Planet Moms Long time friends Elise and Eileen were brainstorming about starting a business together-- ideally a creative endeavor that joined their varied careers and allowed them to remain stay-at-home moms. Before having children, Elise earned a Master's degree from Columbia University School of Journalism and worked as a television news producer. Eileen was in marketing and advertising. "We were on the phone trying to come up with an idea in between making dinner, breaking up sibling fights, and overseeing homework. And then it dawned on us. Take something every mom can use-- a flattering, high quality t-shirt--but with a unique twist," says Eileen. "We've embroidered funny phrases on our tees that every mom--from Boise to Miami--can identify with." Planet Mom was born. Eileen's marketing know-how drove the testing phase. They identified the T-shirt that fit all their criteria --fitted, heavy weight, 100 percent cotton--and embroidered them with irreverent sayings geared toward moms. Elise used her writing skills to come up with most of the lines. "I need a playdate" and "Chicken Nuggets or Pizza?" are among the phrases. They wore their own creations around town and "The response was overwhelming," Elise says. "People would read our shirts and start laughing, and that would spark a conversation. Even total strangers would comment, so we knew we were on to something." The 40-something moms formalized their partnership, wrote a business plan, retained an attorney, and started selling T-shirts by word-of-mouth at book club meetings, trunk shows, and even a t-ball game. "After lugging our shirts everywhere I went, I started to feel like Willy Loman," laughs Elise. Eileen adds, "We sold nearly 150 shirts in two months, enough to fund the next phase of our marketing effort." Enter PlanetMomTShirts.com. Eileen set up the site via Yahoo's Small Merchant program; Elise wrote the sales copy. Then both women sent emails to their friends and growing network of customers, announcing the launch. "It's an incredible feeling to get orders from people we've never seen who don't live anywhere near us. My dining room table is piled high with T-shirts until we can rent some office space," says Elise, pausing before adding her trademark humor, "But who really uses the dining room, anyway?" Elise and Eileen say they've earned back their investment of roughly $4,000 to pay for the T-shirts, embroidery and website. Planet Mom shirts are also now being sold at retail stores in their area. Their dream is to have Planet Mom become a household name. With phrases adorning their shirts that any mom can relate to--"Because I Said So," "Nanny Deprived," and "Secretary of Transportation" --it seems they're well on their way. "Planet Mom is the perfect blend of our past and present. We've used my marketing skills, Elise's journalism background, and our combined 18 years of motherhood. It's a perfect fit," says Eileen, no doubt referring to their shirts and their business. Click here to visit WomenForHire.com! Questions? Custom order request? Want to know when we get new stuff? Please email us! Photography by Kristin Burke of Peter Baker Studios. 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008 Planet Mom. All Rights Reserved.