A Day Within the Lifetime of Suzan Hernandez, Founding father of MamaP and Indiegogo Fellowship Graduate – The Indiegogo Assessment

Working your personal enterprise is not any simple feat. It takes a wholesome dose of ardour, self-discipline, and dedication. Ever questioned what a day within the lifetime of a small enterprise proprietor and founder is like? We’re right here to offer you a glimpse!

Immediately we’re sitting down with MamaP founder Suzan Hernandez. Suzan was a part of the Indiegogo’s 2020 Fellowship Program, which offers academic and mentorship assist to entrepreneurs and creators from underrepresented teams within the tech and innovation neighborhood. Contributors get guided, unique coursework and mentorship from established crowdfunding professionals to assist them run profitable crowdfunding campaigns. (The 2021 program is at present accepting functions, and you’ll apply right here.)

Suzan used her time within the Fellowship Program to hone her crowdfunding launch for MamaP, which made a splash final 12 months with a line of eco-conscious bamboo toothbrushes through which every specific toothbrush represented a unique trigger. Now MamaP is elevating funds to develop cleansing brushes with absolutely compostable heads that may be returned to the earth when used up. 

Learn on to find out about what a day within the life is like for Suzan as she runs a crowdfunding marketing campaign.

5 A.M. I’ve joined the 5 AM Membership! It’s a 20/20/20 technique the place the primary twenty minutes are used for train and motion. Twenty minutes of reflecting, which incorporates meditation and journaling. The final twenty minutes is for rising, the place I plan and take heed to a podcast. Immediately I listened to The best way to Save a Planet – The place’s Our Local weather Anthem?

6 A.M. Stroll the canine — he wants motion as effectively! After the stroll I prepare for the day and observe gua sha on my face and neck. Then I make a plant-based matcha protein smoothie that’s full of vitamins and nutritional vitamins.

7 A.M. I begin checking emails from our manufacturing unit companions and freelancers from internationally. We often have an hour the place our schedules cross, so I take advantage of that point effectively.

Eight A.M. Earlier than our warehouse opens, I test on digital and wholesale orders within the system to make sure there aren’t pink flags. That manner when the warehouse opens at 9am, they’ll start achievement. We intention to have a 24-48 hour turnaround on weekdays from the time an order is positioned to it being shipped.

9 A.M. Presently I’ll test emails and flag excessive precedence vs. common precedence emails. I additionally compensate for Slack. For prime precedence messages, I’ll reply earlier than heading out the door. For the common messages, I’ll bookmark to observe up later.

10 A.M. I head to Luminary, my co-working area within the metropolis. Immediately, I booked a pop-up workplace collaboration known as The World’s Most Conscious Workplace. It was created in honor of Stress Consciousness Month in April. The pop-up workplace is designed to combine mindfulness and self-care into your workspace, so you’ll be able to give attention to what issues most. It’s purported to be very experiential and calming – one thing I may use proper about now!

11 A.M. I’ve a name with an entrepreneurship professor at my alma mater, Indiana College. She has been following MamaP’s crowdfunding campaigns and utilizing them as crowdfunding examples in her entrepreneurship lessons on the Kelley Faculty of Enterprise. We’re going to catch up and speak about me being a visitor speaker on the subject of social entrepreneurship and crowdfunding in entrepreneurship. I like paying it ahead every time I can.

12 P.M. Our crowdfunding marketing campaign is energetic and there’s heaps to do! I’m reviewing prototype tester suggestions with our CMO to additional iterate the design. I additionally wish to use the suggestions in advertising and marketing communication and web page updates. I’m constantly reaching out to bloggers and editors to share the brand new product and crowdfunding marketing campaign with them. However first, I must replace the PR package.

1 P.M. I’m additionally engaged on new product introductions that may hit wholesale and digital over the following month. The designs and forecasts are set, however packaging and product names and descriptions should be finalized. I’m pulling collectively a excessive stage doc to share with the CMO so she will help with product naming and the packaging design temporary. 

2 P.M. Verify on emails and slack messages once more after which seize a fast lunch close by. I often work by lunch – unhealthy habits are exhausting to kick. However I would like this time to arrange for an essential gross sales assembly later within the day. We’re working to land our first massive multi-door account.

three P.M. Weekly assembly with our Group Supervisor to debate upcoming content material, collaborations, and IG Stay interviews.

four P.M. Interview with Beachlex, a student-run nonprofit that educates folks on oceanic life and raises consciousness about environmental points. They reached out after an interview we had with The Ocean Basis on IG Stay. It’s superior to see these college students work collectively to lift consciousness and donations for a trigger they consider in.

5 P.M. Gross sales assembly with a brand new enterprise account. Right here we go!

6 P.M. Head house on the subway and take heed to a podcast on the best way again. 

7 P.M. Work out what to make for dinner and put together a meal. That is my enjoyable end-of-day exercise.

Eight P.M. That is once I cease tech and begin to tidy up and wind down. I finish the day by doing my nightly face routine and flossing & brushing my enamel.

9 P.M. Lights out.

Now that you just’ve gotten a glimpse of what her day is like, get extra inspiration in our unique Q&A together with her under!

INDIEGOGO: How and why did you develop into an entrepreneur? Was it one thing you all the time meant for your self? 

SUZAN HERNANDEZ: Entrepreneurship has all the time been in my blood. My very first reminiscence in enterprise was at age 7. I used to be a Woman Scout and cherished cookie-selling season. Yearly, my buddy and I’d go door-to-door promoting cookies within the neighborhood. I’d promote cookies at my church and to our family and friends (and their workplaces). I constructed up demand all year long and folks appeared ahead to ordering. Cookies containers have been stacked larger than I may attain and my mother and I’d package deal cookie orders in luggage and label them. This early expertise taught me enterprise fundamentals at a younger age: cold-calling, elevator pitches, constructing networks, creating product launches, and executing logistics, operations, and order achievement. I lived for cookie-selling time. 

In enterprise college I studied entrepreneurship and designed a significant. I centered on lessons that have been attention-grabbing and that might assist me down the highway. I knew I wished to launch my very own enterprise sometime. 

These early experiences made me the particular person, companion, and chief I’m at this time.

INDIEGOGO: What makes your Indiegogo challenge distinctive? 

SUZAN: Most main brushes are fabricated from virgin plastic that leads to landfills and the ocean. Utilizing a sponge is just not significantly better. They’ve been scientifically confirmed to harbor extra micro organism than your bathroom (eeew). And so they’re fabricated from plastics that aren’t biodegradable. 

Most wood eco brushes are stiff, not snug to carry, and have handles that are likely to rot.

At MamaP, our mission was to craft a dish brush that could possibly be each practical and eco-friendly. Our Do the Dishes brush checks all containers. The ergonomic deal with is fabricated from recycled plastic – diverting plastic from landfills and oceans. It’s reusable and sturdy which suggests it has goal.

The heavy obligation brush head and bristles are 100% plant primarily based. They’re comprised of wooden and sisal fibers. The comb is powerful sufficient to deal with the grimiest of dishes, but light sufficient to not trigger injury. 

The very best half is the comb head is replaceable and biodegradable. When the comb head must be changed, you’ll be able to merely toss it into your compost bin realizing you’re turning into a part of the answer.

INDIEGOGO: What’s your greatest piece of recommendation for womxn who wish to begin their very own enterprise?

SUZAN: Begin along with your thought and description what downside you’re attempting to resolve. Then, analysis native and digital assets out there to womxn and leverage these. The SBA (Small Enterprise Affiliation) has native chapters and oftentimes has places of work that assist womxn entrepreneurs. Additionally they supply coaching classes on writing enterprise plans, discovering funding, and getting minority-and-womxn owned companies licensed. Don’t wait till your thought is ideal. Get your thought within the “ok” stage and transfer ahead, be assured, and inform your story.

INDIEGOGO: What instruments (devices, apps, books, podcasts) would you suggest to anybody beginning their very own enterprise, crowdfunding marketing campaign, or challenge? 

SUZAN: I like listening to How I Constructed This podcast. It’s so inspiring listening to how entrepreneurs obtained their begin. I’m a part of the Fb group “Girls Founders Group (the biggest group for ladies founders of startups)”. 

INDIEGOGO: What’s your favourite Indiegogo marketing campaign, or a marketing campaign you’ve just lately supported?

SUZAN: I’m actually excited for Lomi. It’s a beautiful product for individuals who don’t have entry to an industrial compost web site or yard composting. 

INDIEGOGO: You have been one of many first batch of contributors in our inaugural Indiegogo Fellowship Program. What was the expertise like for you?

SUZAN: It was such a useful program to be a part of. I had no thought the extent of planning required for launching a crowdfunding marketing campaign. Having weekly classes whereas constructing out our Indiegogo marketing campaign in parallel set us up for fulfillment. Assembly different entrepreneurs was fantastic in constructing neighborhood. I actually admire Indiegogo’s assist pre-launch and mid-campaign. I extremely suggest entrepreneurs apply for the fellowship program. You’ll be taught a lot!

Wish to assist MamaP? Try the MamaP crowdfunding marketing campaign at this time.

Enthusiastic about beginning a crowdfunding marketing campaign or challenge, however lack the assets to launch? Purposes at the moment are open for Indiegogo’s 2021 Fellowship Program. This system offers entrepreneurs and creators from underrepresented teams within the tech and innovation neighborhood who’ve restricted assets and assist with a 8-week academic program to information them in working a profitable crowdfunding marketing campaign from finish to finish. With guided, unique coursework, program contributors will get mentorship from established crowdfunding professionals, workplace hours with a core member of the Indiegogo workforce, and be capable to join with a vibrant enterprise neighborhood. Study extra and apply now by June 21, 2021!