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Monday, January 29, 2007
Career Makeover
Contain Yourself aims to simplify lives
Data processor leaves corporations to perfect home organizing system.
Karen Dybis / Special to the Detroit News
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Velvet S. McNeil / The Detroit News
Remade your career?
Did you switch from engineering to sales? Escape the boss from hell? Use your severance pay as seed money to start a small business? The Detroit News wants to hear from readers who've successfully remade their jobs, professions and careers for future stories. To tell your story, e-mail Personal Finance Editor Brian O'Connor at boconnor@detnews.com.Karen Eschebach
Home: Grosse Pointe Shores, married with a 6-year-old daughterWork tips
Career coach Prudence Cole of Grosse Pointe is co-author of "Finding Power, Passion and Joy Being at Work" and author of the Web site beingatwork.com.Related Articles and Links
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MONEY-MAKEOVER
Walk into Karen Eschebach's home, and you'll notice there is a place for everything, and everything is in its place.
That's because the former personal organizer has a knack for finding everyday items a home. Her next project is helping others do the same. Last year, Eschebach founded Contain Yourself -- a direct sales and party planning company that demonstrates and sells products that help organize a person's home and simplify their lives.
Where she came from: Eschebach went from Redford High School to Oakland Community College, where she received an associate's degree. She went back to school at Central Michigan University to get a bachelor's degree in applied science.
From there, Eschebach enjoyed a relatively long career, spending 12 years at EDS and five more at Ford Motor Co. in data processing.
What changed: As the old saying goes, having a baby changes everything. Eschebach and her husband welcomed a baby girl into their family in August 2000. In an effort to spend more time with her daughter, Eschebach tried a number of hats -- an eBay consignment business, working as a personal organizer -- but nothing seemed to stick.
Moment of truth: Eschebach had a brainstorm while attending a Pampered Chef direct-sales party in July 2006.
"I realized there was nothing out there like this for organizing. So I decided to do it," she said.
She researched the subject with vigor, filling a spiral notebook with ideas. She dragged her laptop computer along on a family vacation and devoured books about cosmetics guru Mary Kay Ash and Pampered Chef founder Doris Christopher. She also hired a Grosse Pointe Park firm, Frontier 3 Advertising, to help her create a brand for her new company, including a logo, motto and packaging.
The result was Contain Yourself, and its motto of "It's not just the product. It's the process."
Stumbling blocks: One challenge was the realization that she may not have the resources to make Contain Yourself a reality. Her doubts arose after attending the Washington, D.C. meeting of the Direct Selling Association and comparing herself to most of the successful entrepreneurs there.
"I didn't have millions of dollars. I didn't have a warehouse. I didn't have a full, glossy catalog," Eschebach said. Another obstacle came when Eschebach's friend and original business partner decided the timing just wasn't right for her. Eschebach accepted her decision with regret and eventually approached another woman, friend and fellow Grosse Pointe-area stay-at-home mom Jennifer Weaver. A new partnership was born.
"I couldn't do it alone," Eschebach said. "It's always great to have another person evaluate things. Plus, we're using her basement as our world headquarters."
Words of wisdom: Eschebach believes the key to success for Contain Yourself is discovering unique products and creating one-of-a-kind organizing tools. She and Weaver have put their own money into the business, a definite sacrifice. They feel the investment will pay off in the end, and it keeps them focused on the process at every stage. This March, Eschebach and Weaver will attend the International Home & Housewares Show in Chicago, where 37 percent of the products are related to organization. That is just one more sign to Eschebach that she is headed in the right direction.
Karen Dybis is a Metro Detroit freelance writer. You can reach her at kdybis@comcast.net.