Meet Danielle Connelly, mom of two energetic boys, and founder of a handy-dandy online resource, Mother Of A Deal.
Vancouver-based Mother Of A Deal makes deal hunting easy for the busy mom, updated daily with deals, both in-store and online, supplemented with coupons, freebies, money saving tips & more! If you don’t have this site bookmarked already, do it now! Also, subscribe to Danielle’s twice-weekly email to bring all these penny-pinching deals straight to your inbox!
Read on to learn more about this deal-seeking mom, and what keeps her motivated, other than a full piggy bank!
We hope you find Danielle as creatively cool as we do!
1. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, and/or your business.
My background is in Marketing and Communications but after the births of our two awesome, energetic boys (now 3 & 5), I knew I didn’t want to go back to full time work and I didn’t know if I could commit to the deadlines and demands of part time freelance work. After 2 ½ years of being a full time Mom though, I felt the need to exercise my mommy brain a bit and with the encouragement of family and friends, www.motherofadeal.com was launched. I am so lucky to have a very understanding and supportive husband who has been my biggest fan on this journey.
I was also fortunate to qualify for and be accepted in to the Self Employment Program at Douglas College which is sponsored by Service Canada. The business skills learned and financial support have been invaluable. (Tip: If you’re a Mom wanting to start a business in Canada and have been on mat leave in the last 5 years, you might want to look into this Service Canada program).
The Mother of a Deal site is updated regularly with great deals, coupons, freebies, sample sales and more. As well, subscribers to our free Deal Alert newsletter get twice weekly emails bringing all these deals as well as money saving tips and lots more straight to their inbox. It’s really deal hunting made easy for the busy Mom!
Deal hunting is a gene I come by honestly from my own Mother and I love being able to share great deals and money saving tips.
2. If you had to describe your business in less than 15 words, how would you do it?
Your deal hunting bestfriend bringing you great deals, freebies, coupons and money saving tips!
3. What is your inspiration for your business? Your products?
So many of the amazing women and moms who were in my life and who have come into my life along the way so far have really inspired me as they share their trials and tribulations and stories of success (big and small).
Mother of a Deal draws inspiration from all the feedback, whether someone has saved one dollar because of something they’ve seen on the site, or hundreds of dollars, it makes me want to keep getting the deals and tips out there.
4. What is the most rewarding thing about being a mom? A mom-preneur?
Some of the most rewarding things I’ve found about being a mom are really some of the smallest things, like; the butterfly kisses my son has learned to give, or watching my boys play together without fighting (for maybe 5 minutes), or jamming together with our tambourines and maracas making up silly songs together. And being a mom-preneur allows me to enjoy the little things with my boys and my husband.
5. What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a mom-preneur?
Always look for and accept help. As mom’s we often tend to get used to doing and taking care of so much on our own. Know when to ask for help and how to accept it when it’s offered, whether from a business perspective (advice, mentoring) or personal (childminding, household chores), learn to be able to graciously accept it.
6. What keeps you motivated?
My family and friends and wanting to help people learn how easy it is to deal hunt and save money. Never pay full price!
I’d also have to say that all the mom-preneurs I’ve been meeting along the way have really helped. When I feel down and out there’s nothing like getting together to commiserate and ventilate with someone who’s in relatively the same boat.
7. What is your next big goal?
Business – To update Mother of a Deal with a few more features for users (stay tuned!) and to continue growing the site to be every Canadian Mom’s number one source for deals.
Personal – To lose the summer holiday weight (too many beers and nachos at the cabin).
8. What is your guilty pleasure?
Entertainment Tonight – the boys are in bed and that’s my half hour to decompress and catch up on the “news” I just can’t seem to live without. That and the odd cheap pedicure from the salon down the street ($25, that’s a Mother of a Deal!).
9. Name a product that you cant live without for you or your baby?
Our reusable water bottles … don’t leave home without them. And baby wipes, don’t need them for little bums anymore, but with two boys they always come in handy (and here’s a money saving tip … they’re great make up removers (either yours or the obnoxious kid’s face paint that never seems to want to wash off)!
10. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned as a mom {so far} ?
To live in and enjoy “the moment”. I’m someone who has always tried to think ahead and stay one step ahead of the game. Having kids has taught me that not only is that near impossible, it’s actually more enjoyable to just be in the moment with them and know that the emails can wait and the dust bunnies aren’t going anywhere either.
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