Moms on Monday :: Resa Troyer of Resa Design

I had the pleasure of starting out my Saturday morning by interviewing Resa Troyer of Resa Design. And, even though she was up at 5am with her baby, she was a delight to talk to! I have a feeling that if we lived close by, we would be fast friends - we even picked one of the same names for our children. I found the time inspiring and I know you will too!

Resa is the founder, owner + designer extraordinaire of Resa Design :: a fabulous online boutique featuring unique handmade changing pads, bibs, burp cloths, clothing + more. When she became a mom in 2004, she used her skill of sewing {a skill since age 5} and started making changing pads and blankets out of desperation...she could not find one that met her expectations of style {ie. without ducks + frogs} + functionality. Making her own products turned into making them for baby shower gifts. After friends urged her to start selling them + with a desire to do something outside of motherhood, it became a business. The company has continued to surpass even her own expectations as last month marked their biggest month yet!

It is quite obvious from the short amount of time we spoke that family is the ultimate priority for Resa. Working from home is "more challenging than anyone makes it sound", because the "work never leaves". She enjoys working from home because she can be her own boss. But, most importantly, being able to raise her children and not miss out on their daily life, are the benefits of a home office that outweigh the challenges. To make everything work, she tries to stick to two scheduled days "in the office" and on the other days, she works during naptimes and stealing moments here and there as she keeps her little ones busy with activities.

Resa remains hands-on with the entire business, including all of the sewing...it is one of the reasons she is able to keep costs low. With most of the orders being custom designs, she makes them herself so they ensure satisfaction. With a "5 page to-do list", she keeps busy. Recently, she has made it a priority to get together with other moms for a girls' nite out - and appreciates the opportunity to have a dinner out without having to cut someone else's food + she is active in her church community, as well.

And, what about all the competition? When Resa started 4 years ago, there was nothing on the market other than juvenile prints & changing pads that took up your whole diaper bag. While she realizes there is a lot of competition out there today, she maintains that it is better for her to grow slow + steady than full steam ahead. "It's your baby , you have to raise it the way you feel comfortable. It's a competitive market, but you just have to make sure you stay true to who you are and what you feel like you should be doing." She admits to feeling a 5-second twinge of wonder when she sees other designers with their products in the aisles of national stores. But, she takes it all in stride and has forgone the opportunity to expand the business to that level because it would mean she would have to work full time and have childcare. It is with this amazing perspective that she stays true to her purpose as a business owner + mom. And, that is why we love Resa Design!

Guess what?? While I am not guaranteeing a giveaway every Monday with our Moms on Monday feature...it's happening again! What are the goods, you may ask? Well, it is a new baby gift set from Resa Design, which includes 1 Changing Pad, 1 Custom Tee, 1 Custom Burp Cloth - there are 10 stylish prints to choose from! To enter, just post a comment to this post and let me know your favorite pattern. Happy posting!

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Giveaway Guidelines: You have until midnight PST on Thursday, March 6th to enter this giveaway. To enter, you just make a comment ON THIS POST - any comment at all! Anonymous comments will be ignored/removed. One entry per person, please. The winner will be randomly picked and announced Friday morning (the 7th).