Where did you come up with the company name “Puj”?
It’s pronounced “pudge,” which can be a term of endearment for a baby. But I didn’t want to be literal, and I liked the European look and sound, so I shortened it to Puj.

How did you go from making things to selling them?

I wasn’t really planning on starting a business. I had just been making stuff for my friends and my kids.

I sold 10 (baby) slings at a local boutique in Camas called My Nana’s Cottage, and after a couple of weeks owner Merrill Cray was reordering. She approached me and said, “Where do you get this stuff? It’s totally hot.”

I had also done some work with local designer Scott Wilson, who was starting up a children’s furniture company, and he had confidence in me. His belief that I had a talent gave me some confidence.

I started the company on Jan. 12, 2007.

So how did you go from at-home mom to mom with a home-based business?
I was a product designer before I was a mom. As a mom, I felt like there were so many products out there that were trying to help, but were just creating a lot of extra stuff in my life that I don’t need. So I started making products for my children.

I started with the sling that I had been making and using myself. I had seen similar products out there, but I changed the design to make it more comfortable and got rid of all the stuff I thought I didn’t need. There are a lot of slings out there that do five positions. But you only wear it one way — and maybe it only does that one position OK, not great. I decided to make it work in only one position, but it works really well. It’s small and easy to use.

Tell us a little about where your sling is sold.
We are in over 70 stores in the U.S. right now. We are also in Chile and Denmark. We are speaking with representatives in other countries.

Do you have plans to introduce any new products?
We are introducing products right now. We took them to trade shows in Atlanta, L.A., San Francisco and New York. They will be in stores in May and we hope to have them on our Web site a little before that.

We have shoes, which are soft-soled, 100 percent leather, symmetrical baby bootie — and they’re really cute.

The other one is more revolutionary, an infant bathtub. It’s kind of hard to explain. You’ve seen the traditional hard-shelled infant bathtubs. They’re big and bulky and require a lot of counter space. We have designed a soft, flexible infant bathtub that stores flat. There are folds in it and you put in toggles, and then it fits in your bathroom sink. It’s not cold plastic, it cradles the baby. You’re not having to lean over the bathtub or use it in the kitchen sink.

Who else is involved with the company?
It’s me and my husband, and then we contract other services. The manufacturing is done in Oregon. We work with a warehouse in Portland. When we get an order it goes through them; I just process the order.

What is your time commitment to this job?
I put in anywhere from two to five hours a day. Usually close to two.

How do you come up with your designs?
I’m always making stuff for myself and my kids. Talking with my husband, we bounce new ideas off each other.

Your husband works as a designer. Does having a husband with the same background and training help?
Definitely. He’s very supportive of everything, he understands the process, and it allows me to think bigger because I can brainstorm with him.

Did you know this was the direction your career was headed when you got out of college?
I really focused on furniture design in school. I had an internship where I did a lot of carpentry and welding, working with wood and metal. I had some job offers with that when I came out of school. My husband had already accepted a job in Portland. I found a job at a design consultancy there. After I became a mom, I knew I wanted to stay home full time.

What was the first job you ever had?
It was at a dry cleaners down the street from where I lived, a kind husband and wife who ran a very clean shop and they hired local high school kids.

What did you learn from it?
The importance of being reliable, showing up at work on time, learning how to act professional, speak with clients.

What business decision makes you especially proud?
The decision to go forward with it. So many people have great ideas and talents and are afraid to move forward.

My husband was very influential, because I had been sitting on some of this for a while. For Christmas 2006, he surprised me and built me a Web site.

What business decision do you regret most?
My biggest business mistake was not watching the numbers closer in the beginning. I quickly learned that if you watch your nickels and dimes, then the dollars will take care of themselves. You have to be creative even on the business side of things.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
Juggling being a mom and running a company. There are so many mom-based businesses out there. A lot of these boutiques that I deal with are run by moms. They know what it’s like, and that’s helpful. Making sure my kids don’t come second is the hardest thing.

What are you reading right now?
“Dare to Discipline,” by James Dobson. It’s from the 1970s, with really good advice on how to raise your kids.

What is the best business advice you ever got?
My brother-in-law says, “If you want to soar with the eagles, you have to quit hanging around with the turkeys.”

Do you have an iPod? What kind of music are you listening to?
I have an iPod. I really like Feist. I am a big fan of David Gray. And I like classical music.

What’s your favorite restaurant?
Pho Green Papaya, in east Vancouver. It has a nice atmosphere.

What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a pair of shoes?
You had to ask that question! I typically get really good deals on shoes. When I was in California, I found a pair of Campers, I loved them. I tried to talk to the guy down, and he gave me a 15 percent discount. They were still $120. I still wear them, and that was 10 years ago.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in your field today?
Make sure you have a direction and purpose and that your company is cohesive before you really start.
And get out there and talk to people in the industry.