Source: Fortune Small Business
By Caroline Tiger
First Published: April 18, 2008: 12:58 PM EDT
Mothers Work: A feminist revolution
Fed up with "dumb bows and big buttons," Rebecca Matthias filled a maternity-wear void with professional attire for a new generation of working women - and in the process, created a retail empire.
The founder and chief creative officer of Mothers Work (MWRK) - the Philadelphia company that owns maternity-wear chains A Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity, and Motherhood Maternity - was driven to start her business when she was pregnant with her first child. Tent dresses with garish bows and big buttons weren't appealing, so the former engineer improvised her way through the launch of a mail-order business.
Nearly 26 years later, Mothers Work leads the maternity apparel industry with $600 million in sales and more than 1,500 retail locations in the U.S. and Canada. FSB spoke with Matthias at her company's headquarters to find out how an architect of buildings became the architect of a retail empire.
It's in times of adversity that you really have to think hard - that's when some of the best ideas come. I think that's been true throughout the life of our company.
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