Tell us about yourself ...
I am 39 years old, married with one 4 year old daughter. I have been
a clinical social worker since 1995 working with children and families.
I opened a psychiatric facility in New Orleans in 2000, which provides
counseling to children with severe psychiatric illnesses. It was lost to
Katrina, and then quickly rebuilt since we were the only mental health
agency in New Orleans open after Katrina for almost 6 months.

What does AQUA2GO provide for Moms, Dads
and Kids?
AQUA2GO provides parents with an alternative to high sugar beverages
and an opportunity to encourage kids to drink more water. The packaging is appealing to kids, and there are also other great benefits such as a 5 yr shelf life perfect for emergency preparation (Red Cross recommends replacing bottled water once a year) and also the eco-friendly aspect since the packaging is made of 74% paper a renewable resource. I want to quickly explain that since I have learned a lot of this with my venture, and I believe consumers, especially parents, would be interested in how we treat the planet that out children, and their children, will be left with.

Renewable resources are resources that if managed well will last indefinitely. Competitive packages, such as plastic, glass and steel cans contain no renewable resources. The paperboard in these packages comes from actively managed forests using sustainable forestry practices established by organizations like the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, which assures that harvested trees are replenished, biological biodiversity is preserved and endangered species are protected.
 
In addition, they can be easily flattened after use and made into paper airplanes!
Try that with a plastic water bottle! :)

AQUA2GO is such an inventive product. Where did you get your idea? 
Sitting on a beach in Florida last 4th of July with my family, giving in to my daughter's plea for juice boxes over water. It came from utter frustration and a feeling that I had to get creative if I wanted my child to be healthy! I quickly found out after my research began that water boxes had been around for many years being used primarily for disaster relief/survival kits, and a 2nd company had even developed one designed for children. 
 
But, the fact remained that most people around the country could not purchase water boxes at their local grocery, so that became my goal--to create a water box appealing to all people for all purposes, and make it available nationwide as soon as possible. Less than one year later, the goal has been reached!! Target is launching AQUA2GO in over 400 stores this Fall! 

What challenges have you faced as a parent in business?
Time. It is 4am as I sit and answer these interview questions. I choose to have her home with me most of the time. So, I rise each day at 4am and work on the computer until she rises at about 7am. I get her dressed, fed and off to pre-school, which allows me 3-4 more hours of work. Then, at noon, when I pick her up, I am mommy for the rest of the day .....answering calls as they come in from my staff at the mental health agency.

The AQUA2GO business has been all internet believe it or not. My marketing efforts are done via email, which can be done at any time, as has been my brokering (most vendor applications can be done on the company website). In fact, most of my deals have been done by email. I have not spoken to, much less met in person, most of my vendors. Many people may find that to be an impersonal way to do business, but I find it effective and efficient. These vendors have hundreds of products coming in front of them each day. They want to evaluate it and move on...they don't seem to have time to chat. That works fine for me.

So, the challenge is time. I want more time to exercise, and need to make that. I want a 2nd child, and definitely will need to make that time too. I wish there were more hours in a day! I would like to give credit to my husband, Tal Griffin, who has allowed me the chance to take risks with his hard earned money and his flawless credit. I have probably aged him with some of these ventures over the past 12 years together, but he has remained loyal and supportive--he is definitely my best friend.

How long has AQUA2GO been in business?
The idea was born last 4th of July, and AQUA2GO hit grocery shelves 5 months later on December 1st, 2006!

Running a business and being a full-time parent certainly has its challenges. Is there any advice you can give to busy Moms and Dads on balancing it all?
Find a business that you can do at odd times of the day. Businesses that can be primarily done via Internet are perfect. I still have errands related to the business that need to take place during the day (mailing samples to vendors, returning phone inquiries, etc), but most is done before or after my time with Sofia.  Also, when you are determined to spend parent/spouse time, turn off the cell phone and close the computer. I was trying to go to the park and take calls, etc, and Sofia one day told me that I worked too much and that she wanted a babysitter to come live with us. As hard as that was to hear, I needed to hear it. So, she now has no problem telling me its time to "put on my mommy hat"!  If a deal gets lost because I didn't return the call in 15 min, then so be it. 

What is your ideal workday like?
4am-7am    Work---duties/tasks for the psychiatric facility and AQUA2GO can be done from my home
7am-8am   Time with Sofia before school (dressing, breakfast, etc)
8am-noon   Work (duties/tasks for the psychiatric facility and AQUA2GO can be done from my home)
noon- on.......Time with Sofia (parks, zoo, playdates, children's museums, play at home, etc)
5pm    Daddy comes home, more play and dinner!
9pm- on.......finish up any loose strings for either business

If there is one thing you could pass on to your children about being a parentpreneur, what would it be?
Find something you can feel passionate about, and be sure to find a balance in order to take care of your health (mind, body, spirit) and your family.

What is next for AQUA2GO?
I want AQUA2GO to be sold and available everywhere that bottled water is (schools, hospitals, stores, disaster relief, airplanes, restaurants, parks, etc). We are running into issues with beverage contracts in some restaurants, parks, etc), but I am hoping that we can find a way to work with these large beverage companies so that consumers can offered AQUA2GO as a choice.

Fun Facts
Favorite Romantic Comedy …
There are so many...I can't choose!!!! I generally like anything with Sandra Bullock...she is adorable and funny!

Favorite self indulgences …
Curling up with popcorn and candy, and watching "action movies" with my husband--the less of a plot the better!!!

Favorite comfort food …
Chocolate Snowball swimming in condensed milk

Who was your childhood hero?
I would have to say my mom and my grandmother. My family is very small. I was raised by a single, mom working 2 jobs to support my family. She was a school teacher in New Orleans and chose to work with the "difficult kids" (ironic I then chose the same population of kids to work with).
 
My brother was killed in a car accident when I was 18 and my mom's world fell apart. I believe she "mourned herself to death" passing away only three years later. As a mom now, looking back, I don't know how she survived at all after his death. But she hung on as long as she could. 
 
Her mother, my maternal grandmother, was there to pick up the pieces and pull my life together. She has been the center of our family and has been my biggest fan. She has encouraged me to do anything I want to do my entire life, and continues to show fresh sincere excitement with every success--no matter how small.