Tell us about yourselves ...
Belinda and I have been together for almost 10 years but never thought
we'd actually be in business together. We come from completely different
backgrounds. I have always worked in business. On the other hand, Belinda,
a Ph.D. in music composition, has always been immersed in the arts as a
composer, performer, and educator. It was only when we were expecting our
first child that we decided to jump into Juno Baby. As parents particularly
interested in music and education, we gravitated towards musical products
that claimed they'd make our child a genius. To say we were disappointed
with what was out there is an understatement. Synthesized classical music
and hackneyed three chord kiddy rock songs were everywhere. The challenge for us was to create and share something beautiful, thoughtful, interactive, artistic, and educational; but above all, musical and fun. That was roughly five years ago. Today, our daughter (named Juno by the way) is now four and a half. We recently had a second child - a boy named Raiden. I guess we'll have to introduce another character into the Juno Baby cast.

What does Juno Baby provide for Moms, Dads and Kids?
Juno Baby differentiates itself from its competitors by a few main things. For one, the music - all of the wonderful original music was composed for and performed by live orchestral musicians. Although the songs are all sung by the quirky cast of Juno Baby characters, the underlying music is an excellent introduction into the textures and beauty that only live musicians can produce. The second one is the content - there has been a lot of backlash against tacit claims made by companies that claim they'll make your child a genius and for good reason (you all know who they are). Their videos do not talk to or engage the audience. Much of the content of Juno Baby is based on new research published in the American Behavioral Scientist. We were so impressed with the study that we hired one of the lead researchers to act as our script consultant. On top of that, each of our DVDs has bonus interactive features and language tracks in English, French, and Spanish.

Juno Baby offers so many award winning CDs and DVDs. Where do you get all your ideas? 
Belinda and I love to brainstorm together. We come up with many ideas about the characters personality traits and storylines. Then it comes down to trial and error - one of the true tests is how it looks on film. The characters all have unique personalities. We wanted them to be quirky, strong, yet imperfect. Above all, we wanted to make sure that the cast was funny, somewhat irreverent, yet supportive of one another. As for the music, that's all in Belinda's head. I honestly don't know how she comes up with such amazing melodies and turns them into huge orchestral productions.

What challenges have you faced as a parent in business?
The biggest challenge has been to make sure that the business does not interfere with family life. It's particularly tough if you work at home, which we do. Sometimes you feel like you have to answer every email and telephone call. The trick is to try your best to shut off work after a certain time and to find a place in your home where you can shut the door behind you to do your work. We also do our best to involve our daughter and ask her opinions especially since we are a children's media company and she is our target audience. Thankfully, we don't always listen to her. Otherwise, our next title would be called "Juno's Potty Party" - a story about how the Juno Baby cast clogs every toilet in the house and solves the mystery of the missing plunger. This is true!

How long has Juno Baby been in business?
The quick answer is five years. But we actually created one DVD after the first year and then took a giant step back. We decided to focus the company in a new direction and went back into development for three years. It took this time to produce our new titles and lines. With input from experts in child development, Fraggle Rock alum, Skywalker Sound music editors, Spanish and French voice over talent, and a small live orchestra of musicians, we now feel we've achieved something that we're infinitely proud of and excited to share. We relaunched the company in June 2006 along with a complete line of CD, Juno Baby apparel, and plush dolls.

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?
Make sure to always set aside time for your family and your relationship together. Get a babysitter and have regular date nights with your spouse.

What is your ideal workday like?
Before or after the newborn? I usually wake up around 5 AM, make a pot of coffee and work through my "to do" list. My tasks range from PR to business development. It also includes working with our new Licensing agent on a television pitch, structuring distribution internationally, and writing in our parenting blog. Belinda, on the other hand, does all of the creative work. She composes, writes stories, and does research. But a lot of our day is also spent talking with other parents and customers. We love hearing from them and have become close to many of them.

If there is one think you could pass on to your children about being a parentpreneur, what would it be?
Again, do what you love. Do something that you truly believe in and are passionate about.

What is next for Juno Baby?
We are currently working on a television pitch and have recently written our first Juno Baby book. We are also expanding the brand internationally and have most recently signed a deal for distribution in Brazil. So Juno Baby will soon also be available in Portuguese! But we are anxious to get back to the scripts, filming, and scoring - that's the most fun.


Fun Facts
Favorite Romantic Comedy …
We both love "When Harry Met Sally".

Favorite self indulgences …
Belinda: getting a massage and facial
Adam: going to the batting cages

Favorite comfort food …
We both love New York hot dogs.

Favorite places to travel …
Adam: Paris
Belinda: Paris, Prague, and Florence (she couldn't choose just one)

Who was your childhood hero?
Adam: Thurman Munson - the Captain
Belinda: never really had one as a child but as an adult it's the Dali Lama