Left to Right: Cookie Couture / Jael & Cindy at a Cookie Couture party / Janette from Oshi Mat / Carrie & Caroline from Time To Play Baby.
baby was born, Cookie Couture. “Stay at home mothers have to be creative to bring in income,” she said. cookiecouture.com Caroline Epstein and Carrie Garramone found themselves with a small problem when their second children were born. It was difficult to participate in mommy and baby classes because of inconvenient class times and no accommodations for older children while the moms were in class with infants. Epstein and Garramone were determined to create a program that enabled mothers to give babies the benefit of classes but in the convenience of their own homes. They joined forces and developed the Time to Play Baby program. Whether a mother works full time, has other small children or wants a program for a caregiver to use, Time to Play Baby eliminates the cost and hassles of traditional Mommy and Me classes. The twosome spent several years developing the activities and video to produce the kit which includes a DVD, interactive toys and a storage box. Since its launch in 2009, the Time to Play Baby has received numerous awards including a spot on the Top 50 Mompreneurs for 2011 on babble.com. Available at Give Wink, 2570 NE Miami Gardens Drive, North Miami Beach, 877.494.WINK, timetoplaybaby.com
Perseverance is what made Janette Beraha invent the Oshi Mat. She attended a baby class with her fourmonth-old son and was frustrated by the lack of clean baby mats. After watching the other moms struggle with baby blankets to cover the floor, she made up her mind to find something that would solve the problem. Thus, she started to design a mat-like surface that would be safe and comfortable. She knew it was important to have a product that was environmentally friendly and non-toxic. She is proud to say her mat is 100% PVC and Latex free. At first it was very difficult to get manufacturers to understand her vision, “It feels like you’re never going to get it done,” she said. Thinking back on those early days when the idea was taking shape, Beraha remembers the sleepless nights with her infant son, whose nickname serves as the name of the mat – Oshi, gave her lots of time to work on her idea. “It’s like a surprise when the finished product is actually here,” she said. Beraha noted that having a business is not always easy, but it is yours. “You really do love it. It’s your other baby.” oshimat.com
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