MOMtrepreneur Interview: Kathy Haskell of EIO Products, LLC

I am very excited to post today's MOMtrepreneur interview, with Kathy Haskell of EIO Products, LLC!  Kathy lives in Middlebury, Vermont with her husband and three kids, ages 1.5, 4 and 5.  You may remember seeing Kathy's "EIO Kids Cup" in one of my recent "Fun Friday Finds" posts. The EIO Kids Cup is a fantastic reinvention of the average sippy cup.  The easy-to-grip sleeve and top turn your standard canning jar into a spill-resistant cup for kids!  This unique design allows your kids to actually learn how to hold and drink from a real cup...with no more spouts to clean and chew on!

Kathy was so kind as to share some of her story with us...read on to learn more about how she started up her business, EIO Products, LLC!

What did you do before becoming a business owner? 
Before starting EIO Products, I taught SPIN, woman's fitness classes at a local health club and I still am a ski coach for Mad River Glen Race Team.

What was the final “push” that got you to take the dive into developing your new product idea?
My husband and I had recycled all of our "sippy cups" and started using 8 ounce canning jars and we noticed the kids did not break them and they were easy for them to hold. Spilling was an issue and we started to design our EIO Kids Cup.

What skills or education from your background do you think help you the most in your success as an entrepreneur?
In my prior life, before kids, I was a teacher and I believe the skills I learned there help me in public speaking venues and customer service. My parents had a lot do to with where I learned much about starting and growing your own business. They successfully raised four children and had five companies in the Demolition industry. Our dinner time conversation never steered far from business and being the youngest I was all ears!

What new things have you learned since becoming a business owner?
I am still learning how to balance my three kids, my husband, and our athletic activities with my new business. One important factor to all this was that my husband and I took a parent education class from Parenting On Track. I loved it so much that I eventually started working for the company. Parenting On Track has taught us how to keep the balance and keep our goals as well. It is the best.