Gear Up For Motherhood: Mom4Life.com
Today I wanted to introduce to you a unique mom that I’ve grown to admire over the past few months.
Her name is Heather Ledeboer, and her website ‘Mom4Life‘ is fast becoming one of my all time favorites.
I met Heather while doing some online research several months ago for baby products.
I get questions all the time about what products I recommend for new moms so I need to find sites I trust and like, and believe me, it’s not so easy, that’s why I was immediately drawn to Heather and her site Mom4life.
I was impressed by Heather’s warm, calm, caring approach to motherhood, you can’t help but feel that when you visit her site.
Heather is not only a great mom, she’s a hugely successful business owner rooted in helping other moms find products that are unique and useful, she just has an eye for it.
In fact all her products are mom invented with some great stories behind them. I love that!
What’s more, Heather gives 10% of her profits to other moms in need.
I could go on all day about the successes Heather has had, including being voted the best online baby store by readers of pregnancy and newborn magazine for 3 years in a row, but instead I wanted to help you get to know Heather yourself as I have.
I know you’ll enjoy meeting her and learning about her great products 
Elizabeth: Hi Heather, Thanks so much for agreeing to this interview.
Let’s me start by asking you how you got started with Mom 4 Life and what made you decide to create this great store for Moms?
Heather: Mom 4 Life was created out of a desire, a discovery and a decision. The desire was to find a way to be a stay at home mom when my first child was born.
The discovery was the hugely untapped creative product lines being invented by moms whose products had not made it into the big box stores. This lead to the decision to help give these “fresh finds” a platform to be found by the moms who need them most and Mom 4 Life was born!
Elizabeth: I noticed that you sell 100% mom invented products, what, in your opinion, is one of the most inventive product you have? What’s one of your very favorite products?
Heather: Good question! Honestly my favorite product changes regularly because my needs as a mom change as my family grows. Because I just gave birth to a new baby boy on June 1, I am currently loving my LilyPadz silicone nursing pads, Bravado nursing bra, Undercover mama, Hooter Hider nursing cover, WubbaNub plush toy pacifier and ShrinkxHips.
Oh wait, you only asked for one! 
Elizabeth: Did you have any business background before you started Mom 4 Life?
Heather: In high school I showed up for the Future Business Leaders of America meetings but then again I was also part of the Future Farmers of America club so I guess I was just as qualified to start a farm
All kidding aside, I had no business background. I have relied heavily on common sense, asking myself “If I was a mom (oh wait, I am a mom, lets rephrase that). . . As a mom, what do I look for when shopping online?” The answers to that question helped shape what Mom 4 Life is today.
Elizabeth: So what are some of the things that make Mom 4 Life unique?
Heather: In asking myself what I looked for when shopping online I knew that free shipping was a must, I hate getting to the checkout page only to realize that I will be charged an arm and a leg to ship my order. I also knew that I wanted to have a face behind the company. Ordering from a unknown company isn’t appealing to me at all.
I understood that women are relational and care about people. Therefore, I wanted to let people see who we are on our about us page and meet the mom inventors behind the products they would be ordering.
That is why you will find a story and photo of the mom inventor to accompany our products. Want to see what we are really about? I made a video to explain just what we are all about here.
Lastly, I wanted to focus on products that moms really care about. Focusing exclusively on mom invented products allowed that to happen.
Elizabeth: Heather, I know you have kids of your own, how do you balance caring for your family and running a successful business?
Heather: I have been blessed beyond belief by a wonderfully supportive husband. His support (and the fact that he also works from home) makes my desire for balance a possibility.
But please don’t get me wrong, although balance is always a goal, it is not always reached. I have had many very late nights of working after the kids have gone to bed. I have put on a movie for the kids while I got caught up on work.
I have complained to my husband in times of stress. But all in all we have a routine that works well and allows at least one of us to be with the kids while the other one works.
Elizabeth: I see that 10% of your proceeds go to moms in need. Can you tell us a little bit about what organizations or individuals you give to?
Heather: I believe that businesses have a responsibility to give back to the communities that they are a part of. Our community has a Pregnancy Center that offers support, education and classes to mothers who are facing an unexpected pregnancy with the desire to help them begin their journey of motherhood on a positive note. You can find out more about this center as well as the other organizations we have donated to on our “giving back” page.
Elizabeth: How do you decide on a product to sell? What kinds of things do you look for?
Heather: We offer 100′s of products but are extremely picky in our selection process. Mom 4 Life products must be mom invented. They must be high quality, well made, useful and unique.
Lastly, we prefer to focus on products not readily available in the mass market or “big box” stores.
Elizabeth: What’s one of the things you love most about being a mom, Heather? What’s been the toughest?
Heather: I love so many things about being a mom:
- The opportunity to see the world though new eyes each day.
- The excuse to play on the floor.
- The teaching lessons that come along as we learn from each other.
- The responsibility of taking care of the next generation.
- Tickles, reading stories, baking cookies, kissing them after they fall asleep. . .
The toughest thing about being a mom is learning how to let go. Our third child was stillborn at 37 weeks and the journey though grief to hope and healing was intensely difficult.
I wrote about this journey and the lessons I learned on my blog. I anticipate that the process of “letting go” will have new meaning that stretches me as my children grow older and learn more independence.
Elizabeth: What’s been your toughest challenge about being a Mom 4 Life business owner
Heather: The whole “seeking balance” thing is a common challenge for almost ANY mom. For working moms it is almost a universal struggle. Over time I have discovered some helpful ways to run my business (instead of allowing it to run me). I wrote an article about the Three Steps to Cutting the Umbilical Cord on your Business here.
Elizabeth: If you could give a new mom any advice at all, what would it be?
Heather: It can be difficult to know just how blessed we are as moms when we are tired, stressed out, frustrated or under appreciated. But if there is one thing I could impart to other moms, it is that there is no calling greater or challenge more worthy of our time than motherhood.
Having lost a child, I have developed a more acute sense of appreciation for the life of those around me. Though I am not perfect, I recognize that the family God has blessed me with is in fact, perfect for me. I am a proud Mom 4 Life.
Elizabeth: Where can my readers find you online?
Heather: Our website is http://www.mom4life.com
Our blog is http://blog.mom4life.com/
Thanks so much Heather for the great interview.
I wish you the best of success in your journey as a mom and the wonderful work you do.
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