MetroMom Jackie Raimondi
Jackie Raimondi wears many hats these days as an Air Force wife, mother of two small boys, the president and creator of BinkiBear, LLC and a worship leader through music and dance.

MM - How has your background prepared you for running your own company?

My background is as diverse as my current journey, and no doubt contributes to the success of the differing demands of my life. I earned my BA in Psychology in 2003, with a minor in fine arts (voice and dance). My husband and I were married the next weekend! After we were married and moved to a town right outside Boston, MA I worked at Brandeis University in the psychology department working as the head research assistant in a language lab and then jumped to the position of the field campaign manager for a U.S. Congressional campaign in 2004. I have been a music minister/leader, wedding singer, customer relations and service representative for a large aluminum company, and like many of us through college I was a waitress and assistant manager at a pizza joint. During the college years I ran karaoke for children and hosted kids' birthday parties. I enjoy the diversity of my life and the military ensures I will continue to experience new responsibilities and communities by moving us around often. It was when I had my first child and then moved to South Korea 3 months later that I created BinkiBear, called PaciBear at the time. I had always been the type to create and invent, but even with my random work history I still never considered making that arm chair hobby a career.  

MM - How did you decide to make BinkiBear?

Traveling to Korea, by myself, as new mom with a very fussy infant was demanding and difficult. My child needed lots of comfort, and who could blame him? Even adults need comfort when going through the process of security and staying on an aircraft for 15 hours straight, not to mention moving to another country. As we passed through the rigorous customs' security sweet little KJ threw his teddy bear one way and the pacifier other, and then of course screamed at the result. I began placing the pacifier on the arm of the bear in the beginning during travel and saw the benefit of placing them together: easier to keep up with, easier for KJ to hold onto, and of course a little extra comfort from combining the two. It wasn't till a few months later I began using the combo during the night, and saw that the new creation helped him to sleep through the night as he no longer needed me to find his pacifier at night. All in all the combo worked perfectly for every day life and I began experimenting with better ways to connect the two that were safe, secure, yet simple and efficient. I then realized the potential of using the combo for future weaning as I saw the transference from the pacifier to the bear naturally occur. It was an "ah-ha" moment as I discovered full picture of the solution and I began pulling my old psych text books and articles, researching transitional objects and began putting 2 and 2 together... the pacifier and the transitional object. And the BinkiBear as we all use it now was born.

MM - Did you have any experiences or education in your “past life” to draw from that were helpful in starting a new company?

What I learned from my diverse background was more ethical and motivational than nuts and bolts business. In fact, the title "president and CEO" on my new business cards elicited more than a few chuckles from my very truthful and straightforward friends. Thankfully, I had my mother and father, who were both incredibly gifted, experienced, and educated in business, business management, and accounting. I mostly bring design, innovation, and leadership to the table. In certain circumstances like organization of events, conferences, or group management I have been described as detailed and "all -business", but these types of experiences lend less expertise than I realized to the starting of a business. My ability to plan and execute comes from my education and the discipline, attention to details, and clear communication that was required of me in my major courses. All of this was good to have, but without the guidance of my parents I would have been more than a little lost. I am blessed that God would place them in my life and honestly, I am excited to watch how God has shown me that I can do anything through Him when He calls me to it.

MM - In hindsight, did you have realistic expectations as to the amount of time and work needed to create, manufacture and promote BinkiBear?

Actually yes. But the people around me were kind enough to spread an appropriate amount of pessimism as to the that side of beginning a business. In addition to the support, my parents were able to provide real expectations based on experience, as well as a dose of reality as to my capabilities which were limited and lacking in business education and experience, and of course limited of time because of my primary responsibilities at home. I had friends who were overly optimistic, but the balance of their "wowing" exclamations of future success faced off with the reality of the process resulting in a good molding of my perspective.

MM - Would you say you are on track, behind, or ahead of the initial goals you set for BinkiBear?

Based on original goals, I would say we are on track. The ups and downs of the business.... more specifically the potential that comes from great unexpected opportunities can sway you to advance your goals sooner than necessary, and we have had several of those types of incidents where greater potential was offered us and then did not work out. During those times, I probably felt behind. But always going back to the original goals to assess the progress is necessary, even when the journey lends itself to new goals, because as I mentioned, sometimes it doesn't work out. And in those cases returning to the first set of goals is both sobering and encouraging!
 
MM - How do you balance work and Motherhood?

... like an amateur Olympic gymnast on the uneven bars! I would like to say that balance is easy, but it isn't. You can try to set a schedule, but with children at this age, the schedule must be flexible, so it serves as more as a point of reference and sanity, rather than an actual determination of time. Life is complicated, and for most of us the whole of the situation is much more complicated than the sum of its parts. For me, the recipe of two small boys 21 months apart, being an Air Force family, and having no family around to help creates a unique situation. But it is a season, and my balancing act will change as the seasons change! For now, I swing back and forth, focusing on the differing tasks of my responsibility to my God first, my husband, my children, my business, the Air Force, my friends, and our household, while focusing on it all like one big event. And, in what will seem like no time... I'll be on to the next one. Above all, I must trust not on my own understanding but lean solely on the wisdom of God. So with that said, the best thing I can do is focus on God first and pray, and know that He will lead me in the steps to finish a task and go from one task to the next with wisdom and grace. (and while I wrote this.. 2 time outs, at least 4 whistle blowing on "disagreements" over toys, explaining that a fly can not eat us, and lastly, one naked 3 year old asking for help putting underwear back on after a potty break. whew....)

MM - Do you have a parenting motto that you would like to share?

"Train a child in the way he should go and when he is older he will not depart from it" Proverbs 22:6 "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." Deuteronomy 4:9 I could go on, but these are foundations by which I live. The best way for me to show my love for these precious children of God's, that He has with grace and reward placed in my charge, is to teach them truth and love, and to train them in those ways. ...oh, and one motto: I am not afraid to be the bad guy for my children's good ;)  

MM - Is there one bit of advice that has served you best that you can share?

The best advice I've had is to trust your instincts after doing all due diligence in research. And, even in business, treat others the way you would want to be treated, with love. ...oh, and one motto: I am not afraid to be the bad guy for my children's good ;)