bottles that I make on my wood lathe. www.geniebottlesbydiane.com

I answer phones, take orders, update the web sites, place orders for yarn, do the advertising and marketing for the business, and the list goes on...

Including handling everything on the home front with my teenage son and husband... you know how it goes husbands are like kids too. :)

Why VOTE for me? Diane Gracely - founder of Kewl Tubes, LLC?

Because I am a go - getter. I do everything in my power for my businesses to continue to be successful and to grow more every year. PLUS trying to manage home and school life with my teenager. It's all alot of work. BUT what really matters is that "I LOVE what I do!"

Just to give you an idea, We filled over 1,000 orders in 2008. Most orders are for 3 or more golf club covers. That's A LOT OF KNITTING!

And now with the Cremation Urns business growing, I work in the woodshop daily too. PLUS we have to go out and cut up fallen trees locally for the wood for our products.

I work 12 - 14 hours a day, 7 days a week. My son often says to me that I do not have time for him, I am always working. This is true, but I do try to make time for him.

I won an "award" in 2008 for the Best of Golf Shops in Reading, PA from the US Local Business Association.
I received a "certificate of appreciation" in 2008 for being a guest speaker at our local college for a course they offered on "How to Start your Own Business".
I won the "Start Up Nation Home Based 100 Contest in 2007".

I love to share my story with others to help encourage them that it is possible to start a home business and be successful.

I would be honored to win this competition and to be able to share my business success story with other moms.
Thank you for considering me for the competition.