Columbus Businesswoman Encourages Kids
As every mom does, Tracy Buzynski wanted her daughter to become a well-rounded, happy child (Tracy gives her mom credit for her own childhood). Tracy saw the pressures her daughter Shannon, age 11, and her friends faced every day at school, and wanted to find a way to encourage them. "We are all given positive and negative labels throughout our lives," Tracy says, "so why not give kids a positive label to encourage them! How would a positive label make a difference in kids' school and personal lives?"
Tracy prayed to find a way to give her daughter and her friends positive labels, as well as build character and instill life values. Her prayers led her to combine her background as a graphic artist and her experiences owning an advertising agency, and start her business, Encourage Me Kids.
The encourage Me Kids website features products kids will see and use everyday-bookmarks, refrigerator or locker magnets, posters, book-bag tags, and agenda markers. All items are personalized and carry a positive, value-filled message for that child related to his or her interests.
For example, the True Friend line reinforces three values:
- Be yourself! GOD made the one and only perfect you!
- Be a Friend! The only way to have a friend is to be one.
- Be Forgiving! No one is perfect, forgive and you will be forgiven.
- Cowboy Up! Be courageous and do what's right.
- Be Honest! Tell the truth partner, honesty is absolute.
- Show your true grit! Stand up for what you believe in. A cowboy worth his salt lives by the golden rule.
Tracy's future plans include expanding her line to include middle-school age kids.
Tracy's husband, Mark, has supported Tracy in her business. "I couldn't follow my dreams without his love and support," Tracy says. As all business owners do, Tracy has faced challenges. Keeping up with doing business through the ever-changing internet and social media craze (including Facebook) are a challenge, as is finding the time to get ideas from the design stage and to the web site (www.encouragemekids.com).
Tracy has seen God's hand at work throughout the process of building Encourage Me Kids, from the product design to getting funding. Tracy says, "The Lord is my business partner. I have started a journal of all the great things that have happened along the way. I am tithing with all the proceeds. In the Bible, God tells us to test Him in this (Malachi 3:10), so with every order I take His portion off the top."
Shelly Burke is the Editor and Publisher of the Nebraska Family Times newspaper (www.nebraskafamilytimes.blogspot.com or nebraskafamilytimes.net). You can contact Shelly at shelly@shellyburke.net.
Learn more at: www.encouragemekids.com
Story by: Shelly Burke of the Nebraska Family Times
