Beth Clampitt
My NapPak
beth@mynappak.com
Dallas, Texas
Year started home business: 1992
Hours work per week: Since I work out of my home that varies so much. Probably
on the average it would be only about 20-25
Happy at home index: 1 - miserable, 10 – nirvana. Probably an 8. I love managing the home
at the same time but there are just not enough hours in one day.
Success at home index: 1-starving, 10-fabulously wealthy Working very hard on an 8. So many
new things are happening with the company.
What kind of business do you have at home?
My NapPak is the all-in-one pillow, comforter and attached
fleece blanket just for kids who take naps. I own the
company with two others. I am the President and in charge
of design, marketing and sales. We make nap mats
primarily for children that attend day care, mothers-day-out
programs or just don’t want to sleep in there beds.
Great for going to grandma’s house too.
What did you do before you started a home business?
For many years I owned (with my parents) a printing and graphic design company
here in Dallas. I remarried in 1990 and had a child. I was lucky enough that I did not
have to work and sold the company to stay home with the children. I have one older
son that always had to daycare and after school care because I had to work full time
as a single mom.
What was your biggest challenge in starting your home business?
Probably getting to know my computer again. I was out of the loop with designing
brochures and other marketing materials for a few years and I was so surprised how
much it changed. It was fun learning though.
What has been your biggest challenge/obstacle to staying in business?
Staying ahead of the competition and focusing on the future.
What do you love about working from home?
Being able to have lunch with my youngest at his school, bring my older son’s lunch
to school when he forgets it, long lunches with my husband and doing laundry all
while taking customer’s orders. Life is great
What do you dislike about it?
Sometimes I think that if I ever moved into an office away from home I would get
more work done. Well, I would, but who would clean, cook and be there for my
kids.
How do you do to inspire or motivate yourself everyday?
I don’t always do it...inspire or motivate myself (sometime it seems like on
purpose). Some things in life are just more fun than working every day. That is the
beauty of working from home.
How do you separate home life from your work life?
Easy, I don’t! When the phone rings I answer it. Except at homework or dinner time.
My kids and husband are very patient when I am talking with a customer.
How do you keep family/home/work all in balance?
Does anyone???
Where is your office in your home?
It is a guest room/office.
What is your daily routine?
Wake, wash up, wake the kids, find all their school belongings, make lunches, make
breakfasts, take youngest to school, go to the grocery store, clean house, answer
e-mails, work on that stack of things to do today, lunch, marketing new stores,
shower, pick up from school, snack time, homework, play with the kids, dinner,
play, and bedtime. I forward the office number to my cell throughout the day to get
any calls and take those orders!!
What is your biggest (or proudest) achievement so far?
It will definitely be giving back to the community (see below). We have also
donated over 900 NapPaks since 2003. From Katrina victims that were living in
Dallas Reunion area to churches and many, many local homeless shelters.
What are you working on right now to grow your business?
We are working with Children’s Hospital in Dallas. They have a program called
REACH (Referral and Evaluation of Abused Children). If the children go into the
foster care program they leave the facility with nothing but the clothes on their back.
Starting this May, each child will leave with a NapPak with their name embroidered
on it. This will probably be the only item they have ever had that they can call their
own. We are very proud of this new program.
What advice can you give about starting a home business?
First I would recommend reading The Mom Inventors Handbook by Tamara
Monosoff. I wish I read it years ago before I made the many mistakes that she
teaches in this book. Then depending on what you are doing at home, you must
stay focused on time management. It is great to work from home but can also add
much stress when you don’t get either enough work done or not enough of the
home work done.
If you had to do it all over again, what would you do (or not do)?
I am so lucky to have the partners that I have. We balance each other out so we do
not make the mistakes that I would make on my own. No Regrets!!!
What do you do for fun when you’re not working?
Playing with my family, cook, lay by the pool and do nothing, think about the next
trip to the beach. I have great friends too, I love to go out to lunch or diners with
them.
Click here to read more Home Office Weekly Profiles
Would you like a Home Office Weekly
Profile written about you and your
business? Write to the editor:
MarciaDuffy@HomeOfficeWeekly.com
My NapPak
beth@mynappak.com
Dallas, Texas
Year started home business: 1992
Hours work per week: Since I work out of my home that varies so much. Probably
on the average it would be only about 20-25
Happy at home index: 1 - miserable, 10 – nirvana. Probably an 8. I love managing the home
at the same time but there are just not enough hours in one day.
Success at home index: 1-starving, 10-fabulously wealthy Working very hard on an 8. So many
new things are happening with the company.
What kind of business do you have at home?
My NapPak is the all-in-one pillow, comforter and attached
fleece blanket just for kids who take naps. I own the
company with two others. I am the President and in charge
of design, marketing and sales. We make nap mats
primarily for children that attend day care, mothers-day-out
programs or just don’t want to sleep in there beds.
Great for going to grandma’s house too.
What did you do before you started a home business?
For many years I owned (with my parents) a printing and graphic design company
here in Dallas. I remarried in 1990 and had a child. I was lucky enough that I did not
have to work and sold the company to stay home with the children. I have one older
son that always had to daycare and after school care because I had to work full time
as a single mom.
What was your biggest challenge in starting your home business?
Probably getting to know my computer again. I was out of the loop with designing
brochures and other marketing materials for a few years and I was so surprised how
much it changed. It was fun learning though.
What has been your biggest challenge/obstacle to staying in business?
Staying ahead of the competition and focusing on the future.
What do you love about working from home?
Being able to have lunch with my youngest at his school, bring my older son’s lunch
to school when he forgets it, long lunches with my husband and doing laundry all
while taking customer’s orders. Life is great
What do you dislike about it?
Sometimes I think that if I ever moved into an office away from home I would get
more work done. Well, I would, but who would clean, cook and be there for my
kids.
How do you do to inspire or motivate yourself everyday?
I don’t always do it...inspire or motivate myself (sometime it seems like on
purpose). Some things in life are just more fun than working every day. That is the
beauty of working from home.
How do you separate home life from your work life?
Easy, I don’t! When the phone rings I answer it. Except at homework or dinner time.
My kids and husband are very patient when I am talking with a customer.
How do you keep family/home/work all in balance?
Does anyone???
Where is your office in your home?
It is a guest room/office.
What is your daily routine?
Wake, wash up, wake the kids, find all their school belongings, make lunches, make
breakfasts, take youngest to school, go to the grocery store, clean house, answer
e-mails, work on that stack of things to do today, lunch, marketing new stores,
shower, pick up from school, snack time, homework, play with the kids, dinner,
play, and bedtime. I forward the office number to my cell throughout the day to get
any calls and take those orders!!
What is your biggest (or proudest) achievement so far?
It will definitely be giving back to the community (see below). We have also
donated over 900 NapPaks since 2003. From Katrina victims that were living in
Dallas Reunion area to churches and many, many local homeless shelters.
What are you working on right now to grow your business?
We are working with Children’s Hospital in Dallas. They have a program called
REACH (Referral and Evaluation of Abused Children). If the children go into the
foster care program they leave the facility with nothing but the clothes on their back.
Starting this May, each child will leave with a NapPak with their name embroidered
on it. This will probably be the only item they have ever had that they can call their
own. We are very proud of this new program.
What advice can you give about starting a home business?
First I would recommend reading The Mom Inventors Handbook by Tamara
Monosoff. I wish I read it years ago before I made the many mistakes that she
teaches in this book. Then depending on what you are doing at home, you must
stay focused on time management. It is great to work from home but can also add
much stress when you don’t get either enough work done or not enough of the
home work done.
If you had to do it all over again, what would you do (or not do)?
I am so lucky to have the partners that I have. We balance each other out so we do
not make the mistakes that I would make on my own. No Regrets!!!
What do you do for fun when you’re not working?
Playing with my family, cook, lay by the pool and do nothing, think about the next
trip to the beach. I have great friends too, I love to go out to lunch or diners with
them.
Click here to read more Home Office Weekly Profiles
Would you like a Home Office Weekly
Profile written about you and your
business? Write to the editor:
MarciaDuffy@HomeOfficeWeekly.com
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HOW Profile: Beth Clampitt, NapPak (children's nap mats)
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