You know we love talking about the small businesses we love. Now we’re shining the spotlight directly on the owners and giving them a chance to spread the word about their businesses and share their experiences with other small business owners.

In this installment of the Small Biz Spotlight, we’re talking to Slumberly Infant & Child Sleep Coaching founder Lydia Harden about how she got her start, how she’s adjusting her strategy during the pandemic, and what her best advice is for new business owners.

Q: Tell us a little about how you began Slumberly.

A: I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for childhood development. So after a decade of working with families and earning a graduate degree in Educational and Developmental Psychology, I got certified as a Pediatric Sleep Consultant. I read about this form of coaching in a parenting magazine and was immediately intrigued. Over the years, I had seen first-hand how much a baby's sleep (or lack thereof) can impact a family's ability to function at their best. Unfortunately, sleep training can be a really difficult process to go through as a parent because you are having to resist your natural inclination to fully-soothe your child. Slumberly was born out of this dichotomy. We work with parents to ensure that the sleep training process is clear, grounded in science, and time-efficient (because the sooner your baby is sleeping through the night...the sooner your whole family can thrive).

Q: How did the pandemic impact the way you communicate with your customers and clients?

A: I am constantly checking to ensure that my written communication is clear because so much can be lost in translation when working with clients via text. (That being said, hopefully, that sentence made sense.)

Q: Are there any “pandemic strategies” that you will carry over into the future?

A: While I prefer to work in person with my clients, offering my services virtually has allowed me to expand my reach to families all over Massachusetts and beyond.

Q: What is your biggest marketing challenge as a business owner?

A: As a new business owner, I have found it challenging to decide which method of marketing will be the most effective for spreading the word about Slumberly. There are so many means of marketing from social media to free seminars or weekly newsletters, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed.

Q: What is your best piece of advice for new business owners?

A: Emotions can lie. It's as simple as that. While emotion may have led you to start your business, it doesn't always serve as the best compass while you're building your business. I know this because I am an emotion-led person (for better or for worse). Rather than focus on how you feel, it's important to focus on where you want to go, because the days where you feel self-doubt will be frequent in the beginning. The good news is that as your business gains traction, those days will be fewer and farther between!

To learn more about Lydia and the Slumberly Method, visit www.slumberlysleep.com or follow @slumberysleepcoaching on Instagram.

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