Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kaitlin McGreyes, Founder and CEO of BeHerVillage, located in Farmingdale, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
BeHerVillage is a groundbreaking gift registry that helps parents get the funds they need for the support they deserve. Over $12,000,000,000 is spent each year on baby gifts in the US. While parents are being overloaded with expensive and largely unnecessary baby gear, they are unable to afford the basic care they need. BeHerVillage helps parents access funds to pay for doulas, lactation support, maternity leave, pelvic floor care, midwifery care, and other types of support that are often not covered by insurance and out of reach for so many people.
Tell us about yourself
When I became a new mother, I had my baby shower, I got lots of cute baby clothes and gifts, and I thought I was ready for motherhood. The baby gifts and cute clothes did little to prepare me for the reality of becoming a mother. I ended up with an unplanned cesarean, a baby who wouldn't latch, and a husband who had to go back to work while I was still in the hospital.
I was struggling, and I was alone. It was only after becoming a doula, working with hundreds of families, that I realized that it wasn't ME that was unprepared; it was the system that had failed me. The core of our mission is to build a better world for our daughters, and that is what motivates me every day to show up.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Building an organization that is mission-led and is making an immediate impact on the people who need it most is exciting and a huge point of pride. Taking an idea and turning it into over $70,000 of funds directly into the pockets of new parents to pay for their support team is something I am incredibly proud of.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The hardest thing is taking a risk without a safety net. Being an entrepreneur means building your idea before the payoff, and every day you have to keep believing in yourself and your team and keeping the faith.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Build something people need--work WITH your target market to develop your business.
- Get a mentor. We aren't supposed to do this alone.
- Stay true to yourself and your mission. Focus on yourself and make your message authentic, and your people will show up for you.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://behervillage.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/behervillage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behervillage/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/behervillage
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-her-village/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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