Review of Kim Lavine's Mommy Millionaire: How I Turned My Kitchen Table Idea into a Million Dollars and How You Can, Too!

Earlier this week, I came home from work to discover that my father and stepmother had dropped by to visit. This wasn't unusual. They only live a few minutes away. What was unusual was what they left for me on the kitchen table...

Usually they drop off something one of the kids left at their house or Tupperware we had previously sent goodies in. Usually. This time, I received a book. This was not a Danielle Steel novel to add to my obscenely large collection. Nor was it 101 Ways to Remove Ketchup Stains. (Although, if someone DOES write that one, send me an email.) This book was the recently published business "guide" by Kim Lavine, Mommy Millionaire: How I Turned My Kitchen Table Idea into a Million Dollars and How You Can, Too!

To understand my excitement over this book, one must first understand me. I consider myself a "Jane of all trades". In short, I have a business mind but lack the degree required to open the corporate doors. I have creativity dripping from my pores but am constantly trying so many new things so most "craft" projects I start don't get finished. I work full-time (overtime) and I am a wife and a mother of three. My husband tells everyone we had to move out of our apartment just because all my soap-making supplies were crowding us out. That was the business I started and didn't have time to grow. I had to earn an immediate paycheck to help pay for the new mortgage. We have since moved to a larger house, this time because child #3 came along. With the larger house came the larger mortgage. So I still work. But I still have time to create, too. In fact, a few months ago, a friend and I dreamed up something new. The timing of the book was perfect. Maybe I could put its information to use.

Before removing my work shoes, which by now felt like they were welded to my feet, I grabbed the book and immediately started reading. I have experience when it comes to starting up business, so a lot of the beginning business information was familiar to me. However, I got caught up in the story behind the business, Kim's personal story.

Kim Lavine was a stay-at-home mother of two young boys. Her husband was recently unemployed. She took a unique creation she developed at her kitchen table, the Wuvit, and gradually developed it into the successful company it is today. $225,000 in eight weeks! She taught herself the steps, through trial and error, and near bankruptcy, and persevered. She survived being pulled one way by the manufacturers and retailers and another way by her husband and children. Most people didn't think she could succeed. They thought she was crazy. She proved them wrong when she succeeded. This was the story I wanted for myself.

For two days and two nights, I read this book. Cover to cover. Every spare moment I had was spent with my nose buried in the pages. When I finished, I was both satisfied and deeply disappointed.

Although it is crammed with helpful information, the book is nothing like a textbook. It is very readable and sometimes very entertaining. Kim Lavine tells her story as though she is making a long journal entry. She bares all. She comes across as being friendly, helpful and honest. She writes about the high points of growing a business as well as the low. She tells of things she has done in business she is proud of and also of those things she is ashamed of.

Mommy Millionaire shows you how to protect your products, your business and yourself. Kim Lavine explains in detail many of the common business questions such as how and where to apply for patents, register trademarks, get free business advice, save money, get a loan, just to name a few. She explains the importance of many small details that might otherwise get overlooked in the rush to start a business.

If you buy this book for the business information, you won't be disappointed. However, this book is entitled Mommy Millionaire. I'm sure there are a lot of "mommy millionaires" in the world today, but the reason this book is called Mommy Millionaire is explained right on the front cover. The very top of the book reads, "The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Business While Keeping Your Family Your #1 Job". This was very important to me. As I stated before, I have three children. I don't get to see them very often. I come home from work in time to have dinner with them and put them to bed. I don't feel this book did a very good job showing people, or even suggesting how to keep family #1 while building a business.

Now, family is usually number one. In a crisis, families stick together. However, when I read, "...While Keeping Your Family Your #1 Job", I'm thinking of spending more time with the family. Quality time. I did not see a whole lot of "balancing business with family" in this book. I understand as a business owner working out of the home, you are home more often, but when your focus is entirely on work, your kids constantly hear you saying "just a minute honey, Mommy is working" or "Mommy is busy right now." To a child, that may sound like "Mommy is too busy to pay attention to me", or worse, "I'm not important enough."

There are numerous examples throughout the book of this Mommy Millionaire not being with her family. She was away for days at a time to do trade shows. There were "demo events" she did for Saks, Inc. requiring her to drive thousands of miles a week cross-country. I saw no mention of her family being with her. What about this book? She just completed a book tour to promote it. How long was she away from family for that?

Don't misunderstand me. I am fully aware certain things must be done for the benefit of the company. I just have a hard time understanding how being gone, especially for such extended amounts of time, keeps family number one. I was hoping this book would guide me through the process by somehow putting an end to, or even by reducing the amount of time I would need to be absent from my family's life. Maybe it's like the saying, "putting pain before pleasure". If I put in my time now, I can reap the rewards later.

Although I don't feel this book covered much of the family/job balancing act, I can say Mommy Millionaire is a fantastic source of information for anyone looking to create a business in retail, wholesale or manufacturing. And they can start right at their kitchen table. This book is also a powerful example of the character traits necessary to succeed in the business.

This "Mommy Millionaire" is an almost unbelievable success story. Kim Lavine gives hope to the other Mommies (and Daddies) looking for a better way of life. Once you succeed, th end benefit is the ideal life that gives us the ability to live free of financial worry and still be able to spend quality time with family.