Background
The idea for this business was conceived while the owner was on bedrest (20 weeks and 4 days, but who’s counting?)

As she began searching for products to address the needs of her challenging pregnancy, she soon found just a handful of products scattered over several sites. With 9 years experience of retail ownership, she began this new business venture.

Click here to see how she and her family are all doing today.

Mission
At The Gentle Nest, our mission statement is “Expecting the Best”. This statement not only represents our commitment to customer services and quality products but also promotes the importance of a positive outlook.With our mission foremost, The Gentle Nest offers products to help support you during your challenging pregnancy.

Biography
People say that your life experience helps to prepare you for what lies ahead. I grew up in a very active family of seven children (6 adopted 1 biological) in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. My parents became foster parents when I was 2 and continued for the next 34 years. In addition to my brothers and sisters and foster children living with us, we also provided housing (in our home) to Southeast Asian refugees looking to start a new life in America. If anything could prepare me for life with 4 young children, it was my own life experience.

Because of my background, I was naturally drawn to social work. After graduating from Purdue University, I worked in the social work field (at an emergency shelter for youth and a state child welfare agency) before returning to graduate school. With a passion for helping people foremost, I found my strength in management and strategic planning.

At The University of Chicago, I focused my graduate studies on the business side of social work - taking management classes, etc. After graduation, I worked as a human services department director in a northwest Chicago suburb. During this time, I opened a small gift store in a co-operative market. The store initially sold vintage items and has now evolved to offer customers wine and dining accessories, as well as travel-related gifts.

After marrying my husband, I started working at a social service agency as the manager of programs. After a few years at that agency, I gave birth to my son. Finding it difficult to balance my work and home life with an infant son, I left my full-time job to work with a fundraising consultant raising money for area nonprofits. I worked with the fundraising group until the month before my triplet daughters were born.

While I was expecting my daughters and on pregnancy bed rest, I had quite a bit of time to think. As most mothers do, I struggled with thoughts surrounding my own identity (Would I ever have a career again? If I did re-enter the workforce, who would take care of my children? What is best for our entire family? How would I be able to meet my own needs while balancing the needs of my family?) Knowing that life would never be quite the same, I thought long and hard about what is best for my family and me.

After weeks of deep contemplation, it was clear that the best option for our family was for me to stay home and care for our children. However, I also knew that it was important to me to be able to do something outside of my family that positively contributed to society while utilizing my experience and education. I've always read in entrepreneur books that you should do what you know. I was on pregnancy bed rest expecting triplets looking for products to help ease the many discomforts I was experiencing, when the concept of the business became crystal clear. I spent a great deal of my time on bed rest working on my business plan for The Gentle Nest. About a year after my daughters were born, so was The Gentle Nest.