We had the awesome opportunity to interview mompreneurs Natasha & Bianca. Meet them below!
Natasha: Bianca:
What is your business?
We actually have two businesses now and we are working on a third. Currently, myself and my business partner, Bianca Sprague, are coowners of bebo mia (www.bebomia.com) and Baby & Me Fitness (www.babyandmefitness.com). Both companies focus on new and expectant moms but bebo mia focuses on the support side of birth and parenting (doulas, childbirth classes, massage, sleep and breastfeeding support), while Baby & Me Fitness focuses on pre and postnatal fitness. We love having both businesses as they complement
each other so well.
Why did you start your business?
There are a few reasons we started our business. Both of us worked as doulas in our own private practices when we met each other. We often used each other for support; both in raising our kids and with business decisions. We eventually decided to ‘make it official’ and become business partners. We both felt an urge to change the way doulas were perceived and how they perceived themselves. It was important to us that women began to see doulas as a valued service, but also that doulas began to value themselves and their skills and time. It was for that reason that we began training new doulas (Maternal Support Practitioners) with a strong emphasis in business.
What makes you mompreneurs/Mom Entrepreneurs?
Anytime you have an entrepreneur who needs to build their business hours around child care, you have a mompreneur (or dadpreneur!). There is an added layer to entrepreneurs who are also the main care providers for their children. Ask anyone who does it and they will tell you it is hard as heck. What really makes me a mompreneur is battling the inner dialogue that creeps in from time to time. There are days when I feel like I am the jack of all trades, but the master of none. Those days are hard. There are other days when I feel like a superhero for getting so much done. It’s all about learning to balance your expectations while knowing you can’t be perfect at everything, and that’s ok.
How do you balance work life and Mom life?
I just keep going! I have the reasons I want to succeed written everywhere, reminding me that quitting is not an option, even on those hard days. It has taken me many years to find a balance that works for me and how to set that up. I keep to a schedule that allows me to focus on each aspect of my life one at a time. I think it’s the one at a time that works for me. Bianca is very good at multitasking and doing quite a few things at once, that works for her, but she is also awesome at saying no to things that don’t work for her, and delegating tasks that someone else can do better. She is realistic in the projects she takes on, and that works well for her.
What’s your favourite quote?
‘What got you here, will not get you there’ It reminds me that you always have to keep growing, changing and adapting!
What motivates you?
I get my very best ideas when I’m working out. Spin class gets my ‘wheels turning’ haha! I have to keep a notepad close for after class. There are days I wish I could just shut my brain off during a fitness class though, and just enjoy it! Bianca loves listening to podcasts and motivational videos. Maria Forleo is one of her favorites, she emails me the ones I ‘must watch’.
What separates you from your competition?
I think our professionalism was one of the first things that set us apart in the early days of our business. As the years go by and doula work becomes more respected, there are a growing number of really amazing, professional doulas out there. Our goal has, and always will be, to create a community of support, education and motivation for new families and now for aspiring doulas. Our reasons behind building and growing our business are clear to those who work with us, which gives us a big advantage. We also work very hard and stay as current as possible to the demands of our target market.
If you had one wish for your business what would it be?
2015 will be our year of growth. We moved our Maternal Support Practitioner Training online in the fall and it sold out in a few weeks. For our spring session, we will be opening up the training to the rest of Canada, allowing us to work with so many more doulas and families. The more we work with new business owners, the more we are motivated by watching them succeed. I guess what I’m saying is that it is our dream to reach more aspiring doulas and more families. A really BIG DREAM would be to have a retreat for all the women we work with, somewhere sunny and warm!
