Liza Elliott-Ramirez is the model of success: She's a work-at-home mom who started her own company on her own terms, and who found almost instant acclaim with that business. "I've been a model most of my adult life," she says. "I got pregnant after I got married. I wanted to continue working, but didn't know how to go about doing it." She discovered there was no single source for jobs modeling maternity wear or otherwise posing with a blossoming belly.

Determined to find work, Liza remembers, "I gave myself an itinerary for day and treated it like a job." She researched professional opportunities online, at the library, in bookstores, and through lots of phone calls. She soon found herself with plenty of work and a long list of contacts.

After her son arrived, she decided to put her hard work, experience (and that contact list) to good use. In July 2001, she founded her company, Expecting Models - the only talent agency representing expectant and nursing models.

"It's been so well received," says Liza. "The first two weeks after I started the agency, I booked two girls on major campaigns." Her success was borne of talent, perseverance and timing. "People would say to me, 'Where have you been? You have no idea what I go through to find a pregnant model.' Everyone was so embracing and welcoming."

Her client list now includes several names you probably know, such as Japanese Weekend, The Gap, Bloomingdale's, Motherhood Nursingwear, A Pea in the Pod and Belly Basics, among others. She has also supplied talent to Sex and the City and The Today Show.

For modeling moms-to-be, Liza says the future is brighter than ever. "I see a change with advertisers, marketers and casting directors - they're considering pregnant women for non-pregnant campaigns more than ever. People are embracing this stage of development as a different stage in a woman's life; people are really identifying with it," she says. "We're showing the beauty of this phase - advertising it! - and I love it. It makes me really proud to be a woman."