As my clients know from the last newsletter we just put our home on the market to build our dream house.  So it seemed fitting to feature my Realtor as the next (much overdue) business spotlight.  Melanie had quadruplets almost 2 years ago, I can’t wait to have them on the blog for you!

Name: Melanie Ahlstrand Osborne

A little about you and your family: I am a single mom of FIVE daughters.  Ages 5 (and three quarters) and 23 months, 23 months, 23 months and 23 months.

A little about your business:  I have families, investors and couples just starting out buy and sell real estate in the Triangle area.  I have been in real estate about 14 years now.  I sold Season’s first home and am now selling their second home!

How did you get started? While attending Campbell University ( I transferred from a college in Newport Beach, CA) I was in a bad car accident end of my Junior year.  I was told I would never walk again without a cane or be able to feel or move my lower left leg and foot.  (I was 22 and used to be VERY active with exercise, cheerleading and all that good stuff).  I had been a business major so while I was healing on bed rest FOREVER, I had to think of how my single self would make a living. :)  I love people and sales………and homes.  So I decided to try out real estate.  Even though I RARELY use a cane…….this job is perfect for having a bad back at times and FIVE kids.  I work from home when I can……..and have pretty flexible hours!  I also turned out to LOVE real estate……..so it was a great career choice for me!

How would you describe yourself? Enthusiastic about a lot!  :)  Try to see the brighter side of almost anything.  Love kids….a must with me.  :)  Very very hard worker.  I don’t work, they don’t eat.  They MUST eat. 

What are your most and least favorite things about owning a small business? Favorite is working from home when I can with the girls.  Least is I work 24/7/365.  I have shown homes on my birthday, Christmas eve (before kids) and now I will work as long as it doesn’t cause me to miss anything special for my daughters.  I work for them and never want my hard work to adversely affect my youngins!

Share some of your favorite things (products, websites, indulgences, authors, etc) Sleep!!  Xanax?  Is that allowed to be in writing?  Helps a busy mom calm her mind to SLEEP.  Starbucks coffee……..also a must.  I love MURDER mysteries and Nicholas Sparks books.  I guess my secret guilty pleasure is Judge Judy.  On bedrest (24 weeks) I got addicted to it.  She ROCKS.  What not to wear also is good.

Do you have any special causes you’re passionate about and would like to share? I used to volunteer and grant wishes for Make a Wish.  After the death of a close friend, I stopped.  Now I just find time to BE nice to all I can and share what others have shared with me.  I received a lot of clothes and toys and help when my quadruplets were first born.  Now I make sure I give everything I am done with away.  No selling it……..just give to those who need it.  I had a large salary set back after half a year on bed rest and then four babies at once.  I try to think of how I can help families and my clients out to help their financial strain and always be fair.  I donate to Children’s miracle network with every home I sell……….I want to just be a woman people know is REAL, I have been there, done that and would love to help if I can.

Any secrets for managing life as a Mom and business owner? Can I say Xanax again?  hee hee  Love your job, love your kids!!  It is crazy, but don’t be afraid to ask for help and hire an assistant or a maid.  I would rather play with my girls when I am not working then sweep and scrub.  It is worth it to pay others to do some things for me, so I get a better quality of life.  I was a control freak before bed rest, then I learned……..wow, the world can go on without my 24/7 micro managing it!!!  That was a very good conclusion for me as a business owner and mother of 5 under the age of 5.

Where can we find your business (Address, blog, website)? www.melanieosborne.com and ABC news followed my pregnancy and I was on the news probably 8 times……..and WRAL also did a story…….it can be viewed from my personal website.  Also I love to answer any questions for a new mom or mommy to be.

And lastly, any specials or promotions for Season Moore Photography blog readers? For those who list their home with me and buy a home with me, I give a GREAT commission rate……..and work hard to sell my homes, cause I am a single mother of five.  (don’t worry, I have live in help and sitters too!)

~Season

www.SeasonMoorePhotography.com | Facebook | Twitter | Vote for Parents’ Pick | 919.341.0190

Finally a new business spotlight for you!  As always if you have a local business you would like featured please shoot me a note - we all know how important it is to support local businesses, especially in the current climate.  Enjoy!

Name:  Amy Bell, Owner of Red Chair Home Interiors

A little about you and your family:  I grew up in the San Fransisco Bay Area of California and moved to North Carolina in 2004.  My family includes one great hubby, one sweet infant daughter, and three insane dogs.

A little about your business: Red Chair offers a wide variety of affordable decorating and organizing services to clients in and around Wake County.  Whether clients want help redesigning a room using their existing furnishings & accessories, selecting paint colors or fixtures, staging a home for resale, or de-cluttering a craft room, I can help!  My favorite aspect of my work (besides working with great clients, of course) is interior redesign.  I love the instant gratification that my clients experience when we transform a room together!

How would you describe yourself? I am a creative, optimistic, solution-oriented chocoholic.

Any secrets for managing life as a mom and business owner? If I can find time to get some sleep, I may be able to regenerate just enough brain cells to answer this question.

Where can we find your business?
Web Site: http://www.redchairhomeinteriors.com
Blog: http://theredchairblog.blogspot.com

I am a little behind with my business spotlights as the holiday photo extravaganza has set in but I have a few lined up to share and as always if you have a local business you would like to have spotlighted, please send me a note.

Name: W. Stewart Laster DDS, MS

A little about you and your family: I am originally from Norfolk, Va. My wife Christine and I have been married for 7 years. We met in dental school at UNC-Chapel Hill while working together on a mission project to benefit orphans in Mexico. We have 2 daughters Catie (5) and Caroline (3)

A little about your business: I finished dental school at UNC in 2001 and Orthodontic Residency in 2004. Since finishing residency I have been working for Brunk and Laster Orthodontics with Raleigh and Zebulon offices. We strive to create beautiful smiles for all our patients and provide an exceptional experience to our patients as well.

How would you describe yourself? I am a perfectionist. When I take on an orthodontic case I want to achieve the best possible result, but do it in a way that caters to the patients specific needs. I pay extra careful attention to facial aesthetics and how it is affected by tooth position. Nothing makes me more excited than taking off a set of braces on a patient who is thrilled with their new smile

What are your most and least favorite things about owning a small business? While I love being an orthodontist owning a small business is not without its stresses of having to manage a staff and pay all the bills. If I could focus all my time on straightening teeth rather than running the business I probably would.

Share some of your favorite things: I love athletics and am an avid runner. I have completed 2 marathons and several half marathons. I also play soccer, snow ski, and love to travel, read, and cook.

Do you have any special causes you’re passionate about and would like to share? My favorite causes are mission trips to third world countries. I participated in a trip to Africa last year through Mission to the World and hope to do another dental mission in the near future

Where can we find your business? My practice is located at 7700 Falls of the Neuse Road, Suite 190 Raleigh, NC 27615 - (919) 676-0541 - brunkandlaster.com

And lastly, any specials or promotions for Season Moore Photography blog readers? We offer free consultation, digital photograph, xrays, and study models to all readers. We also offer zero down payment and flexible financing offers to readers of this blog.