The 38-year-old North Carolina mother and former Clearfield resident found a way to combine her family and her career into one. Along with her friend and neighbor, Marci Wilding, Ms. Lipson created Footsteps Clothing (http://www.footstepsclothing.com/ ) in 2006.

"We are a unique business in that not only are we a business about families, we are a family business," Ms. Lipson said.

Their Web site offers unique family apparel such as matching pajama sets, T-shirts and the trademarked brand, "Love Your Family."

The Drexel-education certified public accountant decided to start her own business when she began to find the big city world of public accounting unfulfilling.

"I got married and had kids," she said, "and found fulfillment in that. So I wanted to start a clothing line that brought my family and other families together. This fulfills me in a way I could never have imagined."

The Love Your Family line developed when Ms. Lipson saw a need for such clothing in the marketplace.

"I saw lots of Mommy and Daddy clothes, but nothing really focused on the family."

The T-shirts and pajama sets feature positive messages like "Team Mommy," "My Family Rocks" and "Happy Kid" and sizes range from infant to 2XL.

The mission of Footsteps Clothing is simple, Ms. Lipson said. "We want to promote families," she said, and wants to give families something to enjoy together. The clothes are intended for families to wear together. Ms. Lipson said that she hopes the clothing can be used to foster a feeling of togetherness for families, like in the instances of adoption.

Ms. Lipson designs all the clothes, and a graphic designer friend helps out when necessary. Since its inception, the company has expanded from Ms. Lipson's home office and her neighbor's home into office space that they were finally able to purchase.

The husbands of Ms. Lipson and Ms. Wilding also help out with the company. Mr. Lipson handles Web development, while Ms. Wilding's husband deals with the financial work. Their combined five children, ages 4-10, serve as models.

Despite the fun, being a business owner does present some challenges, Ms. Lipson said. "You have to have many more skills than you ever thought. From design to managing employees."

Footsteps Clothing is all Internet-based so Ms. Lipson had to learn various online aspects such as search engine optimization, which allows her company to appear first when people search for certain products.

"Most of our business comes from search engines," she said.

"You have to be open and need to learn," Ms. Lipson said. "It's exciting, but hard."

But being your own boss does have its advantages, like setting your own hours.

"They're often long hours," Ms. Lipson said, "but it doesn't feel like work. I just love it, even when the hours are long."

Setting her own hours and working from home also means that Ms. Lipson has more time to spend with her family.

So far, the response from the public has been "really, really positive." Last year was the company's best year with 150 percent growth and Ms. Lipson said they have been doing well in 2009.

"Our growth is so exponential that the business not only supports our families, but we are able to hire friends, family and others who are finding themselves in financial difficulty."

She said the company contracts help based on need, like during busy times around Christmas and Mother's Day.

"We expect to be even busier this year and plan to help other people who have been struggling. We don't have employees. We bring people in during the busy times and let them go," she said, in order to help save money.

Ms. Lipson credits the success of Footsteps Clothing to the fact that "people don't skip on family in tough times."

"Our products aren't luxury items, they're affordable," she said. "They have a great message and a great design. People are focusing on what's important."

She's working to build the brand and hopes to one day expand the Love Your Family trademark to a children's bedding line and other apparel.

Despite the overwhelming success of Footsteps Clothing, Ms. Lipson hasn't escaped entirely the pressures of the recession.

"We had to streamline and cut internal costs," she said. "I'm very conscious of every single cost."

Even though the company cut costs, Ms. Lipson said that the quality of the products remains the same.

Footsteps Clothing, with its solid values and heartfelt message, is proof that there is a silver lining to these hard times. But, according to Ms. Lipson, success doesn't always come easy.

"It does take a lot of time and hard work," she said, and stressed the fact that aspiring entrepreneurs shouldn't be afraid to ask questions or ask for help.

"You have to be passionate about it. I just love it."