Kerri Couillard, Disruptor in the Collaborative Economy  

Watch out collaborative economy — Kerri Couillard is about to conquer you.  Kerri is the founder of Babierge, a baby “stuff” rental company based in Santa Fe, NM that provides top-quality infant and toddler equipment rentals — everything a baby or toddler would need, such as full-size cribs, strollers, car seats, highchairs, toys and so much more. 

Initially, Kerri launched Babierge as a way for her young family to make extra income  – and it worked. Now after being a finalist (and a winner) in Hautepreneurs’ inaugural HauteHopes scholarship competition, Kerri is determined to make Babierge a national or better yet, global, company. After seeing her pitch on stage at the Hautepreneurs gala where I was fortunate enough to be a judge, I have no doubt that Kerri will succeed. As Kerri said to me during the cocktail reception earlier in the evening, “I am on fire. My family doesn’t know what has happened to me. This experience has changed the game for me.”

Hautepreneurs was co-founded by Lisa Abeyta, founder and CEO of AppCityLife and serial entrepreneur Jessica Eaves Matthews (Lisa and other talented participants have been interviewed in this “In Conversation with” series). Together with a high octane board of advisors, these two entrepreneurs set out to create a premier peer network for other women entrepreneurs, providing them with the resources needed for success.

Talk about extending your hand back down to lift the next woman up! Based in Albuquerque NM, Hautepreneurs brings together women entrepreneurs and community leaders who are committed to empowering women by cultivating entrepreneurship and business skills, and introducing high potential women entrepreneurs to networks, mentors and funding sources.

In additional to being a mom and startup founder, Kerri is a programmer. Busting stereotypes and disrupting the collaborative economy — now you know why I just had to interview her!

Define “entrepreneur” for me.
Entrepreneur means this for me: spending many waking moments dreaming of doing my own thing; pushing forward despite downer comments; feeling ‘it’ in your gut, your heart and your soul; having limitless energy and passion; maintaining a desire to keep taking steps forward; not getting hung up on the ‘what-ifs’; and waking each day feeling confident and determined!

What was the spark or moment that started your entrepreneurial journey?
I knew I began an entrepreneurial journey when my first rental just happened from a one page website I quickly put up after having the idea. I knew what I was doing: filling a need, very quickly.

Is Hautepreneurs your first pitch competition? Tell me about the experience. What is your advice to other women who may be hesitant to pitch their business ideas?
Yes, the business pitch for Hautrepreneurs was my first.

The experience has been so great – I found my ‘why’ — and a wonderful group of gals who are on the same journey as me. The experience would have been totally worth it, even without the win. It lit a fire under me, validated me and my business, and gave me the drive and courage to being making big steps toward my goal. As for advice to potential women who may be hesitant would be: 1) Just do it; you have nothing to lose, and a ton to gain 2) You are worth it, and 3) Replace fear with confidence!

Who are your heroes?
My husband Jason, Jessica Eaves Mathews, Lisa Abeyta, and J. Kelly Hoey, Dara Ambriz, my children Caden and Jack, and, without doubt, God.

What is your current challenge?
Maintaining the amount of time and work I have put in, in the last month. I am tired, and so is my husband, who has graciously stepped up to the plate to help with the home, our children, and my business. I need to put some ‘self-care’ back into the equation, and perhaps find some help to maintain our household. This will entail growing my business today to support the financial load.

Your greatest achievement?
Winning a HauteHopes scholarship.

What is your motto?
Work hard, play hard.

Why are you an entrepreneur?
I can’t NOT be (I have tried).  It makes me truly happy!

What problem are you solving?
Growing a local business; learning to use social media and targeted marketing; building a new website with killer features to naturally raise average rental value; and moving into my second market (Albuquerque).

Which of your entrepreneur challenges would you like solved, yesterday?
I really want to get my trademark in place that fully encompasses what I do. Also, I need to consult with a lawyer and insurance agent.

Item you wish you had invented?
The Hot Seat, invented and patented by Alissa Chavez (also an Hautepreneur!).

Biggest regret?
In the beginning, I helped to start my sister-in-law’s baby rental company in Chicago. It grew too quickly, and she stopped doing it. I wish I knew then what I knew now, so that I could help her develop a process that could accommodate the extreme growth that worked with their family. I also closed down a prior rental venture too prematurely because I took on freelance programming work, and I got too overloaded.

What mobile device do you presently use?
iPhone 6 and an iPad.

Essential app(s)?
Clear, Pinterest, Facebook – and I need to start on Twitter!

Which productivity tools (app/software/office supplies) do you use most often?
Clear, Photoshop, IntelliJ for programming code, FTP, and Google.

Best discovery?
Finding that people naturally are looking for my business, and that there is plenty of opportunity to discover value propositions to differentiate from what is already in the market.

Which talent would you would like to have?
Great ability in sales, public speaking, and math!

Best pat on the back you’ve ever received?
A customer complained about cleanliness on one item — but was very gracious to me. It was a wake-up call, and I really stepped up my game and have changed that process for the better, and never want that to happen again.

Advice you wish you’d had (or had followed)?
People will be doubters, but follow your gut and passion anyways.

Your Hautepreneurs pitch?
First, a general note about life: Making memories for ourselves and our children is so very important, since we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Family vacations mean so very much since it forces us to put down our daily distractions and truly focus on each other. I believe in spontaneity and living in the now.

As for business: my company, Babierge, provides high-end quality, personal customer service to local grandparents and visiting families. We do the heavy lifting for them. We rent everything a traveling family could need such as full-size cribs, strollers, car seats, highchairs, toy packages – you name it! Our customers easily choose items and make their reservation on our website. We deliver, set everything up, and pick everything up when our customer is finished. We have a proven model that we ultimately want to share across the nation in a peer-to-peer style.

Your bio in 6 words?
“Artistic Programmer turned Mother turned Entrepreneur.”

Are you on Twitter?
No, but it is on my immediate to-do list!

The J.O.B. you’d actually like?
This one!

Biggest misconception about being an entrepreneur?
That everything is glamorous or comes easy.

Inc. or Rolling Stone or…..? If you could be on any magazine cover, which one?
Forbes or Wired.

What are you reading?
Self-help books; I am pretty self-attuned.

What is your must read?
Start With Why by Simon Sinek.

If I wanted to do what you’re doing…what’s your advice?

• • • Love physical work
    • Have a real desire for customer service
    • Be on time
    • Be professional

What conference would you like to keynote?
Anything for entrepreneurs – possibly talking to those who are wondering if they have what it takes, or encouraging teens or those considering not going to college.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Bloody Marys!

Short cut, long route, road less traveled? What’s your roadmap?
Short-cut.

Podium you’d like to stand on?
A comfortable one.

The memories of a chef are tastes and smells; what would you say are the memories of an entrepreneur?
The feeling you get in your gut that propels you forward and makes you want to win or succeed.

What makes you LOL?
Myself!

Who or what inspires you?
Love, family, and a good income doing what I love.

What’s the most important startup/entrepreneurship lesson you’ve learned?
You have to deeply love it, and be able to pivot without being disappointed.

What would be the title of your biography?
Go-Getter Shares Business with Other Moms.

Favorite gadget?
Bose Wireless Speakers.

Your Ferris Bueller moment: if you could goof-off/skip out for a day, what would you do?
Go to Canyon Road in Santa Fe, and look through all the galleries.

One place in time you’d like to visit?
The future; I would like to see me in ten years.

Part of the trick to staying focused?
Make little daily goals, and have a list that you can cross your work off (I use Clear).

You take a three-hour ocean tour and get stranded …what three items do you have with you?
Tequila, a best friend, and a swimsuit!

Do you have any unrealized dream projects?
Oh yeah, I have a few products I would like to get made. I want to do an infomercial. I also want to make a few 3D products.

What makes you happy?
Achievement and family vacations.

What does success look like for you?
Building Babierge and an eventual trusting team that reaches across our nation; having time to spend with family and friends (vacations mean a lot to me); and having time to get involved in church activities.

One last thing: what’s the question I should be asking you?
Why should I invest in you?

Answer: I have an undergraduate degree of BFA in Studio Arts with Concentration in Fine Art Photography as well as a Minor in French Language. After graduating, I had the dream to become a Computer Programmer. I went searching for a Master program that would accept an artist and would allow her to take Computer Science classes at the grad level. And guess what, I found it!

In two years, I graduated and had my thesis published. I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and am very determined. I seek out information and learning on a daily basis, and don’t blame others when I can’t figure something out. I have the crazy drive and have risen above many mistakes and disadvantages. I can do this! I would love to go on — but ultimately you need to know that you should invest in me, and I will be valuable to you.