Spotlight on Mommy -- Mary Cattapan, Creator of Clix™ Magnetic Interchangeable Jewelry by Studio66 LLC

This week's Spotlight Mom has created a product which continues to get me compliments each and every time I step out of the house.  Being a busy mom with two young children under the age of 2, my jewelry options have dwindled, as  youngest likes to pull my earrings or grab hold of my necklaces, or Savannah wants to wear anything she sees I have on.  I first stumbled across Mary Cattapan and her Etsy shop a few months ago.  This is when I fell in love with her Clix™ Magnetic Interchangeable Jewelry, from Studio66 LLC.  What I love about Mary's jewelry is that you can interchange her bracelets and pendants quickly and easier, making each and every time you were her pieces new and fresh.  I can switch up the designs to match an outfit, or just to brighten my mood.  Mary kindly sent me samples of her pendant and bracelet Clix™ Magnetic Interchangeable Jewelry, which I will review further on Friday.  But, today, I wanted to share my Spotlight on Mommy interview with her.  Enjoy.

 

Name: Mary Cattapan

Company Name/Product/Service: Clix™ Magnetic Interchangeable Jewelry by Studio66 LLC

Company Location: Illinois

Company Website: www.studio66llc.com

Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/#!/Clixby66

Twitter Handle: @ Studio66Crafts

Age of Company: 3 years

Favorite Inspirational Quotes:  The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. 

Favorite Book: Love all of the Tamara Monosoff books

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How many children do you have? What are their ages? Your hobbies? Etc.  

I have 3 boys, ages 8, 4 and 2.  I teach college marketing courses and run my business Studio66 LLC.  

Briefly explain your business. How did it come about?  

The business started out with my personal frustration with not being able to find quality craft supplies to make pendants and photo jewelry.  I then started to explore online offerings and begin offering my own supplies on Etsy in my store Studio66.  I then took this one step further and prototyped and developed my own product Clix™ Magnetic jewelry. The five-bezel bracelet with a patent-pending embedded magnet design is unique to the industry and allows for the quick removal and insertion of metal flat-back buttons, resin, polymer clay, etc. by use of a simple metal disk that adheres to the magnets in the base of each bezel.

What is a typical work day like? 

My work days vary. Some days are dedicated completely to taking care of my kids with occasional e-mail checks while other days are devoted to developing my business and keeping my “day job.” I would eventually love to make Studio66 a full-time venture.  There is no typical workday for me

What has been a struggle while starting up your company? 

Getting the word out about how cool and versatile a product Clix™ Magnetic Jewelry really is! Also, understanding the power of social media has been challenging.

What did you do in your past work life? 

I spent 20 years in financial services marketing. I have also taught online college marketing classes for 10 years.

What have been some of your major successes?  

Getting distributors for my Clix™ Magnetic Jewelry, bringing a product from a drawing/vision to the market place from beginning to end.  I researched suppliers online with countless companies until I found one that worked.  It was probably a process that took about 9 months to complete with no outside help or guidance.

What have been some of your major challenges?  

Time and focus. I have to balance family, work and my business and that has truly been my biggest challenge.

On those impossible days, what motivates you to keep going?  

I know that I have created a cool product that is versatile and unique to the marketplace.  I truly believe that it will be a success in the marketplace.

What is your balancing secret in managing a business and family?  

Honestly, I don’t know that one can ever truly balance business and family.  I just try to do my best to keep everything moving.  I’m a very disciplined person.   

What is next for your business?  

Getting distributors for my product and expanding my product line are my two main goals.

Do you have any advice for other mom entrepreneurs that are starting out and struggling, or are on the fence about starting a business? 

Read every book ever written by Tamara Monosoff of Mom Invented. These are great books that put complex thoughts into simple terminology.  Research, be prepared for hard, hard work and perseverance. Don’t listen to others who aren’t supportive.