Stacey Kannenberg is an author, publisher, speaker, motivator, consultant, blogger, spokesperson and MOM.  As the "Get Ready to Learn Mom", Stacey is a nationally renowned education expert and award winning author with an expertise in children's education and "Mom-entrepreneurship".  She is the Founder and CEO of two publishing companies:  Cedar Valley Publishing and Stacey Kannenberg Unlimited, an Imprint of Cedar Valley Publishing.  She is the co-author of the award-winning and state approved, Let's Get Ready series with Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let's Get Ready For First Grade!   In fall, Stacey will be releasing the highly anticipated Spanish/English Bilingual Edition of Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten!  iA prepararse para kindergarten!  Stacey is the publisher of two books by Syndicated Columnist and National Radio Host/Personality, Jodie Lynn.  Jodie's titles are Syndication Secrets and Mom CEO (Chief Everything Officer) Having, Doing, and Surviving It All! Stacey is also the publisher of the soon to be released books by Barb Rockaway:  Mommy, Where are You? and Daddy, Where are You? Stacey is a Principal and Consultant for Mom Central Consulting and the VP of Mother Talk, where she specializes in viral, grassroots and word-of-mouth marketing to brands, businesses, authors and publishers.  She is MOM to Heidi, 9 and Megan, 7 and wife to Michael and resides in Fredonia, WI.

1. What businesses do you and/or your family run?

Cedar Valley Publishing, Stacey Kannenberg Unlimited an Imprint of Cedar Valley Publishing, Mom Central Consulting & Mother Talk


2. What made you decide to work from home?

It was part of the master plan.  My husband and I decided that I would stay-at-home when we were planning our family and we always knew I would start a business from home, we just weren’t sure what that business would be!  For me, it was a series of Oprah Shows and here I am, a successful Mom entrepreneur.


3. What kind of support have you gotten from your community?

I have had tremendous support from my community as well as the entire State of Wisconsin.  The media has been outstanding with giving me a state-wide spotlight to share my story and Milwaukee’s TMJ4 and The Morning Blend have given me so much fabulous exposure that has lead to a national audience!


4. What sort of things does being self-employed allow you to do, for example, being involved in your child's life, school projects...etc?
I am the bus!  I drive the girls to school each day and pick them up after school.  This allows me the opportunity to visit with their teacher’s daily.  I am very active in their school, always involved in class trips, field days, night time events, vocal at school board meeting and a part of our PTA.  I know my children’s classmates and make it a point to network with their parents!
 

5. How do you feel your children see you as an entrepreneur?  What things are they learning by watching you work?

This could be a subject of a book.  Because I am an author/publisher/editor of children’s books, many times my kids help me in the actual writing and editing of our books.  Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! was written when they were ages 3 and 1.  Every night I would go through the new changes with them and if they were engaged, I would keep the new change; if not…it was crossed out.  Today, they are helping in the writing of Let’s Get Ready For Second Grade! Heidi will be in Fourth Grade & Megan in Second, who better to help me than one that was just there and another that is going into that grade!!  They have given fabulous feedback to new authors because they are the target market these author’s are trying to reach.  They understand the editing process and will often say out loud, “this doesn’t make sense, this needs to be changed to…” when I was their age, I never dreamed that I could change the words in a book!!!

6. How is being a self-employed parent difficult?  What sort of things (if any) would make your job easier?

Being a self-employed parent requires sacrifice.  I work a ton of hours, yes I am at home in the office and when I am on the phone, I can’t be interrupted. Balance has made my life easier.  I have become the queen of routine, outsourcing and building a “go to” network to help!!!  Never underestimate the power of saying less yes and more no!  I am following my passion so for me the lines are blurred between work and play.  I have so much fun doing it, it’s hard to tell if I am working or playing in what I am doing daily!!


7. What would you most like for consumers to know about you and the business that you run?
I am the author and publisher of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! & Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!  Both books are award-winning, state-approved and used inside homes and schools across the nation.  I am a mom, not a teacher.  The books are currently used in over 350 school districts from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon and in libraries and head start programs all across the country.   Parents, kids and grandparents all love them because they are not storybooks or workbooks; they are books meant to be read over and over that cover the curriculum for Kindergarten and First Grade.  In fall, I will be releasing the Spanish/English edition of Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!  iA prepararse para kindergarten!   

I am a mom inspired by Oprah to change education.  This has become my passion! My mantra is if two brothers from Ohio can change the face of aviation, that why can’t a mom, inspired by Oprah change education at the core!  Thirty-eight states are discussing all day 4 year-old Kindergarten because kids are not coming to school prepared.  But where are the public service announcements telling parents the 7 things they need to know for Kindergarten testing:  the alphabet all mixed up, number to 10 all mixed up, basic shapes, colors, coins, counting objects to 10 and how far they can count to 100?


8. What are you most proud of as a parent?
How awed I am by my girls.  They are so amazing and so incredibly smart for 9 and 7.  They want to follow in my footsteps.  They both want to write and illustrate books.  They want our books to be the Good Night Moon of Kindergarten!  This is what they want to do when they grow up! WOW!  I finally knew what I wanted to do when I was age 40!


9. Do you have any advice for other parents who are running their own businesses or want to?
In 2004, my husband gave me a crystal clear clock for Christmas the year we started Cedar Valley Publishing.  He engraved our logo and penned this amazing quote: 

The Dream Is Clear
To Believe is the Reward 

That clock has inspired me, pushed me, picked me up on those hard days and in it’s simplicity it radiates brilliance.  If you are going to start something do the research to find that niche to set you apart.  Think global and develop your brand, a platform and your vision before you ever spend a dime! 


10. What was your favorite childhood toy?
Snuggles was my first stuffed animal.  It was a white lamb with big floppy black velvet ears.  Snuggles was boxed away when I left for college.   Sadly and inadvertently, Snuggles was tossed out by an overzealous uncle on a cleaning mission! 

I love my Barbie collection and today it’s a treat to pull them out and play with them along with my kids.  A family friend created outfits and found accessories for each outfit and packaged and labeled them in clear bags.  My girls look at my collection with amazement.  They can’t believe that I played with them when I was a kid as they are still in pristine condition!  I was told to take care of my collection so that I could share them with my kids; they want to share that collection and many of their favorite toys, with their kids!

Stacey is giving away a set of her books- "Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten!" and "Let's Get Ready For First Grade!" to a lucky OMM winner. The winner will be chosen randomly on October 27th. To enter, send us an email HERE.