Mommapreneurs forms in Four Points, Networking group keep family balance in focus

By VAL OLIVAS, Four Points News

Mommapreneurs of Austin is a newly formed professional networking group in Four Points made up of women building their careers while working to maintain the balance of family life.

The group boasts some 50 members, each representing her profession with nominal overlap of expertise within the group. (Directory listed below.)

Businesses vary in goods and services from health and wellness, kids’ haircuts, financial consulting, children’s toys and activities, cosmetics, to medical practices.

MOA founders are Brandy Harrison, Debbie Swanston, Carrie Harper and Alina Sholar. The group was born on the grounds of Bella Mar Park in Steiner Ranch. With one child in the pool and more on the swings, the moms began talking about how to ease back into the professional workforce while maintaining their desire to be available to their families.

This photo is from the first official meeting  of Mommapreneurs of Austin, which was held on Feb. 4 at Sage & Sweetgrass Wellness Spa.

This photo is from the first official meeting of Mommapreneurs of Austin, which was held on Feb. 4 at Sage & Sweetgrass Wellness Spa.

One goal of the group is to familiarize the businesses among its members, resulting in greater pathways for lead generation.

The monthly meetings offer members the opportunity to present their businesses to the group with a 10-minute presentation. This format will continue on a rotating basis until all businesses have been introduced.

In addition to business networking, the women in the group are building a social network focused on supporting moms who are potentially struggling with the common challenge of achieving a positive work-life balance.

Local resident and real estate agent Brandy Harrison  is one of the founders of Mommapreneurs of Austin — a new, local professional networking group for moms who are balancing career and family.

Local resident and real estate agent Brandy Harrison is one of the founders of Mommapreneurs of Austin.

“We thought it was too hard to get together during the day because some still have babies. Why not meet in the evening and have wine? Talk about our businesses and struggles; how hard it is to manage a family and have our businesses, have something for us. We really enjoy helping others as well,” said Harrison, a residential and commercial realtor with HD Realty Team.

Traditional networking groups require large entrance and monthly fees to join. With the plethora of professional moms in the neighborhood, Harrison felt there wasn’t a need to pay for a service they could easily provide to each other for free. “Many of us are in the same stage of returning to the workforce and are hungry for [this group].”

MOA will target different businesses to increase social media presence for them. Each member’s business card is entered into a drawing at the meetings. The business of the card drawn is promoted by the group in their own Facebook feeds.

Harrison believes networking steps like this planned “Facebook blast” will greatly increase visibility to members’ businesses. “With each person having 300-1,000 Facebook friends, sharing the business just once could potentially reach thousands of new customers. Keeping an eye out for folks requesting referrals for automotive repair or tax preparers on Facebook pages like Steiner Ranch-Small Business is an easy way to refer members of the MOA group as well,” said Harrison.

Another goal of the MOA group is to provide business education to its members. Going forward, top-notch business coaches and inspiring entrepreneurs will be invited to speak at meetings offering the group their insight and lessons learned.

“When you are a [start-up] every penny counts, and networking and advertising can be so expensive,” said Sholar, a plastic surgeon who owns Sage & Sweetgrass Wellness Spa in Steiner. “We were not only looking for a way to enhance awareness of each of our businesses, but to do so in a way that didn’t bust the budget.”

Sholar also believes the MOA group is better suited to understand the struggle of small business owners where large networking groups falls short. She has offered her spa at 4500 Steiner Ranch Blvd. as an assembly place in which to host the MOA meetings.

MOA is an evolving group. Growth is anticipated based on professions represented.

“Change is good. We need balanced personalities (and to receive) everyone’s input,” said Harrison. “We support each other through these (transitional) times. I have not done my dishes in three days because I’ve been showing houses for hours on end. It’s a safe place to talk about this kind of thing.”

MOA plans to eventually set demographic boundaries on this group while rolling out additional chapters throughout the city. Member Barbara Castro—Nando’s Cookies owner—lives in south Austin and is considering spawning a chapter of her own to accommodate similar needs in her area.

The group is multi-national with members hailing from England, South Africa and Bulgaria to name a few, but most now reside in the Four Points area, and several women are members of the Four Points Chamber of Commerce.

Harrison notes meeting attendance is mandatory, and commitment to the group is important. To be considered as a Mommapreneurs of Austin member, send a Facebook private message to any founding member.

Another photo from the first Mommapreneur meeting.

Another photo from the first Mommapreneur meeting.

Mommapreneurs of Austin Business Directory

Lisa Clover

Red Cottage Kitchen

www.redcottagekitchen.com

Kristen West

Gusto Dogs

www.gustodogs.com

 

 

Shawna Denkhaus

AdvoCare Distributor

www.advocare.com/140544628

Dr. Sumita Chakraborti

Quinlan Park Dental

www.quinlanparkdental.com

Jenna Blakely

Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids

www.sharkeyscutsforkids.com/Austin-TX/

Linda Stoddard

Bank of Texas Mortgage

www.bankoftexas.com/lindastoddard

 

 

Cindy Leavings

QualTech Automotive

www.QualTechAuto.com

Contagious Harmony

Rebekah Trevelise

François Minaux

www.contagiousharmony.wordpress.com/

 

 

Brandy Harrison

HD Realty Team

Val Olivas

Words by Val

www.wordsbyval.com

Brooke Flagg

Flagg Financial Group

www.flaggfinancialgroup.com

Christy Duffell Seguin

Cakes ROCK!!!

www.CakesRock.rocks

Erin Geiger

Arbonne International

www.eringeiger.arbonne.com

Emily Nelson

viaONEHOPE

www.viaonehope.com/sites/emily-nelson

Beth S. Roberts

Rodan + Fields Dermatologists

www.bethrob.com

Caroline Burns

Studio Mama B.

www.studiomamab.com

Barbara Castro

Nando’s Cookies

Debbie Swanston

Juice Plus+

www.debbieswanston.juiceplus.com

Dr. Alina D. Sholar, MD

Sage & Sweetgrass Wellness Spa

www.SageandSweetgrassSpa.com

Teresa Smith

T’s City Chic

Karen Ice-Burris

Ice Interior Design

www.iceinteriordesign.com/

Rachel Khorzad

The Hatter Tea Co.

www.thehatterteaco.com

Carrie Harper

CarrieFit

www.carriefit.com

Waleska Ghini

Spanish For All Austin, L.L.C

www.spanishforallaustin.com/

Sandra Metoyer

Sweedie Kids

www.sweediekids.com

Christine Emanuel

Younique Cosmetics

www.ChristinesLashBash.com

Cami Remy

Cami’s Cookies

April Garner

April’s Balanced Fitness

www.aprilsbalancedfitness.com

Tamsin Spence

Gallo & Spence Toys

www.gallospencetoys.com

Sara Rivera

Stella & Dot

www.stelladot.com/sararivera

Tasha Thompson

Neighborhood Sells™

www.Neighborhoodsells.com

Casey Sollock

She Shines Wellness

www.SheShinesWellness.com

Nicole Luff

Thirty-One Gifts

www.MyThirtyOne.com/NicoleLuff


Mindy Totaro

BTAS-Bargsley, Totaro CPAs

www.bargsley.com

 


Laurie O’Meara

Citron Soap Co.

www.citronsoap.com (coming soon)

 


Alexandra Lemay

Gardening on the Edge