mompreneur

Our Favorite Black Owned Baby Businesses

[et_pb_section][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text]

We are showcasing some of our favorite black owned baby companies. We teamed up with gorgeous mama, actress Jazmyn Simon, to chat about these brands and take a closer look at their amazing products. Want to see for yourself? Head to her Instagram and check it out, and read below for more info on these fantastic black owned businesses: @jazmynsimon

For Baby

Pretty Please Teethers: How gorgeous are these teethers and pacifier clips? They’d make a perfect baby shower gift! Plus, they offer more than just teethers from feeding items to bath toys to play toys. Follow on Instagram: @prettypleaseteethers

Stina & Mae: Stina & Mae makes amazing organic baby products, which include blankets, bibs, burps, newborn gift boxes, changing pads, and much more. At the inception, Stina & Mae has set out to create social impact at every level of the company. Their products are good for baby and the planet.

Darlyng & Co.: If you’re looking for simple everyday essentials for babies and toddlers, Darlyng & Co, a black owned business, is the place to go! Their ultimate goal is to simplify parenting through their unique product designs. Founded by Carl and Tara Darnley, Darlyng & Co creates baby essentials that are sure to simplify your life and bring much joy to your little one. One of our favorite products is their Alphabet Affirmation Cards for kids. Darlyng & Co has been featured on the Steve Harvey Show, Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine, Essence, Black Enterprise, and Marie Claire.

Partake Foods: Partake Foods was founded by a mom when she discovered her daughter had food allergies; she wanted to create a snack food that they could travel with, party with, and live every day with, which is safe for any child with food allergies. Partake Foods are free of the Top 9 Allergens (wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, fish, sesame and shellfish); as well as free of mustard, sulfite, and nightshade free. They are also certified gluten free and vegan – meaning they can truly be enjoyed by everyone together! Community and cookies? We’re down for that! You can see more about Partake Food in our foodie gift guide.

For Mom

The Stork Bag: If you’re looking for the perfect gift for a pregnant mama in your life, we’ve been fans of The Stork Bag for years and Jazmyn was thrilled to get her third trimester bag. The Stork Bag is not only a black owned business, but is your one stop shop for anything a mama might need in her pregnancy journey. You can select the subscription that works for you; The Stork Bag hand-picks trimester specific products to meet your trimester and postpartum needs. Simply tell The Stork Bag your due date and trimester dates and you’ll receive a perfectly curated Stork Bag every trimester! The Stork Bag provides three different tiers of product collections for each trimester, as well as specialty boxes such as the glam box and the foodie box. The Stork Bag was founded in 2014 by Ericka Perry and has been a phenomenal success since, sending Stork Bags to hundreds of mothers; you can learn more about The Stork Bag and Ericka Perry on our Momprenuer Spotlight, too.

Matrescence: Matrescence, by definition, is the process of becoming a mother. This transition requires lots of self-care, and that’s where Matrescence comes in. When it comes to self-care for moms, we love suggesting Matrescence. It is the ultimate gift for new moms, as it is a fantastic way to help women transition their skin and life from pre-pregnancy, to pregnancy, to post-partum life and skincare. We just wrote about their Rose Glow Mini Kit in our Self-Care Gift Guide, and Jazmyn has been a big fan of Matrescence for helping keep her skin bright, clear, and smooth. Their cleansers, brightening essences, and hydrating soufflé creams will make you feel luxurious and cared for, no matter where you are on your pregnancy journey. Conceived by a fellow mom and prenatal wellness expert, Matrescence’s botanical line will help you safely give birth to radiant, healthy skin and feel more confident and vibrant throughout pregnancy and motherhood.

Milky Mama: Created by Registered Nurse Krystal Nicole Duhaney, Milky Mama provides mamas with lactation support and products. When Krystal returned to work after her second child and began experiencing supply issues, she turned to homemade lactation cookies. After seeing great results and birthing a desire to help women in her shoes, Milky Mama was created. Today Milky Mama has a wide range of products from sweet treats to smoothies to supplements, but what’s more, is that Milky Mama has also fostered a community of lactation support through weekly Facebook chats and a support group.

Eu’genia Shea Butter: Founded by a mother and daughter, Eu’Genia Shea is family-run and dedicated to all-natural, premium shea butter moisturizers. We are fans of theirs for so many reasons, but especially because they are dedicated to fair wages and opportunities for their female workers in Ghana and they donate 15% of profits to an education fund. Shea butter is known for so many things, such as preventing stretch marks, hydrating skin, and making you feel luxurious and smooth.

Apparel

Twindollicious: Twindollicious, a black owned business, was founded by a twin mama in 2012 as a way to show off her twin daughters’ styles, and has evolved into a fun shop for girls, featuring accessories, clothing, and more. Jazmyn loves her mommy & me Any2CanBe Twindollicious & Co Charm Bracelet/Anklet to wear with her older daughter. Twindollicious has been featured on ABC, FOX, NY FAMILY, PARENTS.COM, and more. Twindollicious has a mission to inspire, motivate and support the creation of a healthy, happy and fun bonded lifestyle. They encourage friendship and love as well as sharing of commonalities through the inspiration of fashion and lifestyle stories. Their mission is to give back and spread their message in the friendliest way! They also offer beyond adorable clothing for little girls, that will help them feel strong, empowered, and playful! Founder, Natasha Danna is also a published author of several children’s books, also available on their website.

City Kidz: We are obsessed with the amazing boutique kids’ clothing from City Kidz! Their our collection is carefully curated, kid-tested and mom-approved. Follow on Instagram: @city.kidz

Yinibini Baby: We cannot get over the adorableness of the gender-neutral baby and toddler clothes from Yinibini Baby! Follow on Instagram: @yinibinibaby

Coco’Pie Clothing: Natural hair tees for kids? Count us in! Love these empowering shirts! Follow on Instagram: @cocopieclothing

Toys

Brown Toy Box: Culturally affirming toys, books, and activities that make STE[A]M accessible, representative and fun for Black children. Follow on Instagram: @browntoybox

HarperIman Dolls: The Gugu Guru team was swooning over these adorable dolls! There are so many to choose from, we couldn’t pick a fave. Now available at Target! Follow on Instagram: @harperimandolls

Just Like Me! Boxes: A book box subscription that empowers Black children by exposing them to books with characters that look just like them! The subscription is designed to grow with children over time. Follow on Instagram: @justlikemebox

More posts to check out:
Our Favorite Black Owned Baby Gear Businesses
Our Favorite Shark Tank Products for Baby
Matrescence Safe Pregnancy Skin Care Review

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Mom-Founded Brands

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Supporting and empowering women is one of Gugu Guru’s core values. As a mom-founded brand ourselves (Shoutout to Monica!), we are always looking to build up other women in the workplace. Moms are incredible. We are strong, determined, and excellent at getting stuff done. As we enter Women’s History Month, we want to rally our support behind some wonderful mom-founded brands.

Birth Queen Organization

Throughout the month, we will be supporting Birth Queen, an organization (founded by mom, Rachel Nicks) working to educate, support, and empower black women & families throughout the birth experience. Their doulas, lactation consultants, and midwives are extensively trained to help combat the maternal health crisis targeting black mothers. Please support Birth Queen by shopping with Gugu Guru and rounding up your purchase at check out.

Baby Bottle Brush Bib Co.

Necessity is the best invention and founder, Bessie Lee-Cappell has nailed it! Keeping you dry while using that bottle brush, this sleek piece of silicone will protect you from the “dreaded splash-back” when trying to scrub bottles, nipples, and pacifiers. They have also expanded their product line to include pacifier/teether clips and bottle brushes.

Matrescence

Matrescence is all about taking care of Mom, founded by mom, Raquel Nowak. They have created a number of skincare products safe for any stage of the parenting journey. An excellent way to promote a little self-care each day.

Clover Baby & Kids

Founded by two moms, Shannon & Nikki, Clover Baby & Kids creates high-quality, fashionable clothing items for your little ones to wear for sleep and play. Their extensive line of clothing and accessories is full of fun colors and patterns, great for any aesthetic.

Healthybaby

Founder (and experienced Mom) Shazi Visram has always created high-quality brands and products that focus on some level of activism. Healthybaby has products for diapering, cleaning, and skincare that will protect both your baby and the environment. Their diapers received rave reviews from our testers!

Pediped

Pediped was founded by parents who wanted a better baby/toddler shoe on the market. Mom, Angela Edgeworth created shoes that are both stylish and functional. Pediped shoes are great for inside play and on-the-go adventures. They have now expanded into a full shoe line for babies, toddlers, and children.

Luli Bebé

Baby gear can be both practical and gorgeous! Founder & Mom, Arpi Kachatryan created Luli Bebé to support moms throughout their motherhood journey. It all started with Luli Bebé’s gorgeous Monaco Diaper Bag and has now grown into a gorgeous line of stylish bags for mom.

Lulla Doll

Designed in Iceland, by Mom Eyrún Eggertsdóttir, the Lulla Doll was inspired by premature babies to bring comfort to little ones. Parents and little ones both love the Lulla Doll, which is suitable to use from birth (outside of the crib/sleep environment).

GoSili

GoSili creates reusable products you use every day. Founders, Giuliana Schwab and Stacey Feeley have launched an entire line of silicone products, meant to replace the abundance of plastics. We love their cups and feeding products!

Minnow Swim – Swimwear Crush

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Minnow swim is Gugu Guru’s bathing suit style crush! When we stumbled across minnow swim’s beyond adorable swimwear line, we knew we had to share it with you! Made and designed in California, minnow swim is a contemporary children’s swimwear label that embraces clean lines, simple details and crisp seaside breezes. Timeless yet modern, playful and polished, minnow lives for long days, sandy toes and the wonderment of childhood on the Pacific shore. We chatted with Morgan Smith, the founder and designer of minnow about how she developed the swimwear line.

View More: https://laurenjphotography.pass.us/morgan

GG: How did you decide to launch your business? Tell us a little more about Minnow Swim!

MS: We live by the ocean, so being in the water is a big part of our lifestyle. I had the hardest time finding, boy’s swimwear for my son that was functional and stylish. I was looking for a certain length that I couldn’t find, (and was also looking for an option that was clean, stylish, well-made etc.) Everything I came across had some kind of decal, cartoon or slogan. I just wanted something timeless, yet still fresh. The more I looked into creating my own line for my son, I noticed the girl’s market was lacking as well.

GG: What was your inspiration for Minnow Swim?

MS: My son, and also seaside living.

GG: How do you balance work and family?

MS: It’s not always easy, and I think there is no perfect scenario – whatever what works for you! Find out what that is, and go with it. Originally I thought I could just bounce my baby on my lap and answer emails, and quickly realized how hard it was for me to accomplish doing a good job at both simultaneously. I then choose to have childcare part-time (a couple days a week), so that when I am working I am focused, and then when I have days with my son I am present and all there with him.

GG: What’s the best part of running your own business?

MS: I love a flexible schedule, being a mom will always come first but I love that I also get to work on something I am passionate about and continue to practice my own skill-set/talents.

Like what you see? Check out our Summer Baby Must Haves list too!

Meet the Mompreneur: Jessica Hill from The Parent Collective

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Giving birth and caring for a newborn leaves parents-to-be with many questions. Jessica Hill, founder of The Parent Collective, realized several of her friends in the United States felt unprepared for birth and isolated when caring for their infant. In the UK, where Jessica delivered her children, parents-to-be could ask questions and connect with one another in prenatal classes. Jessica knew American parents needed a similar resource and created The Parent Collective. The Parent Collective provides parents with a safe space to learn unbiased and straightforward information about birth and infant care. We are excited to introduce you to Jessica as she shares details about The Parent Collective and why she is so passionate about this platform.

GG: How and why did you start The Parent Collective?

I had my boys in the UK and benefitted from a prenatal class which helped me and my husband to meet friends who were having babies at the same time. My early days were filled with friends and support and in speaking with moms back home, I was shocked to hear how lonely and isolated they felt, without much in the way of community long after their babies were born. I created The Parent Collective (TPC) in hopes of changing that! TPC is a new take on prenatal and parenting classes that is designed to not only provide the information you need to get through delivery and have a successful transition home with your new little one, but also to offer the added benefits of a social network to lean on long after the classes have ended. As expectant parents, we are all so vulnerable, excited, terrified about the changes that are about to happen to us and that vulnerability makes us open to connections with people who are going through the same things. It’s hard to make friends as adults as evidenced by the onslaught of mommy-tinder apps designed to help connect us as new parents. But with pregnancy as the common thread, it’s so much easier. With TPC classes, our participants develop their modern day village – a support network of couples that helps each other through illness, loneliness, marital problems, and the run of the mill baby drama. Not to mention companionship during those sometimes endless and monotonous days with a newborn.

GG: Where did you come up with the name?

The name was part of a long branding process which involved identifying words that were important to us in describing the business idea. Words like support, network, knowledge and experience. We then brainstormed a bunch of names that conveyed those and settled on The Parent Collective. The process was so helpful because it really solidified our voice and how we communicate our offering.

GG: How do you balance work and family?

I’m not great at it, to be honest! I struggle to turn off but having a flexible schedule helps a lot. I can work until the kids get home, get them settled, fit in a bit more work and then manage the nighttime routine. Because I am juggling the kids, a business, and our home all without childcare, my brain runs constantly and leaves me exhausted by the end of the day. But I wouldn’t trade it – the alternatives all have their drawbacks too. We are all just trying to make it work!

GG: What’s the best part about being a “Mompreneur” and running your own business?

I love seeing a concept that at its core served me so well when I had my babies, taking hold here. It has been a labor (no pun intended) of love and I take pride in seeing The Parent Collective grow. Running my own business means I can be at the bus to pick my kids up or attend the random Valentine’s Day parties (which are always in the middle of the day – what’s up with that!?). I don’t have a ‘boss’ but I feel responsible for making this business as successful as possible – not just for me but for our team in New York City, New Jersey, Long Island, and Connecticut. I am definitely my harshest critic but I love having the flexibility to create a schedule that works for my family.

Meet the Mompreneur: Sahra Cahoon of the Mama App

Mompreneur Spotlight: Jessica Rolph of Lovevery

Mompreneur Spotlight: Leche Libre Plus Size Nursing Clothing Line

Meet the Mompreneur: Sahra Cahoon of the Mama App

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Motherhood can be a long and winding journey, and often our own self-care as mothers can get pushed aside or lost; we’re excited to introduce you to new app for mothers that’s changing the way we take care of ourselves (spoiler alert: and thus, change the way we help our families, too!). Maven Mamas is dedicated to helping mothers on their self-care journey; their app, Mama, sends daily affirmations and encouragement directly to your phone! With the simplicity of a push notification the Mama app offers a simple encouragement each day. Behind each notification is a beautifully designed wisdom with additional self-care empowering resources for mamas. We love that! We’re excited to introduce you to the founder of the Mama app, Sahra Cahoon, as she shares about starting the app and why she’s so passionate about helping moms.

1. How did you decide to launch your business? Tell us a little more about Mama, the app.

Honestly, we needed Mama the app in our own lives (and we both use it)! We were both running businesses and parenting plus trying to figure out how to have any form of self-care and all the while being one another’s confidants and cheer leaders. “Can’t someone just make an app that reminds me that I’m doing a amazing job, that I’m a rock star, and that motherhood is hard and amazing at the same time, and it’s ok to admit that???” This was the conception of Maven Mamas. Two exhausted, passionate, entrepreneurial mamas got together just to have coffee to catch up on life – and two weeks later the plans were coming together for an app to support mamas and remind them how beautiful, powerful and amazing they are. We floated the idea by a few friends and they said, yes, do it! And so we did.

2. You get to see a lot of affirmations and self-care tips every day, what’s one piece of wisdom that really resonated with you personally?

My favorite piece of wisdom is one that I wrote before our third daughter was born, we had no idea how much more true it would become in our home. “embrace the chaos” Sometimes as a mom, wife, entrepreneur, woman, I get stuck in wanting things a certain way or thinking that my house will never again be clean and orderly. We a one month old baby and a 3 year old who has all the sass our lives are never anything but organized (or not so organized) chaos. It is messy and beautiful. Instead of constantly fighting against it I am truly working on allowing it to just be.

3. If a new mama could say just one mantra to herself each morning to help her brave the journey of motherhood, what do you suggest that mantra be?

Breathe, you can do this, just breathe. Our breath is essential for thriving in motherhood. It not only allows that pause that can be exactly what I need in the middle of the chaos. It helps with creating space when things feel overwhelming or out of control. I realize after the last month of not sleeping just how sleep deprivation messes with the mind and when i can remember to stop and take a deep breath, I am less reactive, more present and don’t have to apologize so much because i am just more connected and kind. I also use Brene Brown’s: don’t shrink, don’t puff up, just stand your sacred ground as a mantra when i am going into a group or PTO meeting. It really helps me stay true to myself and not get so wrapped up in the drama of preschool parents.

4. How do you balance work and family?

I don’t, I gave up trying to balance it around the birth of our second daughter. If home life is in balance work life is likely out of wack and visa versa. The thing is at our house we want our girls to know that they are loved and we have time for them. We eat dinner together almost every night around the table with no technology. Sometimes our toddler watches PBS so that I can do a conference call – or write a Q&A for an awesome blog partnership- sometimes i have to wake at 5am to get started before the mom day begins and sometimes I have to skip family dinner to go to hot yoga so that I can stay sane. There are weeks when I travel or my husband is working on a project 10+ hours a day and there are weeks where we visit the museum take a family hike and then make homemade ice cream. Maybe the balance can be seen when looking at the years instead of the days.

5. What’s the best part of being a mompreneur?

The opportunity to create. I love that there are no limits, we dream up new ideas and then figure out how to make them a reality. Working with other mamas, the love and support that mompreneurs show for one another and the incredible things being brought to life from apps to hands-free breast pumps, women are amazing and powerful – including my badass business partner Christy who has such a huge heart and serious business savvy, she is stunning.

Mompreneur Spotlight: Jessica Rolph of Lovevery

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

We’ve written about the very cool Lovevery play-gym before, and today we’re sharing an interview with founder Jessica Rolph about being a mom and entrepreneur and balancing it all.

Jessica is an entrepreneur and category creator. Passionate about the importance of early life, she is the Cofounder and CEO of Lovevery, a new child development company helping parents feel confident they are making the most of each learning stage. Jessica also serves on the board of Happy Family Brands, where she was Founding Partner and COO through 2016. Jessica helped launch, build, and lead Happy Family, which is the #1 organic baby, toddler, and kid’s food in the US, with more than 200 SKUs sold in 20,000 stores across 30 countries worldwide. Groupe Danone acquired HappyFamily in 2013. Jessica also co-founded the Climate Collaborative, a non-profit organization helping companies in the natural products industry take meaningful steps to reverse climate change. She is an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow, and was awarded the Park Leadership Fellowship, graduating from Cornell’s Johnson School in 2004. Jessica also holds a BA from Cornell University, where she graduated cum laude. Jessica and her husband Decker are parents to Beatrice (2), Thacher (5) and Leland (7).

How and why did you start Lovevery?

I am passionate children’s health and learning. As founding partner @happyfamily, I fought to keep toxins out of babies’ bodies. And then I started thinking, what are we doing to nourish our babies’ brains? I discovered a doctoral thesis on infant brain development that had all these detailed, nerdy, cool things that I could do with my baby. It felt really natural and simple and I never looked at our toys the same again. @loveverybaby our mission is to help parents feel confident they are giving their children the best for learning and development.

Where did you come up with the name?

It was so hard finding the right name for the company. You come up with an idea for a name, fall in love with it, and then realize you can’t use it because some company in Austrila used it a while back for a toy the lawyers think is similar, but you are convinced is totally different. It is such an emotional process!

In the beginning, my cofounder and used “Smart Baby” as the working name for what we were doing, but we knew it wasn’t right. “Smart Baby” sounds like so much pressure, and we aren’t about just optimizing for intelligence. We want to be broader and more approachable. We want to help parents feel supported, like that nurturing, well read friend who you can trust to do all the research so you don’t have to. We were constantly trying to come up with new names, and finally ended up with Lovevery. Love is such a powerful word, and sums up so much of the parenting experience.

How do you balance work and family?

So much of life is about achieving and doing, yet so much of parenting is about being. It is hard to train myself, even after having three babies, to really absorb the understanding that the only way I will not let this precious time slip by is to learn to be present. My children are so scrumptious, but I admit I often find myself in autopilot mode, or find I’m processing a work challenge in the back of my mind, or wasting energy stressing about the mess and clutter in my house.

I made a resolution this year to meditate 5 minutes a day, and made it through mid February. Now I meditate occasionally. When I do take a few minutes to train my brain to slow down, it helps me take in more moments with my kids, whether they are all losing it or saying something precious.

I’ve also (mostly) let go of any aspiration that doesn’t seem essential at this stage – an organized minimalist house, a zero waste lifestyle, extra commitments, all those emails I am constantly struggling to get to.

When I was still COO at Happy Family, co-founding Lovevery, had an infant, toddler and pre-schooler at home and was trying to be a dedicated wife, mother, daughter and granddaughter, I admit in my attempt to streamline life I consciously deprioritized my friends. It sounds terrible, but I was so maxed out and felt I couldn’t do it all. After about a year I realized it was a mistake. I was lonely and am now working to build more connection back into my life.

Balance at this stage is so elusive, but there are so many moments of joy. I’m trying to be present for more of them.

What’s the best part about being a “Mompreneur” and running your own business?

I feel a deep sense of purpose in my work that drives me. In a good way, it feels like there are no other options for my life path, and having that clarity is really satisfying. The best parts are co-creating with my cofounder and our team.

We took a big bet on an insight, convinced friends and family to invest in us, and then went really deep experimenting and testing and iterating. We spent a year following 25 test families, traveling around the country to test our prototypes and learn and iterate. We were so confident that we could create something that would be of service and meaningful.

And then, as it got closer and closer to launch, I started to get really nervous. We have poured so much of ourselves into this business, it felt really vulnerable. I knew that if it didn’t work at first, that I could pivot and find a way… I’ve been in that struggle with the wrong product at Happy Family and I know there is a way out, but it is so incredibly hard.

And then, once we launched The Play Gym and The Play Kits it all became real, and is so exciting. The response was beyond our highest hopes. The very best part is all the customer love. It is a dream come true for us to see parents enjoy what we worked so hard to create.

Great Mom Ideas: Binka Bear

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

As any toddler mom or dad knows, it can be a really emotional struggle to take the pacifier or binky away when they no longer need it – but one mom decided to turn the struggle into a delightful story and accompanying bear – it’s no surprise that we’re fans of mompreneurs over here at Gugu Guru, so we’re thrilled to introduce you to Binka Bear! We absolutely love this idea, and especially because it really does start a family tradition about handing over the pacifier! Check out all the info below and if you like the idea, head to their Kickstarter and help make this mama’s dream a reality!

Finally, a No-Muss, No-Fuss- and Dare, We Say Magical- Way to Wean Your Child From Their Pacificers! Let Binka Bear replace your child’s favorite comfort item with a cuddly plush toy as they adventure along the journey of Binka Bear and the Magic of Willowspring, helping your child to lose the paci once and for all.

Step One: Prepare!

You’ve made the decision: it’s time for the pacifier TO GO! What now? Introduce Binka Bear and use the included Prep Guide to begin preparing your little one (and yourself) for losing the pacifier for good. The prep guide will include a couple of simple steps to make the process more effective before Binka Bear does his “magic”.

Step Two: Read the Story

Set special time aside to read “Binka Bear and The Magic of Willowspring” to help your child discover how Binka must wait for his magic to arrive- and how only your child can help make it happen by giving their beloved pacifiers to their new friend for permanent safekeeping near by, but out of their mouth!

Step Three: Give Pacifiers to Binka Bear

Watch as your child excitedly shares the magic with Binka Bear by sealing up to two pacifiers within his or her new best friend’s specially designed pouches located in each of his hands!

Shout Outs to the Originals

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Today we want to give recognition to some of the originals out there. Baby brand originals we mean. Like any other major industry, the baby industry has its fair share of knock-offs. Knock-offs can come from all different sources – sometimes they come from overseas, sometimes they come from industry giants who swipe and tweak a concept from a smaller brand or shop, and many times – believe it or not – small brands steal ideas from other small brands. While it seems almost impossible to squash this kind of idea theft in most instances, Gugu Guru did want to do our part to give a shout-out to some of our favorite innovators and originals today with the hopes that maybe you’ll consider supporting some of these brands when you shop in the future.

Ezpz is the the original all-in-one placemat + plate founded by Lindsey Laurain, a mom to three “wild and wonderful” boys who served as her inspiration. Lindsey created the ezpz Happy Mat because she was fed up with the messiness and clean-up time dedicated to each meal and needed a solution to make mealtime easier and less messy.

Founder Jamie Yetter breastfed all of her children and spent years searching for the perfect nursing cover-up. In 2012 (after the birth of her third daughter), she set out to come up with a solution. Covered Goods is the industry’s first four-in-one nursing cover—it can also be used as a car seat cover, shopping cart cover, or scarf.

The idea for Chewbeads began in 2009 shortly after the birth of founder Lisa Greenwald’s son. Like most babies, he loved to put everything in his mouth and necklaces were a favorite. Like most moms, Lisa didn’t feel comfortable letting him chew on them, with concern that they might break or have unwanted chemicals. As a veteran of the fashion industry, Lisa set out to create soft, non-toxic baby teether jewelry, which was colorful, chic and, above all else safe. Hence, Chewbeads!

Founder Jessica Rakos came up with the design of Bellifly during her pregnancy with her middle baby. Like so many moms-to-be, she found sleeping on her side to be uncomfortable once her belly started getting big enough to pull on her spine. Belly wedges just weren’t cutting it and traditional maternity pillows didn’t give her the belly support she was looking for… plus, she didn’t want to spend a fortune! Using her limited sewing skills, she constructed a version of a “perfect” pillow and Bellifly was born.

Amy Maurer Creel founded Smart Mom after her sister-in-law died suddenly of an undiagnosed congenital heart defect. Smart Mom LLC is a truly unique company staffed entirely by Moms. A safe alternative for fashion-loving moms available exclusively at buybuy BABY, Teething Bling by Smart Mom combines the functionality of a superior teether with accessory-fun style. The chic, 2″ x 2″ doughnut-shaped pendant is made of food-safe silicone.

Anyone who knows Gugu Guru, knows that we just LOVE the Fridababy Snot Snucker. Fridababy was founded by mompreneur extraordinaire, Chelsea Hirschhorn. When it comes to the innovation, design and development behind the brand’s line, Chelsea says she can tie each of Fridababy’s products to a very specific pain point that she has personally experienced navigating parenthood over the past years.

On a family vacation, founder Carla Schneider was desperate to soothe her newborn son, who would fuss whenever his pacifier went missing. In an aha moment, she took a hotel sewing kit and a plush toy and created what is now, 18 years later, an extremely successful invention called The WubbaNub.

Amy and Julie are the two ‘mumtrepreneurs’ who started Cheeky Chompers while on maternity leave with their first children. The Neckerchew was born after countless dropped, dirty and lost teethers. Not to mention a gaggle of dribbling babies! Sometimes the simplest ideas really are the best: if the teether won’t stay put, why not attach it to the baby?

Why do we encourage you to consider supporting the originals when possible?
Well, for one, in our industry many of the innovators are moms – a group that we generally like to support and lift up, seeing that Gugu Guru is also mom-founded.

Another big and arguably more important reason is safety – especially when it comes to poorly manufactured knock-offs. Our resident safety expert, Alison Jacobson AKA Safety Mom strongly suggests you don’t opt for a knock off just because of the price. “We all know how expensive it can be “gearing up” for a baby and, while it’s not necessary to purchase high-end items, it’s critical that you purchase items that meet the safety standards developed by the Consumer Products Safety Commission. Now more than ever moms are shopping online and it’s tempting to shop the deals – but make sure you’re buying from a company that adheres to all U.S. testing requirements. The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association is a great site to determine if a company is meeting all safety standards. Saving a few dollars is not worth the risk of your baby’s safety.”

Product Discovery: Echo Art Bindery Books

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

When the Gugu Guru team came across the gorgeous books from Echo Art Bindery, we knew we had to share them with you all. Those early days of baby life can be such a haze and even though we try to remember all the special and sweet memories, we’re often so tired and too overwhelmed to write all those special memories down – but, with the gorgeous books from Echo Art Bindery, you’re not only going to have a special place to record all the memories, but want to take the time to sit down and savor writing all of your precious memories.

Echo Art Bindery was founded by a mom and entrepreneur, Deborah Thomson; Deborah, a bookbinder and paper marbler, has been selling books since 1996. Her exquisite work has led her to selling wholesale to places like Papyrus, Kate’s Paperie, and Sam Flax, however, it was upon the birth of her second daughter that she decided to try her hand at baby books. She couldn’t find a baby book which fit all of her needs, so she set about crafting one of her own.

Each page of the Echo Art Bindery’s Baby Books is filled with amazingly adorable illustrations to help you remember your journey with your child; starting from the earliest memories of your baby, all the way through toddler hood and preschool years, your Echo Art Bindery Baby Book will become a family heirloom full of total joy and love.

Each page of the Echo Art Bindery’s Baby Book is made from thick paper, which makes writing super comfortable and easy. We love all the introspective and sweet questions about your new baby which you are prompted to answer, as well as the more funny prompts for toddlers and serious questions and prompts for pre-school children. There is more than enough room to answer everything and plenty of space to jot down all the memories you can think of. The book itself comes in a lovely box, which would make an amazing baby shower gift – just add some ribbon and you’re good to go! Unlike other baby books, the Echo Art Bindery’s Baby Book is bound beautifully, with a hard cover which would easily look sweet on any bookshelf.

We highly recommend these gorgeous books for any new parent – this is an ideal gift for a Baby Sprinkle, as even a second or third time parent needs a new baby book! Is someone you love adopting a baby or using a surrogate? These books are a perfect gift, as they will help a new parent remember all of the precious milestones.

You can find Echo Art Bindery on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Thanks so much to Echo Art Bindery for making this sponsored post possible.

Steals and Deals: Small Shop Edition

by Gugu Guru Leave a Comment

Since Gugu Guru is founded by a mom, and the team is comprised of moms, we are a little more than obsessed with finding and featuring small shops founded by #mompreneurs. Today we have four fun shops to feature – check out each shop and use the exclusive discount codes below!

Seriously Happy Tees – you can find them on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram

Seriously Happy Tees creates modern t-shirts, tanks, and accessories for the busy mamas who also loves to laugh (at themselves mostly). As founder Chelsea Millwood says, “Seriously Happy Tees was founded with the idea of focusing on what is important in life all while putting uplifting and encouraging words on tee for the world to see. As a wife and mother of 3, I completely understand life can get hectic and overwhelmingly stressful, but I hope my brand can make you laugh, think or to serve as a reminder to refocus on what makes you Seriously Happy.” Check out our favorite picks from Seriously Happy Tees and Gugu Guru readers can use code SUMMER for 20% off! Happy shopping!

You Do You Mama T-Shirt; Coffee, Pizza, Gilmore Girls T-Shirt; Life. Motherhood. Eyeliner. Everything. T-Shirt; Whatever, I’m Getting Tacos Tank (also comes as a shirt)

Little Faces Apparel – you can find them on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter

Little Faces Apparel has one goal in mind, to create a high standard for unique, handcrafted clothing and accessories for kids. Just because they’re kids doesn’t mean they can’t be stylish! Their clothing is designed to be comfortable and stylish while kids are out in the world doing what they do best — being kids! Plus, we’re big fans of their onesies and shirts for announcing a new baby or a gender reveal – we’ve featured them in a pregnancy announcement post! Looking to snag a perfect onesie for your gender reveal or pregnancy announcement? Maybe get a shirt for a new big sibling? Use code guguguru for 20% off! Check out some of our favorite onesies below.

It’s a Boy Bodysuit; Newbie Onesie; Little Little Baby Bodysuit; It’s a Girl Bodysuit

Mom Life Must Haves – you can find them on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram

When it comes to Surviving Motherhood, often times it is the coffee, wine, and ice cream which get us through the day, and no one knows this better than Mom Life Must Haves! Founded by a mom of three boys, Mom Life Must Haves has a wide variety of fun Surviving Motherhood items, both for you, and they would make a perfect gift for a mom friend. As Gina, the founder says, “I have a love for the chaos that comes with motherhood, and I started Mom Life Must Haves out of that love. Why shouldn’t we embrace and celebrate how chaotic it is being a mother? I believe we should, and I also believe we should have one hell of a time while doing it!” We are huge fans of the products below – especially that mason jar, so cute! Want one for yourself? Use code GUGU for 15% off!

Surviving Motherhood, one sip at a time Mason Jar; Surviving Motherhood Stemless Wine Glass; Surviving Motherhood Travel Tumbler; Surviving Motherhood Wine Tumbler

Polka Dot Print Shop – you can find them on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

When it comes to remembering baby’s early days, everyone will tell you to write it down! Write all the memories down! Except, you often use scraps of paper and the back of menus, and forget where everything sweet you wrote ended up. Worry no longer, Polka Dot Print Shop has the cutest baby books for all of your sweet memories. Created by a busy mama of four, each page was carefully designed in such a way that you won’t need to devote hours upon hours of your precious time each month to filling it out. Pick it up when you have a spare moment and write down your memories. Quick, simple and to the point. These made in America books aren’t just for baby memories, they have Bump books, toddler books, school years, and even expansion packs. So smart! Plus, use GUGU15 for 15% off your order – these make a perfect baby shower gift.

Coral Polka Dot Baby Book; Blue Polka Dot Baby Book; Floral Baby Book

mompreneur

For Baby

For Mom

Apparel

Toys

Do you love more mom-founded brands? Please share in the comments!

Footer

Follow Us:

COME AND GET IT!