By Yvette d'Entremont-The Weekly News
SACKVILLE - Before Jenny Tyler started planning a One Stop Christmas Shop event to help parents find local and unique gift ideas, she was unaware just how many women operated -small businesses from their homes.
"In order to give their kids more of their time, many are turning to our own businesses to gain that time," Tyler said.
The "momtrepreneur" recently opened her own business, Sticky Kids, in Fall River. She actively encourages local small business owners to leave their cards at her establishment so she can help her clients find unique goods and services in their own backyards.
Recently, many parents coming to her drop-in play centre have been asking for advice about Christmas gift giving.
"A lot of them are getting worried about Christmas. And with these (difficult) economic times, many are looking for something unique and special," Tyler said. "I wanted to help create something to make life easier for parents at Christmas time."
Pairing with another mother/entrepreneur she met at a local business networking group, Tyler devised the Christmas shopping event to help busy people while providing small businesses with a venue to sell their unique wares.
Shomaila Swing of Sharkey's Cuts for Kids in Bedford and Tyler are co-hosting the One Stop Christmas Shop event on Nov. 20 at the Damascus Road hair studio.
A total of 24 moms who own small businesses will be on hand to showcase their products. Tyler said there will be something for everyone on your shopping list, from kids to grandparents.
Items are varied and range from jewellry, food, clothing and custom made tutus to personalized pillows and blankets.
Send Out Cards is an example of one featured business that's proving a hit with busy people. Tyler said clients can select and sign a year's worth of personalized cards for every birthday, anniversary or special occasion on their family and friends list. Send Out Cards will take care of the rest, even making sure the card makes it to the intended doorstep in time for the occasion.
"There are so many of us with great ideas, but no money to have great big storefronts," Tyler said. "There are so many moms working from home at the moment. It has blown me away."
The Nov. 20 event serves yet another purpose. Swing and Tyler are also raising funds and awareness for The Children's Wish Foundation's Princess For A Day initiative. Each participating business is donating an auction item for the charity. A handful of businesses that weren't able to make the Nov. 20 event are still providing auction items.
"If this is successful, we hope to make this an annual event and to host it in a larger hall to bring in more business owners and to raise more for charity," Tyler said.
The Christmas shopping event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is open to the general public.
"So many moms have these incredible skills to have their own businesses, but they don't quite know where to start," Tyler said. "We want to encourage them, and this Christmas shopping night will bring them together and be a big networking event."
Visit www.stickykids.ca or sharkeyscuts
forkids.com/loc_canada_bedford for information about next week's shopping event.
Tyler also encourages moms operating small businesses to visit the networking group www.momsthewordonline.com.
ydentremont@hfxnews.ca
