Why I started Malama Momma
It’s time for a “Get to Know Me” blog post. I’m coming up to 11 years in business this December. Wow! I started Malama Health and Wellness in December 2013, shortly after my family moved from New Zealand to my island home of O’ahu in Hawai’i. My first business offering was holistic wellness products and essential oils through my retail partner, doTERRA. Our daughters were ages 2 and 5 months, and I was on maternity leave when we moved back to Hawai’i. My plan was to start looking for jobs in the health sector once my second daughter was about 8 months old. But, I found doTERRA and was presented with the business side of the company. After much thought and research, I decided to start sharing their products since we experienced profound results using them and I also wanted to explore the feasibility of an “at-home” income stream so I could care for my girls.
During this time, I continued to hear more about the maternal healthcare system in America through close friends that started having babies. It was starkly different from my experience being pregnant and birthing in New Zealand. I had been “doulaing” one of my best friends through her pregnancy and attended her birth in May of 2014. Shortly after, I completed my first birth & postpartum doula and lactation support educator training in July. From then, I changed my business name to Malama Momma to capture my new birth and postpartum offerings. Malama is Hawaiian and means, “to care for”, “to protect”. I loved how Malama encompassed my hope to offer my services to care for and protect my client’s journey into parenthood. And the rest, they say… is history.
The past 11 years of serving families as a doTERRA wellness advocate, birth doula, pediatric sleep consultant, postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, and surrogacy consultant have been incredibly fulfilling. This is my second career, and it continues to evolve and grow. I love the families I support and the colleagues I get to serve alongside in this industry.
I’m incredibly grateful to be a female entrepreneur with nearly 11 years in business. Up to 70% of businesses fail in their first three years, so I’m proud to be running a successful business serving families all across the country and doing what I love.
I look forward to continuing to support parents in Lexington, KY, Hawai’i, and nationwide. If you’re seeking help for your family, please book a call with me so we can discuss how I may serve your family.
