Monday Spotlight: Colin Maguire

Who is Colin Maguire? Where are you located? How did you come up with your business name?
My husband and I named the company after our son, Colin. We put a lot of time and thought into the name, but we kept coming back to the simplicity of Colin Maguire. It's not cutesy or trendy, and we felt that it would transcend time. The tagline "designed by big kids for little kids" really conveys the message of the brand. We are located in Florida .


When and why did you decide to start your own business?
I've been selling other designers' stationery through my website, Pen & Parchment (www.penandparchment.net) for a few years now. I started that business shortly after the birth of my son and quickly shifted gears from doing local home shows to selling via the internet. I still very much enjoy selling stationery and the website is finally on the Google radar, but I've always felt this need to "create" something myself.

One day early this year, the idea of the tee shirts came to me. I really can't remember which came first, the idea for the rugged look/design of the shirts themselves or the idea of developing a partnership with a child-oriented non-profit organization. All the ideas kind of came to me at once. My husband and I immediately began an online search for the perfect partner. There is no shortage of incredible non-profit organizations out there and the internet was a great place to start looking. We spent several weeks researching and kept coming back to this place called The Children's Inn at NIH (www.childrensinn.org). It seemed to speak to us because of its connection with the medical community. Matt is in medical sales and I used to be a pharmaceutical sales rep. The Inn is a residence for the families of critically ill children being treated at the National Institutes of Health. It allows the kids, who would otherwise have to stay in the hospital overnight during treatment, to stay with their families in "a place like home" at night.

So, we prepared a proposal and contacted the Inn . Fortunately, they were excited and eager to get started on this venture!


How did you get started?
I really just dove in head first. I began blindly calling tee shirt manufacturers until I found one willing to create our custom shirts at the minimum we could afford - not 10,000 pieces! We then worked together for several months on getting the sample just right. In the meantime, we worked through the legal aspects of collaborating with The Children's Inn and got started on our first "contest". The kids had a month to submit Animal drawings. That contest was a huge success and we have been holding different contests every month since.



What motivates you to keep your business going?
I've always been motivated by a sense of personal accomplishment. There's nothing like the feeling of your first sale. It's even more rewarding when you sell something that you had a major hand in creating. Of course, money is a nice motivator as well but we likely won't clear a profit this year with all the start-up expenses.

How do you juggle family and work at home?
It is a constant challenge for me to separate work and family. However, my son is now in school 2 mornings a week and he still takes 2-3 hour naps every afternoon. He has grown up with me in front of the computer, so he's learned how to be pretty self-sufficient for a 2-year old. He plays very well on his own. I'm probably able to fit in about 25-30 hours of work per week, without having to sacrifice my evenings too often. When we get around to baby #2, this comfortable arrangement will likely change drastically!
What advice would you give to moms seeking to become a WAHM?
Go for it! Take advantage of naptimes and mothers-morning-out or pre-school programs to get your dream of the ground. As your business grows, you can figure out the rest. Just don't be afraid to take the plunge!

Visit Colin Maguire at www.colinmaguire.com