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Founder and CEO,
www.seejanework.com

Who Is She?

Holly Bohn has a gift idea for the hard-to-buy-for woman on your holiday shopping list: Why not give her something that will inspire her at work and help her convey the stylish and professional image she wants?

Bohn wants to help women make their workspaces as put-together as their wardrobes, but says it’s often difficult to find hip, unique and stylish office supplies. That’s why she started See Jane Work, where you can buy everything from paper and pens with personality to elegant vases and bowls that double as desk accessories.

Getting an Early Start in Business

“I worked full-time to put myself through college earning a degree in business administration with an emphasis on finance from California State University at Chico. Juggling both was challenging, but it gave me great experience early on with many aspects of business – back-office administration, sales and customer service. I sometimes resented having to work through high school and college, but in retrospect I wouldn’t change a thing.”

The Surprise of Her Life

“During my last semester at college, I gave birth to my first son. It was a little earlier than my husband and I had planned, but I was determined to finish school. I just didn’t see how I could keep up my hectic work schedule, finish college, and care for my new baby. With my husband’s help and a student loan, I somehow managed to not only finish school, but was also awarded most outstanding finance student in my class.”

First Love: Family

“It was tough to turn down job offers, but I wanted to spend time with my son.
So I didn’t go to work immediately after graduation. After Austin turned one, I returned to work as a corporate accountant, joining a small manufacturing company in Southern California. When my second son came along, I took time off again, but continued to maintain professional relationships.”

Second Love: Entrepreneurship

“In 1999, I started my first company, Bohn and Associates, a business consulting company that specializes in accounting and office systems and today has three employees. The way I do accounting is a bit different than traditional CPAs – I focus on how accounting and office tasks are being accomplished. We find more often than not, that ongoing errors are usually not the fault of the employees, but the symptom of a breakdown in the process.”

Where Did You Get This Great Stuff?

“The last thing I wanted was for my accounting offices to be cold and industrial, but I didn’t have money to hire a decorator. I had to get creative and find alternatives to the unattractive smoke-colored plastic items offered by nearby office supply stores. It took a lot of time to search and find stylish items online and I ended up converting things that weren’t supposed to be office supplies into office supplies. Clients began asking, “Where did you get all this great stuff!?”

Do-It-Yourself Office Decorating

“As women, we spend a lot of time on our appearances, our children’s appearances, and the appearance of our homes, but what about our desks? I realized there were few office supply stores that offered chic and stylish supplies to dress up the work space.”

Getting Started – Dealing with Financing and Fears

“Raising money was overwhelming. I begged and borrowed and put every cent from my first business into See Jane Work. Some days were scary, but I kept moving forward, always asking myself what the worst thing is that could happen. I kept thinking that nothing could be worse than going back to school a week after giving birth. You have to have faith, take each day as it comes, focus on the positive and surround yourself with people who encourage you.”

Unexpected Kindness

“You might think you don’t have the resources to run a business, but it’s surprising how many people you meet casually end up helping you. A friend of a friend sent out an e-mail to her contacts when we opened, one of those contacts was a trend consultant who gave us her stamp of approval. That alone generated a huge response. Accountants and lawyers that I only knew professionally waived their $400 an hour fee to give me advice.”

The Big Picture

“We’re manufacturing a See Jane Work line of stylish office supplies and desk accessories that is scheduled to launch within the next six months. We’re also increasing our PR, getting onto the search engines, and developing photo spreads that will show desks completely put together to help people see the big picture.”

Greatest Business Success – Taking A Chance

“I’m proud of myself for taking this risk. In the beginning only my husband supported my decision. My parents are not risk-takers, so at first my Dad was very nervous. My mom, sisters, and friends worried that my kids wouldn’t get enough attention, so I did wait until both kids were in school before launching See Jane Work.”

Greatest Challenge – Big Vision, Small Budget

“For me, financing is the most stressful aspect of starting a business. Working with half as much money as I need means constantly rethinking my original vision. It has made me more resourceful.”

Happiness Is…

“It makes me happy when I discover something that’s not meant for use in an office, but ends up being a stylish office supply and a great workplace solution. I also love being able to offer jobs to people who have children and need flex schedules. And my two boys – they’re now 6 and 8 years old, are by far my greatest accomplishment.”

Words of Advice – Stay True to Your Priorities

“Write down your priorities and stay true to them. If your family is your first priority, don’t let your business intrude on that. Surround yourself with people that will keep you grounded. My mom always tells me when I am working too much. I don’t like to hear it, but it helps me remember my priorities.”

Recommended Resource:

Business Plan Pro, from Palo Alto Software

To learn more about Holly Bohn and her company See Jane Work visit her website, www.seejanework.com

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