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November 17, 2004

OC METRO Women Section
For Women who want to succeed professionally & personally both in the Workforce and Life.

By Kimberly A. Porrazzo

‘I tasted success when…’

The ‘ahhhaaa!’ revelation of QUOTEpourri® test-marketing established our creative focus on presenting inspirational quotes in unexpectedly beautiful ways. We found that wisdom plus elegance equals irresistibility. When the PGA, the Plaza Hotel Spa, Mercedes-Benz and the Diplomat Hotel ordered custom QUOTEpourri® gifts, I realized my creativity had met opportunity.

Diane Chapman, of Aliso Viejo, is founder of QUOTEpourri® and D’Yvonne Indulgences,™ “Inspiration in unexpected places.”

OC METRO Women Section
For Women who want to succeed professionally & personally both in the Workforce and Life.

By Kimberly A. Porrazzo

Words of Wisdom

Venture capital, that infusion of money that funds entrepreneurs’ dreams, still eludes most women business owners. Sources put the number of venture capital-backed firms founded or headed by a woman somewhere between 4 and 9%. While it’s an attractive way to capitalize one’s business, the downside is that your funding source lays claim to equity in your company. One of the reasons so few women obtain venture capital, says Amy Millman, president of Springboard Enterprises, a boot camp program for women seeking capital, is the conflicting goals of the venture capitalist and the female business owner. Millman says that women tend to launch “lifestyle” businesses, as opposed to “growth” businesses. “Too often they say, ‘I want to grow a business to a certain point to attain a certain lifestyle,’” Millman explains. This infatuation with ownership may be holding them back from realizing the financial rewards associated with growing and then selling a business venture.

Quotepourri

Chapman loves sharing wit, wisdom and inspirational quotes during her speaking engagements: so much so that quoting famous orators and writers has become her signature as a speaker. When audiences began repeatedly asking how they could obtain copies of the quotes she referenced during her talks, she developed a product that would answer the demand. After several attempts, Chapman has perfected a unique gift item that delivers an inspiring quote in an elegant package: an organza bag, complete with tassels and beads and scented with potpourri.

It was all in the packaging. “I found that the way the sets [of quotes] appealed to people was in elegant packaging…the colors, the organza, the beads, the potpourri ­ this all had to come together.”
After trademarking the product line with the name Quoteporrri, she got to work at mass producing her new line of gifts. Her collection of over 1,000 quotes led to a gift line she now markets to corporations, hotels and associations, including the PGA. New York’s Plaza Hotel has used Quotepourri as an amenity for their clients. Chapman is now targeting a wider market, from corporations to the wedding industry. She’s introduced a new line specifically for weddings with appropriate quotes in graceful packages: ideal for wedding favors and bridal party gifts. Her average order is $1,000.

BEST DECISION…
“The best thing I did while building this business was remaining true to my search for high-quality components, including my choices for the beaded organza bags, potpourri type and even card stock. I remain true to my mission of creating exquisitely irresistible products.”

BIGGEST MISTAKE…
“My biggest mistake? How about mistakes! Actually, my mistakes came about because of my commitment to the same. In the process of searching for the quality I wanted, I had many starts and stops and misses in finding the formula that drives my sales now. Consequently, the “evolution” of my product design cost me a considerable amount of time and money.”

Senior Writer Kimberly A. Porrazzo edits this department. Email: kimberlyporrazzo@cox.net. (949) 757-1404, Ext. 261. Letters to the editor go to: Feedback@ocmetro.com.