HomeFeaturesMoms › Series: Valley Moms in Business
 
 
 

Rachel Roland is a mom on a mission - exploring the Valley with her two little companions in search of the best restaurants, attractions, and products for you and your children. See what she has in store for your family today!

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A few weeks ago, I asked Moms who owned businesses in Phoenix to contact me on the Arizona Foothills Magazine's Facebook page. The response I received was overwhelming (to say the least), and I decided to create a series of articles based on these Valley Moms. As a mother myself, I think there can be a lot of ‘competition’ between women, and instead of competing, we should build each other up. So, I’ll do my best to feature innovative, creative, and interesting businesses that are the ‘other children’ of Valley Moms!

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Our first featured Mom is Sarah Yonover, creator of hipKNOTies™. This former New Yorker created hipKNOTies™ through a fashion need and limited space – a trip to the East Coast was proving difficult to pack for, and after wearing a circle scarf as a dress and getting multiple compliments, the hipKNOTie™ was born. Though admittedly ‘not crafty,’ Sarah created a piece that can be worn in many different ways – it’s a scarf, a shirt, a skirt, a dress, all in one!   One thing Sarah wanted to emphasize to me is that fashion shouldn’t be about reinventing the wheel every time we get dressed – it’s about using what looks good on you. “I don't believe in having a closet full of clothes that you don't wear, but having the right pieces in your closet,” she told me, and I have to agree. (She also said: “Shoes and bags are key.” and I ABSOLUTELY agree here!)

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Sarah is Mom to two sweet girls, Jaden (11) and Mimi (8), who both wear hipKNOTies™ on a daily basis – so it’s not just a piece for women, but actually something that females of all ages can use to be comfortable and fashionable. You can purchase hipKNOTies™ at their website. I loved reading Sarah’s blog – her enthusiasm for her products is absolutely contagious, and I encourage you to check her out!  Sarah's also looking for highly motivated sales people for her product - contact her through her site if you're interested! 

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Our next featured Mom is Rhonda Neville, creator of HaloHatz.   I have to admit, I am a ‘hat girl’ – I love finding cute, stylish hats that I can wear when I just am not feeling like my hair is looking alright. I chatted with her briefly at a boutique show where she was selling her hats, and, no joke, so many people were wearing them!

Rhonda lives in Queen Creek, and that’s where she creates her hats. She started out making them because she simply found the ball caps she typically wore “so boring” and once she started making them, friends started ordering them. Before long, she was making them to-order and shipping them nationwide. (I love a story like this!)  She's a Mom of three - Gillie (11), Logan (8), and Lochlan (3). 

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These hats are cute, blingy, and come in multiple styles – from the girly ‘trucker’ collection, to cute beanies, and autism awareness as well as breast cancer awareness styles.

You can order HaloHatz through the Facebook page, through the contact form on the website, and you can also find them in several boutiques in the East Valley: Designer Blvd in Gilbert, One Wing Boutique and Tigerlilly Trunk Show in Chandler.

I loved “meeting” these Moms and learning more about their creations - I am a strong believer in supporting local and supporting hand-made items, so if you’re still looking for gifts for that hard-to-shop for woman, check out HipKNOTies and HaloHatz!

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I'm Rachel - a mom, wife, and 'green' blogger at Small Steps On Our Journey. If you have any suggestions for future articles or any questions on this one, please contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or tweet me @rachelroland!