Here at Belly Bandit HQ, a women-owned and operated company, we believe in celebrating the success of all women in business! Our “Moms Who Made It” series is our way of honoring Mompreneurs who inspire us every day.
This week we're thrilled to be featuring Jamie Yetter, founder of Covered Goods. Jamie is a mother of four who turned her fear of breastfeeding “over” exposure into the original multi-use nursing cover! Covered Goods covers provide true all over coverage and can also be used as a scarf, car seat cover and shopping cart cover. Now, that’s a Mom.. who has made it!
Describe your business philosophy in 5 words:
Work hard, never give up.
What inspired you to start your business?
After my third daughter was born I was desperately needing a way to confidently and modestly nurse in public. My older girls were 5 and 3 at that time. We lived in a very small apartment and often needed to get out to get our wiggles out, run errands, and go to school. All of these things mean you are on the go constantly and it is hard to nurse especially with other littles to chase after, am I right? I used my original template for the first time during a trip to Disneyland with all three children. I literally had women coming up to me and asking me where I had purchased my nursing cover! That’s when I realized this was a need almost all nursing mothers had. Covered goods was born to solve this need, and I’m so happy to be able to help other mothers with my product.
When did you know you, “made it?”
It’s really hard to answer this question—although I’m so happy with what we’ve accomplished with the brand, there’s still so much I want to do! I will say that I went through a major turning point with Covered Goods® in 2015 when we moved our operation from my garage to a distribution center. That felt like a big step in terms of business growth. And I still get so much joy from running into Covered Goods® mamas (and dads) randomly on the street—it’s incredible to see people using (and loving!) my product “in the wild”.
Who is your mentor?
I can’t say I have just one! Since starting Covered Goods®, I’ve been fortunate enough to make connections with so many incredible business owners. These women have been a source of advice over the years—I’ve learned so much from their experiences. I also research everything when making a decision.
What's your #1 tip for moms interested in starting their own business
I actually have three major pieces of advice I’d love to pass along to anyone thinking of starting a business!
- Don’t give up or listen to any one that tells you that you can’t–if you want it bad enough you CAN do it and make it possible!
- Balance is necessary and key to being successful—knowing when to dig in and knowing when its time to take a step back is crucial.
- Accept help and hire people that you can delegate to—it’s hard to let go of the control, but you can’t do everything!
What does “me” time mean to you?
Gosh—do moms ever get “me” time? Kidding aside, it certainly can be difficult to carve out an hour (or even 10 minutes!) for yourself! As a single mom of four kids ranging from ages 10 to 2, I need to actively schedule time for self-care or it just doesn’t happen! I’m really into yoga—when I have time I love doing retreats and teacher training. I find it helps me to relax, find balance, and put life into perspective—something that’s essential when you’re a busy mom.
What‘s on your bedside table?
At the moment I have “Science of Breath” and “Light On Yoga”. Both of which are assignments from a yoga course I am taking. I love learning about new ways to improve my mental and physical self.
Words to live by - Share you favorite quote!
"A woman is like a teabag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water." -Eleanor Roosevelt
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To learn more about Jamie, this amazing Mom Who Made It, head to: www.coveredgoods.com
