YBB Connect 3/4/19 YBB Connect 3/4/19

MAD LOVE MONDAY | Jacquie Duval - Plated Public Relations

Hello everyone! My name is Jacquie DuVal and I am the Director of Plated Public Relations, a Public Relations agency in Edmonton that specializes in the local food scene here in Edmonton.

Hello everyone! My name is Jacquie DuVal and I am the Director of Plated Public Relations, a Public Relations agency in Edmonton that specializes in the local food scene here in Edmonton. My journey to creating my own business is similar to that of many young moms looking for balance.

Back in 2016, I was on maternity leave with my first daughter, and the thought of going back to work full time after my leave was over terrified me. While I loved my career, I felt that a fundamental shift had occurred within me, and not only did I want more time with my daughter, I needed it. When my then job was unable to grant me a part time position upon my return, I decided to start my own business. At the end of my leave, I did return to full time work, and it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. This only solidified my need for more of a work life balance, and after 5 months of working full time with a young one at home, I quit my job and decided to branch out on my own. Fast forward to 2019 and now I have two daughters and more of a balance between home and work. I only work 3 days a week, and spend the other two days with my daughters, while also trying to get everything done around the house that a mom needs to get done. (Can other mombosses out there relate?)

Why local food? I get this question a lot.

I have a passion for the vibrant local food scene we have here in Edmonton. Working with chefs, restaurants and local market vendors is a passion of mine. Don’t get me wrong, I do take clients outside of the food world as well. I specialize is content creation, including blogs, websites and newsletters. I also help businesses tell their story through social media and through traditional media. Finally, I offer spokesperson training and social media training.

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YBB Connect 2/25/19 YBB Connect 2/25/19

MAD LOVE MONDAY | Taylor Fedor - Spruc'd Design Co.

I am Taylor, the creator behind Spruc’d Design Co. a collection of handmade signs and At-Home Sign Workshops.

I try to focus on timeless/minimal designs that are able to fit into anyone’s home regardless of style/trends, with the hopes that these pieces will stay around for many years to come! Growing up I always enjoyed creating things, and as I got older it never really went away. As I entered that 9-5 work week lifestyle, I found myself unsatisfied and craving a creative outlet. It was then that I started playing around with my Silhouette Curio at the time. Before I knew it, my new creative outlet, turned into requests from friends and family, which eventually turned into customers from the community! It was then that I turned to some social media platforms to better showcase some of my work. Originally I began with instagram (my fave) and facebook, which I still use today, and eventually pinterest...not so much for advertising but to help spark inspiration for new designs.

Since then many things have changed, this year especially, I have set quite a few goals for myself. Personally, I am focusing on finding a better work/life balance, and building real relationships within the entrepreneur community. Currently I have yet to figure out this whole work/life balance schedule (has anyone though?)...So far my attempts have been to split up the steps in my overall process into different days of the week and to not do any business after 8pm (which I have been a little less successful with so far). Professionally, I am looking to really step outside of my box, by attending more networking event, getting better educated with my products/marketing and entering the world of wholesale...so holla at your girl if your looking for some new store product!.

Being an entrepreneur is like riding a rollercoaster at times, but I love it because it allows you to show people who you are in a fun creative way! If anyone tells you that being an entrepreneur is rainbows and sunshine all the time they are lying. It is hard work, and believe me, there has been countless times where I have thought to myself “Is this really worth it?”. I found the best thing for me (a rather new change) was to stop comparing my work/success to other entrepreneurs and just focus on myself and my own creations...definitely easier said than done, especially with social media these days. But I have found it makes those moments of reassurance just that much better. I’ll never forget my very first sale to a complete stranger! Don’t get me wrong, family and friend support is great, but you can’t help think they are just buying from you to be supportive haha. So when that stranger comes along, you just think to yourself

“HOLY CRAP SOMEBODY ACTUALLY LIKES MY WORK” haha, it’s honestly the most satisfying feeling ever!

If you have made it this far, thank-you for reading along and I sure hope I have not bored you to death! I am so very fortunate to be able to turn to a group of like minded people like YEGBOSSBABEs who are more than willing to help me get the information, and support I need to continue on my crazy ass journey of being an entrepreneur. So here’s to another year of creating, learning, supporting, and sipping(always have to make time for wine) with the amazing YEGBOSSBABE community.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun” -Albert Einstein

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YBB Connect 2/20/19 YBB Connect 2/20/19

#MOMBOSS | Stephanie Liu - "Why Evidence Matters in Parenting"

One of the biggest issues in the internet age is misinformation. It is so easy to find answers to your questions, but so difficult to verify those answers. And in many cases that can be dangerous.

Hi, my name is Stephanie Liu and I am a family doctor and clinical lecturer at the University of Alberta, and a first time momma! I started the blog lifeofdrmom.com because I think it is hard for parents to be able to differentiate inaccurate, possibly dangerous information from reliable credible information online. Life of Dr Mom provides parents with credible information for parenting, child wellness and maternal wellness. Hope you like my blog!

"Why Evidence Matters in Parenting"

In October of 2018, I launched lifeofdrmom.com, my version of a “mommy blog.” But the main focus of my blog isn’t me or my experiences. I am aiming to build a resource for parents/caregivers that is medically accurate and evidence-based, yet still easily accessible.

One of the biggest issues in the internet age is misinformation. It is so easy to find answers to your questions, but so difficult to verify those answers. And in many cases that can be dangerous. When it comes to parenting especially, everyone wants the best for their children and first-time parents in particular are turning to the internet to answer questions ranging from “how to swaddle newborn” to “does this poop look normal?”

When I had my own daughter, I had all the same questions. But as a family doctor in Canada, I had the resources to compile medical papers and research studies to help me along. I wanted other people to have access to the same information that I did, but medical studies aren’t exactly a beach read. People usually look to blogs and forums for advice instead. When I browsed some of these mommy blogs, I was disturbed at how many of them were promoting incorrect facts or unfounded claims. Vaccines, sleep training, and food allergies were among some of the more frequent victims. It was then that I realized just how easy it is to fall into false beliefs and I knew I had to do something about it.

I started the blog by recalling all the questions I’d had from my pregnancy and beyond as well as questions I would receive from patients. I summarized the research in my posts, hoping the facts could reach more people. But I’m competing with the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop and other popular lifestyle and health blogs.These celebrity platforms work because of the figurehead, so I knew I had to put more of my personality into the blog to reach more people. We as a species want to connect and we trust each other more than faceless entities with cold hard facts. Life of Dr. Mom had to grow beyond a few blog articles. I started to use social media to my advantage, putting more of myself and my voice into the project. I shared more personal stories, like when I struggled to breastfeed my daughter. I had always recommended breastfeeding over formula to my patients, but when I was in the hot seat I found out the hard way that it’s not always so easy.

There are highs and lows of parenting, and no amount of medical school can truly prepare you to raise a child. You’re going to make mistakes, and that’s ok. My blog has two purposes: to offer true, proven medical facts to help inform your decisions when it comes to your baby, and to show you that nobody, not even the people who pretend to be, is perfect.

Instagram: @lifeofdrmom

Facebook: Life of Dr. Mom - Stephanie Liu

Twitter: @LifeofDrMom1

Pinterest: Life of Dr Mom