Business Spotlight: Two Busy Moms

Jenny Doke and Sherry Mease never thought their business would skyrocket to success, but that's exactly what's happened to these "Two Busy Moms" from Republic.

Neighbors Doke and Mease founded Two Busy Moms in September 2000. Initially, the two ran their Internet-based business, which sells a wide variety of materials to scrapbook enthusiasts, out of Doke's garage.

Then the orders began pouring in. Before long, Two Busy Moms occupied the garages of both women's homes, as well as the spare bedroom of a friend's home.

A few months later, Doke and Mease moved operations to a warehouse in Republic. As their business expanded so did their warehouse, which eventually grew to more than 3,000 square feet.

In May 2001, Mease and Doke decided to set up a booth at an industry trade show, which showcased the design kits, stickers, cut-outs, punch-out letters and punch tags and other design materials sold by Two Busy Moms. Their husbands accompanied them to the event, which marked a turning point for the company.

"We set up a booth and within a few hours, we were mobbed," said Mease. "We sold everything and our husbands' jaws just dropped. They couldn't believe it."

By the summer of 2002, Two Busy Moms had taken on a life all its own. The company employed two full-time and six part-time workers. Meanwhile, Doke and Mease were working 60 to 80 hours per week and struggling to keep pace with the explosive growth of their business.

"Originally, the idea was to start a successful business that would allow us to work fewer hours so we could spend more time with our children," said Mease. "As it turned out, just the opposite happened, and we began spending more and more time working."

In October 2002, the two began reprioritizing their lives, and they entered into a partnership with Leeco Industries Inc. in Holly Springs, Miss. The 25-year-old, family-owned business has three products lines, including one geared toward scrapbook makers.

Under the agreement, Doke and Mease are in charge of new product development, advertising, marketing and attend industry trade shows, while Leeco Industries handles sales, shipping and customer service.

"We do a lot of traveling these days," said Mease. "This year we've spent 45 days traveling to trade shows."

Doke and Mease will attend two major trade shows this year. The first, the Hobby Industry Association, was held in January in Anaheim, Calif., and the second, the Association of Crafts and Creative Industries trade show, will be held July 18-20 in Chicago.

Doke and Mease market Two Busy Moms in other ways as well. In March 2003, they appeared on QVC, a popular national TV home shopping channel. This June they'll return to QVC, and the two said they anticipate many of their loyal customers will call into the program to find out more about the company's products and the two women who sell them.

"I'm really surprised in how much interest there is out there," said Doke. "People want to know all about us. When we're at trade shows, people will stop by and ask for an autograph or take pictures."

Doke and Mease credit their success with their ability to identify trends and needs within the industry. These ideas are then conveyed to the artists who develop the company's various product lines.

"We try to find out what the market needs and wants, and what will sell," said Doke. "One of the things we're trying to do right now is simplify scrapbooking by creating kits that walk you through the design process."

Two Busy Moms stocks more than 350 items. According to Doke, another 200 items will be added in July. Many of these new items reflect a recent trend in scrapbooking the use of geometric designs and more sophisticated page layout techniques.

"We hired a new artist, Ali Edwards, who designed a new line for us that's called Inspire-squared," said Doke. "We feel this sophisticated new collection will inspire our customers to a new level in scrapbooking."

All of Two Busy Moms' products can be purchased online at the company's Web site, www.twobusymoms.com. Several Springfield stores also stock the company's products, including Hobby Lobby, The Scrapbook Store and The Scrapbook Place.

Doke and Mease said they're excited about their partnership with Leeco Industries, which will allow them to take their business to the next level by giving them more time to focus on the company's creative aspects, such as its recently redesigned logo. The new logo reflects the company's commitment to keeping pace with the latest design trends that are being incorporated in the industry.

The two said they're looking forward to spending more time with their families as well, which often took a backseat to work during the company's ramp-up phase. Doke and Mease also are planning to devote more time to their favorite hobby scrapbooking.

"We both still spend lots of time making scrapbooks," said Doke. "We enjoy it, and it helps us get a feel for what our customers want."