Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Belmonte.
Hi Sara, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was a sophomore computer science major at SMU when I began flipping houses with my then-boyfriend, Bryan. He’s now my husband. We have two young children, and we’ve grown that fledgling venture into a residential contracting business of 22 years: Design Remodel Pros (DRP).
DRP specializes in larger residential remodels. Luxury kitchen and bathroom renovations are our focus, with full service extended to other areas of the home. Handyman services and dump trailer rentals are also available.
Our In-house teams of skilled tradespeople set DRP apart in the marketplace. They’re truly masters of their crafts. They love what they do, they take care and personal pride in doing quality work, and they share our commitment to detail and service excellence.
While referrals and repeat clients make up much of our business, ongoing networking and relationship development remains a priority. When our daughter was born, I began meeting other moms whose businesses also had been their first babies. These ladies and I had similar needs; we shared goals and challenges, and we quickly became each other’s sounding boards, resources, mentors, and friends. This inspired Moms Out Marketing (MOM), a community that aims to support, nurture, and grow a thriving membership of MOM-preneurs.
MOM offers our members flexible and family-friendly opportunities for networking, professional development, and community engagement. Most meetings are virtual, member trainings are recorded for any time viewing, and in-person member activities are child-friendly and/or planned to be sensitive to the needs and schedules of working families. We use events like our Trunk or Treat, annual Egg Hunt and Children’s Book Drive to partner with and benefit community resources –and at the same time offer MOM members visibility and value in associated marketing opportunities. We maintain a culture of collaboration and mutual support, and our members become each other’s biggest fans.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Besides being a girl in the testosterone-dominated world of construction? Finding that elusive balance between work and MOM life –juggling the demands of business ownership with being present for my family. I haven’t figured it all out, but a few things help to make it all work. I am a planner by nature, and motherhood laughs at me for that. I plan for what I can, and I try to be prepared to roll with the rest. Sometimes, that means rolling right past plans A and B… to making up plan C on the fly. You can’t always predict the challenges you’ll face as a MOMpreneur.
As Design Remodel Pros have grown, I’ve shifted my role. I remain involved with every job but do less on job sites and involvement in daily operations and focus more on strategic leadership, marketing, planning, and other low-profile work that keeps the business thriving.
I look for ways to multitask and make use of small windows of time. While the baby naps or plays, I may call clients or send contracts. I may create social media content in the carpool line, while waiting to collect my daughter from school.
Other times, I try to exercise creativity in my time management. If you’re another MOMpreneur, we might meet up at a park and talk shop while our kids play. I also like “Work & Walk” time, when my son is happy in his stroller, and I can squeeze in a walk with a fellow business owner to talk strategy or catch up in MOM life.
I also give a lot of grace, and I’m getting better about accepting it, too. (We’re all in this together!)
With the seasons and stages of our children’s childhoods so fleeting, enjoying the MOM journey is important. Now is a precious time in my kids’ lives, and I want to be present for the small moments that make up their childhood. Some days, choosing this means passing on opportunities I might otherwise embrace. I’m grateful for that choice, but it’s rarely easy, hence the need for a supportive community like Moms Out Marketing.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Science enrichment with my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Castello, changed my life. As she got to know me, she saw that I would thrive within a more rigorous academic setting, and she inspired me to challenge myself with more than just what was in front of me. Her encouragement led me to middle and high school at Greenhill School, then on to college at SMU & UTD. Both schools offered abundant opportunities, and I tried to make the most of them. In the process, I developed confidence that I could dream big and navigate challenges to achieve ambitious goals.
Everyone deserves a Mrs. Castello –someone who sees you, believes in your potential, and supports you on your journey. We all need people who build us up, cheer us on, and help us through. I’ve been fortunate to receive that kind of mentorship, and its value became crystal clear when I entered the business world without the support and guidance of a professional mentor. I missed that, and I want to make that available for other women business owners. Receiving mentoring and getting to pay forward that kind of care is incredibly rewarding. I love that Moms Out Marketing promotes both for MOMpreneurs.
Pricing:
- Monthly Membership: $49
- Annual Membership $365
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MomsOutMarketing.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/momsoutmarketing
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sarabelmonte/
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCeyOWjdeg6JoLxKtsd5vDQA/videos
- Other: www.facebook.com/groups/momsoutmarketing
