Alumni Spotlight - Melissa Clemens '93

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Melissa Clemens '93, Owner of Momo Baby Gifts   My name is Melissa Clemens, formerly Melissa Harrington '93.  I went to Stanford and stayed in the Bay Area after school, working for several Internet startups before ending up at Old Navy Corporate working in Strategic Communications.  It was there I got pregnant with my first child.  I spoke with my managers and it turned out Old Navy did not allow any kind of flexible or part-time work arrangements for new mothers.  So, I decided to quit and start out on my own venture.   After having my daughter Mia, I noticed that many of my favorite gifts I received were ones with her name on it.  I'm not typically a big monogram person, so this struck a chord with me.  I don't know what it is that makes new parents so excited to see the name of their child -- maybe the amount of time and thought and love that goes into selecting that name?  Anyway, when I tried to find some of my favorite personalized gifts, I couldn't find one destination that was right.  Most of the monogrammed stuff was too formal or cutesy.  Most of the baby websites were very hokey. So, I decided to start my own.  My experience working for web companies and in retail helped me get started researching products and designing the site, and I flubbed my way through the legal/accounting aspects of creating my own business.   In the 4 years that Momo Baby Gifts has been up and running, I have learned so much!  I have re-done my product offering several times, added to it, and experimented with some marketing and PR.  But, mostly my business grows through word of mouth and through new parents who receive a gift they love and decide to come to our site for their next newborn gift.  I love when that happens.  Since my business started through word of mouth, I have lots of "Cate customers" who have been so supportive, and my business has even allowed me to re-connect with some old friends.   I'm so grateful for my experience in running Momo.  It has been my first hand experience in starting and running a business (what better way to learn than by doing it yourself?), and has allowed me the flexibility to work while still being home with my 3 young children (Mia (5), Bo (3) and Kellen (2)).  I am able to volunteer in Mia's kindergarten class every week, take Bo to preschool and be there to pick him up, take Kellen to the park in the mornings or out to do my day-to-day errands, like grocery shopping, which he actually makes fun, and still have a career in which I continue to learn and grow.   Looking for a baby gift? Browse our assortment at: http://www.momobabygifts.com   Melissa Clemens '93 510 North Rios Avenue Solana Beach, CA 92075 (858) 775-9715