CLICK HERE TO WIN 2 FREE SEASONAL CLEANINGS FROM STROLLER XPRESS!
Cleaning my kids’ car seats is a daunting task. First, I have to figure out how to properly remove the fabric from the intricate system of plastic hooks and handles (even worse for the double stroller I had when the kids were babies). Next, I lug the vacuum down to the garage, and use both it as well as a scrub brush to tackle the multitude of crumbs that have worked their way into every crevice of the plastic seat. Finally, I wash and dry the fabric, but then need to get the darn cloth back on the frame without ripping or destroying everything! My husband and I try to enforce a “NO EATING IN THE CAR” rule, but on longer car trips it is inevitable that we will eventually hear the calls of “I’m hungry!” from the backseat. Add to this the occasional bouts of car sickness, and what's a parent to do?
To address these sorts of problems, a local mom, Ilanit Allen, has just started Stroller Xpress, a business based in Millburn that specializes in cleaning those very same strollers and car seats , so you don't have to! I love their motto, “…because every kid deserves a clean seat and every parent deserves an extra hand.”
As part of my Local Women in Business Series, I interviewed Ilanit about the origins of Stroller Xpress and how she turned her great idea into a company:
Before her kids were born, and armed with an MBA from Harvard Business School, Ilanit successfully worked in strategy and corporate communications at large publicly traded companies. When her first born daughter was 1 1/2 years old, she started her own corporate communications firm as she felt the “pangs” of wanting to spend more time at home. However, it was more recently that she had the idea for Stroller Xpress, particularly as her family has grown to 3 girls (ranging in age from 3 to 7) and with it the mandatory "children's gear"!
As she explains: “Every time I put [the girls] in their seats I would think about how dirty the seats had gotten, But there never seemed to be a good time to clean all three car seats. I began researching cleaning services for children’s gear and realized there wasn’t a viable option here. That was my 'Aha!' moment. I polled other parents and realized they all hated cleaning their children’s gear and loved the idea of a service that would do it for them!”
She was also blessed with a strong support system that helped her believe in her cause and to take the plunge. As she puts it, “I haven't had to look far to be inspired. I have been influenced by some extraordinarily strong women in my life including my mother and sister, friends that have started their own businesses, and friends - some mothers/some not - who refuse to let obstacles prevent them from accomplishing their goals."
Ilanit is also striving to have Stroller Xpress become an active participant in her community. As one example: she’s teamed up with local schools so that you can drop off your gear at participating schools at the same time you normally drop off your child. Of course, you are also welcome to bring your children with you to the store at 87 Main Street in Millburn - a big, bright inviting environment with children’s books and a chalk board to keep the kids entertained! (and while there, you can also check out some of the handy and cute items for purchase).
Your kids might even make friends with Ilanit’s girls. As she states: “My children are able to come to Stroller Xpress after school or on weekends and we can share a common space together. We can be together even if they can't always have my undivided attention. They were also involved in setting up the store, selecting product and marketing. The girls love being involved and I hope along the way they learn some important life lessons about responsibility, community, accountability, and that women can do anything they set their minds to.”
Ilanit is creating a paradigm shift in the way parents think about cleaning children’s gear. “I've never been intimidated by a challenge", she continues, "and getting people to change their behaviors to use a service that was never available before, certainly is one. But, our services were born out of my own needs as a working parent, and based on the positive feedback we've gotten so far, we are addressing an unmet need in the community. I'm driven every day knowing that the services we offer make it just a little easier for busy parents to be great parents.”
And now one lucky parent and Summit Short Hills Macaroni Kid subscriber can win:
2 free seasonal stroller or car seat cleanings - one in the spring and one in the fall!
Start the season with clean and fresh children's gear!
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE CONTEST!
Stroller Xpress
87 Main Street
Millburn, NJ
Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm
(973) 970-3736
www.strollerxpress.com
$100 Holiday Special includes
1 car seat, 1 high chair and 1 single stroller!
offer valid thru 3/31/15
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE CONTEST!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ODDS OF WINNING WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ENTRIES RECEIVED. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. DO NOT ENTER THIS SWEEPSTAKES IF YOU ARE NOT EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AS OF March 20, 2015 AND A LEGAL RESIDENT OF AND CURRENTLY RESIDING IN ONE OF THE FIFTY (50) UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH FACEBOOK.
ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. ENTRIES VALID FROM March 20, 2015 THRU March 25, 2015 AT 5PM.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE RULES
