Leap and the Net Appears

Essayist John Burroughs' quote "Leap, and the net will appear" has been Raegan Moya-Jones' guiding principle throughout her life. That's why she ignored others' advice and took a risk, starting a side project selling high-quality swaddles, while working a full-time job and raising a family. This is the story of how she succeeded beyond her dreams.

Not your typical CEO type, Raegan was a total party girl in high school, skipping class, drinking too much, and getting into trouble. When she finally got her act together, she went into sales. But at every job she was held back and constantly told to stay in her box. Despite her track record--she was the top salesperson at virtually every job she ever held--there weren't opportunities for advancement for someone like her. It became obvious that her bosses (mostly male) did not like being questioned by an outspoken Aussie chick.

So she decided to start a company--on her own terms. Instead of quitting her sales executive job at the Economist right away, she quietly built her business every night after putting her baby daughters to bed. And when it reached $1 million in revenue in just two lightning-fast years, she was finally ready to make the leap. Eight years later, she is the mother of four girls, she sets her own schedule, and her little company--aden + anais--has become an international brand with global revenue over $100 million.

When Raegan started aden + anais, she knew nothing about textile manufacturing or supply chain management, distribution channels, or even what a "line sheet" was. But she knew that if she didn't go for it--if she didn't take a leap of faith and follow her dreams--she'd regret the decision forever. If she can do it, anyone can.