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08/07/12 | Uncategorized

A Father’s Influence On MonkeyWish, The Digital Answer To Gifting

My enthusiasm for entrepreneurship started at a young age and was sparked by my father.
By Kristi Taylor (Founder, MonkeyWish)

Behind every great entrepreneur, there is an even greater family. That’s my belief. From childhood through my years as a wife and mother, family has played an integral role in the pursuit of passion. It began when I was young. Just as most parents do, my mother and father instilled within me the belief that I could do anything I set my mind to. They reminded me every day that there are no limits. With their continued support, along with the support of my children and husband, I was able to develop the universal gift registry, MonkeyWish.

My enthusiasm for entrepreneurship started at a young age and was sparked by my father. He owned a self-storage facility that I loved to help manage during summers as a young person. As I got older, I followed him and learned the ins and outs of his primary business in real estate development. Watching my father take huge risks that would garner even bigger results was exciting; I certainly obtained the “thrill-seeking gene” from him.

I started my journey as a serial entrepreneur, following in his footsteps and working in the real estate development business. That lasted for over 14 years; it’s where I met my now-husband, Eric. But as most Americans are aware, the real estate industry took a terrible turn and we were not exempt from distress. But, rather than approach the situation with hostility, we used this as the perfect opportunity to spread our wings and find something new. And something new did arise.

We were doing some pre-holiday shopping, trying to buy gifts for family members while trying to help my kids create their own holiday wish lists. Between the struggle with the pen and paper method of making lists and not knowing what to get everyone, I was completely overwhelmed and realized the system we were using simply was not working. I sought out to find an easier, digital answer to the list-making/gift giving process, but found nothing. As a busy mother, I was baffled that there were no good options. So, I decided to create it myself.

Named after my youngest daughter, who we affectionately refer to as our little “monkey,” and with the help of Eric, who serves as the CFO, we launched MonkeyWish to create a solution for both the gift giver as well as the recipient. We are so excited to help eliminate the daunting question of “what to give” and the mindless exchange of gift cards.

Through our easy-to-use site and mobile application we provide members a way to create a wish list for any occasion by adding any item from any store; something most other gift registries do not offer.

Through it all, my husband and children have been there, as my rock as well as my inspiration to pursue my dreams as an entrepreneur. And as the holiday season approaches this year, I hope that other shoppers out there can rest easy with the use of MonkeyWish and spend more quality time with the people that matter. Because that is what MonkeyWish is all about, giving and making life a little easier so you can enjoy life’s real gifts: friends and family.

Editor’s note: Got a question for our guest blogger? Leave a message in the comments below.
PHoto credit: JD Hancock on Flickr.
About the guest blogger: Kristi Taylor is the Founder of MonkeyWish, a universal gift registry that provides the ability to create an independent wish list from any retailer through the MonkeyWish website or the exclusive UPC iPhone application. Easy to use and free to members, MonkeyWish is the only gift registry that allows users to build lists by adding any item from any store for absolutely any occasion. Follow her on Twitter at @TheKristiTaylor.

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