This is based on the number of votes received and does not reflect the quality of the business or chances of winning.The inspiration for kigo footwear came initially in 2007 when I was home with a baby and a toddler, and battling PPD. After years of working in a global public relations firm, I became a stay at home mom enjoying my kids but suffering a lack of intellectual stimulation. When the idea for kigo emerged, I agreed to work on it as a project - no pay, but something to do with my tired mommy brain.
After a couple of years of thinking about it, and playing with what it might look like, we (my two partners and I) decided to launch the company officially in 2009. Since then, kigo footwear has grown into a full time job that I am fortunate to be able to do from home. Through the use of mobile phones, laptops, an iPad and skype, I do all of my work and take most of my meetings from wherever I need to be. My kids are now at an age where they are in school most of the day, and it enables me to work hard and focused for a solid seven hours, then have the flexibility to be focused completely on them and their activities. Most nights, it means working after they go to bed, but it's a worthwhile trade-off.
Being an entrepreneur and a mom is the best way I can imagine to successfully balance all of the important pieces of my life. No one but me can decide what I do and when I do it, and it allows me to work hard, run competitively, volunteer for my kids' school, be a big part of their life, and slate time to focus on my husband. Theres's no time to waste, and no time for fluff - and little time for sleep - but the fulfillment that comes of taking sole accountability for every piece of my life is unmatched in value.
I should be considered for the Leading Moms in Business Competition because I am a mom and an entrepreneur, but not really a mompreneur. My business is not focused on women or children; rather it is focused on wellness, sustainability, fitness and style - all things that resonate with moms and hopefully would inspire others to pursue entrepreneurial goals regardless of their focus. I would also like to think that I am an example of what can be achieved by maintaining a clear focus on priorities - our company quadrupled revenues in 2010, I am class mom for one of my kids, a VP for the PTA, have an at-home date night with my husband every Friday, and am an age-group winning half marathon runner. To reach those goals, I have had to work through many of the challenges that moms (and entrepreneurs) face, and I am happy to be as transparent about the hurdles as I am about the upsides to being a mom entrepreneur.
Thank you for your consideration!
Rachelle Kuramoto, co-founder of kigo footwear
