Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Ozkan and Asena Lohstroh.
Liz and Asena, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been an RN since January 2000, and I’ve always worked with moms and babies. Early in my career I became a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, and after many years of teaching childbirth, breastfeeding and infant care classes I became more focused on and interested in providing breastfeeding education and support. Hence, I decided to further my education and knowledge. In July 2011 I took the exam to become an IBCLC, RLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Registered Lactation Consultant.)
Working in a hospital as a Lactation Consultant was an eye opening experience that entirely changed my perspective about breastfeeding education and support. Moms who had been discharged home would call me, desperate and in tears, begging for help and advice, or they would make impromptu visits to my office at the hospital to request help with latch and positioning, etc. I did what I could, but my first responsibility was to the patients in the hospital. The moms were appreciative of the (limited) time I could give but they and I both felt frustrated and anxious about how things would go once they were back home and alone.
In my role as Lactation Consultant and Patient Education Coordinator, I gathered information about every resource I could think of, made a list and passed it out to the moms before they went home, but the phone calls and visits continued. No matter how beneficial it is to have the support of an online community of moms, or attending La Leche League meetings, they cannot replace a one on one visit with an IBCLC.
This realization led me to start my own private practice. As we researched our options I also envisioned a brick and mortar store dedicated solely to breastfeeding support and to the needs of moms, babies and families. Since such a place didn’t exist in Katy I started looking for a way to make it happen.
Working together, my husband and I filled out a business plan, sought out funding, found and rented the retail space, drew up plans, and hired a contractor. My husband and I, our daughter Asena, and future son-in-law Erik, invested countless hours and blood (accidents putting together furniture etc.) sweat (hot, hot, hot since the contractor broke the AC) and tears (of anxiety, of frustration and exhaustion) to turn a cold and empty space into the warm and inviting store that is now The Mother Baby Bond Maternity Boutique!
Has it been a smooth road?
Looking from the outside in starting a business seems to be not too difficult. You have a vision, you have passion, and you’ve seen that there is a need for the services you plan to offer. The Small Business Association has online tools such as a business plan form to fill out, to be presented when seeking a loan.
You’ve read that as a woman you are much more likely to find the mentors, money and support that you will need. You may be disappointed to find that it isn’t quite so, but you persevere.
You find your space and decorate, hang out your shingle and wait for the clients and customers to beat down your door and for the money to come rolling in.
Little did I know that we should have put aside the lion’s share of our initial budget on advertising, and that you should start advertising months in advance! With all the advice I got, all the “professionals” I met with, all the research I did, no one talked about this!
I also didn’t realize that there are hidden expenses which sneak up on you like the bogeyman in a dark alley! Taxes I had never heard of, merchant card processing fees, liability insurance, workman’s comp insurance, the sign above the store, occupancy certificate permit fee and on and on!
What I’ve learned on this journey is that you have to know the right questions to ask, at the right places and from the right persons so that you are prepared for all the challenges that will come your way.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Mother Baby Bond Maternity Boutique story. Tell us more about the business.
We cater to expectant and new moms, babies and families by offering a unique blend of services.
I provide lactation consultations in my office, located in our boutique. We are an authorized Medela dealer and hospital grade pump rental station and we provide other Medela products geared toward breastfeeding support.
In addition to providing breastfeeding support services and products, we carry nursing bras, maternity and nursing clothes, baby clothes and so much more. Everything that we sell in our boutique is top quality and unique, and is hand-picked by us.
You will find the personal service you receive is just one part of the unique shopping experience to be had at our boutique. It’s an experience that you won’t find at your neighborhood big box store, or by shopping online. Whether you’re looking for the perfect nursing bra, a cute dress or comfy pj’s, we will guide you in a making the right choice.
We’ve helped moms find the perfect bra after they’ve come in to our store in tears (pregnancy and postpartum hormones wreaking their usual havoc) because the bra they’re wearing is so uncomfortable.
Proud grandparents have happily shopped for the perfect outfit for their daughter or grand baby. Expectant moms have found the comfortable maternity clothes that they didn’t even know they needed.
I’ve had the privilege of helping hundreds of moms be able to continue breastfeeding. We have learned so much about the complicated process of setting up and running a business. We’ve forged strong ties with other medical professionals and the companies from whom we get our products.
Accomplishments large and small add up to the success we have achieved today.
We take pride and joy in serving our community and helping families throughout their childbearing years and beyond. We love our customers, and they love us back and we look forward to many more years of serving our community.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
As long as there are breastfeeding mothers there will be a need for lactation consultants and the service that I provide.
As long as women are having babies there will be a need for maternity and nursing clothes, baby clothes and other related products, so I do see us continuing to be a presence in the community.
There is so much buzz about online shopping and the “death” of brick and mortar stores that sometimes it’s difficult not to feel a bit anxious. However, I do believe that the personal service we offer and being able to see, touch and feel a product is hard to replace. For example, being fitted for a bra, and by fitted I mean as in I am with the mom in the dressing room checking the fit of the band, adjusting the straps and hook and eyes and making sure she’s comfortable. This type of service cannot be replaced by ordering online!
I do hope that people will continue to support small businesses such as ours, rather than opting for a shopping experience that while convenient, lacks the human interaction and personal touch that is found at a boutique such as ours.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5131 S. Fry Rd. Suite 400, Katy, TX 77450
- Website: www.themotherbabybond.com
- Phone: 281.206.7422
- Email: info@themotherbabybond.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themotherbabybond/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMotherBabyBond/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MotherBabyBond_
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-mother-baby-bond-katy
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
