Etc Eatery
6500 SW Virginia Ave.
Portland, OR

Etc Eatery is a laid back restaurant in SW Portland. Located just off of Macadam, it is a great meeting place for those on the Westside and close-in Eastsiders.

The menu is casual and creative with some fun options for kids. The play area is stocked with books and toys to keep the little ones happy while adults enjoy their food.

Full Belly Fare

Full Belly Fare's highly customizable and unique dishes make it the best meal delivery option in Portland. 

Highlighting organic and local when possible, Full Belly Fare creates healthy, delicious meals delivered right to your door. They go beyond just being Portland's best paleo choice! With options for keto, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, and so much more - Full Belly Fare has you covered!

Fan Fare Theme Catering

Fan Fare Theme Catering is the place to go for fun catering with a twist. Their special skill is helping you celebrate with creative themed menus that set the tone for your party or event. 

Although they love a good geeky event, Fan Fare can also create winning menus inspired by books, travel, tv shows, and almost anything you can think name!

Mundo Catering

Mundo Catering caters weddings, events, and film productions in the Portland area. As one of Portland's premier film catering companies, they understand the challenges of feeding a crews with different dietary needs. 

Their ability to deliver great food, on time, and thoughtfully prepared to your event makes them a stand out. 

Etc Eatery 

Etc Eatery's catering brings the taste of the Pacific Northwest to any event - corporate, wedding, office lunches, and more. 

Their restaurant space is available for events and their Bar Nomad travels to wherever you need it to go!

Gifford's Flowers
704 SW Jefferson St.
Portland, OR 

Whatever your floral or plant needs, Giffords Flowers has an arrangement or plant for you!

As one of Portland's oldest flower shops, they have the experience and skill to create whatever you need. Although they are best known for their creative and stunning wedding arrangements, Gifford's can also fulfill your special occasion or "just because"  arrangements. They can even deliver flowers weekly to your office or home as needed. 

Mary Rose NW Boutique
509 Main Street
Oregon City, OR

This cute, size-inclusive boutique is located in downtown Oregon City. Their motto is "Where all women are beautiful and deserve to feel that way."

A portion of each purchase goes to support the Mary Rose Foundation and helps to fund eating disorder treatment for those struggling with the financial aspects  of recovery.

Cascade Cigar & Tobacco
9691 SE 82nd Avenue
Happy Valley, OR

Home to the largest cigar humidor in the Northwest and a 1,200 square foot smoking lounge complete with leather furniture and multiple big screen televisions, Cascade Cigar & Tobacco recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. 

Their dedication to customer service, selection, and welcoming atmosphere make them the best cigar store in Portland.

How Sweet It Is
3530 SW Multnomah Blvd.
Portland, OR

​A small batch candy and confection company made with quality ingredients, How Sweet It Is is quickly becoming one of Portland's most creative and best candy stores.

Some of their creative confections include Rosemary Brittle Bark, Zebra Grahams, and Brownie Bites make with three kinds of chocolate.

Brick and Mortar Grooming and Supply
1429 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, OR

Brick and Mortar Grooming and Supply goes beyond just haircuts! This is a comfortable, welcoming space with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available while you wait.

Here you'll find traditional cuts, fades, and beard clean-ups as well as straight-razor shaves. Children's cuts and play area also available as is a retail section to meet your grooming needs.

Hearing Resources Audiology Center
4311 NE Tillamook St.
Portland, Oregon

Offering hearing heath care for both children and adults, Hearing Resources Audiology Center is the destination for evaluations, hearing aid technology, and other assertive technology.

HRAC is also passionate educating the public about hearing health care and education. 

Candace is a wife, mother and founder of Hello Wild Baby Co. She lives in Northeastern Nevada with her husband of 5 years and her two daughters.

She says she enjoys long nights of sleep, sarcasm and a delicious cup of coffee. “You can find me adventuring outdoors with my family, hiking, hunting, and camping or in a cuddle puddle on the couch watching the most recent Disney princess movie obsession with my babes. I have had an entrepreneurial spirit for much of my life and don’t like to sit still for too long.”

She founded Hello Wild Baby Co after quitting her job to be a stay at home mom. She tried a few different MLM’s and small business ideas that didn’t get very far. “I learned pretty quickly that being a stay at home mom was not my jam and I needed something more stimulating for my soul. I didn’t want my one year old to be raised by anyone else but I also couldn’t stand not doing anything for myself. Over the past 3 years it has grown from there into a way more balanced mom and work life but it took a great amount of time and quite the journey.” 

She says the best part of working for herself is being able to be with her kids and watching them grow while growing herself and her business. “As a bonus I get to show my daughters right in front of their eyes that hard work and dedication pay off. You can be a mom and a business owner if you truly want it,” she says.

Candace started by making bibs for her daughter. “She was so slobbery and I hated all of the bibs on the market at the time. I wanted something stylish and cute that didn’t have wording or pastel animals on it and that meant that I would have to make it myself,” she says.

Candace and her sister were chatting one day and realized they felt the same way about the baby industry and what they wanted to do to make it different. “We came up with a rebranding of both of our businesses together as one, in about an hour in her kitchen.  We rebranded to Hello Wild Baby Co with the intentions of making nature inspired baby goods for all the wild babes and started with a small collection of prints. Since then, my sister has left the business to pursue other things and I have carried on with the same intentions to make baby goods and now clothing, modern, fun and wild,” Candace explains.

Candace says she is inspired by Alison from The Alison Show because she enjoys her free spirit and boss babe attitude.

​“I have watched her brand herself over the years and have been so intrigued with everything she has done. She is so inspiring with her story and all of her success in podcasting, branding and now teaching all of her magical knowledge to all the small business owners who want to learn.  Her class has helped me find my motivation for my business and grown my vision to where it is an actual brand instead of a side hustle.”

Candace’s biggest business struggle has been online sales.

She says it is hard for people to understand the level of quality her products have when they can’t touch them. “My in-person experience with customers is always fun and invigorating because of the amount of support and kind words I get from people who see my work. But online has been an entirely different animal for me and the main struggle for the existence of my business. But I see it as a challenge to keep me growing and improving in my marketing strategies and have grown in my website development, social media vulnerability, and confidence around random small business skills that pop up,” she explains.

If Candace could go back in time and give advice to her younger self she would say: “It is ok that being a stay at home mom is not what you hoped and dreamed. It is ok that you still need something beyond being a mom to fulfill you as a person. Your kids know you love them and you are and will be just the right mom that they need. Also growing a business takes a ton of time and hard work. Celebrate the little successes and keep going! Because this will all be worth it in the end no matter what the outcome. This journey of growth is so worth all of the struggle! And snuggle those babies as much as you can because they will grow too fast.”
​
When we asked her what advice she’d give to a new business owner she said, “Part of me would want to warn them about all of the things you are not aware of having to learn and do to run a small business. But then if I would have known all the challenges and struggles I would have to face, would I still have done it? It is important to know that starting a small business is not easy and usually not the best way to make a bunch of money. It takes a ton of time, energy and most of all dedication to even get to a profitable state. But don’t let any of that deter you because I would do any of this all over again even if it meant my business wasn’t growing. Because this journey of learning new skills and growing myself as a person has been so incredibly rewarding as is. Please don’t give up on yourself and your business if it isn’t working at first, or even after the 100th attempt at a new strategy. Most successful businesses and people went through a ton of failed attempts and “no’s” before they got to where they are. It does not happen over night like it may seem.”

Candace has two sets of ideal customers.

The first are grandmas or friends of a baby mama looking for a unique baby shower or infant birthday gift to give. “I offer different gift set options or separate items for purchase to make it easy to put together exactly what you are looking for and price range.”

The second are moms who prefer higher quality, modern, and stylish baby goods for their own babes. “Moms who do not want to know the gender of their baby until birth are also great clients because I offer a wide variety of gender neutral prints and items,” she explains.

Candace says the MOB has been a way for her to connect with other women who are going through the same mom and business struggles that she is facing.

“It is great to have a community of like minded, strong bosses who can teach you and help you grow as well. I also have enjoyed the collaboration aspect of the MOB. I’ve been able to work with many MOBs in my area and all over the country to grow my business or help theirs too. I love when there is a post about a business need and multiple people are tagging you and promoting your business to support you. It’s a great feeling knowing you are not in this alone!”

She says she loves free meetups for MOB Alliance members and being a part of the private Alliance Facebook group.  “It has been great to learn from the MOB talks and grow in the different topics talked about. And networking with the new women at each meetup has been so beneficial as well. I have made great connections that have grown my business reach and built up my business in ways I never thought possible. I also enjoy that the group is all over the country and love that I have connections in several different states if I need anything at all because there’s always a MOB for that.”
She offers 15% off to MOB Alliance members.

Connect with Candace and Hello Wild Baby online:

www.hellowildbabyco.com
www.instagram.com/hellowildbabyco
www.facebook.com/hellowildbabyco
www.pinterest.com/hellowild

​Melanie is a SAHM mom of three children and a member of the MOB’s Boise, Idaho chapter. Although she is new to the MOB, she says she is excited to be a member and can’t wait to see where her business goes! Her favorite benefits are the opportunity to meet and connect with other mom business owners in her area and the educational aspects of the weekly MOB Talks.


She decided to start her business as a way to stay home with her children and bring in extra income for her family. She’s lived in several places and spent five years in Germany when her husband was on active duty. She says she loves to spend time with her family.

She’s an enthusiastic fan Thirty-One Bags and credits the company for providing support and encouragement. “They are always encouraging consultants of every level to have faith and confidence in yourself and your abilities,” she explains.
Melanie says she looks up to fellow rep Rachael and says she’s been a great help on Melanie’s journey.

She says her biggest struggle has been finding her own groove with sales and marketing. “I am naturally very shy and breaking out of that has been a struggle. I also do not have a very big social circle which makes it hard to expand out to others.”
Melanie advises new business owners to have faith in themselves and know they make it work She says  “You can do anything if you just have the confidence to put yourself out there! Know your product and have the passion to inspire others!”

Her ideal referral is someone Anyone who loves Thirty-one as much as she does. “Ideally, I would love for someone to love it enough they choose to join my team and make their own opportunities with their own business,” she explains.

She loves the freedom and flexibility that comes from working for herself. “I work when I choose to work and I’m still able to volunteer in my children’s classrooms. I get to make memories with them instead of being stuck working in an office doing something I don’t enjoy.”

Melanie offers MOB Alliance members free shipping on orders over $50. You’ll need to contact her with your directory listing link to claim the special.

Connect with Christy at www.facebook.com/christyjones31bags
 ​

​Sara and her husband started Bend's Woody Tree Service in 2012 when they realized there was a need for qualified, safe arborists with forestry backgrounds and power line certification. She says “We knew we wanted our own business. We had those qualifications. Our parents both owned their own businesses. We decided it was time!”

She says she runs her business like her father ran his - giving the best service to their clients while treating their employees like they are the most important product they have. Sara says she is proud of what they do. “We provide fair, safe, clean and prompt arborist services to a community we live in and care about.”
​
Since the business is seasonal, the biggest challenge is finding business in the off season. “The first year we didn't work from October to March....yikes! We have continuously had less and less days off in the winter. Thank goodness! Now the only month we would like to see more business is February,” she says.
She tells new business owners to have tenacity. “Don’t give up. Find a way to make it work. Show up every day. Ask a bazillion questions to people who admire in business. DONT GIVE UP!”

Like many businesses, Woody Tree Service gets most of its business from happy customers. “We quit all advertising two years ago, except for social media and Google. We found that our word of mouth advertising was giving us the most business by far! What a compliment of how we run our business!”

​Sara says the MOB has enriched her life and her business and she loves the educational benefits. She’s also grateful to the women who created and grew the MOB.

“I was asked to come to MOB by another member, Alison Mata, last fall. It was on a day that was, like always, so slammed. The last thing I wanted to do was go across town and meet new people, I put my game face on and I showed up to life!

I think of how that one choice enriched my life and our business. The education from the speakers alone, was well worth coming. I was renewed with energy from the speakers and armed with some really applicable advice for our business.

The contacts I have made have become a business support staff. We are all walking different business paths, but its like we have a huge company of talents sharing different goals, but helping each other create success in our individual companies! Like employees you don't have to pay! Lastly, I suddenly had a group of ladies that related to my life and business struggles. There was an instant feeling of camaraderie with these wonderful women.”

She would tell her younger self “You will be successful, because you won't give up. So to make life easier, pick something you absolutely love to do! Follow your bliss."

Sara says she loves working for herself because it allows her to create her own schedule and enjoy the things she loves. “I do not have to worry about who will take care of my kids, or when I can go on vacation. If I am sick I don't have to give up vacation days. If there are sports for kids, I can leave and watch them,” she explains.

She offers MOB Alliance members free estimates.

Connect with Sara online:

www.woodystreeserviceinc.com
www.facebook.com/woodytreeserviceinc
www.instagram.com/woodytreeserviceinc

​Anna DeSalvo is a health mentor and time strategist to working moms in demanding jobs. She specializes in moms with older children to help them create sustainable health habits, household systems, and routines. Anna says, “I love working with other busy women to help them see what is possible for their lives through better time management.”

She was inspired to start her business when she found herself in the same situation as many of her clients. She was overwhelmed and her health was suffering. “I was a new wife, a mom to a teenager, dealing with mom guilt and unable to manage my health. My life had been taken over by anxiety, tight jeans, and tears. I really wanted to change my life, help others change theirs and potentially find more time to spend with my family,” she explains.

Anna is inspired by women like Rachel Hollis, Melanie Mitro, Kelsey Shackley, and Chalene Johnson.
“All of them have inspired me in some way or another to dream big and GO FOR IT. Chalene Johnson has taught me how to systemize my time, outsource help, create crazy big goals, and reverse engineer. Melanie Mitro gives me no BS talk when I need it. Kelsey Shackley is a systems genius. Rachel Hollis gives me the strength I need to wash my face.”
​
Anna believes owning a business is a mindset journey. “In the beginning, I read personal development because it was part of my job. Now, I read personal development to keep myself doing my job. So many no's, disappointments, highs, and lows. It's hard to remain positive and pushing forward. That said, I feel so much stronger now pushing through each obstacle and I give less cares than I did in the past,” she explains.

She would tell her younger self that it is ok to be bad at something. “In fact, you better get really OK with being bad at something for a while until you get good at it. I tell my students this all time, but it's much harder as an adult. I wanted to be so good at sales, or marketing right away. I had a business degree for goodness sakes! At the end of the day, there is always something to learn. To be great at anything, you have to suck a lot first.”

She recommends that new business owners to connect with mentors and inspiring people in their field and to trust themselves. She says, “Look for people that are doing what you want to do times ten and follow them to surround yourself with like-minded people. I also think a huge piece is to follow your gut and senses while taking in content. When all else fails, learn to trust yourself!”

Although Anna loves the freedom that comes with working for herself, she admits it can be tough. “You really have to be disciplined to get up and do the work. I enjoy pushing myself to accomplish new things and setting my own success,” she explains.
 
The best client for Anna would be a working mom of a young teenager who often feels overwhelmed by life. She says, “They are hard on themselves about "dropping the ball" because they have 10,000 of them juggling at once. They often are too tired or busy to take care of themselves but have a loving spouse. They are tired of living an overworked life and are ready to take on their health journey!”

Anna says the MOB has impacted her business by giving her the opportunity to be surrounded with likeminded entrepreneurial women. “When the MOB Alliance came up, I joined right away without attending one meet up. My first meet up, I joined as an Alliance member. I just went all in because I knew I needed others like me to become my best self.”

She says she loves that MOB meetups are included with her monthly membership. “It takes away the excuse that it is difficult. I enjoy that I can grab a ticket online and show up. It is very casual but professional. My biggest goal in being part of the MOB Alliance is to grow in my business, mindset, and friendships. I look forward to meeting more MOBs!”

Anna offers MOB Alliance members her Busy Mama Meal Planning Course for free with any purchase of a health package.

Connect with Anna online:

www.annadesalvo.com
www.instagram.com/a_de_salvo
www.facebook.com/desalvoa

Kallie Kerne has a degree in Business and a Property and Casualty license. She's a boy mom,  an optimistic hope giver, and a lover of all things health and wellness.

Her passion is to advocate for people, help them seek out that little voice of intuition, and encourage them to share their story. 
She is the founder of  Faith and Frankincense, a health and wellness community. 

Connect with Kallie online:
https://oily.life/faithandfrankincense/
https://www.facebook.com/faithandfrankwellness/
https://www.instagram.com/kalliebkerne/

Melissa Rinne, a Newburg massage therapist, got her license in 2012 after deciding she didn’t want to sit in a cubicle for the rest of her life and instead wanted to make a difference in people's lives.  Although she has a background working in spas and chiropractic office settings, she prefers to specialize in therapeutic massage and injury recovery.

Melissa has a busy home life with a daughter, two step-sons, and is expecting a baby in early spring 2019. She also has a retired racing greyhound who follows her every move. She says owning her own practice gives her the freedom to attend sporting events and other important things with her kids. “I once missed every basketball and football game that the kids had on Saturdays for one season and vowed never to let that happen again.”

She loves the flexibility and sense of accomplishment that comes from working for herself.

“I never in my wildest dreams imagined that someday I would have my own business. But here I am, rocking it! I love that I can help my clients the way I feel is best. I love that I can chaperone a field trip without having to ask a boss for permission. I love that I can see my year end numbers and know that the income I have earned is all because of my own hard work and success,” she says.

Melissa says she considers fellow MOB, Andrea Montera, a big infuence in how she has shaped her business. “I really admire how hard she has worked to build her practice,” explains Melissa.

She says her biggest struggle in her business is marketing and keeping her schedule full. “I get most of my clients through referrals, but I still have those weeks here and there that are a little slower than I'd like. I get into a slump where I don’t really know where to start getting out there and marketing,” she says.

If she could give advice to her younger self, she’d say to branch out on her own earlier. “While I did gain some valuable experience and insight working for others, I sometimes think back and wish I would have started on my own a whole lot earlier than I did.”

Melissa says she would advise new business owners to make sure they have everything set up correctly in the beginning. “Set aside your quarterly taxes and pay them on time. Find a CPA that can answer all the questions that you'll come up with and can point you in the right direction. Connections and networking are huge.”

Her ideal referral is someone who recognizes how important regular massage is to their health and happiness. Someone who is willing to commit to coming in for a massage once a month at minimum.

She says the MOB has given her confidence in being a business owner. “I've had some good referrals from the MOB, but that's not the main reason I stay in the MOB. The MOB has given me more confidence in being a business owner. When I joined the MOB, I often would feel that I'm in over my head and had no business being a business owner. The ladies in the MOB have shown me that I do know what I'm doing, and everyone feels like they're drowning every now and then. I've gotten some excellent help and advice from my fellow MOBsters along with moral support. I think it has helped make me a better LMT and business owner,” says Melissa. 

Here are a few tips on how you can get your kids involved in the kitchen at an early age, too.

Planning

Let them help in picking the recipes for the week. You pick what you want and then simply give your kids a choice between those items.

​When I first started doing this, my hubby and I sat down and created our meal plan for the week. We mentally had decided what meals we wanted and then we let the kids each pick a day and they picked the meal for that day.

Cooking

Let them help prepare the meal.

I have found when my kids help prepare a meal, they are way more likely to eat it. Then as they are helping, of course, praising them up and down about what an AMAZING job they are doing.

​They also feel more empowered since they were able to choose the meal they wanted to make and now helping to make it. First it was just letting them measure things, then I started letting them stir things, and then I started letting them chop things (with my supervision of course).

Praising

Praise them AGAIN and AGAIN throughout the entire process and especially with eating the finished meal. Words of affirmation help to keep them excited about helping and they will want to help again.

Teamwork

Those not helping cook that night, are the ones who set the table.

Whoever helped to prepare the meal does not have to do the dishes.

Each family member takes their own plate to the sink and share in the responsibility of cleaning up.

We sit as a family for meal time.

Even with busy schedules we are very intentional about this time together. Mealtimes are such an incredible way to make lasting memories with your children. Create topics to talk about. A GREAT one we love is each person goes around the table and shares something good that happened to them that day. Even if someone had a bad day, we must think of something good that happened.

Setting Yourself Up for Success
​There are a few things we had to let go of in the beginning to ensure we created the culture we wanted with this experience:

We had to be OK with a bigger mess being made. This was so HARD for me and my hubby at first. No crying over "spilled milk."

We also had to not be in a huge hurry. This does take more time in the beginning and a lot of patience. However, the time spent is so worth it.
Your kids will LOVE LOVE LOVE the time you are investing with them.

​This is one of the BEST MEMORY MAKERS!!! Since we have 3 kids, this was 3 days a week we committed to. You get to choose the days and how you can make it work with your family. Even if it is just 1 day a week, start somewhere.

Jodi Dillmon is a Senior Director with Pampered Chef and has been with the company for 11 years. She has helped hundreds of families find easy mealtime solutions.

Jessica George, a Rodan + Field representative and graphic designer, grew up in a small town, but says she’s always been a city-kid at heart. “Small town living was too boring for me. Funny how life changes though. I love going back to visit and really enjoy the slower pace now,” she explains.


She currently lives in Las Vegas with her husband and young son, Mason. Prior to having her son, much of her work was done in the advertising world. She still does some freelance design when she has the time.

After having her son, she realized she was ready for a change.
 
Jessica says, “The fast-paced advertising world was super fun when I was in my 20s and single, but after moving into my 30s, and getting married, that environment just wasn't doing it for me anymore. After almost 15 years in the industry, and having to think of about a billion different ways to design the same things over and over and over, and telling people that white space IS important, and no the logo does NOT need to be bigger, and all the competition and egos — I was burnt out.”

The final straw was when she learned she was making significantly less than her equal male counterpart. “That was what put me over the edge. I was done, but I had no clue what I wanted to do if I wasn't a graphic designer. I had my son at 35 and while on maternity leave realized that there were so many more important things in life than working so hard to climb this "ladder" to success. I knew I was good at what I did and wondered if I could build a business from home. MY business. No more doing what the boss wanted. I wanted to be in charge and do what I thought was the right thing! I decided I had to figure out how to work from home but still didn't really know what I wanted to do. It was important to me to be present for my husband and son and work around our family's life. It's still chaotic, but I don't feel like I'm missing my own life anymore,” she explains.

While on maternity leave, she decided to start her Rodan + Fields business. “I saw the massive potential for growth. I knew the power behind these doctors having the Proactiv name attached to them. If advertising had taught me anything it was that brand recognition was GOLD. It would allow me to be in charge of myself and I could work my day around my new little family. It just felt right to me.”

Jessica still loves design and enjoys the chance to be creative with her own things, but her Rodan and Fields business gives her the freedom to be with her son and create her own work schedule.  “R+F is easy to fit into my toddler mom life and it helped me with my tired-looking mom skin. I'm in the middle of figuring out how to have a graphic design business AND my R+F business together,” she explains.

She says she is inspired by people like Rachel Hollis lately. Mel Robbins, Gary Vaynerchuk, Ellen, Oprah, and Buddha. “These are people who talk the talk AND walk the walk. People who share love with the world and help people become better versions of themselves,” she says.
Jessica says one of the biggest struggles in her business has been being unsure of the next steps and not being where she feels she should be at this stage of her business.

“I don't have a professional headshot yet. I don't professional copy written. I don't have everything perfectly so, and that's really hard for me. Working as a designer for so many years I feel the need to have everything perfect before it goes to the public...but you know what? I'm a work in progress, and I can't help that I don't know what I don't know. I'm learning.”

She advises new business owners to go for it because no one knows what they are doing at the beginning. “We just have to follow our gut and keep trying until we get where we want to be,” she says. Jessica would also remind them to celebrate the small victories. “Even though I don't feel like I've made much progress, I look back and see just how far I've actually come. Be gentle with yourself. You're doing a good job!”

The best referral for Jessica is someone looking for skincare products that give transformative results or someone looking to make an extra income around their already busy schedule. She says many reps begin using the products and then realize how using the products sells the products because people see the change in your skin and then want to know how you did it.

Jessica says the best part about being a part of the MOB Alliance is the relationships she has made. It's really nice being around like-minded people. We all know the struggles and benefits of being a mom with a business.”

She mentions being listed in the MOB Nation Directory as a favorite benefit. “I appreciate all the publicity the MOB pushes to it,” she explains. Jessica also likes the meetups and the chance to get in front of people as a Spotlight speaker or Presenter. “Meeting new people and building meaningful relationships is seriously my favorite thing to do. I love hearing everyone’s stories and how they came to be where/who they are today.”

Jessica offers MOB Alliance members a reimbursement of their setup fee when they become Preferred Customer. Preferred customers also receive 10% off purchases and free shipping on orders over $80)

Connect with Jessica online at:

https://www.facebook.com/jessicageorgeco  
https://www.instagram.com/skincaresiren
https://www.pinterest.com/jessicageorgeco  
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicageorgeco
https://jessicageorge.myrandf.com

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, we asked a few of our members (MOBs) to share what self care means to them and what advice they would give other MOBs who are growing their businesses while raising their families. 

Get Serious About Taking Care of Yourself
Sarah Nelson, LAc, co-owner of Ancient Fern Medicine

Self care is such an important topic and one that I think gets misrepresented in the name of selling expensive products and services.

Self care is ultimately about the relationship you have with yourself and how you care for your mental, physical, and emotional well being on a daily basis. It's about making choices every single day that are in line with the person you want to be and the goals you want to accomplish.

Some of the most commonly overlooked areas of self care I see in my patients are simple things like not having good structure and boundaries around things sleep, nutrition, exercise, and stress management. No amount of indulgent pampering will cancel out the damaging impact of an erratic sleep schedule, chronic sleep deprivation, or lack of proper hydration and nourishing food.

Another super important area of self care is the quality of the connection in our daily lives. Are you connecting with people who make you feel seen, valued, inspired, and ready to go out and conquer the world? If not, then your first self care assignment might be to look at your patterns in relationships and take steps to invest in connections that leave you feeling energized and great!

By all means, take the fancy bubble bath, get the pedicure and massage, but don't forget about the basics when it comes to taking care of you. 

Avoid Decision Fatigue
Anna L De Salvo, Health Mentor and Time Strategist

Every day we make so many decisions that drain the energy out of us! Those little things daily add up to exhaustion at the end of the day. This exhaustion is what leads us to do things like overeat, binge watch tv, and prevent us from taking on our self-care as an intentional act. While some of these are downright fun, they usually lead to lower energy levels and lack of productivity. 

How do you avoid decision fatigue? Budget your energy with routines. Set up daily routines that save your energy for the important ones in a day. A few easy routines: keep your daily wake up time consistent, set out your clothes on Sunday night to avoid riffling through the piles of laundry the morning of, and only schedule one night a week to do your laundry.  Your energy is worth conserving. When you limit your daily decisions, you have more energy to make positive choices for your health.

You are worthy your own love
Julie Allen, Owner, Mary Rose NW Boutique and Founder, Mary Rose Foundation
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​Loving yourself means taking care of you. Carving out time every day to do something you need. As a mom and business owner, that can be more than a little challenging, but learning what you need and then allowing yourself the freedom to give it to yourself goes a long way.

Self-care starts with learning what you need. It is easy to get so caught up in mom and work life that you are no longer a priority. It can be easier to ignore what you really need than to find the time and energy to give it to yourself.

Caring for yourself, loving yourself, nurturing yourself, will benefit everyone. Believing you deserve the same time and attention you give so readily to everyone else, will greatly benefit you, your family, and your business.
It takes time to learn what you really need. It takes patience, self-compassion, and the courage to put yourself first. But caring for yourself, truly loving yourself, is something you deserve. You are worth the time. You are worth investing in. You are worth your own love.

Get Some Sleep!
Abbi Wood, Wordsmith & Communication Strategist
 
When you have a lot on your plate, and a lot to get done -- like, there's no end in sight -- what's the first thing to go?

Sleep.

Whether it's late to bed or early to rise, sleep deprivation will take a toll on your health, mentally and physically.

Set your home lights, phone, alarms (or whatever you need) to go off at a certain time and jolt you with a bedtime reminder. Aim to be in bed before you actually need to go to sleep (because those brains don't turn themselves off). Rinse and repeat until your mind and body acquiesce to the safety of this routine and habit.

Can't do it? (Me either!)
 
Backup self-care: Check in with yourself in the middle of the day or whenever you find yourself going off-track or spiraling, and fill your bucket -- aka invest in yourself.

Whether it's 5 minutes to yourself or 30 seconds: check in with yourself and
​p-l-a-n a chunk of time that you'll take to do whatever fills your bucket: reading, goal-setting, house cleaning, Netflix, a cuppa tea... Maybe check in with a friend and have a good ole chin wag. And stick to the plan.

And get back to trying to go to bed on time. It's like they always say: try, try again. In the meantime, there's always Netflix (for me). 

Find Ways to Recharge
Aloma Murray, owner, Eugene Mindworks, Coworking Space and Business Incubator

Self care can look different for everyone and even change over time. I have been pushing myself a lot this year to go beyond my comfort zone and put myself out there in a way that I have resisted previously. While it’s been really exciting, it’s also scary and can really drain my energy quickly.

Through the process I’ve learned new ways of boosting my energy and practicing self care! I realized that using my voice recorder on my phone while driving to work to just talk stuff through and record my thoughts has been really satisfying, in a similar way as journaling has been in my life. I try to pay attention when I start to feel burnt out. I know getting outside, having quiet time, reading a good book and spending quality time with my family playing games are great options for me when I need to get grounded and refresh my energy.

If you know what feels rejuvenating for you it’s a great idea to keep a list so you can refer to it when you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Sometimes we forget what to do in those difficult moments.
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Self care doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Simple things like taking 5 minutes to practice breathing exercises or mindfully drink a glass of water can be really powerful and help you reset.​

Think Simple
Kim Ludeman, Captivatingly Confident Confidence Coach 
 
Self-care doesn’t have to require leaving your house, finding a sitter or spending money.

It can be something as simple as taking your time getting ready in the morning. It can be giving yourself a foot rub at night before bed. It can be dancing to music that puts a smile on your face. Find something that takes five minutes or less and feels indulgent or pleasurable. 

Focus on Mind, Body, and Soul
Heather Payne, Rodan + Fields

Self care for us moms us beyond important.  There are so many aspects that go into self care.  I always try to complete my self care by focusing on mind, body, and soul.  
 
Mind - I utilize daily affirmations and self-growth books to maintain my self care in the mind.

Body - I get up at 4am to go to Crossfit every day, eat healthy and put my juicer to work  I also take care of my skin, hair and nails to feel beautiful and enjoy looking in the mirror every day.

Soul - There are so many things you can do to stay connected.  I like to use my oils every day and keep myself grounded and mindful.  Breathing techniques are a massive bonus in my life.  
 
Self care isn't selfish, it is necessary!

Self care has to exist.
Sarah Akey, Owner, Sarah's Sweet Treats

I'm finding that self care, is not always pretty. As I've traveled through deep personal struggles this past year and trying to keep businesses afloat, my view on the subject has changed a little.

I had always looked at it as a bubble bath, glass of wine and a good book, even give minutes in the bathroom with no interruptions. However, I've learned that sometimes, self care is allowing a good cry right before I go to sleep. Or even the simple act of admitting that I'm not okay. Letting the flood gates open, and allowing other people to stand in the gaps for me, has been a hard transition to make.

I kind of like to have control and put up a good strong front. Yet, I've found freedom and release in the "messy" type of self care. Self care is a process. A practice. And it can look different all the time. But it has to be there. Self care has to exist.