What It's Like To Start A Mother-Daughter Business
As mother-daughter cofounders of DD Bird, an ultra functional travel tote brand, we are frequently asked what it is like to run a business together. “Do you fight? Do you agree on things? How do you not kill one another!?” And let us tell you- starting a business with your mom or daughter is definitely not for the faint of heart! There are ups and downs just like any other new business, but it’s also extremely rewarding and fun. The wins are bigger wins because we have one another to celebrate with. And on the hard days, we can cheer one another on.
If you are new around here, we are Donna and Amanda, the mother-daughter team behind DD Bird. We are two passionate, business savvy blondes who love to travel to new places, especially together! Donna is the momma bird and CEO, Chief Executive Chick, of our biz. She manages product manufacturing and fulfillment along with retail partnerships. With a background in supply chain management and hospital administration, she brings a corporate edge to our duo. When Donna is not working on DD Bird, you can typically find this chick at the beach. Amanda is the latte lovin’, tech guru and daughter half behind DD Bird who serves as our CMC, Chief Marketing Chick. When she’s not coding our beautiful website, she’s sharing our products through social media, email marketing, and commerce channels. Anything backend or online- she’s our gal!
In our case, we knew we wanted to work together before we came up with our brand concept and signature product. We have always dreamt of working together and had to the opportunity to start a venture in 2019. We played with everything from jewelry to pajamas and struggled to agree on what our “thing” would be. We were both passionate about fashion that is both pretty and functional, a combination that is difficult to find.
While on a trip, we finally had our epiphany- that moment that every entrepreneur talks about. Those who know us know we tend to overpack when we travel, and the same goes for our carry-ons. After lugging our heavy bags on our shoulders through the airport, we boarded our flight together with our non DD Bird totes that lacked any pockets, zippers, and organization. As the flight took off, we both slid our totes under the seats in front of us. It wasn’t long before our belongings were rolling down the aisle of the plane! We were frustrated and feeling how many women feel when they travel. We knew we could do better.
Inspiration filled our minds as we stayed up the consecutive nights drawing prototypes. Perfecting our tote design was not easy and took the better part of a year. That may seem like a long time, but unique products are not developed overnight. Once we started to manufacture our idea, we received numerous, awful samples. They were honestly so bad that the only thing we could do was laugh it off, stick them in the closet, and send in a revised tech pack with a better design. It took patience and lots of hard work to get it just right.
Our relationship is one of the things that makes our bag business unique; it gives us a special perspective when creating multigenerational products that women love. We wanted to make a bag that appealed to women regardless of their age. It needed to be a product that works for the woman on the go; it needed to be durable, organized, easy to use, and beautiful.
We introduced DD Bird to the public on May 10, 2020 and both transitioned to work fulltime together for the first time ever. (Cue the champagne pop!) It was a big pinch ourselves moment. We were nervous and excited to share our bags with customers and retailers. At our first retail meeting, we left feeling disappointed. But by our second meeting, we were jumping up and down in the parking lot! It feels that much sweeter to have your mom or daughter to celebrate with knowing you accomplished something big together.
And to answer you, yes we fight sometimes. We do not always agree. Yet, the thing that never changes is our love for one another. Our relationship is more complex than that of most business partners, but it is what also allows us to be upfront and honest with one another. When you work with your mother or daughter, it takes understanding and sometimes giving each other a pass. We have moments where one of us may feel like we are carrying more of the weight. However, we have learned to adjust and support each other based on our seasons of life and depending on what each of us has going on. At the end of the day, we are so fortunate to work together and create a brand that supports other women!
Fast forward to Fall 2021, we find ourselves prepping for our second holiday season, adding new retailers, and collaborating with a group of fabulous influencers. We have been featured in several publications highlighting our mother-daughter business relationship. And, nothing makes us happier than hearing that women love our bags.
If you are dreaming of starting a business with your mother or daughter, we invite you to comment below to share! Enjoy the ups and downs, make sure you are on the same page, and don’t forget that you are mother and daughter before being business partners. Your relationship can take you to great heights!