Jennifer P. Toney

Mom or Entrepreneur - You Don't Have to Choose

2011-07-05T08:02:00-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Pemo Theodore for a conversation about what it is like to start a company while also raising kids. Pemo is doing so much to bring attention to gender issues in Venture Capital and entrepreneurship, particularly in technology, that when she asked if I would be willing to do an interview, I did not hesitate. (The video is embedded below.) As one of very few female CEOs in tech, getting and keeping women in entrepreneurship and technology is an issue near and dear to my heart. I certainly do not have all...

Fourth of July – Then and Now

2011-07-04T00:23:00-07:00

My memories of Fourth of July are much different than my children’s will be. I remember being excited at the first sign of the big, black box being set up in the grocery store parking lot. I could not wait to ride my bike to the firework stand with the money I had saved and set aside just for this purpose. I would spend several minutes debating with myself, calculating the cost versus benefit of going with the big cone, or spending my money on two, smaller ones. Invariably, I chose the latter. Not only did it leave enough money...

Changes Coming - It's about Time!

2011-05-12T01:32:23-07:00

So, here's the deal. I stopped putting up blog posts a few months ago because I had (and have) plans for a much more useful and exciting website. After all, do we really need another blog? Ok, possibly. But my blog is/was, admittedly boring... especially when I don't post new material. Talk about a self-fulfilled prophesy. It isn't like I've been sitting around doing nothing, though. We officially launched Items I Own in February and subsequently launched Simply Check in March. In April we began telling the world we are here. With very little marketing effort (thank goodness! given that...

2011-01-17T13:23:39-08:00

Featured Posts Overpublicizing Product Recalls Hurts Consumers What is in Those Glow Sticks Anyway? Keeping Teen Drivers Safe Parent Coaches Take Note – Concussions can be Hard to Spot Booster Seat Study Prompts Higher Age Requirements No More Drop-Side Cribs

Learning to Count

2010-12-20T10:26:00-08:00

"Overheard" is where I post funny little things I hear, usually said by children - my own and my friends'. It's a good place to start the day for a little chuckle. A friend of mine is talking with her three-year-old daughter at dinner: Mom: What comes after 3? 3 y.o.: Timeout.

Overpublicizing Product Recalls Hurts Consumers

2010-12-01T00:03:00-08:00

This post was originally written for WeMakeItSafer. You can read it in its entirety on the WeMakeItSafer blog. It’s a bold statement that needs some qualifying, but the evidence is mounting – over-coverage of product recalls may damage recall effectiveness, putting consumers at greater risk for injury. It is a problem referred to as “recall fatigue,” and it occurs when a consumer quite literally gets tired of hearing about recalls. With the passing of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in 2008, the media has covered more and more stories about recalled products. From bikes to refrigerators, cribs to...

An Astronomical Quiz

2010-11-12T10:00:00-08:00

"Overheard" is where I post funny little things I hear, usually said by children - my own and my friends'. It's a good place to start the day for a little chuckle. In the car one November afternoon; boys in back seat: Me: Wow it's bright out here. I think I need my sunglasses more in the winter than I do in the summer. Can either of you tell me why? Big Boy: The sun is lower in the sky. Me: Right. Why? Little Boy: Seriously, Mom. Do you think these questions are hard?

What is in Those Glow Sticks Anyway?

2010-11-01T19:23:00-07:00

“Mom, mom! Come quick. MMMMOOOOOMMMMMM! Hurry!” My youngest son is screaming in panic, as I run down the stairs. “I stepped on a glow stick, the stuff shot up in the air, all over my arm.” Ushering him to the sink and flushing his arm with water, I ask, “Does it hurt?” “No” “Does it burn?” “No” What I really wanted to say at that point was, “Then why in the world are you yelling?!” Instead, I calmly say, “Well, I’m sure they wouldn’t put anything in a kids’ toy that could hurt you.” In reality, I was not so...

Keeping Teen Drivers Safe

2010-10-18T23:57:00-07:00

This post was originally written for WeMakeItSafer. You can read it in its entirety on the WeMakeItSafer blog. Vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers in the United States, killing more than 5,000 youth aged 16 to 20 each year. Alcohol and not using seat belts are both large contributors to the high number of fatalities. Cell phone use and being distracted by other youth in the vehicle are also frequently cited. Read some helpful guildelines for establishing rules for your teenager’s vehicle use on the WeMakeItSafer blog.

Mom is not a Thesaurus

2010-09-30T10:13:00-07:00

"Overheard" is where I post funny little things I hear, usually said by children - my own and my friends'. It's a good place to start the day for a little chuckle. Little Boy is working on his homework at the desk next to mine: Little Boy: Mom. What's another word for "after"? Me: Next, later, subsequently... Little Boy: It can't have any 'E's. Me (still working): Do I look like a thesaurus? Why don't you look it up. (Pause) Little Boy: Following. Oh man, Mom. You couldn't think of "following"?!