Melinda Knight had only herself in mind when she jetted off to Chicago for a casting call of women inventors.
Soon, she discovered a different calling, catering to the many women she met who had a common need to be recognized. Womentorz, an online company based out of Knight’s Edmonds home, was born.
Q: When and where did your business open?
A: Womentorz is based out of Edmonds and launched online in 2010, providing a social network for women inventors and entrepreneurs to promote their products on a national scale.
Q: How, or why, did you decide to open your business?
A: I had my own invention that I took to a casting call in Chicago that was looking for women inventors. While I was there I met hundreds of amazing women with fabulous products with one frustration in common: They didn’t have an avenue to market their product to the consumer. The energy that I felt in the group was so strong, and the amount of information shared between the women was so amazing, that I found a real need to bring them together beyond the casting call. This need was so strong that I put aside my own invention to build a network for women inventors.
While I was growing up my parents were in the wine industry here in Washington state. I was exposed to how Washington and California had used the concept of group marketing to promote their wines on a larger scale and bring media opportunities and unique ways to promote their wineries. I brought this same concept to the women inventor community — and Womentorz was born. The concept took off quickly, and the brand became well-known with women inventors from the start.
Q: What does it take to blend your passion with your livelihood?
A: I have a passion for helping people and a love of marketing. Womentorz fulfills those two passions on a daily basis. Knowing that an opportunity came to a member because they were found on Womentorz makes all of the hard work worthwhile.
Q: What are the crucial elements for success for your business?
A: You have to have a good understanding of social networking and continuing that connectivity and growth online. The more people you meet the more opportunities come to the group. We currently have over 50,000 fans and followers online, which allows the members to get out to a lot of people immediately.
Q: What has been your biggest challenge and how did you meet it?
A: Womentorz has grown so big that the one-on-one attention I was able to have with the members in the beginning is by far less. This is something that is quite upsetting to me. I bond with the women so much that I miss that connection. I know though that the more attention I give to the group as a whole the more opportunities that will come to each woman individually. That helps me put things into perspective.
Q: What motivates you?
A: The fear of failure motivates me. If Womentorz ever failed I would feel like I was letting down all of the women who are counting on it to promote their product. I started this for all of them. They get me up every morning to start my pot of coffee and open my computer to the hundreds of emails that came through overnight.
Q: What personal abilities do you think is needed to excel in this business?
A: In this business you have to be very organized and thoughtful. When you’re primarily online you have to be very careful of what you say. Just because you’re behind a keyboard doesn’t mean that manners step aside. People have to feel like you care. The bigger Womentorz becomes that can sometimes be a challenge.
Q: When you’re not working, how do you enjoy spending your time?
A: I like to spend my time with my children when I’m not working. One of the benefits of working from home is that I can usually determine my schedule and try to make time for them as much as possible. There are many days I feel I’ve failed in that department. I know they feel loved and are proud of their mother though. I also love taking long walks. Rain or shine — it doesn’t matter. That’s when I get the most accomplished and come up with my best ideas.
Womentorz LLC
What: Online business based in Edmonds that helps female inventors market their creations
Owner: Melinda Knight
Contact: 425-672-9794
Online: www.womentorz.com
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