Featured Small Business/Ministry {Kalamazoo Michigan Small Business}

Being a small business owner, I am always so excited to meet other women who are out there in our community running their businesses from their hearts, full of passion as they are loving and serving people. Jillian Foster is one of those that has that heart of love and servanthood. I met her many years ago when she came in as a client….little did I know how our relationship through the years would develop. I learned about the ministry she has started and was thrilled to be able to be hired to help her with it this past year. She is out there sharing, loving on women and letting them have a safe place to share their story. So…here is her story, and you will see why I am pretty smitten with Jillian’s heart!

Please note this is in question/answer format as we proceed. 🙂 

• Please share your name: 
  Jillian & Jeff Foster
• Business Name
  

  “Mommamazoo”

• Location of your business
  Currently FaceBook and Instagram. We host a variety events through out our community of Kalamazoo.
• Website and/or Facebook Page links
  https://www.facebook.com/mommamazoo/

  

• Describe your business
  Mommamazoo MISSION: Striving to be the world’s leader as a supportive creative voice & space to raise awareness & remembrance for those impacted by pregnancy and infant loss. VISION: Survive (Let it hurt). Strive (Let it heal). Thrive (Let it go) Together (Let it grow). Mommamazoo STRONG MISSION: Striving to be the world’s team leader in strengthening body, mind, & spirit through endurance events for those impacted by pregnancy and infant loss. VISION: Finish Stronger!

  

• What’s one thing that everyone should know about you? 
  I am a Neuroblastoma stage IV childhood cancer survivor. Diagnosed at 22 months old given 80 days to live and a 10% chance of a 2 year survival. I am beyond blessed to have the honor of wearing my scars every single day. I don’t believe in miracles, I expect them!
• How long have you been in business and how did you get started?
  Mommamazoo was launched in October 2016. Mommamazoo’s first event was hosted on October 30, 2016; October is pregnancy & infant loss awareness month. This annual event is a free professional photo shoot and balloon carry for those impacted by pregnancy & infant loss. We carry our babies always, all ways. Mommamazoo STRONG hosted and participated in its first endurance event on April 22, 2017. Team Mommamazoo STRONG ran The Color Run Dream Tour 5K in Downton Kalamazoo. We are currently excited to be working on a blog/website.

  

• What change are you looking forward to most this year…both personally and with your business?
  Personally we are believing for our next pregnancy and baby (nicknamed Baby Zebra); we look forward to our son Cru having siblings. Not just believing but being intentional about waiting well and trusting the process. In regards to Mommamazoo we are believing for accomplishing things that have never been done before for those impacted by pregnancy and infant loss. For example we are believing for a 2017 or 2018 Grand Rapids ArtPrize venue to host a current project in the making. Just as personally, professionally we are being intentional about waiting well and trusting God’s process and how He chooses to use Mommamazoo. This year I wear 2 bracelets: one reads “intentional”, the other reads “omnipotent”. Everything we do this year is done with purpose having unlimited power & possibilities in Him.

  

• Where do you go to find inspiration for your business?
  I’m not sure I “go” anywhere. I foremost trust His still small voice. If I were to say I “go” anywhere it would be going directly to people. Literally sitting in a place and being present with those impacted by pregnancy and infant loss. Listening to their stories. Listening to each journey. Rather they are newly grieving or have been grieving for 20 years, I sit with them, my husband sits with them. Our greatest inspiration comes from simply showing up with an open listening heart and being present with others.

  

• Do you have a great tip or advice you can give us as a small business owner?
  First and foremost, start! Just begin. Don’t wait until you have all the answers and you’re completely organized. Because the truth is, you’ll never be ready! Start anyways and learn along the way. Trust the process. Be Brave. Be Strong. Believe in the vision placed on your heart and let others help when needed. Don’t give up when things get hard or circumstance try to get in the way. The moment you want to quit, is the moment to keep pushing.
• What is the favorite thing you like about your job?
  Helping others hands down! Providing support, inspiration, empowerment and hope. We open our mouths for the couple who is currently stuck in the middle right where we were once stuck. We open our mouths for future generations. As part of our vision says, Thrive Together.

  

• Do you have a hidden talent?
  I wish. And it makes me seem so boring that I can’t think of even one. I’m not certain it’s a talent, but, I will sign up and complete almost any endurance event (mud run, triathlon, 5K, 10K, etc.) without any training whatsoever. I’ll like literally just do it. I’ve always been like that; I’m like that in a lot of areas of my life. Maybe that means my hidden talent is spontaneity.
• How do you get a connection between you and your clients?
  Share with an open honest heart and be present. The greatest gift of love we can give others is simply to be present.
• Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
  This question is a funny one to ask me. If you know my husband & I personally you know we often get made fun of for our “5 year plan”. Meaning, we don’t really have a “5 year plan”. Let alone a “10 year plan”, lol. Just being honest here. Don’t worry. This doesn’t mean we don’t have a “plan”. We just tend to connect with the famous quote, “Not all who wander are lost.” This could be a good thing or a bad thing, lol. But it work’s for us. I always tell others, You Do You! We are both a complete open book open to life’s surprises; and challenges. We can make many plans but the Lord’s purpose will always prevail. Now I don’t wait to scare you! Don’t worry, we make lots of vision boards and plans, it’s just we tend to color outside the lines when it comes to our “10 year plan”.
• What other profession would you love too try?
  Philanthropist. My husband & I both agree on this one. We always say we will be this (maybe part of our “10 year plan”, lol).

• What’s one thing that can just “make your day” amazing?
  Hugs and kisses from my husband Jeffrey (FYI, I call him Jeffrey, everyone else calls him Jeff), our son Cru, and our dog Blu. We call them the Blu Cru. Just being and doing ordinary daily things in the presence of them makes my day every single day. There is no greater gift then family.

  

• Please add anything else about yourself or your awesome business for us to share!!
  Passion. Our passion for Mommamazoo comes from losing 3 babies to miscarriage; Sweet Pea (2011), Elle (2012), & Pandora (2015) and from our Rainbow Baby Cru who is 3 years old (a rainbow baby is a baby that is born following a miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or infant loss). Purpose. Our purpose is for life change for many. Potential. The potential for positive outcomes are endless.