Women's Entrepreneurship Day: Mom business owners working together to share in the success

LOS ANGELES - While competing against each other for the same grant, a group of female entrepreneurs realized they are better off working with one another.

Mili Mili specializes in bold and colorful nursery goods.

It started after Rose Bridges sewed a flamingo print sleep sack for the new baby of her friend, Kelsey Searles.

"When she gifted me this cool flamingo print sleep sack, I thought there’s a hole in the market for these colorful fun things that reflect my style, that reflect the vibrance of the baby we just brought into the world, so I called her up and said, ‘let’s start a business!’" Searles said.

That business also specializes in rompers for moms.

"We do it in fun, modern prints. We’re the anti-babyish… baby brand," Searles added.

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Mili Mili was part of the Target accelerator program. The retail giant uses the program to help grow potential brands to be sold in its stores.

Another brand, In KidZ, was in the same competition.

In KidZ is a diverse and inclusive toy company on a mission to educate and make a change through play.

They sell play boxes that highlight different countries and cultures from around the world.

Kelsey Searles of Mili Mili quickly found an ally in Dr. Zabina Bhasin of In Kidz.

"From the beginning of the program, it was how can we help each other?" Searles said.

"Moms, we know our daily routine, we know what we need to do. And then we’re business owners on top of it, that’s like another baby on top of it. So we connect," Bhasin said.

Searles added: "Zabina became one of those people that I could very easily ask for help with the press or backend problems or marketing or ‘oh my God, how are you getting through life right now? Because this is overwhelming!'"

Now, the two companies often work together.

"We’re psychologically on the same platform, we’re looking at each other like I’m going through this and I just need a friend. Then an idea pops up and then it goes to the next level," Bhasin added.

Friday, November 19 is Women’s Entrepreneurship Day.

In that spirit, they hope women realize that it’s OK to ask your network for help… and no one can help quite like a mom! 

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