By Tracey Porpora
Staten Island Advance, N.Y.
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) Tracey Porpora takes a look at some mother/daughter entrepreneurs who have joined forces to launch and grow their business ventures.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.
After becoming a mother at age 16, Jonelle Jaramillo has always valued every moment spent with her daughter.
And when the opportunity to open a business together arose, she jumped at it.
“Who doesn’t want to see their child thrive as an adult? I am grateful that I get to see my daughter as a professional — literally every single day — and I could not be more proud of all that she has accomplished,” said Jaramillo, who owns the Arden Heights-based Maximum Beauty Laser, a laser hair removal business, with her daughter, Natasha Pacheco.
Jaramillo and Pacheco are not only business partners, but they are also best friends.
Like many mother/daughter teams who have launched small businesses together, the pair say working every day can be a very rewarding experience.
Another pair of besties/business owners are Daniella Galati and her mother, Denise Galati.
Growing up, Daniella Galati. viewed her mother as a smart businesswoman and role model.
“I always wanted to do everything she did, and follow in her footsteps,” she said.
And she did just that.
The younger Galati purchased her mom’s boutique, Daniella Bella’s in Grasmere, seven years ago, and expanded the merchandise from just accessories to apparel for women.
While Daniella Galati took the ownership reins, her mother became her partner in running the day-to-day operations. The pair opened Daniella Bella’s South in 2017 in Pleasant Plains. .
“Working with my mom for the last 10 years has been one of the biggest blessings of life,” said Daniella Galati.
“I am honored that we get to do what we love day in and day out; most importantly I am able to share it with my best friend.
We spend endless nights pricing inventory, creating our visuals and re/ordering. We also go on business trips together, and, yes, that is definitely one of the highlights of owning your own business,” she added.
Similarly, Jacquelyn Borgese said she was inspired to open a business — a salad bar called Lettuce Be Healthy — next door to her mother’s bar in Pleasant Plains, so she learn from her.
“Women defy the odds, everyday, reaching platforms that were unexpected. My mother [owner of Hot Shotz Sports Bar] did not accept her circumstances or let the hardships deviate her. But instead challenged them by being an independent successful female entrepreneur, which was the vision I saw for myself when I chose to open my business, Lettuce Be Healthy,” said the younger Borgese.
SHARING TIME TOGETHER
So many families complain about not having enough time to see each other, so when you get to go into business with your daughter or mother, there’s a lot of quality time spent together, said Kerry McKernan, who owns Lee Sims Chocolates in Westerleigh, with her mother, Alison McKernan.
“Mom and I have been working together for almost 27 years. I’m grateful for the authenticity and solidarity that you can only get from your mother. We certainly laugh often but also yell more and get more emotional with each other, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. But what I’m most grateful for is working with my mother and sharing this time with her,” said Kerry McKernan.
A DREAM COME TRUE
Many mothers say being asked to operate businesses with their daughters is a dream come true.
For example, Jennifer Bane enlisted her parents, Norma and Robert E. Lee, to open HeavenLee Float Spa in Richmond Valley.
“My daughter, Jenny is my youngest daughter, my baby,” said Norma Lee.
“Through our lifetime we have spent a lot of time together and we really enjoy each other’s company. I adore my little angel. So when Jenny asked me if I wanted to open HeavenLee Float Spa with her, something that our community in Staten Island was lacking and something that could be so beneficial for so many people, I agreed,” said Norma Lee.
FATE AT ITS BEST
Some mother/daughter teams say it was fate that brought them together as business partners.
For example, Kathleen and Elizabeth Hemmerle found themselves in the same place, at the same point in their lives.
“We both wanted more,” said the younger Hemmerle, Elizabeth.
At the time, Elizabeth, who was pregnant with her daughter, Ella Rae, had just left her job in the skincare industry — and Kathleen had been laid-off from a job in the retail industry.
That’s when the pair put their heads together to come up with a venture that would be both profitable and enjoyable.
The result is Dragonfly Apothecary, an all-natural face and skin product line.
“I love working with my mom because at the end of the day, she’s my best friend,” said Elizabeth Hemmerle. “She knows how I think, how I react, my dreams, my vision; we share a lot in common, but are also very different. She is a lot more cautious and reserved in making business decisions, so it’s very good to have that balance. We’ve been in business for a little over a year, and have grown bigger than we could’ve imagined, at this point.”
