Okay, welcome to jewelry is your side hustle the podcast
Lindsay, what do you got to say to us today?
Hello, hello, so it's Lindsay de aloe vera. It's uh
De aloe vera. It's quite the mouthful
And you know lurt it's one of those names that i'm like, ah my kid will learn to spell it when she's a teenager
It's a great last name like really it has a lot of uh panache. So let's just
It's a portuguese last name
And yeah, i'm originally from the boston area and there is a lot of portuguese people up there
I would never know that
Yeah, yeah, there's a city in massachusetts. It's like little portugal basically
And well, i love portugal. I have been there a couple times and my son speaks fluent portuguese, which that is
Because there's portuguese is all over like the world because they were sailors
So he works in countries
In africa and and then down in south america and then of course in europe and portugal
That he has to have that language as a skill. So i'm very proud of it
And i so i've heard it a lot because when i remember when he was learning he was practicing and you know
It has a very has a little bit of that spanish flair
So if you understand some of the words because i speak spanish, uh, you know this much and uh, and so but it has an unusual
Kind of a sound which i don't know where that came from
Did that come from china or somewhere? They cross the languages somehow?
I have no idea. Oh, it's a story. I'm sure
Because probably so it was funny because
My maiden name was french everyone could pronounce it. It was easy peasy
and then when i got married i took on the the d'aulavere and
Now that we let we live in georgia now
Living in georgia. No one can say it. Nobody can spell it
It is cause all sorts of chaos just over a name and what's really interesting is there's not really any portuguese people down here
All the time we get oh you're white
What an interesting response because nobody knows what the name is
And it's like the weirdest it's so bizarre
the aloe vera
The aloe vera it's you get the olive in there and that's easy. I know I know and uh
Your background by the way is beautiful. So you look like a picture like it is like you are like a movie star sitting there
my like cozy
filming corner
Yeah, it's great. It's got everything going on. It's my father likes to make a ruckus over here and
likes to hang out
So and this poor kid so my daughter's name is isla
And I originally named my business after her and
But it wasn't like sitting right with me because no one can pronounce our last name. No one could pronounce her first name
It's isla. Nobody could say it spell it none of the things
So originally I was trying to come up with a big steam
and it is a baby company and we'll get into it and
And um, the name was isla may and I'm like, okay, it's a very boutique name
But I was like that is not the company name. So eventually, you know as as things progressed and I was able to you know
Come up with what the name is now
Um, it was just a very interesting take because we gave her that name
But I'm like no one can say no one can spell it. This is a dumpster fire
Well, it's like isla right? It's an island. Is that mean island?
Yeah, it means. Yeah, it means island. So it's isla isla and um, the s is silent. So
Right isla. Yeah. Oh, yeah
but that's very uh
I was stuck with the name gay and it caused huge havoc in my life
Uh, giant havoc and so I've kind of added the sugar was a long story, but facebook made me do it
And uh, it's worked out great. So she'll come up with how it all works
in her world and it just makes her more special it makes her unique and that's something to celebrate. It's not just another jay in it
Exactly exactly. Yeah, she it's uh, yeah, it's it's pretty comical how we grow up with our names and how much that can affect us
and it's
It's one of those things like when you're thinking about naming a child or a business, right?
Yes, you have to think about all the things you have to do all the googling. Yeah, it's just
It's a whole process. I think a whole name um for our business is really important because it has to have something that people can remember
and really find so they got to be able to spell that um, because I even I'm I'm not a great
Speller there's a few words. I'm always like, is that right? Like I'm sorry. I have that like e and a like difference. Is that right?
Every time I don't know. Every you would think after like 60 years of spelling something you'd be able to get it down
But there's just a little twitch when I learned it somehow in my brain. It like has a little bump like think about that
I have a hard time when like a business spells their name in a funky way
Because you're never going to find a business online. I know that doesn't make any sense to me. So
Branding is really important. You know as entrepreneurs
It's really uh upon us to really think of all those things and you know branding our name
I was just recently like recently
switched everything over to sugar gay is for because
That sugar just kind of makes it look better to me. It's like a little bit more of a chunk of a word
And the is for is a long old name for me and I don't even feel like an is for anymore. So
That made it's a name from when I was married my husband before this one. So it's like, oh, who is that?
Who is that is for who is she? Oh?
Not that that
Did you keep to check?
Did you choose to keep the name because you had been that name for an extended?
Yes, my brand because my brand was all gay is for so it all worked. It's okay. It's not gonna just two separate people
I got my business that on
I'm not for about me. This is really a show about you. I want to hear about your journey and how you got here
So how did you get started like so you were in Boston?
You moved to Georgia and that's where this happened or it's also a little bit about the story
So I was um, I spent 10 years as a licensed optician
And yeah in the Boston area
Um, I moved down to Georgia
I I
Not a winter kind of gal. I like the warmth that it called to me. I always knew I would move south
And I will say though. I miss the food and like the melting pot of culture up there that I do miss
But you know what?
Yeah, I it's it's fun. Just not in the winter time. I'll I'll visit any time of year minus the winter time
So I was up there doing the whole optician thing, but I knew I wanted to move south
My sister ended up down here
For work and I visited it was like 70 degrees in December
So I was like, uh, what was this deal? I'm going
Well, I thought you had a sister there, right? Like we're in Georgia. Are you?
So I am just north of Columbus, Georgia. So we are about an hour and a half
Like southwest of Atlanta on the Alabama border. Okay. All right, beautiful area. Oh my gosh
Gorgeous. We're right on the Chattahoochee. Oh my gosh. Yep. Oh my gosh. The world is there
Like you're right there in the pulse of the planet
Yeah, it's really cool. There's a lot of like movie filming here
There's a lot of new businesses. There's a ton of restaurants and our downtown looks like, uh,
Like a movie set. It's just really
cute
So like James Franco's in town this week filming and just went whitewater rafting on Friday
Like it's just I don't know. It's a cool area. It's been fun. It's been interesting
and we get a lot of transplants because we're right next to um,
Um, what was Fort Benning is now called Fort Moore. So you get transplants
from all over
So you don't feel so isolated like just living in the south like you do end up with people from all over the country
Which is kind of cool. So I had it makes it when I live there. I'm telling you I'm like, oh,
They're paying people to move here now
Oh
Yeah, they're paying everybody because everybody else will flee like
Oh, there's oh in houston too. Oh my gosh
Like yeah, Texas is getting expensive
Anyway, all right. Well, that's not the fun part of the story. So um, I had you moved
I moved and I had just started dating my now husband before I left
Oh, so he came with you
It's a weird one. So we were friends. He was in a rock band. That's how I met him
He was in a touring rock band
And uh, so that's how I met him. We were friends for a couple years. Were you a groupie? I I I suppose I was a groupie. Yes
Yes, uh, I rejected his dates for quite some time because I was not going to date somebody in a rock band
Yeah, that's always the story, but it never works out. They're more fun. Yeah, never worked out. Yep
So we went on a couple dates and you know, he knew I was moving
He knew I always wanted to move and like he was so sweet about it and was like helping me look at apartments online
And he was so sweet about it. So I ended up moving
He's like, well, when can I visit you?
I was like, give me give me a few months. Like let me do my thing. Let me settle in, you know
That was the hook right there. It's like, I don't want me. Oh, I better do something quick
Yeah, so he ended up visiting a few months later and that week he decided he was moving in
moving down here
Quit the band got a regular
Real job like totally just we were married nine months later. Oh
He changed for you. He wanted you so bad. He would have done anything. He's so sweet. That's lovely
That's a great part of the story really
Yeah, it was it was funny because like our whole uh relationship developed over the phone
Basically going from like friendship
romantic
That's a romantic way to be and kind of old school much better
A story than he met somebody over the internet kind of a thing. So good for you. Good for you. You know, I was surprised
I didn't end up meeting my husband online. I was very surprised. I didn't happen
Yeah, so that's that's how we met and so you're cute. I'm sure he I'm sure he is feel so lucky
He's awesome. He really he's he's such a good person that I
He puts um me and my daughter above everything and everyone else and just
Oh, no, I'm in love with him already. He's incredible. He's fun. He's like the likable one out of the two of us like he
Everybody loves him. He's just easy to like adore and just he's awesome. So
I was working as an optician when I got down here
And which is a great job
Great job. It was it was a good job. It was a great job. Um, I really got nerdy with it and was working in a
Not-the-mology practice and doing looking at the more difficult troubleshooting
weird cases and like I just
I'm not someone that can total I like having
goals and I like having challenges and
So I decided to take on the more challenging aspect of opticianry and I I enjoyed it
I mean, I did it for a long time
So during covet
I totally got like burnt out from
people and being in customer service and then I got pregnant and I was just so
Over it
so we decided that
You know, if we were to have a child
We wanted to be as you know, I wanted to be as involved in as possible right right and because I didn't really grow up with my mom
Part of my life. Yeah, so for me it was like I just I would want to make sure we have a
Relationship and I didn't want my child in daycare if I could help it. So right just try to get at least the first year
I was like, let's try that. Yeah, so I became a stay-at-home first-time mom
And the best thing you can do for your child. I totally was there. So I get that. Yeah, it was I
I'm so appreciative of that time together and I wouldn't have given that up for anything and
Some really cool beautiful stuff ended up coming out of it. So
I was pregnant. I gave birth
and literally
Being wheeled from the delivery room to the recovery room. I got waxed with postpartum depression
Oh, honey. I'm so sorry. Yeah, it was it was
It was like very it was like you felt it right then occurring. Yeah, something in your brain just switched
It did it very much did it was it was like the craziest weirdest
thing like the
Where your thoughts go
And what feelings are not there was like equally concerning
And I'm a very lucky lucky lucky person that my OB sees patients two weeks postpartum
Where traditionally you don't see them until six weeks
So I was lucky and my daughter's pediatrician very much knew something was wrong with me and was like
You we really need to
Get help like you need to call your doctor like two days like her pediatrician was
She knew something was up and she was awesome. So I ended up
Seeing my OB getting on medication
And I got into therapy as well, which I still do. I love me some good therapy
But I do the um like the cognitive behavioral therapy
Versus like it's not just like talk therapy. It's like, okay, like what habits and mindset shit
Like how can I actively work on this right? Right? That's kind of what's always been working
What's always been worked working for me?
So I had postpartum depression. I was at that point starting to get help
And then we discovered my poor daughter was a colicky baby that had reflux
Oh
Twas the time
Oh, yeah, my husband and I were up
every night
All like it was I was so
desperate like
I don't even know how to like if there was a bigger word than desperate to emphasize the feeling we felt
Of this child needs to despair. I think despair is the next word. I like that. Yeah
We needed the crying to stop. We needed her to take a pacifier. Nobody was sleeping
we um
We tried so many pacifiers. So
It was just every company's claiming to have the best pacifier and
You know, I'm sending my husband to the store at 2 a.m
He's just he's he's a saint. I swear. So we're going through all these different pacifiers and it became like I realized I was talking to all these other parents
It became like a running joke of like we all ended up with um
Pacifier rejectors all of us. We all dumped all this money on pacifiers
And like our baby hated this one hated this one. Maybe we didn't like that like it was just
an added stressor to a time that we really didn't need an added stress was out of your control too because it's nothing that you could like
Look at it. Yeah. What's wrong with this one? What's wrong with this one?
What isn't she like it like it was crazy? Yes?
And I there wasn't like
Real information out there about pass. I was like, why are so many pacifier shapes like what?
Right. It was just like it was so confusing trying to navigate. Yes. I'm good. It was insane
So I was like, you know, this needs to be easier on parents and that's kind of where that light bulb
moment hit
I was like, okay. She likes this pacifier
But I don't like the fact that we have this problem with it
And I don't I don't like that. It's plastic. I don't like this and I don't like this about it
But it was the shape that she liked. I was like, you know what there needs to be
a plastic free
Eco-friendly pacifier. That's what parents want. That is easier to clean. That's what we actually need
And I was like thinking to myself. I'm like, okay. Well, I
And I was like thinking to myself. I'm like, okay. Well
What pacifier nipple would I do because I was looking into eco-friendly pacifiers. I was like,
none of these are cute for starters like
And sometimes that's what you live for
Is dressing up your your little baby in a cute little outfit and taking a picture and then when they have this
Really ugly pacifier in their mouth. It's just like and it this sounds so vain, but like
Like there are newborn days that sometimes that that is the wind of the day like that just is right
So I was like, this is just chaotic. So
We need a better pacifier. We need one that's easier to clean. We need one that's cuter
plastic free
But I was like what pacifier nipple would we do?
So that's where that's so curious as a product designer. I'm sitting here running through the game at like
What would you do?
So I ended up inventing
The soothe beginnings pacifier
That is interchangeable
Let me see it. You got to have it
Of course they have it
So you've got a cap and shield and it comes with three interchangeable nipples
Oh, that's brilliant that way it's like you can their mouth kind of grows too
So a smaller one for when they're first born. No, they're the different shapes
So you have that a real orthodontic shape
That cylindrical shape and then this is actually what a nursing pacifier is supposed to look like
Very small because every baby has a different preference
You're trying to go through the feeding journey and you know, either you're nursing or you're trying to find the bottle
They take and the pacifiers don't go on that journey with you
So that's where I was like, oh, let's have this idea
Let's make this interchangeable and yeah, so you can figure out which one your baby likes
But then I was like, oh my gosh making it interchangeable means I can now make teething nipples
and weaning nipples
As well. Wow, what does a neat weaning nipple look like? What would the difference be?
The weaning nipples get a little bit smaller therefore less satisfying so you're not doing the whole cold turkey approach with
Because a lot of parents these days don't like the cold turkey situation
So they try to gently wean their babies off pacifiers. So then it's hard. I know
I know that's hard hand in the back. Yeah, so they gradually get smaller. Yeah, my three year old granddaughter
Was mean after the pacifier about a year ago
But it was like I think they probably had like 30 pacifiers with them at all times because it was like the problem like
Yeah, that one. Yeah, that one didn't she didn't like that one. She didn't like that one. Right. It was very picky
He's very and that's how that goes. They have their preferences. So I was like, okay
I'm on this convenience mission for parents and this is what they're gonna want and like and make life easier on new parents
The very first place I went was a safety consultant a product safety consultant. So
Yeah, I was like, give me the lowdown. Can you even do an interchangeable pacifier? Is that safe?
What about choking hazard? What about I'm like thinking of all the things and you don't know what you don't know
And I needed to understand the regulations the testing all of that
As a mom, I was very horrified to learn how low the bar is for pacifier safety in our country
There are pacifiers that are and I'm sure you've seen um, let me show you
So I'm sure you've seen these pacifiers
Yes
These are suffocation hazards. Oh my god
You know, is that the saddest thing ever?
Because it's so big around the edge or what makes it the
stuffed animal
Stuff gets on their face gets on their nose gets on something that they can't breathe
Or not safe for sleep and then the weight of the animal actually pushes up
The pacifier on their palate and really affects oral development. Oh my god throw that away
So how do you as a parent trust a company that would sell a suffocation hazard?
Knowing babies use these to sleep even though the instructions say don't use it for sleep
There's a need for it. There's a need for it. That was disheartening. My biggest fears be suffocated so that scares me
And then you've seen these pacifiers
Yes. Oh, yes
The natural rubber ones. Yeah, they're latex
That's latex
And latex is one of the allergens that the more you're exposed to it the more likely you are to become allergic to it
Bad bad bad bad bad
It also breaks down even if you just leave it out in UV rays. It starts breaking down
So it's not heat safe
It breaks down easy and quickly so these tend to break off a lot and now you've got a choking hazard
Yeah, and it could be in the child's body too if a piece of that jumps off. Oh my god
Okay, that's a bad one. Now we're that was a concern. We are how many aspires do you have like millions?
It's oh my god. We're not going through all of them. Don't worry. Yeah. Yeah, no, that's okay. I'm learning. I think this is fabulous
It's crazy. So these are actually the pacifiers my daughter took
Yeah, they're durable
So I thought that I I thought they were
All right, it's the ugly the ugly cup. I like the aqua. That's what I'm an aqua fan
So anything aqua can't just fly on it. Yeah, bright yellow and aqua and jungle. It's a lot going on
But with these you end up get they catch like saliva and water up in there and you can't clean them out
So they just breathe yeast bacteria mold. No, does it have a hole in it?
Oh, that's horrible. So yeah, so those like clothes type pacifiers
Just
Soak stuff up and you can't actually clean them out
Oh, I didn't know that and then obviously we are all trying to get away from the micro plastic
Yes
So I what a problem that is yeah, we're a problem
So I was like, okay, those are some issues
Um, and then there's been a big issue where like this type of pacifier babies are getting their fingers stuck in there leading to swelling
Um, some babies have needed antibiotics because they got an infection from it. Like it just was like a whole thing
so
The other thing that I learned is that pacifier companies, you know, they're mostly made overseas pacifiers
Right and all over the world and they only have to test them once a year
We have no towing in a newborn's mouth. This is horrible. Like I'm sorry that is just not acceptable
I don't understand that like think about it. The pacifier is in their mouth longer than
Anything else and that's from like day one. You've got a two-day old baby sucking for hours
on them
Yeah, I can't even imagine what we do to our children. That is and what people don't even think about and they're just coming in their mouths
So I became a pacifier safety expert
I bet you did I assured it
So I kind of gave you something to kind of think about, you know, that
Kind of might have helped your recovery a bit because it was exciting for your brain
Yeah
Yeah, it was you liked learning and thinking it through exactly. So it was yeah
It was a very like healthy thing for me to you know start diving into
So I was like, okay, we know these issues with pacifiers. I'm gonna correct all of it
So I ended up picking the top rated pacifier shapes and working with experts on that
the
cap and shield so the pacifier nipples are actually silicone
Oh, so so yeah
Yeah, so much safer. You don't have to worry about it. You can boil like it's it can take the dishwasher. You're good to go
Yeah, so and then the cap and shields are actually made out of this is recycled paper with a plant-based resin
So it's totally dishwasher safe too
Wow, but there's no handle. Why do they have that handle on pacifiers anyway?
I'm personally not a fan. A lot of it is to attach a pacifier clip, which is another safety issue. Oh bad bad bad
Yeah, don't do that. Yeah, so um, that's actually been part of my company position
People are like, I want to see your take on a pacifier clip, but I'm like I refuse to sell them
As a company, you know
accessories are great extra margin
And phenomenal for your bottom line
I refuse to sell those. They're not safe
Yeah, I
I never use them anything that could choke the child is
a huge issue
Yeah, so
We ended up doing what we are doing. So you'll know like you see how big that like cap is so
assembled or not
None of the components
Are smaller than that choking hazard size. So on purpose. They're all like big. They're all bigger. Yeah, like you see how big
That nipple component is compared nobody can swallow that compared to you know, how small these nipples are
Yeah, so that's why so that was really that was brilliant. So the base is bigger
Therefore it can't be choked on can't actually be choked on
So then they come in and it was funny. I had people vote like what colors they want all of that
Blah was popular. I didn't think people would want a black pacifier
I can't imagine. I love it. It's like a second orio too
ky and then they're all engravable
So I'm engraving them. Oh
Oh, that's brilliant
So you can do baby's name. You can you know put like baby smith like this one says baby de oliveira
You can do like the monogram on it. So how are you?
It's a soft because it's a recycled paper
So it's got it's got that plant based resin. So it's totally non porous totally hard
So you can throw that in the dishwasher boiling water or totally clean it sanitize it
But it is easy to engrave
Now tell me what you named it because that's a we started out talking about names
So tell me about the how you decided on the company name
So the name is sooth beginnings
So I
Love it. Thank you. I was playing with names trying to find a name
Playing with names trying to come up with something
And that one just kind of kept coming back to me because it explains what it does
But it's not too specific that you know, you can't expand out the line
So it was descriptive enough and then I started googling and like nothing was popping up
So
SEO is already working in my favor
Exactly
Exactly so it's all sooth beginnings is what comes up. So this is the sooth beginnings
pacifier starter kit
um
And I think you'll enjoy this. I love a good presentation
um
When you get the the box itself is like very unassuming
But you open it and it's like a wallpaper on the inside. Oh, I mean, that's beautiful
And even our packaging is
Compostable this is uh paper. So this is compostable recyclable
All of you know, Lindsay, that's beautiful
Thank you. That's beautiful and it is really part of the brand. It's so important. It really gives you credence to
To the product like I love that. That's really that's some proof social proof
It's a very
It's a very unique pacifier, you know, it doesn't look like you're if it's more organic
Yeah, more organic. Yes, and it has that
uh
It has that luxury feel like it physically feels
different
Not that plasticky it just
So it needed to be
Can you believe you're a pacifier engineer?
I know I know it's it's
I don't know how to my life, but it's been quite the journey for sure
So, yeah, so it's I mean what what a beautiful what a beautiful thing to give to the world the ability to soothe
Yeah
So how is the how are the sales going? Tell me about that part of your business because that's the hardest part
It's easy to not easy to create a product, but now you've matched the baby
Now the world needs to find it because you put a lot of effort into this and money and time and thought and energy
So tell me about that next step because that's yeah
our journey
God it's so it's that's it's gone in a way. I did not anticipate so the physical product itself is launching in six weeks
So we are free shipping right now
um
I have ended up with
And it kind of like came to me. I was giving a talk on pacifier safety
at a
pediatric sleep consultant conference
And they were all coming up to me like are you doing affiliates?
Oh, lovely. So I ended up with baby experts. I have ibclcs
pediatric dentist
myofunctional therapists
doulas
sleep consultants
um, I even have like a financial doula. They are affiliates
Like actual baby experts as affiliates. I know some of those people I should connect you with
Love them. They are they're my besties. Let's do it. Yeah. Yeah. No, those are my people because everything I did was leading from like an evidence based
angle yes, and um the scientific part of it. It really gives
Credence to your product. Yeah
So, you know, it's an option that you can feel
better
about giving your child because there's a lot really cool health benefits to pacifiers like I don't know if you know this but
NICU babies go home from the hospital faster
with the use of pacifiers
Because you know, it's a natural thing. It's not sucking that sucking is really and it probably
Has something to do with like your your brain triggers your stomach for you to eat
So therefore nick babies would be eating more because that sucking is you know doing a little bit of its own work, right?
Yeah, it puts them in that rest and digest state
But you're also working out the muscles for feeding and they're practicing that suck breathe swallow
mechanism and pattern
So when you are introducing food, it's becoming more efficient. But being in that rest and digest state
It helps with the weight gain their oxygen levels. It's just
Really really cool. You know, it's a natural it's a natural thing to be that it's just like it's in our vna
I guess if if it wasn't that
ability to eat would be diminished because like what you said the muscles wouldn't grow in the cheeks and the
Mouth and the tongue and I do know about my dysfunctional therapy. So
Um, I totally understand this is an an issue
Yeah, yeah, it's it's so okay. So think about this
If I was no, this goes way back
But if I was a child who my mother just probably like stuck me in a corner like she was not a fan of me
but I wonder if that that
birth if you don't get that
muscle growth then if that later on I ended up in my dysfunctional therapy
I I have an issue right now my something else. But um, you know, I wonder if that was related somehow or never
something I can blame my mother on because you know
Well, you know, they actually found so a wider deeper latch
um, like a nursing latch is actually
Much better for oral development and extended
Nursing is actually really good for oral development and working those muscles properly
Versus a lot of the bottles on the market have that like super skinny latch
And it's more of like a straw like
Like soft and it's not working the muscles properly that little tiny that little tiny nipple on a bottle
Just done do it for my dysfunctional therapy. It needs to be kind of in the mouth
More like the pacifier shape
And that would really help. I'm gonna blame my mother now for that. That's a good thing to know
That's really a good thing to know
Seriously, it's all connected like we know that right like it's wild
And you know, my children were breastfed so they as long as they cough possibly could do probably like a year
So I get that like they all turned out fine. But you know, me that's so much because my mother pretty much stuck me in a corner
Made me fin for myself at birth. That's pretty much what it was. Oh my gosh
Yeah, it's it's sad, but true
Oh, okay
You know business owner, so yeah, yeah, it's okay. So um, so now
You're being found
Yeah, and you're about to launch
Yeah, so we have the
Soothe beginnings physical product for sale and pre-orders on the website. We're also doing
pacifier nipple subscription
because
pacifier nipples are supposed to be swapped out every like four to six weeks for safety and hygiene
I think so too
Yeah, so we are just letting parents automate that and most parents actually aren't even aware of that fact
So that's what the qr code in the box is
It brings you to the subscription page and I didn't put any writing because I'm I'm testing out and like let's see if
Curiosity gets people so that's what the qr code is. It brings you to the subscription page qr code
We do especially if it doesn't say what it is. I'm like, what is it? I need to know
So curiosity is always a fun one to test. I love that
So we've got the product and the physical product subscription
We also are building out to which I haven't really like released anything on
Um, we are building out. I say we it's me. Um, I am susie pink. They're royal we
So, um, we are doing
digital
subscription in courses from actual experts
So I have a lactation consultant that's offering a lactation class on there. I have a
um sleep consultant
A potty training expert that we actually took her potty training course and it was fantastic
Um, we potty trained in a week with zero tears zero. Wow. Wow. That's some magic
It was amazing because I tried potty training on my own and let me tell you all my instincts were wrong
It became a power shrug. It was just terrible. Yeah, so I gave it a few months and then I took her course
and
Totally different approach and here we are totally potty trained a week later
So her course will be on there. I also have a car seat technician
That think about it. You have your partner set up the car seat when you're like in your third trimester
They'll read the instructions maybe enough to see how to set it up
But they stop at
What if their head flops over how do I tighten the straps like they don't do that stuff?
So what happens is you're now trying to take your newborn baby home and you don't know what the heck you're doing
So we have a video that you can literally watch in the parking lot
How to strap in a newborn baby safely to get them home how to know the straps are tight enough all of that
It's so scary. All of a sudden you're in charge of a human being is this big
I remember that that feeling of oh my freaking god. We are
slueless
Yes, dude was way before the internet all that but it was like
I had no one to even ask or to a friend that even had a child. So I was on my own
I get that and then oh my god, I see and what spurred this whole digital bring in the experts thing
I'm in a lot of like mommy facebook groups. There is so much unsafe and misinformation. Oh, yes, of course
And of course we're in in the mom community. We're not saying you were a bad mom because you did abc or d
We're not not at all new evidence comes along you learn like yes
We are doing I firmly believe you're doing the best you can with the information you have
at the time
Also given with whatever your experiences are
So we have to have respect for that and with respect for that
survivorship bias is so incredibly
dangerous
Where people are saying oh this product was a lifesaver and like they get mad if you say no, no, no babies have actually
passed away from that products
Yeah, and so there's been a huge issue in and then the other thing those facebook groups is that admins don't let actual experts talk
Or respond back or give them real resources like you get in trouble. It's a whole thing
So you have a face you have your own facebook page, right? What is it called? I do?
I do so yeah empowered pregnancy prep the group because of everything i'm seeing these facebook groups
And being surrounded by baby experts all day every day
Um, and I look at the safer products website every single day. Um
I'm a big advocate for real information evidence-based information
And I want to help new parents. You don't know what you don't know
Kind of the truth. You're looking for the truth
Without all the all the front. So are you also on instagram?
Let's get I want to make sure that your instagram is also mentioned
Yeah, so my instagram is soothe beginnings. Um, I'm very active on tiktok. So soothe beginnings tiktok
Oh good to know
Yeah, but I am I'm in beta testing. I have four couples right now that I am testing their
I'm basically prepping their pregnancy. So like a wedding planner for pregnancy
I love it. That's really commanding me and even baby names people that pick baby names for other people
How long is an hour? It's a serious like that's crazy
Yeah, I was like, all right if someone can make the career to that that's incredible
You know what's interesting too is with the pregnancy prep. I'm noticing the mom
Wants the baby registry help like I build the registry with them
And the like breast pump
Ordering and accessories help and all of that the dads are the ones that are texting me the most
To get support so they can support their partner because they don't want to stress out
It's so that's so lovely like
It is really to have that is a big deal
My son was a really great, uh dad like he's a super dad super dad
So I saw him and I was amazed at what he
Came forth with you know, like that was nothing he was taught he
Came up with all that on his own. So something that really support dad. Yeah, I mean, they don't know how
Um, yeah, it's so it's funny. So what I'm with tinkering there. I'm realizing so at the prepper it's mostly the dads
That are like, can we do this and like sign up and like how do I
How do I um because they feel like they're getting help and they did something to contribute and did something to help
Yes, and so they're more willing to actually ask for that help which is really interesting and with suit beginnings with the pacifier
That's the experts that are onboarding
um clients, uh for purchasing and it's the um
grandparents
Grandparents are going nuts over this. They love the customization feature, but the fact that it's interchangeable. They're like, oh my god
I wish I had that so that it's been really cool to see
experts and you know the pros the parents that have been
Are like all about it has been really really cool because I thought it would be overwhelmingly new moms
And it's like the people that have been there done that that are like, oh my gosh, this is what you need
They can see the improvements, you know for many years. I was like for
Two and a half years. I was an assistant midwife and I taught childbirth and breastfeeding courses at
um
hospital in houston
That was really for kind of engine
indigent
No, no for like poor women women that didn't couldn't go to classes
But it was amazing that I came up with this classes because I had read so many books
And after after you read like seven books, you're an expert on
Breast breastfeeding and childbirth and then I follow the trainings and you know really dug in and I even did it by lingley
I I really believe that it was best to do as natural as possible
And that word wasn't really getting out there. So I was a huge advocate for
um doing everything as much as you can to really
Support the baby support the mother. It was a big deal a very big deal
I loved it. So in that whole process, I ended up becoming a certified breastfeeding counselor
And I I needed to educate myself. I have a pack. I'm like, you know, it just I needed to do it
I wanted to do it and we had a very traumatic end to our breastfeeding journey
So I was the mom battling postpartum depression. I had a baby with reflux that I ate a tomato. She screamed for two days
So I got to a point like I just stopped eating but in my head it's
Breast is best breast is you know, and like you know breastfeeding has all these amazing benefits. So yeah, yeah
There's so much pressure to breastfeed. Yes, I'm sorry. Yeah
In our situation a healthy mom mattered more
Exactly and it's not going to be the end of the world. So it's better for you
Get the mom calm down get everything going
Exactly and if it works out for mom and baby
Yeah nerves
Yeah, phenomenal if it's
If it's not what mom wants because of past trauma or she just right her body
You know, it's there are so many different aspects. And then the other thing our society is not
Breastfeeding friendly
We are not
Babies together that is so true. That is very true. Oh
Oh man, when I was going through the breastfeeding course
The bias of like but this is the science like you have to do it
It was really disturbing. I had to walk away from my computer multiple times actually
Yeah, I'm sorry. There was a whole portion on
Minority women and how they breastfeed at much lesser rates and if they knew the education behind it they would do
I'm like
I'm sorry, but in today's society breastfeeding is a luxury
It is
It is because you have to almost buy a pump and women are busy and they're working
And so what are you going to do and I know I saw my baby hurts your supply
Yes
So it's like are we not talking about the fact that some women have to go back to work two weeks after giving birth
I mean, we are not a society that really supports women
We're not we are not and it was the antithesis of that
Yeah, and and the biases
in that breastfeeding
world were just
That's not our real world. I'm sorry. It's not if they knew the information that
No, if they had adequate time with their babies, they might be able to that's yeah, that's the better thing
You know what even if they had the right nipple
Like your nipples
That could be the at least this is helping your child not only are you feeding it, but you're you're helping these muscles grow
So very that's another whole point. Okay. You can't breastfeed no problem
If you need to use formula, I at least have a great nipple for you that will really be beneficial another part of the story
Yep. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I'm totally pro like when I go through consulting with couples
Um, I very much put it out there. I'm like, all right, you're breastfeeding you're bottle feeding you combo. What you doing?
like it's a no
You never know what someone's coming to table with you never know what their fears are with their reality
looks like
you know if
If actually getting sleep through the night
Will change your mom's mental health
Then do that. Right? That's so important
um, it was interesting
I had a conversation with a lactation consultant that I adore absolutely adore and
being so into that lactation world she actually lost sight of that for a hot minute
And she had sent some resources over to me and the approach to it was
This is what can happen if you give your baby formula type of a approach
And I called her and she's somebody I felt totally comfortable and I called her and I was like, hey
Let me just tell you my story. I told her my story. She's like, I'm so sorry. She's like, I know I did that happened to you
I said, it's okay. It's it's all good. I said, this is why I became a certified breastfeeding counselor because of the stigmas and
I didn't need to know the facts
And some of those words on the page were like a knife in my chest like I'm a bad mom
Yeah, I get that that's you have you were being very empathetic to the point of you under you were there
Is that I was there and I I made her see my experience and story
And I said, you know and and at the end of the day
Me just being alive was better for my daughter. Yes. Yes, of course
I got so into the well if they only knew
This factor that fact I'm like I get it when you get when you become such the expert
You lose your ability to just connect with people and make the information digestible
Like for me the lap the latex pacifiers make me an angry human
But I try not to be so I don't know if you've seen but I have t-shirts that I sell that have pacifiers on the nipples
And our slogan is asking about my nipples
That is to start the conversation
Because I'm not going to come barreling at you with well if you knew that pacifier
Right, right, right, right. Oh, no, we're not going to attack or judge other other parents. Yeah. Yeah
Not at all. I try to make it
As approachable of a conversation because not everybody wants to hear it anyways, and that's okay too
Or they've heard it already and they're sick of hearing it
Exactly exactly we can't we can't be too we can't be controlling the whole world like but we can give them information
And they can filter it in as they want. There's all kinds of reasons that people aren't breastfeeding like or
Whatever like there's just everybody is so different the world is so complicated. So it is it is, you know
And I honestly I was actually relieved. I was forced to stop
It there you go. Good. It came it was for me it was and my daughter because the
Poor kid was screaming right was it it needed to happen
Um and and it happens, but you know what you don't even need a reason
And it's okay. It's not I agree
Not my business. I agree
I don't ask people why or what or what if I don't like when I go through like your breastfeeding a bottle feeding a
Combo what you doing? I don't need to know why that's up to you. That's your business if you want to talk about it
if not, whatever like yeah
It's their own journey. We're surprised that so many kids
survive
Right, I know so many horrible parents out there
I don't know how these kids survived like oh my god
I know
I mean, it's funny too like looking at like the car seats from like
40 years ago like or or yeah, we had car seats, but you didn't have to use them as long as they do now
Like that was the other thing. I don't know, you know, and then before that with me
I I didn't have a car seat growing up. There was nothing like that
We slept on the back behind the seat where the window came down and we slept up there because it was nice and warm
Or on the floorboards like you know, just crazy shit
And that's where things get wild is with survivor bias people like well, we did this and we were fine
Or I did this with my kid and we were fine a lot of kids were not fine
A lot of kids weren't asked why we have helmets on when we ride bikes now
That we are learning things and that's the cool thing is
Having respect for things are always evolving changing growing and we just kind of have to be a little bit moldable and uh
And like you you invented a new product to solve a problem that you found so now we're moving things forward, right? Like
Like yeah, so what are your next steps? We have five more minutes
And I want to hear your next steps because the journey has been big like you have taken us down a path
And you have shown us why you created something and that the invention
Is it really did solve a problem for you in multiple ways like I get that like it really gave you a reason
And uh, I'm proud of you for that because some some people wouldn't be product designer
They wouldn't think about oh, how can I help?
This and yeah others so you've really taken this on as your
Resounded a strong. I really am proud of you for that. That's a big deal
Yeah, um, so physically shipping the product in six weeks. Yeah, you've got you've got your website up and going
Yep
And people can order from there. They can order people can pre-order from there already. Yeah
So the product, um, we are going to be loading it up on amazon in September as well
Now if you want the customized one
With the engraving you do have to get that through the suit beginnings website. Um, but it'll be on amazon
Um, I am going to um, I just did a tv show recently as well. That is
What's what?
Airing the blocks
Okay, yay
Okay, so I'm in season 14. You must be 13. I was 12. You were 12. Okay. So how did the blocks change your life? Because it doesn't it definitely
Did for me, I would say it really did for me. Tell me about that. I would love to hear about your blocks journey
Okay, so I went into it
For giggles like to apply like I'm not gonna get cast but whenever so then I got cast
I had a friend that did the season before me. He's like you need to go the educational loan like okay cool
Let me go into this open-minded to the experience the people the education
So that's how I went into it. See what you want to say. Yeah, we were Tulsa. Do you want to spoiler?
Yeah, I won I
Don't even know what to say. Yeah only because I understand how big that is I got on the stage one time
So I know that that is hard now
We had 112 people in our group
So the even getting on the stage one time was one in 100 like it was 122 something
So it was wild. It was wild
Lindsay that it must have been the biggest thing to be standing there and going. Oh my god. I won this because
I I bow to you girl like you're my queen like
I
Yeah, I was just open-minded to the experience and I I took a risk every pod challenge. I took a risk
And we should have started with this conversation. We only have a few more minutes. It's like, oh my god. Yeah, it was like
I threw one of I want to hear more about west. I want to hear more about this journey
We have to see the version two
Because this is a big deal like seriously. I it was crazy. I I found myself on the blocks
I found myself. I found my business you also were with a community of others and I think that really helps
Seam it the whole deal. It's like you really feel like oh, I'm not an outlier. I am one of a group
I I walked away with a six figure investor
It totally changed my life
Totally changed my life. I'm so happy for you. I am so happy for you
I am so happy for you
Yeah, I was one of the the top three winners and uh, I didn't I
I appreciate so the education alone worth the experience the network
I gotta now I gotta turn on Amazon and go watch you
Yeah, it was it was it's all it's on now. Right. I think it just um ours isn't on prim yet
It's on facebook watch at the moment. It's on the blocks website
I was a lot in the episode that just aired this week episode. So episode four
I had my first blocks off which I was nervous
And it had my intro.
Episode five, I had like an interview, like a judge's breakfast, another blocks off.
That was really fun.
If you watch that video was hilarious.
I got on stage and I said, you know, I'm Lindsay D'Alavera on The Woman with the everyone
yells nippa.
Westas.
Well, that was adorable.
Because he just had a brand new baby.
So exactly.
It was his first season back since that.
Oh, that was great.
I did sit down some little jewelry for his little body.
Episode four, I like flashed my shirt, my beginning shirt.
So I yeah, it was.
You are so cute.
You are so adorable.
I am so excited to watch the show now.
I'm going to be digging in and our time is really up.
So we've got to like find an end to this, but I have to say Lindsay, I bow to you.
I am proud of you.
I honor you.
I'll do anything to support you.
I know I just accidentally bought little charms that were little pacifiers.
They haven't arrived yet.
So I haven't seen them.
But it was from an old warehouse and I'm like, well, those are kind of cute.
I have people that are having babies.
I'll have to look at them when they get to them and see what all I got.
Funny.
And we could work with you on having a little nipple earring or something cute.
So you're so fun.
I love your jewelry.
I like I thoroughly enjoy before I was an optician, I was in jewelry.
So I love unique and interest.
I love it.
So and in your optician world, you can understand this.
I'm actually blind in this eye.
It was a way.
Yeah, from a husband that was abusive.
So I have a I have a lens that some I looks a little weird, but I'm I'm fine about my
my brain balance is all out.
It does.
I'd be surprised.
It's our brains are amazing.
Our brains are amazing.
Amazing how it really, even though there's not anything there, it does feel like there's
something there in it.
I see 3D who can do that without that.
So so we have a lot in common.
We have the breastfeeding in common.
We have the eye thing in common.
Yeah, we have having children and breastfeeding and all the things because I saw it all through
my son and his wife.
They had lots of issues.
She couldn't really know.
So she had to pump everything and they worked really hard.
That was a I balance her.
That was a huge thing.
Very hard.
Is a lot.
It's a lot.
And it really makes us feel like a little bit less human during that experience.
But then once that's over, it's like, OK, fine.
I'm free again.
It's just really tethered to that machine once that gets going.
Not owning your own body.
Yeah, very hard.
Kids are kids are a challenge.
Like, I don't know.
My other two sons didn't have children and I'm like, I understand.
Yeah, I understand.
It's OK.
There are a lot of times.
If someone's like, I don't want kids, I'm like, it's fine.
I get that.
Yeah, no judge.
Like, please don't have kids because if you don't want to you and you get them and then
you're stuck with them, it's like, oh, my God, what did I do?
There's no one doing that.
None.
Can't send them back.
Oh, my God, my blocks are queen.
I'm so proud of you.
You don't even know.
Like, I get up there.
I got up there for a block to the block to challenge one time and I kind of loved it.
So I took the microphone and I'm like, OK, let's talk group.
Like, I am here because of you.
And I'd like to send my own little more.
Oh, yeah.
My first one was so bad on stage.
It was so bad.
And then the next day I got up there and I was like missing a place.
You nailed it.
Yeah.
It was hard.
The content was hard.
Like, it was a lot.
And I would love to just, oh, my God, we have to talk again about this because, you know,
I'm sitting here in my own little bubble and I don't really have anybody to talk to about
my blocks experience.
My husband really didn't want to hear about it.
So I don't get it.
They don't get it.
You want to talk block because I want.
I love hearing other blockers, what they walked into it thinking, how that week progressed
and what they walked away from it.
Hey, let's do that.
Let's have a block.
Like, let's just like randomly find our like 10 block blocker friends and have just a big
zoom call where we're all kind of like reliving it once again now that you all are kind of
going live and things are kind of going up.
And let's just have like a zoom call where we're, you know, 10 of our favorites blockers
and you go, Hey, let's just do a little chat because it does reconnect us and those memories
come flooding back of that week that we really, we dedicated to our business and learn new
friends and really made a difference.
So I would really, I would be honored Lindsay.
That'd be a lot of fun.
Yeah.
And it could be from all kinds of different episodes because I have met many other people
and what the blocks are gave to me is a lot of other companies to work with or, you know,
design for and I've really had fun doing that.
I can't even count how many it's been now, but you know, it's, it's a lot.
So it's been a wonderful journey, the blocks.
So I'm so glad that you really took that on as a way to really open up your business acumen
and, you know, really step it up forward.
Are you doing grad school?
No, because I have a lot of my plate right now.
I have a lot of my plate and a full-time job on top of all my other business.
So I got, I got things going on.
Are you doing the graduate school?
I'm going in December.
There's three baby businesses going.
Oh, it's going to be the baby challenge.
I love it.
I'm very excited.
It'll be a lot of fun.
You know, stepping into the baby world, I think would be the hardest world out there.
And so that's another reason why I really bow to you because I understand working with
all the experts and to come up with something that will really help a baby could be really
changing a life of other parents.
And so your story is really good.
I hope your story is written and condensed somewhere on your website so that others can
understand what you've been through.
Yeah, it will be.
We're, we are, we're, that's one of the things we're doing when we do our brand photo shoot.
It will be a videography element to it.
Story.
Oh yeah.
To kind of tell your story.
I love it.
I've been working for overtime and it's hard to get things that are over an hour into the
cloud.
I don't know.
It's complicated.
My guy always says, keep it in there.
It's like impossible.
So she's found the last five minutes.
The big reveal was left for the last of the hours.
That's okay.
Thank you so much.
And do you love the idea of we're all getting together, like we should find a date.
And we see that.
I absolutely love that idea.
So our season gets together all the time.
And we do, we do quarterly zooms for our season.
Like our season bonded.
Yeah, y'all are a lot smaller when it's over a hundred people.
It's really hard to bond with a hundred people.
Yeah.
No, we, a lot of them.
It was, we had life changing relationships form in our season.
I wanted that so bad.
Like that's what I, that's what I was there for.
Like seriously.
You were 14.
Yeah.
And I really tried to really make sure that I sat with somebody new each time and really
tried to like dig into pictures, post it online.
Like I did everything I could while I was there.
It's a lot.
There's a lot to take in.
There's a lot going on.
You know, it's funny.
One of the, one of the camera guys, he goes, Hey, let me, let me see this.
And I was like, my dad owns a nipple factory out of St. Louis.
And I was like, so I'm actually making my product totally in the US.
And I was looking for a new nipple factory.
And that's who I use now.
You were meant to be there.
It was meant to be.
It changed, it changed everything.
Yeah.
It was what to, well, your story has been great and I've enjoyed this hour and now we're
connected forever because we have all of these bonds and I'm seriously, you can DM me, email
me, text me anytime 24 hours a day and I'm here for you.
And I can just be like the grandmother.
I'm sugar.
You know, I actually just wrote a PBS TV show called Grandma.
Yeah.
It's called Grandma Sugar.
And sugar.
Yeah.
Grandma Sugar.
And it's really cute.
It's like an artistic grandmother.
See, that's one of my paintings who's also a tech expert.
But then like everybody comes into our house every day and they have these little adventures
and talk about different places and things going to happen because of the tech involved.
And so I don't know, PBS will pick it up, but they've been hit with it.
So we'll see.
It's kind of fun.
I just wanted to think of it was fun just to write it out was fun.
That episode is fun.
I'm a good writer.
So if you need a writer, what I will say is our generation is lacking involved grandparents
overall.
It's hard.
Something we so growing up, we had our grandparents.
Yes.
We lived in our grandparents' houses.
They were our savior.
Yeah.
And that's something we all want.
I'm one of the lucky few that like my parents half live with us.
They drive in six hours every week to help me so I can.
I actually bought a house in between where I live now and where my grandkids are, which
is in Houston, I'm in Austin, so that we could join in the middle.
We bought a ranch and have a house and I decorate it for my little grandkids.
It's wow.
Everything is about the wow for a little kid.
And now they're moving.
They have to move.
I'm apoplectic.
I can barely breathe.
I'm like going to miss my grandkids so much.
So, don't even get me on that path.
They're moving to Utah for a job.
It's kind of happened.
So, anyway, it's what it is.
I'll just become the Zoom grandma for now and go visit Lops because that's all we have
to do.
You know what?
We're in a day and age.
Thank goodness for FaceTime in Zoom.
And they're into all that.
They understand what the TV is and how we can, you know, they understand that.
They're savvy too.
Yes.
They've had a billion pictures taken of them every day of their life from before they
were born.
So, they're part of that generation that's going to be very narcissistic because it's
all about the picture.
Oh, smile.
You know, I think they'll...
I get it.
I get that.
It's how they are.
But they're cute too.
So, I'll take those pictures and then I run them through all kinds of filters and do all
the kind of add things and stickers and make them cute little things and books and all
that stuff.
It is.
I love it.
So, it's part of my life.
So, anyway, Lindsay, we got to get off.
We're over time.
We are friends forever.
And thank you.
Thank you.
This will be up in live in a couple of days, but I'll let you know and I'll make sure that
I can find all your links.
Can I find them on your Instagram page or they...
All your links are there or your website?
Yeah.
I can...
If you want, I can send you my link tree link.
Yeah.
I can send you a picture of either your product or you.
That would be great.
So, I can include...
I'll send you all the links.
Okay.
Well, thank you for being on my podcast, jewelry as your side hustle and also includes other
entrepreneurs.
So, please find me on social media, sugargayisperer and it has all the links to everything.
Be on my gayisperer.com and you can join my group and become part of my group, the sugar
group.
And thank you, Lindsay.
You can find Lindsay at soothebeginnings.com and on Facebook and on Instagram, et cetera.
We'll have all those links below.
So find us and thank you, Lindsay, for this hour.
It's been a pleasure and such a big thing.
I just can't even believe.
So we are friends forever and I'm very proud of you.
That's what I have to say as a grandmother.
I'm very proud of you.
So, thank you for making your baby's life better.
Thank you.
I adore talking to you.
So, thank you.
It was a lot of fun.
Have a great day and thank you.
Thank you.
сл Germans 4