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Moms Who Build

Moms Who Build

By: Margie Chuang
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 A podcast about inspirational moms building inspirational things. Join host Margie Chuang as she learns about what inspires moms to start their own journeys, what keeps them motivated, and what it’s really like to build things while being a parent.2019 Margaret Chuang Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Parenting & Families Personal Development Personal Success Relationships
Episodes
  • Shannon McLaughlin - Ubuntu Baba (Episode #012)

    Shannon McLaughlin - Ubuntu Baba (Episode #012)
    Sep 23 2020
    Shannon McLaughlin — Building Products People Love, Creating Brand Ambassadors, Fourth Trimester Struggles, I Am Because We Are, Making People Matter, Whole Body Yesses, and More (#012)  “When I hired, I always said that it was going to be half-day jobs for everyone, because we are moms. So when we had the shop, we didn't open from nine to five, we opened at half past eight in the morning, and we closed at 1:30pm, because whoever was in that shop was a mom, and she had to fetch her child from school and then go spend the afternoon with their child.” —Shannon McLaughlinShannon McLaughlin (@shannonmarymac) is the Founder and CEO of Ubuntu Baba Baby Carriers (@ubuntubaba) . Shannon’s business launched in February 2015, just six months after her son was born, out of a personal need to help her baby sleep for longer periods of time and to have more freedom as a struggling and overwhelmed first-time mom.Before Shannon launched Ubuntu Baba, she was a freelance web designer, who worked mainly with female startup businesses. Shannon’s goal was to create an easy to use, breathable and comfortable carrier that could be used from the newborn days onwards. When Shannon launched her business, she started with one machine ist who worked part-time making baby carriers. Today, Ubuntu Baba has a full-time team of six who manufactures the carriers, as well as another team of six that helps Shannon run the business. Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with Ubuntu Baba Founder, Shannon McLaughlin, and Moms Who Build host, Margie Chuang! Show NotesThe inspiration behind creating Ubuntu Baba Baby Carriers. [2:39]Shannon’s fourth trimester experience. [4:14]The 3-month journey to building the first prototype. [7:25]Shannon’s experience with postnatal depression while building Ubuntu Baba. [10:23]Recognizing postnatal depression and getting help. [12:18]Building a product people love and how Shannon grew Ubuntu Baba to 10,000 customers. [14:53]Getting feedback, moms helping moms, and selling the first Ubuntu Baba baby carriers. [17:00]Building a community beyond the product. [22:19]Growing a beloved brand and Ubuntu’s slogan: To A Happy Now, #toahappynow. [25:22]More than a brick and mortar shop. [29:40]The impact of the global pandemic on Ubuntu Baba’s operations and shop in South Africa. [32:18]Persevering through the challenges of running a company and lessons learned. [36:23]Living the professional and personal life you want. [40:36]Building a parent-inclusive workplace. [41:32]How Shannon prioritizes and organizes her life. [45:03]How Shannon prepares for interviews and public speaking engagements. [50:10]Advice Shannon would give to her past self and how to handle feedback. [52:55]Learning to say no and the whole body yes. [53:47]What’s next for Ubuntu Baba? [55:23]Rapid Fire Questions. [57:01]Parting thoughts and encouraging words. [1:00:21] For more about this episode, visit https://www.momswhobuild.com/home/shannon-mclaughlin-ubuntu-baba-episode-012. *** Connect with Shannon McLaughlin on: Website | TwitterConnect with Ubuntu Baba: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Blog***If you have a moment, please consider leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It helps us to get more amazing guests on the show and grow the podcast. Thank you!***Be a Guest on the MWB Podcast!Nominate Someone for the MWB Podcast!***For past interviews with inspirational moms building inspirational things, visit momswhobuild.com. Connect with Margie & Moms Who Build:Twitter: twitter.com/momswhobuildInstagram: instagram.com/momswhobuild_Facebook: facebook.com/momswhobuildYouTube: bit.ly/youtube-channel-momswhobuild
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Mimi Chan - Littlefund (Episode #011)

    Mimi Chan - Littlefund (Episode #011)
    Sep 16 2020
    Mimi Chan — Building Three Companies, Overcoming Self-Doubt, Fundraising while Pregnant, Fighting Over the Home Office, Creating Productivity, Exciting News, and More (#011)  “Thinking back to those early days, those long nights, those moments where I had to pick myself up from the disappointment and push through it, surviving through this pandemic. And somehow with the combination of luck and preparation and just the belief and conviction in what we’ve been doing with Littlefund, we were able to have this amazing outcome.” —Mimi ChanMimi Chan (@mimitoday) is the Founder and CEO of Littlefund (@littlefund), a financial gifting app for modern families to save with family and friends for their child’s journey. In continuing her passion for early childhood education and quality of life improvement, Mimi started Littlefund as a second time tech entrepreneur. She realized after becoming a new mother that parents were overwhelmed with the rising costs of raising children but lacked a simple way to save for those milestones, especially when family and friends were part of a generation that was okay with giving cash gifts instead of material gifts. Ultimately, Mimi saw this as a start to tackling a fundamental problem with tremendous future implications. Littlefund’s mission is to help everyone invest in a child’s future, one gift at a time, to prepare and build sustainable futures using technology to reimagine savings and gifting on the path to financial wellness.Prior to Littlefund, Mimi led Pencils of Promise as the Founding COO, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit providing global primary education. Today, Pencils of Promise has built over 500 schools that serve over 100,000 students. Currently, Mimi resides with her family in Oakland, California.Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with Littlefund Founder, Mimi Chan, and Moms Who Build host, Margie Chuang!  Show NotesMimi’s journey building three companies. [2:47]What inspired Mimi to start Littlefund; her idea to create a financial gifting platform. [7:03]About Littlefund and how a child’s financial journey can become a family affair. [11:50]Mimi’s upbringing and early lessons in frugality and spending that taught Mimi about financial wellness. [17:54]Mimi and Margie share stories about what it was like to grow up as children of immigrant parents. [18:30]Mimi and Margie share how they talk to their children about financial wellness [24:07].Feelings of insecurity and self-doubt and the emotional rollercoaster of running a start-up. [28:07]The invisible work of launching a company and what it feels like to raise money as a female founder. [32:05]How Mimi overcomes self-doubt and paralysis. [33:14]Mimi’s take on the relationship between Jay-Z’s song lyrics and fundraising [35:40]How to get people to believe in your product. [39:04]Finding a cofounder. [39:34]Getting your first users. [44:42]Mimi speaks candidly about what it's like to fundraise and build a company while raising a family. [45:54]Mimi and Margie open up the doors of vulnerability and share what their lives are like at home. [54:49]Mimi’s self-care routine. [59:56]Building a parent inclusive and women empowered workplace. [1:03:03]Planning Mimi’s fertility cycle around the fundraising cycle. [1:06:18]Mimi’s reflections on creating more predictability in her life as a mother and entrepreneur. [1:10:23]What’s next for Littlefund? [1:14:04]Mimi gets the official word to share some exciting news about Littlefund! [1:15:22]Rapid Fire Questions. [1:19:12]Parting thoughts and encouraging words. [1:22:40] For more about this episode, visit https://www.momswhobuild.com/home/mimi-chan-littlefund-episode-011*** Connect with Mimi Chan on: InstagramConnect with Littlefund: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook  ***If you have a moment, please consider leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It helps us to get more amazing guests on the show and grow the podcast. Thank you so much!***Be a Guest on the MWB Podcast!Nominate Someone for the MWB Podcast!***For past interviews with inspirational moms building inspirational things, visit momswhobuild.com. Connect with Margie & Moms Who Build:Twitter: twitter.com/momswhobuildInstagram: instagram.com/momswhobuild_Facebook: facebook.com/momswhobuildYouTube: bit.ly/youtube-channel-momswhobuild
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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • Cherie Hoeger - Saalt (Episode #010)

    Cherie Hoeger - Saalt (Episode #010)
    Sep 2 2020
    Cherie Hoeger — Modernizing Reusable Period Care, Menstruation Education, Changing Stigmas, Believing the Mission, Building Pro-Family Workplaces, and More (#010)  “And so we realized that there was so much power that one period cup could have to literally keep girls in school, break cycles of poverty, help their confidence, help them become young women and mothers who could provide for their families.” — Cherie HoegerCherie Hoeger (@cherie.hoeger) is the CEO & co-founder of Saalt (@saaltco), a company aiming to modernize reusable period care. In 2018, Saalt launched its flagship product—the Saalt period cup—with the vision of making cleaner, more sustainable period care accessible to everyone. Leading Saalt's social impact efforts, Cherie began networking with impact partners to provide their period cups to underprivileged girls and women so they could confidently manage their periods, stay in school, and lift themselves out of poverty. Now in their third year in business, Saalt has donated over 12,000 cups in over twenty-two countries to create a wave of informed cup users who then act as mentors for other donation recipients. Before starting Saalt, Cherie had been an entrepreneur in multiple ecommerce ventures and worked as a technical writer with fifteen years of publication experience. Most recently, she co-authored seven editions of collegiate textbooks in the field of fitness and wellness. Cherie is the mother of five daughters, and considers them her greatest success.Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with Saalt co-founder, Cherie Hoeger, and Moms Who Build host, Margie Chuang!  For more about this episode, visit www.momswhobuild.com/home/cherie-hoeger-saalt-episode-010. Show NotesWhat inspired Cherie to start Saalt and how she developed a reusable, sustainable menstrual cup. [2:10]How Cherie learned about the menstrual cup market. [6:54]The opportunity to change stigmas and modernize reusable period care. [8:18]Saalt’s product and branding design process. [8:25]Saalt’s early milestones and the stories behind them. [10:41]The intricate tie between menstruation and education. [12:20]Saalt’s “Back to School for Her Too” campaign. [13:10]How Cherie was able to take the Saalt cup mainstream and get Saalt products onto the shelves at Target. [14:38]One of the best decisions Saalt made before launching. [18:20]Getting to 1,000 members and Saalt’s launchpad. [18:30]Building Saalt’s community. [21:10]About the Saalt Cup Academy and how it took on a life of its own. [22:29]Selecting charitable partners and how to navigate those partnerships. [23:42]Cherie and her family’s trip to Nepal to teach women and young girls about the benefits of the Saalt cup and how to use it. [27:42]Margie and Cherie talk openly about their individual period experiences. [34:02]Building Saalt’s progressive pro-family workplace. [37:54]Cherie’s approach to worklife optimization. [44:15]Entrepreneurial lessons that Cherie hopes to pass along to her children. [48:15]What quality can make entrepreneurs successful. [53:50]What’s next for Saalt and innovation in product technology. [55:16]Rapid Fire Questions. [56:09]Parting thoughts and encouraging words. [59:09] For more about this episode, visit www.momswhobuild.com/home/cherie-hoeger-saalt-episode-010.***Connect with Cherie Hoeger on: InstagramConnect with Saalt: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Saalt Cup Academy***If you have a moment, please consider leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It helps us to get more amazing guests on the show and grow the podcast. Thank you so much!For past interviews with inspirational moms building inspirational things, visit momswhobuild.com. Connect with Margie & Moms Who Build:Twitter: twitter.com/momswhobuildInstagram: instagram.com/momswhobuild_Facebook: facebook.com/momswhobuildYouTube: bit.ly/youtube-channel-momswhobuild
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    1 hr and 1 min
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