Moms on Monday :: Courtney of Bright October

It seems every time I turn around, a major toy manufacturer is issuing another recall. It's frustrating. Don't you agree? I recently discovered Bright October - a toy store featuring eco-friendly toys - they have a wonderful selection of european and wooden toys. Bright October offers a wonderful selection of quality toys designed to enhance thought process and appreciation of our beautiful planet with cleverly designed toys which are safe and natural. And shopping here is super easy peasy with a large variety of ways to search - organic toys, handmade toys, fair trade toys, free shipping toys, by age group, by brand...and more. Courtney is the mompreneur behind Bright October (named after the day she brought her daughter home - the brightest day in October).

i know a mom :: What inspired you to start Bright October?

courtney :: While I was pregnant, I was put on bedrest. I had a lot of time on my hands. As a typical first time mom, I was so nervous about everything having to do with having a baby. Most of all her safety and everything that came with that. I began looking at toys for my new baby and saw that most off of them were made of plastic and required many batteries to operate. Motherhood soon took over, but the idea lingered in my mind. After she was about a year old and countless hours of research, Bright October was born.

i know a mom :: What did you do in your past work life? How has that helped you?

courtney :: My background is in Fine Arts (Ceramics). I think that my art background has helped me visualize how I wanted our site to look. It also lent a hand in the picking of the products.

i know a mom :: What was the best advice you received when you were starting out?

courtney :: Push, Push, Push. My husband has been the biggest cheerleader. He is always telling me that we have to push to be the best.

i know a mom :: Do you have a favorite resource that you turn to?

courtney :: I use the web everyday as my main resource. Magazines are useful too. Whenever I'm in a waiting room, I always peruse their selection. Most of the time, I end up reading one I've never heard of. When I get home, I look on their website and see how they will fit with my views. I'm also in a parenting group, and listening to the other parents has been a huge resource as well.

i know a mom :: On the really challenging days, what keeps you going?

courtney :: My husband and the thought that there is always something new and exciting out there for me to discover. My daughter is the main and driving force behind this endless search for safe and exciting toys.

i know a mom :: What is next for Bright October?

courtney :: We are hoping to keep growing and expanding our product line.

---

GIVEAWAY :: Enter to win a Haba Building Blocks Cordoba set. To enter, post a comment on this post - any comment at all. Enter by Tuesday, October 21st at 10:00 pm (pst). If your contact information is not linked to your google account, don't forget to leave your contact information in your comment. (If winner does not come forward within one week, a new winner will be randomly selected.) Or you can check back on Wednesday, October 22nd to see if you won! Anonymous comments will be ignored/removed. One entry per person, please. Good luck!!

---

DISCOUNT :: 10% off your purchase until 12/21/08 - use code "iknowamom".