From a tweet between tweeps, I came up with this idea for a little peer-to-peer support for we working professional moms. I suggested I’d do myself first, but instead I’m making my inaugural Momaraderie post about a woman I admire for her marketing prowess and support of other women in her community and online.
Please meet Michelle Quillin, co-owner of New England Multimedia:
Michelle came to my attention nearly a year ago. I saw her tweets about her business and then I invited her comments on my blog. After months of tweeting acquaintance and her acceptance as a core team member of The SMB Collective, Michelle has become a tier-one participant in my social media world. I finally had to speak with her, and in the last month, we connected our voices.
Here’s what I admire about Michelle:
- She runs her business, New England Multimedia, with her husband Scott, and Michelle is a learning sponge soaking up social media engagement for their growing business every day. As a result of her efforts in 2010, their video and website production house had its best year yet in growth.
- Michelle is mom to Christa, now 20, and a “Mom” to other young women she mentors, who’ve come into her life through youth ministry. Michelle and Scott have taken in teenage girls who needed a place to go for love and support when they were having problems at home (two of them are featured in Michelle’s personal profile picture on Facebook).
- She’s also contemplating the critical care of a sibling in need in her home.
- She worked outside the home while Scott started New England Multimedia. Michelle was a waitress in a tourist village, because it gave her the hours and daily cash to get up and running and keep food on the table.
- She avidly promotes her community in Rhode Island lending support and volunteerism for not-for-profit organizations and promoting them all over social media
- Michelle’s Facebook page for their company is one to follow and participate in – she engages in a genuine way each day and the questions she asks may or may not have anything to do with an end game. I like that.
- No one offers the support and encouragement that Michelle does. She frequently lends positive feedback and even pushed me to do a video (which I shared and she fell off her chair about).
There’s so much more to learn about Michelle; however, this is what I’ve gleaned, impressively, from follows, online engagement, tweets and one phone call ever.
Congrats, Michelle, for being a role model for we working professional moms in continuing to push an image and brand that has nothing to do with motherhood and apple pie and everything to do with professionalism in business.
If you’d like to suggest another professional working mom to feature right here, please share; there are millions of women in this world, and we need to meet half of them!
Thanks for the high honors of being the subject of your first Momaraderie post, Jayme! As I already said, this is really embarrassing, especially because I know so many women who do much more than I, and manage large families while they’re at it!
Something you don’t know about me is that I homeschooled our daughter, Christa Quillin (https://christaquillin.com), throughout her middle and high school years while Scott singlehandedly got New England Multimedia running — while also serving as a youth minister to many, many teens (until 2007). If not for all of Scott’s hard work to get the business going and keep it running through very difficult times and 16-hour days, while wearing multiple hats himself, I wouldn’t have been able to homeschool because I would’ve had to keep working outside the home longer. During those years, he was really on his own in the business. (I hadn’t yet found my niche in New England Multimedia.)
He is honestly the man behind the woman, and makes everything I do possible, including my ministry to teenagers and young women. Without Scott, I’d never be the woman I am today. Not even close. He’s not only unbelievably loving and generous, supportive and protective, but a workhorse, too. He makes it all happen.
Here’s to the Dad behind the Mom!
By the way, I nominate Amy Brock, a friend of mine who not only homeschools her 4 kids, but is president of a state homeschooling organization and does a whole lot more. She won’t see herself as anything special, but those of us who know her all look up to her.
I love the fact you just suggested a new “rule” for me with this column! The woman I feature has to nominate someone else, and then I’ll always have peeps to chat with and introduce. So glad you’ve received some kudos, Ms. Quillin, and the best thing is we’re all learning more about you than we ever knew, and that’s hot!
Michelle, I’m so happy I connected with you (thanks Jayme!). I’m so impressed with all that you’ve accomplished. You are an inspiration!
Congratulations. I am so happy to say that I know Michelle and can call her a friend. She is an inspiration to all of us in RI, always with a kind word and offering encouragement as we seek out our own ways of ‘making things happen’. I really think if if we not her encouragement and energy, I would not have ever started a blog! Keep up the great work Michelle! And Jayme, this is a great post. I really think your encouragement to working moms (be it in the home or place of business) offers inspiration to others who struggle with the daily challenges of trying to work, be mom and do it all well.
Hi, Kathie! Thanks for the compliment for me, too! I think I’m going to enjoy this feature as it gives more flavor to the peeps behind the avatar. And, if I “require” those featured to recommend another, I’ll always have a robust stream. Looks like Michelle complied already; of course, if you or someone you know would be amenable to “play” please let me know. Thanks for saying so!
Thanks for introducing me to Michelle Quillin. And reading her comment below enriches the picture for me (I homeschooled too!). Here is the underlying message I am getting. Michelle is a solution-focused, get-it-done woman. I find this characteristic in so many woman who juggle multiple roles to make life work for the whole team. A big shout-out to Michelle and the many women like her.
Hi, Dawn! Thanks for sharing your perspective. Would you like to be a featured Momaraderie guest? I would love to get to know you more…as I’m sure everyone else would, too!
Thanks for asking! Yes, let’s talk. I love your idea for encouraging and supporting women.