During her career at Dell and HP, Holly Michael won many awards. She was recognized as a top performer and identified as key talent countless times. But, the award she values the most was being recognized as a Volunteer of Distinction at Dell. This is an international award that highlights the top 20 volunteers each year at Dell.
Holly received this award as a result of her work in foster care. Today, she has fostered more than 25 children and adopted her two children from the foster care system. The award she received at Dell is important to her because it shows her heart for children to feel secure and loved.
Holly's career continued to develop as she worked for a consulting firm that serviced Fortune 25 companies. While she enjoyed all of the work she had been privileged to do in her corporate life, she believed there was a way to balance her professional and personal dreams. This led her into the world of entrepreneurship.
Since that time, she has personally started 3 companies and actively guided other entrepreneurs in the development of many different companies. She believes entrepreneurship gives her the opportunity to turn passion into performance that positively impacts the lives of others around her.
Today, she is the founder of Secure and Known LLC, which is a startup company that helps moms raise great kids. The company enables moms to instill life values into their children through play and then teaches parents how to develop and enforce the values throughout childhood.
As the founder of Secure and Known, how many days/hours of the week are you working on any aspect of your company? Could you tell us a bit about what you do and the business itself?
Secure and Know creates playdates and toys that teach life skills. We started the company with the mission to help moms raise great kids. Finding a balance between work and life is a challenge for most moms. So, as the founder, I work hard to limit my work week to 40-50 hours. This schedule allows me to have time with my children.
What is your background in? Could you tell us how each of these disciplines emerge in your work?
My business background stems from a large array of corporate experiences. The corporate environment was a great training ground for entrepreneurship. But, I also prioritize time with kids. In fact, I have fostered over 25 kids. My passion to create something that helps moms and children came from the love I have experienced with all of my kids and their moms.
What partners and in what industries do you work with to make Secure and Known happen?
Secure and Known has business partnerships like any other business: manufacturing, marketing, etc. But, our key relationship is with moms. They are the world changers who are investing time in raising great kids that will lead future generations.
Was there an “aha” or “eureka” moment in coming up with your business concept? If not, was there a natural opportunity that gradually presented itself to you?
No mom ever has enough time. Often we feel like we are succeeding in one area of life and simultaneously failing or not doing enough in another. Balancing career, health, family, and more is difficult. I wanted more quality time with my children. That was the desire that inspired Secure and Known. Moms need someone to help them plan quality time with their kids. So, we created the 15 min playdate that allows moms to spend time with their children, create lasting memories, and teach their children life skills that prepare them for the future.
What’s your favorite thing about your workspace/where you work from?
My daughter homeschools. We transformed our dining room into an office to give us space to be together as we worked. I love seeing her commit to her schooling. She gets to see me work. It is incredibly fun for us to do life together!
Family and values are central to your business; could you speak a little bit about that and how it has influenced your business decisions?
Our world functions in communities. We depend on one another, learn from one another, and are better because of each other. Family is one of our communities. At Secure in Known, we don’t just care about toys. We love family. Our mission is to support mom’s as they raise great kids, and we are committing our time and resources to helping mom’s throughout the world. Moms need each other!
Name a person whom you admire or look up to. Why?
Two of my early bosses, together, shaped me into the business leader I am today. Hans Erickson inspired growth through belief. He had an amazing ability to recognize talent and challenge people to live out their talents. He taught me to believe in myself and take risks. Simultaneously, Brenda Hudson taught me the value of being me. She reminded me that I could only be successful in business when I was true to who I was. She encouraged me to have goals that developed me as a person, not just a professional.