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Kim DeYoung – The Original Metromom & Get it Done Girl
There are all kinds of entrepreneurial moms—ranging from stay-at-home moms to soccer moms to CEO moms. Kim DeYoung is all three. She’s really the original Metromom—a driven, evolving woman committed to her family, her career and to managing her own home-based business with class. Dynamic, creative and eminently entrepreneurial Kim is the founder of Metromom.com and The GET IT DONE Action Club.
Kim never sacrificed her family to succeed. Instead, she designed a work/ life balance on her own terms by creating a company that helps other women do the same. Metromom is more than just a brand. It’s a tangible extension of Kim, reflecting her values and passions. The story is really in Kim’s journey, how her open personality and diverse life experiences inspired her to create this unique resource for mom entrepreneurs.
Metromom is more than just a brand. It’s a tangible extension of Kim, reflecting her values and passions. The story is really in Kim’s journey, how her diverse life experiences inspired her to create this unique place for women to connect.
The twists and turns of Kim’s career in fashion
After graduating from the University of Michigan, Kim dedicated herself with enthusiasm to an exciting career in the fashion industry. Naturally creative she loved working for popular companies like the Gap, Banana Republic and J. Crew. She thrived on the thrilling team environment, the energetic corporate culture, the travel and the consistent paycheck. Kim thought she’d never leave but without warning she was downsized and laid-off. Despite her surprise and disappointment, she realized that it was good timing.
Kim was pregnant with her first child so she enthusiastically shifted her focus and chose to stay home during her pregnancy, never doubting that her inner businesswoman would eventually resurface. It didn’t take long!
Kim starts connecting with Metromoms
As her pregnancy progressed Kim longed for not only comfortable clothes but for a career. Cleverly combining the two she launched Metromom Maternity, a comfortable, urban-chic line of maternity wear. She initially marketed her styles to boutiques and high-end retailers. After the birth of a second child, she simplified and decided to sell the clothes from home.
Kim was in her element. She relished the freedom and flexibility of working from home and quickly established a team of women across the country to sell Metromom Maternity to their own networks (developing her own direct-sales business model). As Kim welcomed customers into her home for fashion and conversation, she realized that what she enjoyed most was connecting with what she called the Metromom—that vibrant, driven woman longing to be “more than just a mom.”
Around the same time Kim made one of the best decisions of her life; she contacted a business coach. Her coach instantly recognized her as a “people” person with the perfect coaching personality. He encouraged her to pursue coaching so Kim followed through and got valuable training as a coach. Coaching was an ideal fit for Kim. She began coaching Metromoms she came into contact with, making them feel connected, valued and attractive. In the back of Kim’s mind the vision of the Metromom site, a women's destination, was forming…a place for Metromoms providing great products and services.
In 2004, the demand from stores and consumers grew beyond what a home-based business could accommodate. Kim knew she needed to reassess her situation. Now what? Kim was forty, had three kids and, for the first time in her life, tight finances. She was definitely stressed. However, no amount of money could justify a return to the corporate daily desk marathon in lieu of family time.
Unfortunately, despite her characteristic enthusiasm, her first year wasn’t fun or profitable. She was inexperienced, worried about money and working with all the wrong people. Her ideal customer—the Metromom—was nowhere in sight.
Things dramatically changed for Kim when she accepted a hand analysis from her coach, Baeth Davis. The results revealed an essence Kim had been missing. Kim was meant to be in the spotlight, serving and helping others by actively capitalizing on her adventurous, determined and positive personality. She can accomplish anything when she’s having fun.
But there was a problem; she wasn’t having fun.
Baeth suggested that Kim focus on being of service exclusively to “Metromoms” (i.e. driven, evolving entrepreneurial moms committed to their family and their career). With her new focus of working exclusively with Metromoms, Kim’s Melalueca business tripled!
Despite all of her success Kim noticed that there was a missing link for women in home-based businesses. The missing link was a venue for women to connect, gather together and learn from one another in a completely supportive environment. Kim discovered that there were lots of Metromoms who needed “business supporters.” Many of these women feel isolated and surrounded only by skeptics—friends and family members who don’t understand or support her career decision.
From her own experience, Kim knew for a fact that success depends on association with other entrepreneurial women who have great ideas, a broader, more creative perspective and who are already achieving the kind of lifestyle you want. The time had come for Kim to accomplish her long-time ambition! She launched Metromom.com and created The Metromom Entrepreneurs Association to offer mom entrepreneurs the chance to belong to a supportive community and receive the connection and training they craved.
After launching Metromom, Kim realized that she has a lot more to offer Metromoms beyond the opportunity to connect. She knew she was a great “connector” but through great coaching she was also able to acknowledge that she’s also an incredible “implementer”. She has the resources, high energy and confidence necessary to does get things done quickly! She has naturally shifted into being the “Get It Done Girl”, and developing the GET IT DONE Action Club.
With this renewed sense of confidence Kim tackled some monumental tasks, all within one short year. She redesigned and expanded Metromom.com to become THE resource for mom entrepreneurs for all the issues they have as business owners, mothers and more. Then she went on to launch an Online Success Telesummit, various info-products and a whole new line of “Get It Done” coaching programs.
Kim stands out because she is completely authentic in the way she manages her business. You’ll quickly feel like you know Kim because she is open and honest as she shares all of her learning experiences – the good and the bad – with her community. She’s also passionate about helping women to feel empowered, knowledgeable and confident as they implement their big business ideas while simultaneously caring for their families.
While the Metromom mission is about women helping women, Kim also believes it’s critical to prepare the next generation to do the same. Metromom Gives donates $1 of monthly membership fees to Junior Achievement—a non-profit organization dedicated to educating students about entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs.
Kim describes a Metromom as a “driven, evolving woman.” That also perfectly describes Kim DeYoung. With Kim’s gracious yet determined and inspiring leadership, you can count on Metromom to keep moving forward with content, resources and programs that empower mom entrepreneurs to achieve success on their own terms. |
