<--BACK TO TOTALLYCATHOLIC.COM

By Bethanne Scholl
Special to the Leaven

OLATHE - Maria Hernandez, of Prince of Peace Parish here, started her Internet business eight years ago, just about the time that dot-com business were beginning to boom. TotallyCatholic.com survived the Internet business bust, too, and today Hernandez can boast one of the largest family-owned Catholic superstores on the Web.

What is her secret to success? Family.

Remember the days of the old-fashioned mom-and-pop store where a family lived above a storefront on Main Street? TotallyCatholic.com is the 21st-century version of that. Hernandez and her seven children ship religious goods all over the world, packing and filling orders out of her basement.

"I really got into learning how to design the Web site," said Hernandez. "I started with two different items: T-shirts and rosaries."

She continued her part-time teaching job at the Kansas School for the Deaf for a couple of years until the business became more lucrative. In 1996 Hernandez and her husband, also a teacher at the school, decided she should quit her teaching job and expand the business, leaving her time to devote to her growing family as well. She learned by trial and error.

"Talk about being out of my element," said Hernandez. "I had no degree in marketing. I just started ordering more items and contracting with different wholesalers to add a few products every few weeks."

Hernandez now tries to add 10-20 items per month to satisfy her customer base. She makes it her business to find quality religious goods at a good price as gifts for first Communions, confirmations, and baby showers.

"I noticed that most religious items are very expensive," said Hernandez. "And most families are on a very limited budget. I don't mark them up [as much] because my overhead is lower [than that of a traditional store]. I just try to make a decent living wage."

Hernandez recently added an Advent wreath to the Internet store, made by St. Agnes parishioner Bill Scholl. Scholl is excited about selling his wreaths through the Web site.

"I was very impressed with Maria because she started the business to give Catholic families access to quality devotional items that aren't cheaply made, but are affordable," said Scholl. "She told me the story of her husband going out to buy a rosary. It was $36 and wasn't even that well made. People should be able to afford to do devotions."

Scholl came up with a design and made his own Advent wreath when he couldn't find any that were attractive, or within his price range. He started giving them as gifts and then decided to start a small business. Scholl makes and finishes the walnut Advent wreaths by hand in his home wood shop. Candles and suggested prayers are included with the wreath, so families have everything they need to start Advent on Dec. 1.

"My mom always had an Advent wreath on the table, and we would light it at dinner," said Scholl. "Advent was a way to look forward to Jesus being born - not just the presents we might get. It's a great tradition, and I wanted my kids to have that, too."

Hernandez feels a sense of responsibility to educate her customers about Catholic traditions and devotions.

"My most popular item is the St. Joseph house-selling kit," she said. "People are supposed to pray a novena to St. Joseph and bury a statue of him in the yard. And I've had a lot of people e-mail me that it works. But so often people don't understand it is an act of faith, not some wacky superstition." Hernandez sends a history of the devotion to St. Joseph along with the prayer card and statue.

The Catholic content of her Web site even earned her the Catholic Family Site Excellence Award. The honorary award is given out to "the best of the best" and notes ease of use, navigability, technical and graphical excellence, overall content and obedience to the magisterium. TotallyCatholic.com is considered in the top one percent of all Catholic Web sites. Other site winners include TAN Books, Envoy magazine, and EWTN.

Hernandez works about two hours a day, usually filling six to 12 orders with the help of her children. She admits to occasionally playing hooky for a "mental health day," but considers the flexibility of her schedule one of the most important perks of working from home. Recently, she even attended a Catholic girls leadership conference with her six girls for 10 days, informing her customers in advance that they were welcome to place an order, but that she would not be filling them until she returned.

"It's very doable," said Hernandez. "I try to get up early in the morning, and I can usually get a good deal accomplished before the kids even wake up. But you take what you can get."

Hernandez's 12-year-old daughter Emilie likes that her mom is home.

"When I'm helping her fill orders, I get to talk to her," said Emilie. "I get to know her more. It's a special time."

As Christmas approaches, Hernandez and her family go into high gear.

"It's crazy," she said. "I fill between 15 and 20 orders a day during Christmas. The kids help by answering the phone, filling orders, and sometimes watching the younger kids."

"It's kind of hectic," Emilie agreed. But she doesn't mind the pace - or even the occasional baby-sitting duties. She just enjoys having her mom at home.

"That's probably the thing I like the most," said Emilie. "She's always there."

"I just want to share with other moms that there are other ways to be at home," said Hernandez. "That's my success."

© 2002 by The Leaven. All rights reserved.