This is part of a series called "One Entrepreneur's Journey," where I'm talking with solo entrepreneurs about their successes (and failures) along the path of entrepreneurship.

In this interview, I spoke with Alison Rhodes, founder and brand ambassador for The Safety Mom and owner of Safety Mom Solutions.  Alison lost her first child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in 1997 and, since then, has become a tireless advocate for child safety.

Tell me a bit about your business and how you got your start as an entrepreneur.

My business is actually two parts.  One is, I am a national child safety expert and really a family wellness expert, as well as a TV personality.  I talk about everything from health and safety and wellness in newborns to teens.  One of the things I realized is similar to how they say on a plane, "Put on your oxygen mask before you put on your child's," you really need to take care of yourself.  As a mom, we have so many roles, and we get so stretched.  We need to be that healthy role model for our families.  I really believe that a happy mom is a happy family, so not only do I talk about health and safety for children, but really about the family and helping moms find that balance and happiness and health for themselves as well.

Unfortunately, the way I got started is, my first child died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in 1997, and needless to say, that changed me profoundly.  Prior to that, I was in public relations, so my gift is communication.  After Connor died, it fundamentally changed me.  So many people felt that I wouldn't want to talk about SIDS, because it hurt, but that was my healing.  My healing was being able to give back and discuss it, because I felt like if I could save one child's life, I would have done something in honor of my son.  I loved what I did, but I felt like I needed to do something to help save other children's lives and stop other parents from going through the kind of grief I went through, so I started a baby-proofing company, which is the other side of my business, Safety Moms Solutions.  I have a baby-proofing company in the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut area.  What we do is, we go in and not only install your typical baby-proofing items, but really work with a family on how to set up their home and look at everything, from managing their furniture and where it needs to be, to areas of concern specifically for that family and discussing SIDS risk-reduction measures.  The other part is working with fabulous companies and promoting their products to moms and now actually starting my own line of co-branded products, Safety Mom products.

One of the big things for me is, I'm fortunate that I'm making a living out of this, but this is all about passion.  I strongly feel that for any entrepreneur.  You've gotta lead with passion.  If you're not passionate about what you're doing, you're never going to succeed.  I've been able to take what really was a horrific tragedy, but I was fortunate enough and blessed enough to see that this was sending me down the path that I was always meant to be on, and I can say, I absolutely adore what I do.

Obviously, PR is a big part of your company, a big part of getting the word out about it.  What are some of your thoughts and recommendations about PR for other entrepreneurs?

PR is definitely the way to go, and the benefit entrepreneurs have right now is the explosion of social marketing.  The first step is actually calling your local newspaper and TV outlet.  They are always looking for stories of people in their community that are making it big, and they're always interested in focusing on that.  The key is to find whatever tie it is that makes it into current events, so if you have a consumer product that's a great gift idea, start talking about holiday gifts.  You never want to make it just specifically about you, unless it's a business roundup story.  Find a larger story that can tie in with your product or service.  They're always looking for stories, so pick up the phone, call your local newspaper, call your local TV station, and say, "Hey, I've got this great new product/service.  I think your audience would be really interested in hearing about it.  I'd like to talk with you about doing a segment."  Start out locally.

What do you consider to be your greatest strengths as an entrepreneur?

I think there are two things.  One is, because I came from Corporate America, I'm able to bring in some of those corporate best practices, but I'm also a really good big-picture thinker, and I can think in terms of marketing and strategy and what it's going to look like in five years, ten years.

I think the other thing I have going for me is that I am flexible.  I understand that you can't get so committed to one vision that you don't open yourself up to other ways.  I'm a strong believer that a higher spirit brings opportunities in your path, and you need to be smart enough to know to grab those opportunities when they present themselves.

What do you consider your biggest weaknesses?

When you have one of your kids home sick or on vacation, the mistake I make is trying to divide myself and trying to get some work done and trying to be with the kids.  I end up getting frustrated and not doing either one well.  I need to learn, on those days when the kids are sick or when something happens, work isn't going to get done, because I'm not going to be good in either role if I try to do both.

And then also understanding your own body rhythms.  I'm definitely a morning person.  I think this is another problem that I have.  It's really crazy that at nine-thirty last night I was feeling guilty that I wasn't working and was taking an hour off to watch TV.  I need to learn to give myself a break, because the reality was, at ten o'clock at night, would I have been creative enough to sit down and write the newsletter?  Most likely not, so give myself a break.  Get up early and start fresh and acknowledge that that's okay.

What do you wish you would have known before starting your business?

I think that I missed some of those foundation stepping stones from a legal and accounting perspective that I really should have had in place first.  The other big mistake I learned, unfortunately, is that you can't go into business with friends.  Sometimes you've got friends and family who are willing to help you out, but in the end, that can just absolutely destroy it.

What's your best advice for new entrepreneurs?

People say, "It's so precarious to be an entrepreneur," but the reality is, it's way less precarious to be an entrepreneur.  You control your own destiny.  You see what's coming down the pike.  You can walk into a corporation and lose your job tomorrow, so to me, you do have that destiny that you're controlling, but you also are able to manage and way better understand how to incorporate your family into that.

When I talk to people that are still at my old job, where I was a senior executive at one of the largest PR firms, they're envious of me.  They say, "Wow, you really did crack the code," because I work like a dog.  I get up at five in the morning, and I will work all day, but when my kids come home, family time is from five to eight, and nothing gets done from a work perspective.  Then after eight o'clock, I'll start working again, and it has allowed me to be with my children.  My oldest has severe learning disabilities, and he needs my attention in terms of schooling, so I'm so blessed that I've been able to incorporate my family life into my entrepreneurship.

As long as you understand that it does take a thick skin, and you do have to be a little bit courageous, it's worth it.

One of the pitfalls I think entrepreneurs fall into is, they become so committed to their dream and their product, whatever it is, that they get blinders on, and they don't realize, especially in these economic times, you need to be willing to adjust and compromise a little bit and reinvent yourself as you go along.  You can't get so set in that business plan.  A business plan has to be evergreen, maybe go in a little bit different path than you were expecting, because that's the only way to survive.  You have to have that foresight and that ability to be flexible.

And, it's interesting to think, early on in your career as an entrepreneur, you felt like you were floundering by doing that, by changing course and redirecting or making modifications to your business plan.  You felt like you were floundering around and not succeeding, but now, I actually look at that as me getting closer to where I'm supposed to be.

Absolutely, and you do have to have that courage.  It's difficult.  There are a lot of people who are not cut out to be entrepreneurs.  It does take a certain personality and a certain commitment, but boy, when it is right for you, you can't do it any other way.