Sometimes a book inspires you to change your life and start a venture. That what happened to Christine Dimmick when she was 25 years old. After attending Parsons, she was working in the marketing department of a creative company and thought, “If I have to do this the rest of my life, I’ll die.” Reading “The Artist’s Life” which touted finding your true self and discovering what you are meant to do, pointed Christine in a new direction in 1995.
Christine’s grandparents were real farmers in Bowling Green, Ohio, who spent their time cooking, cleaning and gardening. “I grew up going to their farm where I was taught the old fashioned way to keep a home and I loved it.” This is where Christine germinated her idea to create products for housekeeping and personal care using natural ingredients. Making her first line of products in the kitchen of her city apartment, she rented a booth at the flea market on the west side of New York and hung out her shingle on weekends. “No one bought anything.” She almost gave up when a friend suggested she talk with ABC home, “Your products would be perfect for them.” 
Christine’s line of luxurious, green, environmental cleaning products are handcrafted and are 100% free of sulfates, parabens,
enzymes and phthalates. “They work great and smell exceptional. Scent is the strongest memory inducing sense. I believe the right fragrance memory has tremendous healing powers. ” The line includes a glass & surface cleanser, dish soap, hand soap, detergent, dryer sheets and even clothes pins all in The Good Home signature fragrances – Beach Days, Pure Grass, Lavender, Summer House and Line Dried.
“ABC Home was my first customer and I was thrilled.” From there, other buyers found her unique supplies for making a house a home. A friend and fellow VentureMom Carol Perkins, the founder of the Harry Barker product line for dogs, helped Christine get coverage in Self Magazine. This is when her step father joined her in taking her venture to the next level. “I wanted to create a company that could expand and grow.”
Christine attended the New York Gift Show and got her first orders from national stores. For ten years Good Home Products were wholesale only and then in 2005, she added a web based shop. Christine says, “It took five years to be in the black but then we were named an Inc Magazine 500 Company in 2003 and 2004.”
This is when an offering plan for investors was drafted. Christine was preparing for growth and needed capital to expand her line. Restoration Hardware was now a client. Her son is now 6, she only took off two weeks when he was born, “There was no one to do what I did. But my schedule is my own. I get up at 4:30 to work a few hours so I can eat breakfast with my son, work out and then get back to my desk.”
Gathering a board for her growing company has been instrumental. “I have people from all areas to advise and guide me.” Wearing many hats as an entrepreneur, Christine admits she’s not great with numbers so it works to have someone on her board who is. “The hardest part of being an entrepreneur is weathering the uncertainty, but the feeling of accomplishment is so worth it.”
VentureMom shoppers will enjoy 20% off store wide (excluding cases) when they shop at goodhomestore.com using the code VentureMom through August 3, 2013.
VentureMom Tip
Gather a board of trusted advisors to help you as you grow.
