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Prepare For Kindergarten Books - Stacey Kannenberg Of Cedar Valley Publishing

By sandy.naidu | Category: Kids

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	My guest today is Stacey Kannenberg, the founder of Cedar Valley Publishing.Stacey is the author and publisher of award winning educational books. Her books Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade! have received huge success. These books help parents to prepare their children for school. The books are available in over 350 school districts in USA and is also available through the State of California’s Educational Purchasing Program as well as the State of Texas.Stacey’s says “I am a mom inspired by Oprah to help empower parents to get involved in the education of their kids with the entire solution to ‘no child left behind’”.
Stacey loves to help women entrepreneurs. She is very approachable and her story is quite inspiring. A lot of us read and listen to inspirational stories but there are very few of us who put in practice what we read and hear. Stacey is one such person. She was inspired by Oprah. But she did not stop there. She put in practice what she learnt from Oprah.Stacey, thank you for sharing your story and tips with us.Read and get inspired.


What is “Cedar Valley Publishing”?

	Cedar Valley Publishing is a publisher of children’s books including the award winning books, Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!



How did you come up with the idea for your business?

It was a series of Oprah Shows. It started with the “Walking Buddy” Show when my walking buddy was telling me what her daughter was learning in Kindergarten! I was shocked! So, I was trying to find a book to get my own children, who at the time were 3 and 1, ready for school. I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for and then, Oprah was advertising for the Big Dream Contest when I said to my walking buddy, “I wish I had an idea for Oprah’s Big Dream Contest?” Her answer changed my life, “How about that Kindergarten book you can’t find: one book for each grade for parents, kids and teachers that gets everyone on the same page? The entire solution to ‘no child left behind’.” I knew instantly that I was going to do it and then Oprah had a show on Self Publishing and Successful Mom Businesses to pave the way!


What was your main motivation behind starting your own business?

	I knew I could do this business with my children. They could be actively involved in the writing and editing and marketing process. Who better to be involved in the writing of a children’s book than kids!! I knew that there was a definite market for this type of book and could not believe that no one had ever thought of a book that had every thing in it for each grade that you could just put a child in your lap and read. It’s not a storybook or a workbook; it’s a book that you just read to kids with engaging illustrations that children absorb and learn.


Achieving work life balance is always tough for a mother with a business. How do you plan your day? What are your time management tips for mothers with businesses who are trying to juggle work and home lives?

I have a routine. I am the bus so I am in charge of dropping off and picking up my kids each day. When they are at school, I am working on the day to day running of my business. I have a list of things that must get done that day and work until I have finished those tasks. In a home business I work after the kids are in bed and I am up before they are to keep on top of our busy schedules. We all pitch in as a family to try to stay organized.


You self published your books. Was this hard to do? If there is a mother out there who has written a book and is looking to self publish it, what advice would you give her?

There are so many great books on Self-Publishing; Dan Poynter’s book The Self Publishing Manual gave me a step-by-step guide of what I needed to do. It’s a process, so every year I will be doing the same thing, promoting my books, keeping them in the spotlight, thinking of new ways to make them better and before you know it they will become classics. So what I am doing today, will be the same thing that I will be doing in 5 or 10 years.


What are the most valuable lessons you have learned over time?

That this is my passion, my life’s mission. I love it and I enjoy working all the hours and I can’t imagine doing anything else. In seems that all the jobs and careers paths I have taken over my life have prepared me for this mission. I enjoy helping others and the more I give back the more it comes full circle!


Finally, your five keys to success?

Work, work, work — show me an overnight success story and I will show you the number of hours behind the scenes that it took to really become successful Network, network, network — it seems the people you don’t know are the people that can help you the most. So the key is to find those people that share your level of energy and enthusiasm and they will carry you even further Dream, dream, dream – if you can dream it you can make it happen Don’t freak during those dark days – he who jumps the most hurdles, wins! I now look at obstacles as opportunities in hiding and find that during my darkest hour, something changed and looking back, I realize that those changes were for the better and might have been a defining change that truly became one of the best things that has happened to me! Share your story with everyone and inspire others to greater heights along the way. Empowering others inspires me!


Sites Of Interest
http://www.cedarvalleypublishing.com



To read more stories about women who manufacture kids products click Entrepreneur Home Business Idea.
This interview was published on 5th May 2007

Visit Stacey’s website to get more information about her educational books for primary school kids.