I grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania, where my parents raised German shepherds - we had about 30 dogs at any given time.

When I started my company, many people said I shouldn't launch it as a retail concept because it was too big a risk. They told me to launch as a wholesaler to test the waters - because that was the traditional way.

I think when I was on the corporate ladder, it was very difficult to maintain the hours. It's a little easier when you have you're an entrepreneur.

Remember: if the most unique ideas were obvious to everyone, there wouldn’t be entrepreneurs. The one thing that every entrepreneurial journey has in common is that there are many, many steps on the road to success.

My biggest challenge every day is to be a great mother and a great businesswoman.

It was ingrained in me to be gracious.

I've been writing an ongoing letter to my children since they were born, full of recollections of their childhoods. I've filled two journals. It's a great thing to do as a mother - you forget a lot as you go along, but reading over what you've written brings all the memories back.