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Success, nurtured

Heather Ledeboer sits in front of her garage in California, where much of her inventory is stored. She is moving her business to Athol, Idaho. (Courtesy of Bellysimo Photography / The Spokesman-Review)
By Tom Sowa toms@spokesman.com(509) 459-5492
Heather Ledeboer sits in front of her garage in California, where much of her inventory is stored. She is moving her business to Athol, Idaho. (Courtesy of Bellysimo Photography / The Spokesman-Review)

Selling products for parents of newborns has become a big-ticket Web industry. One Web e-commerce company, Mom4Life.com, expects to generate about $800,000 in sales this year. It expects to hit that mark after relocating its office from Southern California to North Idaho.

Founder Heather Ledeboer, who grew up in Kettle Falls, said she, her husband Trent, and their two young children, wanted to get back to the Northwest and enjoy the open spaces.

Next week they pick up shop and move from Loma Linda, Calif., to a quiet stretch of land just outside Athol.

Mom4Life, launched nearly four years ago, caters specifically to mothers and babies. The products are all invented, designed or made by moms. “None of them are items you’d find in a big-box store,” she said.

They range from baby slings to more elaborate items, such as the Babeebrite mobile light that can be attached to anything and allows just enough illumination for a mom to nurse a baby.

Ledeboer said she’s never had to take out a loan, after spending just $100 in startup costs. She started the operation in a cubbyhole room in her home. It has since sprawled throughout their home and garage. Another reason for the move is to consolidate the business into a second building next to their Athol home.

After college Ledeboer took a teaching job in California but shifted gears to become a stay-at-home mom. Then her instinct for running a business kicked in.

“The way we’ve become successful is by doing 100 little things successfully,” she said.

In part the success reflects careful selection of quality items. Part of her inventory comes from customer suggestions, derived from a survey she sends to anyone buying an item. One question is: Do you known any products that Mom4Life should carry?

She emphasizes high-end customer service. As a mother of two young children, she understands the busy lives of moms buying items online then having to deal with returning something. Her approach is to simplify the shopping experience as much as possible.

“I really wanted to replace the static act of Net buying with an experience that’s more friendly and warm,” Ledeboer said. She also sets aside 10 percent of each sale for the San Bernardino Crisis Pregnancy Center.

About 98 percent of all sales come from Web orders. The few remaining orders are walk-ins from people who know her well enough to visit her home for a purchase.

The company relocation will free Ledeboer from daily management. She’s hired two full-time workers, and one part-time, to take on the 8-to-5 business chores. She’ll be there to handle crises but only expects to put in serious work time in the evenings, after the kids go to bed.

Trent Ledeboer, who works as a tech support specialist for a Southern California company, will use a high-speed Net connection to continue his job from Athol.

If all goes well, their eventual goal is opening a brick-and-mortar store in Coeur d’Alene. “Maybe we’ll even consider having franchises,” said Ledeboer.