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Annual Holiday LetterBy Maria Bailey It's amazing how much you can get done while on an airplane. Most travelers dread flight time and the long layovers in airports. I view it as uninterrupted time to get caught up. Today, I'm on a flight on the way home from a business trip in Silicon Valley. Fifteen hours of travel for a two-hour meeting. You have to wonder if it's worth it, but I assure you what we accomplished in two hours would have taken two weeks on the phone. Even with the great strides we've made doing business electronically, I believe there is nothing as effective as a good old face-to-face discussion. I keep a folder on my desk marked, "Airplane reading." It has all those newsletters, articles and informational pieces I wish I had time to read but never do. If it's not time sensitive, it goes into the "Airplane" file. Seems I haven't been on a business trip lately because the file included 10 magazines, 2 newsletters and a FYI article someone mailed me. I am happy to say as I taxi the runway on the last leg of my trip that I have no magazines left in my carryon bag. There's nothing like the feeling of accomplishment! I'm sure it will be short lived though. January's magazines are probably waiting for me in the mail pile. What am I going to do for the next one hour and 20 minutes? I could handwrite my annual holiday letter to my friends and family. My goal this week is to get my baking and cards done by Sunday. If I get the letter written while I'm on the plane, it will put me ahead of the game. I could sleep, but a mother would never use uninterrupted time on herself! My husband hates those generic holiday letters. He thinks they are impersonal. I agreed with him until we had children and realized it was impossible to handwrite notes to all my family and friends. The option is a generic letter or no communication at all. I opt for the letter. Suffice it to say, I won that argument. So, what will I recount for the year 2000 in my note? Well, it will go something like this…. (I apologize in advance to my sorority sisters who will have to read this letter online and receive it next week in the mail.)
Dear Friends and Family, February brought the birth of BlueSuitMom.com. Rachael, my partner and I worked like maniacs for the next 90 days to create what we hoped would become the best online resource for executive working mothers and the companies who employ them. There were nights we worked well into the morning to do it. We made deals, raised capital and cried a few tears along the way. On Mother's Day, we turned on www.BlueSuitMom.com. Fortunately for us, the press and readers welcomed us with open arms. My two kindergartners graduated and my little Captain Hook said goodbye to Pre-K. Our baby learned to walk during a t-ball game. June brought us challenge. Our nanny of two years quit unexpectedly. Summer is not a good time for that to happen. Just when you were wondering what you could plan to keep four children busy, you find out you will be the source of summer entertainment. I am proud to say, that we survived without hiring another nanny until school started. June also was the month we enjoyed Mr. and Mrs. Bailey's, my in-laws, 50th wedding anniversary. It was a great weekend with family and friends. BlueSuitMom.com continued to grow and gain media attention. SELF magazine, Chicago Tribune, USA Today and the BCC radio all featured BlueSuitMom. One of the highlights of BlueSuitMom.com has been all the incredible friends I've met along the way- Julie Marchese, Jorj Morgan, Beth Rosen, Kit Bennett, Sue Hunter, Corliss Hale and Tammy Harrison- to name a few. All are really incredible women and even greater moms. August was an unsettling month on our home front. My father-in-law became ill and still struggles with the side effects of his surgeries. We said good-bye to Great Grandma Bailey who died at 98 years old. Aunt Rachael passed away three days before. September's memory was the first day of first grade. I cried when I saw my little babies in uniforms going down the big halls with backpacks. They adjusted well and I can proudly say are doing well in school. (Teachers, if you are reading, please e-mail if I am wrong!) We have two soccer players and one Brownie now in the family. Practices, birthday parties and games seem to keep us very busy. And tagging along is the baby who believes she is also 5 years old. Tim and I took the kids to their first Notre Dame game in October. It's a day my husband has waited his whole life to live. The nostalgia of Notre Dame vs. Navy captivated all the kids. Unfortunately for my bank account, I think someone is destined for the halls of Farley Dormitory in South Bend. In October, I also ran the Chicago marathon. I crossed the finish line in a record time. My good friend Audrey was with me to root me on along the way. For any of you who follow my diary entries online, you might remember I predicted something good would happen to me after my marathon. Well, it did! I was asked by Prima Publishing to write a book. It's entitled, "The Women's Home-Based Business Book of Answers." It's due out in May. I'm working harder than I ever had to meet my publisher's deadlines. I know what you are thinking, "When do you write your book?" Well, I write from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. each night. So, far I'm up to 80 pages. Only 100 more to go! Again, this experience has allowed me to meet so many wonderful and interesting women -- Julie Aigner-Clark, founder of BabyEinstein, Molly Gold, Founder of GoMom!, Debbie Williams, Founder of Organized Times and Alex Powe Alred, Olympian and Author. I'll share more about the experience with you at a later date. I would be remised, however, if I didn't credit Tim and Rachael for all the support they have given me in this endeavor. November was a good media month for BlueSuitMom.com. Working Women Magazine recognized us as one of the top Internet sites for work and family balance. Entrepreneur magazine also featured us in their publication. So now the year is coming to the end again. We are busy here at BlueSuitMom designing new features for 2001. Rachael is closing on her first house after a year of endless looking and failed contracts. Soccer season has started and holiday parties fill our calendar. Lots to do on my list but thanks to a long plane ride, "Write Holiday Letter" can be crossed off today. Happy Holidays and thank you for a fantastic year! Share your thoughts on our message board or email Maria.
Also see: Maria Bailey is the CEO and founder of BlueSuitMom.com and a mother of four children under the age of seven.
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