Are you an Alpha mom? Or hope to be one?

Janet Shamlian Correspondent • E-mail

All of us have a Nikki Oden in our life. You know her, but you can't keep up with her! She's a busy mom who seems to juggle it all. Effortlessly. She's up on the latest trends from high fashion to high tech, and if you're searching for the best stroller, she's been there and done that. Marketers have a new name for women on the move like Nikki: Alpha Moms.

Nikki is mommy to two-year-old Ava, but that's just the start. She owns two luxury spas, has developed a skin care line and is the boss to more than 100 employees. She has definite ideas on what she likes and what she doesn't, and following her for a day in Florida recently was like being in the path of a tornado. She's a force that just doesn't stop.

Advertisers are focusing on women like Nikki because they're trendsetters with money to spend. What they buy, their friends will too. Alpha moms are wired. They're hungry for information and spend considerable time on the Internet. They may even tote a Blackberry. Some work outside the home, all work hard inside it. They are multi-tasking, hands-on women determined to get it right with their children and not lose themselves in the process.

Companies from Nintendo to General Motors are reaching out to these type A's to try their products, sometimes before they're on the market. Whether it's a gaming system or a car, products that pass muster with Alpha moms are likely to sell well. With women making the majority of a family's spending decisions, it's easy to see why these purchasing powerhouses are the ones to watch. Alpha moms aren't shy about letting their friends know they had a disappointing dinner at a local restaurant. Some even blog about their experiences, extending the reach of their influence.

As for Nikki, she was so unhappy with the service she received at a spa years ago, she quit her job as a money manager to start her own spa. Now, as a business owner, she's focused on marketing to other Alpha moms — women who want it all and are determined to get it.

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