Welcome to another edition of our Member Spotlight Series on the Madison Mompreneur blog! This series will help you get to know the members of Madison Mompreneur as we ask them questions about their personal and professional life as moms who own businesses in the Madison, Alabama area.

We are continuing this series with the spotlight on Victoria O’Connor, Owner of Willow Events!

Introduce yourself! 
I’m Victoria O’Connor, and I own Willow Events, a full service wedding and event decorator based in Hazel Green, AL.

How does your business help people? 
We help clients design one of a kind floral pieces & event decorating for their weddings, birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers & more.

How long have you lived in the Madison area? 
I live in Hazel Green, but I have been in the Huntsville area since 1994.

What inspired you to start your business? 
I have always dreamed of having my own business since I was in high school. I always thought it would be a coffee shop never knew my path would be flower.

What sets your business apart from others in the industry? 
I put God at the center of my business. Its more than a business, but a ministry and advancement to his kingdom.

What do you consider to be your biggest success so far? 
Building my business from a $500 dollar start up. My husband and I lived pay check to credit card for a long time with him being a mechanic. It’s not easily supporting a family with the way they are paid. He said take $500 out of our income tax return and start your business. Its been a very long slow building process.

How does your business contribute to the local community? 
I try to give where God tells me my business is about God it’s not always about the money. 

How do you see your business evolving in the next 5-10 years? 
Our long term goal is a wedding venue that is full service.

Who are your typical customers and how do they find you? 
Social media (Facebook)

What do you enjoy most about running your business? 
I love making my business very personal getting to know my clients and having fun seeing what we can create for their day. It’s also very beautiful that I become close with a lot of my clients. We are friends on Facebook, and I get to watch them all starting their own families now.

How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes? 
We are subscribed to the top floral design magazines, Pinterest, and any classes we can take.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a business in your industry? 
Enjoy the process, take your time build slow and steady, and don’t sell out to get big over night.

What product/service would you like for us to highlight at this time? 
Weddings, birthdays, and bridal showers!

How do you involve your kids in your business? 
I’m a home school mom so my boys go with me for the majority of the process. To the wholesaler, prepping flowers, filling vases/buckets, soaking oasis whatever is needed my boys are their to help.

What do you find is the most difficult part of balancing motherhood and business life? 
Just finding the balance between homeschooling, baseball, keeping up the home life, and running my business.

What business in the Madison area is your favorite? 
Lemon & Lavender

Do you have a business bestie? 
My business partner, Virginia.

Where can people find you? 
Facebook & Instagram

If Victoria’s experience as a mom and business owner resonates with you, we want to hear from you in the comments! And if you are a mom and business owner in Madison, Alabama email us at madisonmompreneur@gmail.com. to be featured in a future Member Highlight post!

Member Highlight: Christine Stroecker of Birch Acres

Welcome to another edition of our Member Spotlight Series on the Madison Mompreneur blog! This series will help you get to know the members of Madison Mompreneur as we ask them questions about their personal and professional life as moms who own businesses in the Madison, Alabama area.

We are continuing this series with the spotlight on Christine Stroecker, Owner of Birch Acres LLC!

Introduce yourself!

I’m Christine Stroecker, and I own Birch Acres LLC.

How does your business help people?

Birch Acres LLC is a fully licensed and insured residential remodeling company. It is my goal to breathe life back into the space of your home. I truly believe that homes hold energy, and that energy affects those living in the space. Making your home more functional, aesthetic, and comfortable, will have an impact on your daily life and how you feel each day. Our homes are usually our biggest material asset, so investing in them (in the correct ways) is very wise. Elevate your home, Elevate your life

How long have you lived in Madison County?

South Huntsville is my home base. My family has lived here for a little over two years. My husband and I are both from Alabama, but we moved from state to state during/after college. This is our first time living in Alabama as a family, so it feels great to be home!

What inspired you to start your business?

Starting my own business has been on my heart since I was in high school. Surprisingly, I got really comfortable in the corporate world after college and thought I’d never leave. There were multiple things going on in my life from 2020 – 2021 that seemed to push me to start my own business. First, my husband and I flipped two houses on the side while working full-time. This is really where I fell in love with residential construction AND saw a huge need in the market for a more sophisticated experience. Secondly, once I had my son in 2021, my vision of how I wanted the rest of my life to look and the vision being sold by the corporate world weren’t aligning. Having my son was the main catalyst to starting Birch Acres.

What sets your business apart from others in the industry?

Besides the fact that it’s run by a young female….

The residential remodeling industry is way behind with the times. The quotes given to homeowners are vague; the expectations are not set properly; the billing process is usually unorganized and not clear; it can be “sketchy” in regard to safety; people’s deposits are taken (I can’t tell you how many times I have heard clients say another contractor took their money).

I want to make a positive impact on the reputation that residential contractors carry. When you work with Birch Acres, you will have a fully modern experience. I want to make sure we have a trusting relationship with open communication. My billing process is very clear, organized, and you can make payments online. I have been told numerous times that my quotes are very detailed compared to others. We will discuss different issues that we might encounter. I am very diligent at tracking cost, and dependent on what type of contract you have, we will be in frequent communication on budget. Lastly, we understand that we are coming into your home, so we make sure that we are respectful of your space and your time. We’re basically doing surgery on your home (your most valuable asset), so I want to make sure that my clients understand what to expect.

What do you consider to be your biggest success so far?

Creating a business that gave me so much time back that I can now spend with my family.

How does your business contribute to the local community?

We donate extra materials that are unused to people that are in need. We will load up the unused materials and take them to where they need to go! We are also particularly careful to dispose of waste properly.

How do you see your business evolving in the next 5-10 years?

My goal is to create a construction company that provides an upscale remodeling experience that is communicative, sophisticative, and creative. I want to re-write what people typically think when they go to hire a contractor. Hopefully I am at 5x the revenue that I am projecting for this year, and I’ll certainly need a large team to help me accomplish that.

Equally as important, I want to create a company where the employees thrive in their roles. I want the work environment to promote creativity (not only with design but with processes too), encourage ownership with projects, empower them to take charge. My hope is that working at Birch Acres is a growing experience for the employee that pushes them out of their comfort zone. I want the employees to gain confidence in themselves and their future. Hopefully the employees absolutely love their job and that joy spills into their home. As an employer, time with family will always come first. Money will come and go, but time you can’t get back.

Who are your typical customers, and how do they find you?

I have two main types of customers: (1) Homeowners (2) Investors. They usually find me through a referral, Google, Houzz, or the BBB.

What do you enjoy most about running your business?

F-R-E-E-D-O-M. Can’t say it enough. I have so much freedom with my time. I have control over how much money I make. I have freedom to choose who is a good fit for me to work with. Once day when I am hiring, I’ll have the freedom to choose my employees. I have freedom to choose how my processes work and what deliverables look like. I absolutely love the amount of freedom owning a business gives me.

How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes?

I am a student right now at the Interior Design Institute. I fully plan to elevate the design aspect of my business!

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a business in your industry?

#1 you MUST get your Homebuilder’s License! Don’t be afraid of the test. My books are on loan right now to someone who is studying for the test, and I’d be happy to loan them to anyone. #2 don’t be afraid to network around town, build a website, cold call people, etc… this was so uncomfortable for me at first, but it has gotten me so many jobs.

Any product/service you would like to highlight at this time?

During the holidays, I notice a big dip in homeowner projects! It makes sense that people don’t want a renovation going while they are spending large amounts of time at home and inviting guests over. The holidays are stressful enough! That being said, INVESTORS are a HUGE source of revenue for my business. Investor connections really pull my business through the winter season since they are always on the gas!

Do you involve your kids in your business? If yes, how so?

My son involves himself by crawling into my office chair and banging on my keyboard… that’s about as involved as he gets.

What do you find is the most difficult part of balancing motherhood and business life?

When I left my corporate job, I was convinced that I wouldn’t have any more super late nights working. I strive to maintain that, but it happens every once in a while. I feel a strong pain in my heart when those moments happen. I use those moments to feel grateful that they are few and far between and that I am on the right track.

What business in the Madison area is your favorite?

Vintage 72

Who is your business bestie?

I have a few over the internet, but I need a real-life one!

Where can people find you?

On my website, Facebook, and Instagram.

If Christine’s experience as mom and business owner resonates with you, we want to hear from you in the comments! And if you are a mom and business owner in Madison, Alabama email us at madisonmompreneur@gmail.com. to be featured in a future Member Highlight post!

Member Spotlight: Emily Willis of Womb Space Healing Center

Welcome to another edition of our Member Spotlight Series on the Madison Mompreneur blog! This series will help you get to know the members of Madison Mompreneur as we ask them questions about their personal and professional life as moms who own businesses in Madison, Alabama.

We are continuing this series with the spotlight on Emily Willis, Owner of Womb Space Healing Center. Enjoy!

Introduce yourself!

My name is Emily Willis, and I own Womb Space Healing Center.

How does your business help people?

Womb Space Healing Center is a holistic gynecology office offering safe and natural health solutions.

How long have you lived in Madison County?

I’ve lived in Meridianville since October 2009.

What inspired you to start your business?

The complete absence of holistic healthcare in this country and the bandaid approach that does not heal the root cause of physical problems.

What sets your business apart from others in the industry?

I look at your health holistically meaning complete health of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. I also have evening and weekend hours which no other gynecology practice in the area does.

What do you consider to be your biggest success so far?

Opening women’s minds to the fact that they can heal themselves and giving them their power back.

How does your business contribute to the local community?

I am offering women knowledge to empower them about their healthcare. I give them the tools they need to do the work and heal themselves.

How do you see your business evolving in the next 5-10 years?

I plan to expand on the small holistic health center I have at my office now with 6 other holistic health professionals. We plan to have a large building that is one stop shopping for holistic health for all.

Who are your typical customers, and how do they find you?

My typical customer is a woman from 18-60, although I have seen ages 10-93. I can be found on Instagram, Facebook, and my website.

What do you enjoy most about running your business?

Freedom with my schedule and what I offer!

How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes?

I am constantly taking courses to further my education out of a desire to find more ways to help people but also I have required CEUs to keep my national certification and state license.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a business in your industry?

The first year is really tough on all levels but the end result is so worth it so stick with it.

What product/service would you like for us to highlight at this time?

Holistic gynecology services and products that I sell in my lobby.

Do you involve your kids in your business? If yes, how so?

They visit sometimes when there is no school and momma has to work but are not otherwise involved as school and after school activities keep them and us busy.

What do you find is the most difficult part of balancing motherhood and business life?

Making sure I give my husband and kids my undivided attention when at home.

What business in the Madison area is your favorite?

Phuket Thai Restaurant and Sushi because Thai and sushi are my favorite!

Who is your business bestie?

I enjoy all my suite mates at work a ton and consider them my friends.

Anything else you would like for us to highlight?

I am a one woman show so everyone gets me only when they contact the office and all appointments are an hour long at least so no one is rushed. I am here to sincerely listen and help.

Where can people find you?

My website and my office at 3315 Memorial Parkway SW, Suite 501, Huntsville, AL 35801 which is between Drake and Airport.

If Emily’s experience as mom and business owner resonates with you, we would love to hear from you in the comments. And if you are a mom and business owner in Madison, Alabama and would like to be featured in a future Member Highlight post, email us at madisonmompreneur@gmail.com.