Briefing.A FIRST PERSON ACCOUNT OF RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS IT'S been almost 30 years since Paul and Yaffa Stark had a baby, but nursing is still a huge part of their lives. The Starks run Breast Pump breast pump n. A suction device for withdrawing milk from the breast. breast pump Pediatrics A tubular mechanical device that provides gentle suction for milk extraction, used when breasts are engorged or when direct Express, which rents and sells breast pumps and offers related products and services. The couple started the business out of their Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. home in 1991. Staff reporter Claudia Peschiuta talked to Paul Stark, a part-time teacher, about the breast-pump business: "My wife and I used to own a children's clothing store on Wilshire (Boulevard) and we found that many of our customers were first-time mothers whose own mother was either not available or had been so far removed from raising a baby that they weren't a fund of information. So, they would ask my wife about baby care and breast-feeding breast-feeding /breast-feed·ing/ (brest´fed?ing) nursing; the feeding of an infant at the mother's breast. . "She wondered to herself at the time whether she was answering the questions correctly so she found a course at The Lactation lactation Production of milk by female mammals after giving birth. The milk is discharged by the mammary glands in the breasts. Hormones triggered by delivery of the placenta and by nursing stimulate milk production. Institute (and Breastfeeding Clinic) in Encino and got certified See certification. as a lactation educator. "While my wife was taking her course at the Lactation Institute, she was introduced to the Medela company (Medela Inc.), which is the largest manufacturer of breast pumps and breast-feeding equipment in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , and she decided to rent pumps out of the store. "A year later (in 1990), we closed the (clothing store) because we found we were not making enough money and we brought the pumps home with us and began to rent them out of the house. "My wife decided to return to college and get a master's degree master's degree n. An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one year of prescribed study beyond the bachelor's degree. Noun 1. in human development with a specialty in lactation. During the time she was in college, we spoke to someone who was also in the business who highly suggested that we offer delivery of breast pumps and so we did, in 1991. "We maintain a line of for-sale breast pumps. We sell parts for breast pumps and other breast-feeding supplies. "Mothers who are having problems do call. If my wife can help them over the phone, she will. Usually beginning in August, September, October, business increases. Once the holidays are over, (parents) begin to plan to have families, and then, nine months later, we begin to see the results. "We depend on referrals from physicians and referrals from other mothers and referrals from hospitals. Many of the hospitals are now renting pumps in the hospital. Our business base has decreased because of that. "We're staying rather small on purpose. First of all, I can only work it part-time. The other thing is, we're a home-based business and we have certain restrictions by ordinance of the city of Los Angeles
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