Posted 1:31 p.m. Thursday, April 30, 2015
Jessica Burros, 42, is now seven years into running her business — Bambino Land, with her warehouse based in La Crosse.
[caption id="attachment_4780" align="alignright" width="593"]
Alumna Jessica Burros pictured with her two children Ezra, 7, left, and Izaak, 10.[/caption]
When UW-L Alumna Jessica Burros was thinking about launching her own business, she asked her three-year old son what he thought. He took one look at her website mockup and said, “Mom, I think we’re gonna make a pile of money.”
Burros, ’96, said money wasn’t her primary motivation for starting a business and she still hasn’t made a “pile,” but that kind of enthusiasm is good for dreams.
“When you have self doubt — a child is optimistic,” says Burros. “I told my son, ‘I love your enthusiasm. Give me a high five!’”
Burros, 42, is now seven years into running that business — Bambino Land, with her warehouse based in La Crosse. She sells eco-friendly blankets and other products for babies and toddlers all over the world. She ships to all 50 states and has sold 80,000 blankets so far. Her niche is muslin blankets, used for swaddling babies for centuries, to which Burros adds her own colorful designs.
Although her boys are now seven and 10, she remembers the special time of her life when they were newborns.
“This allows me to play a small part in this exciting time for other moms,” she says. “I love getting the feedback from the moms — that’s the most meaningful part for me.”
[caption id="attachment_4781" align="alignright" width="350"]
Jessica Burros is owner of Bambino Land, eco-friendly products for babies and toddlers. Here she holds a Bambino Land muslin blanket, which is made of organic cotton, breathable and good for swaddling. Photo courtesy of Jeff Mueller.[/caption]
Her journey to becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t a straight one. Burros didn’t know what she wanted to do during college. She loved art and was learning she was gifted at it. While working an internship at Knitcraft in Winona during college, Burros picked color patterns for knit sweaters. It was the first time she was told she had a good eye for color.
The fine arts major went on to careers from customer service at printing companies to graphic design and Internet marketing. She started a couple small businesses before Bambino Land, creating and selling note cards and jewelry.
Burros launched Bambino Land in 2008. She named the company after her two boys who she called her “little bambinos” when they were babies. Not long after starting her business, Burros got divorced.
“After the divorce, I actually felt more motivated in my business,” she says. “You don’t have that other person to lean on as much. I received child support, but I felt it was on me to give my children the life I hoped they would have.”
Burros had the goal of making enough money to one day build a house. She says that hasn’t happened yet, but last year they were able to purchase a house in La Crescent.
Burros gives credit to her children for providing her the inspiration for her business and her parents for the entrepreneurial spirit she inherited. She credits life experience for bringing her the skills from printing to graphic design to create the unique patterns for Bambino Land products.
“Everything you do plays into your future,” she says.
Learn about Bambino Land at www.bambinoland.com
Alumna Jessica Burros pictured with her two children Ezra, 7, left, and Izaak, 10.[/caption]
When UW-L Alumna Jessica Burros was thinking about launching her own business, she asked her three-year old son what he thought. He took one look at her website mockup and said, “Mom, I think we’re gonna make a pile of money.”
Burros, ’96, said money wasn’t her primary motivation for starting a business and she still hasn’t made a “pile,” but that kind of enthusiasm is good for dreams.
“When you have self doubt — a child is optimistic,” says Burros. “I told my son, ‘I love your enthusiasm. Give me a high five!’”
Burros, 42, is now seven years into running that business — Bambino Land, with her warehouse based in La Crosse. She sells eco-friendly blankets and other products for babies and toddlers all over the world. She ships to all 50 states and has sold 80,000 blankets so far. Her niche is muslin blankets, used for swaddling babies for centuries, to which Burros adds her own colorful designs.
Although her boys are now seven and 10, she remembers the special time of her life when they were newborns.
“This allows me to play a small part in this exciting time for other moms,” she says. “I love getting the feedback from the moms — that’s the most meaningful part for me.”
[caption id="attachment_4781" align="alignright" width="350"] Jessica Burros is owner of Bambino Land, eco-friendly products for babies and toddlers. Here she holds a Bambino Land muslin blanket, which is made of organic cotton, breathable and good for swaddling. Photo courtesy of Jeff Mueller.[/caption]
Her journey to becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t a straight one. Burros didn’t know what she wanted to do during college. She loved art and was learning she was gifted at it. While working an internship at Knitcraft in Winona during college, Burros picked color patterns for knit sweaters. It was the first time she was told she had a good eye for color.
The fine arts major went on to careers from customer service at printing companies to graphic design and Internet marketing. She started a couple small businesses before Bambino Land, creating and selling note cards and jewelry.
Burros launched Bambino Land in 2008. She named the company after her two boys who she called her “little bambinos” when they were babies. Not long after starting her business, Burros got divorced.
“After the divorce, I actually felt more motivated in my business,” she says. “You don’t have that other person to lean on as much. I received child support, but I felt it was on me to give my children the life I hoped they would have.”
Burros had the goal of making enough money to one day build a house. She says that hasn’t happened yet, but last year they were able to purchase a house in La Crescent.
Burros gives credit to her children for providing her the inspiration for her business and her parents for the entrepreneurial spirit she inherited. She credits life experience for bringing her the skills from printing to graphic design to create the unique patterns for Bambino Land products.
“Everything you do plays into your future,” she says.
Learn about Bambino Land at www.bambinoland.com