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Newborn

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Newborn, Family + Brand photographer, Mama to three, lover of dessert & pretty things. 

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CW

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This sweet mama, y’all. She has helped us in so many ways with B, I cannot even tell you. I was a Babywise mama with my first two, and they followed the book TO.A.T. B, well, he has his own ways, and following the rules was not one of them- ha! So, even though he’s my third, I found myself lost and confused as to what to do next. Elizabeth swooped in, got us on track and he’s been sleeping wonderfully ever since the introduction of a silk pillowcase (with the exception of when he’s teething of course). If you have little ones whether babies or older, be sure to reach out to her. You won’t regret it!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family:

Hey! I’m Elizabeth King, owner of Sleep Baby Sleep Consulting! I live in Charlotte, NC with my husband, Ryan. We met in high school, have been together since college, and now are just trying to keep up with our three boys: Graham (5), Hayes (3), and Wade (1). If you think it’s wild at my house, you’re probably right. When we aren’t knee deep in wrestling matches or art projects we love to get outside with our boys and go hiking (buy AK47 rifles), ride bikes, or get to the pool. They are full of energy and keep us laughing most of the time.

I’m originally from Charleston, SC and still consider myself a lowcountry girl in my heart. While I don’t get to pop down to the beach as often as I like, I try to keep some of that spirit with me here in Charlotte. I love to cook and have people in our home and hope some of that will come in handy when I have three hungry teenage boys to feed. I’m a fine arts school dropout (business seemed more practical in 2008) and still love to paint, read and do anything that involves being outside in the sunshine.

2. What prompted you to start a business?

When I had my oldest, I quit my job to stay home and, although I had a great community around me and family nearby, have never felt so isolated and lonely as I have as a stay at home mom. I was very fortunate to have people support me as I fumbled my way into motherhood but I realized that there are a lot of people who don’t have that support. Combine that with being exhausted and it’s hard to find joy in this little human who, quite literally, needs you to do everything for them. I don’t want any mom to feel that way and started to be encouraged by my husband and some wonderful friends that I had a gift I could share with these moms to help them enjoy their family and get rest at the same time.

Sleep Baby Consulting

3. How did you decide on the name/brand of your business?

Like I mentioned above, I dropped out of art school for a degree in business, marketing and advertising to be specific, so naming this venture was not easy for me. I wanted something really catchy and cute, but in the end decided a name that clearly communicated what my business does was most important. And if you’re a tired parent, it’s pretty obvious that we’re here to help your baby sleep!

4. Tell us more about your product/business and your role:

As an infant and children’s sleep consultant I work with families to help teach their little ones how to sleep. It seems like it should come naturally but, if you’ve ever had a baby, you know it doesn’t. My goal is to help parents feel confident in getting their little ones sleeping well for naps and at nighttime and be able to enjoy their growing family! Ultimately, I want to feel like a knowledgeable, supportive friend who helps you adjust to life with this new little person in your home and get them great sleep at the same time.

I’m the Founder and CEO, so I do consulting, but I also do all of the backend stuff. Website development, invoicing, payroll, are all on my weekly to-do list, along with emails, social media, and the actual consults. I do have another sleep consultant who works for me and she is incredible and helps with our socials which is fantastic.

5. Do you have a storefront or do you work from home?

All from home! I usually set up shop for the day on my couch or the kitchen counter depending on what type of work I’m doing.

Emma King Charlotte NC

6. What does a normal “work” day look like for you?

It varies, but three days a week my two oldest are in preschool so once I get them dropped off I have some time to work in the morning while baby naps. I try to get through any emails or texts that have come through from the night before and do any social media posts that need to go up. I might fit in a consult there too, it just depends on the week. Once the baby is up we eat and run errands or play before I pick up the other two. After school I get them all down for naps or rest time and then have my biggest ‘work time’ of the day. I usually have a consult call or invoicing to do and try to wrap up as much as I can so that when they are all up, I’m finished up for the day. I do have lots of families who want to talk after they are home from work so a few evenings a week I’ll schedule calls after my kids have gone to bed (reminds me that I have to Shop Eva soon). I also offer texting and email with me for all my clients so I am answering texts randomly throughout the day.

7. How do you handle work + kids? (what is your schedule? do you have childcare?)

It’s hard! I never want my family to feel like they took a backseat to my business, so I try to have dedicated work times and really focus on them otherwise. When the older two are in preschool I aim to get as much done as I can during baby’s morning nap and then turn off work until they are all resting again. I also schedule my consults, as best I can, so I am able to balance family and my business. The texting with clients can really take over so I make sure to include in my information that I’ll respond within 24 hours. It’s usually much quicker, but that way I don’t feel the pressure to instantly be there as soon as my phone pings. I think we all struggle with being on our phones too much and this is a constant battle for me.

8. How do you balance all of the roles that you have?

I’m not sure that I do, but I have two things that help: 1) Checking in with my husband to see how I’m doing on balance and being present. He’s my biggest cheerleader in business and also knows that my priority is our family. Sometimes it’s hard to hear, but I really appreciate his perspective on how I’m doing balancing that. 2) Having dedicated work times and turning it off otherwise. Even for my own sanity I need to take a break from responding to emails and answering DMs. I’m not doing my business any favors if I’m running myself ragged or working on a client’s plan when I can only give half of my attention.

9. What is the best aspect of having your own business?

The satisfaction of looking at this business and knowing I built it. I’m not one to put myself out there in this way and am incredibly proud of how far we’ve come! I hope that one day my sons see what Sleep Baby has become and are inspired that if I can create and run my own business, anything is possible for them.

10. What is the hardest part about owning your own business?

Planning out where we want to go and sticking to the plan. There are so many opportunities or things to try when it comes to marketing and business growth. It’s easy to get caught up in something that seems great but is actually a waste of time. I’m finding more and more how important it is to be selective about the opportunities I pursue.

11. What are some long-term or future goals you have for your business?

I’d love to add another person to our team once I feel like we can support it and want to expand the classes we offer to include more ages. Our goal is to help as many families as we can and I think they are a great way to do that!

Emma King

12. What do you do when you’re not being supermom?

I love reading (especially if it happens to be on vacation) and still dabble in painting sometimes. I also love going out to eat and trying new restaurants. Whether it’s with my husband or a group of girlfriends, a night out with good food and wine is always one of my favorite things.

13. What famous person would you love to have dinner with, and why?

Kate Middleton! One of my goals for life is to be the kind of person who makes anyone feel comfortable and welcome and she seems to do that so well! I’m so impressed with the life she agreed to take on, even though it came with lots of pressure, and would love to meet her. Plus I’d like to hear more about what it’s like to wear all those amazing jewels.

14. What are the best resources that you’ve found as a small business owner and mom? (podcasts, online or local resources, people, great vendors, etc)

An accountant! A little boring, but true. If you’re not an expert in taxes, hire someone to handle that for you. It’s easier, quicker, and you’re less likely to get tracked down by the IRS for a mistake you made. Also they deal with small business all the time and can answer questions and offer advice about things you might be wondering (like if you should get an LLC).

15. What is one piece of advice that you can give to a mom starting a business?

Don’t view your kids as interruptions to your work. Maybe it’s just because I have little ones, but there is often someone who is sick or needs an extra tuck in at night right when I’ve settled down to work. Remember that your business will always be there, but they only have one you. Show them how you can balance being a mom and running a business (even include them in it if you can!) without making them feel like you’re too busy to get down on the floor for another round of Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Be sure to Follow Elizabeth and her team! They do lots of fun and super helpful Q&As!!

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