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Welcome to another edition of our Member Spotlight Series on the Madison Mompreneur blog! This series will help you get to know the members of Madison Mompreneur as we ask them questions about their personal and professional life as moms who own businesses in the Madison, Alabama area.

We are continuing this series with the spotlight on Audrey Smith, Owner of Grow Our Village!

Tell us about yourself and your business! I’m Audrey Smith and I’m the owner of Grow Our Village.

How does your business help people?  We are a social enterprise for new parents. Our mission is to nurture and empower new parents by providing affordable access to essential baby products, inclusive learning opportunities, mental health wellness services, and a supportive community—ensuring every family can thrive, regardless of their background or income.

How long have you lived in the Madison area? I’ve worked in Madison the last 3+ years.

What inspired you to start your business? My own pregnancy and postpartum journey. I saw that although we have a plethora of resources in our community specifically for moms, there was a lack of inclusive resources that include the non-birthing parent. Dads and non-birthing parents are under an enormous amount of pressure, and they need support, too. Also, I really wanted to try out expensive baby carriers and swaddles before committing to buy them and thought “why doesn’t this exist!?” so I created it. Same with our newborn essentials sampler. We’re expected to research everything to heck while pregnant and put a particular brand of diapers, wipes, bottles, etc on our baby registry or buy it ourselves before arrival and expect it to work out perfectly. Some babies (mine) have their preferences (we went through 20 bottles before finding one he’d accept) or you think you have the BEST wipe but cannot stand how it feels or how the dispenser works. Or you choose a particular diaper brand and it doesn’t work for your baby’s body type. We can make this process so much easier on new parents by loading them up with several different types of essentials and letting them try it on their own when baby arrives.

What sets your business apart from others in the industry? We’re a social enterprise meaning we operate in a very lean way. We provide a ton of free services – support groups, workshops led by other pregnancy and postpartum professionals, and needs assessments – and generate income to keep these services free by the sales of 2 incredibly practical gift boxes (the fourth trimester survival kit and the newborn essentials sampler). Additionally, I’m a mental health therapist (still in the pre-licensing/ associate process with my ALC under the supervision of Jessica Penot, LPC-S) and I am actually certified in Perinatal Mental Health. I’ve been a counselor in North Alabama for the last 15+ years and have dedicated my work to knowing about resources in our area and providing my clients and our community with connection to those invaluable relationships.

What do you consider to be your biggest success so far? We had our Grand Opening on February 7th and had more than 20 pregnancy and birth- related professionals here along with several new and expecting parents. We’ve already hosted some phenomenal workshops, classes and support groups.

How does your business contribute to the local community? By providing free access to a ton of resources for new and expectant parents.

How do you see your business evolving in the next 5-10 years? I hope this is sooner than 5 years – we will be opening a Collective that houses a multi-disciplinary team (think doulas, massage therapists, pelvic floor physical therapists, nutritionists, pediatrician) all under the same roof and provide on-site assistance with baby so that new parents can access the care they need without guilt or the added barrier of arranging childcare.

Who are your typical customers and how do they find you? New and expectant parents. Currently, word of mouth, referrals from community partners, social media, and we will be tabling at some large events in the next few weeks.

What do you enjoy most about running your business? I love being a part of a solution for people experiencing frustration or hardship. Pregnancy and the post-partum period are such precious and pivotal times for families – I’m appreciative when I’m able to connect people with the resources, information, products or professionals that they need during this time.

How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes?  I am very active in our community, especially in matters regarding mental health. I’m also very active in a few local mom groups which are a great support to me, but I also get to know what other new parents are finding challenging.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a business in your industry? Do what you love and what you’re naturally good at. Find a need in your own life and start filling it.

What product/service would you like for us to highlight at this time? Our curated gift boxes – the fourth trimester survival kit or Newborn essentials sampler. They are such a great gift for any new or expectant family and help keep all our other programs and needs assessments free and accessible to our community.

Do you involve your kids in your business? If yes, how so? My little one is 2 so that can be challenging. I certainly have him to thank for the inspiration for this business.

What do you find is the most difficult part of balancing motherhood and business life? Juggling it all, of course. My approach is to build this business very sustainably so that I don’t overcommit and burn out. I have some amazing people (Mikayla White who does all of our marketing and website management) helping with so much of the work that happens behind the scene – I could not do it without my own amazing village!

What business in the Madison Area is your favorite? Honest Coffee is my fave for meeting up with community partners. I love Burn Boot Camp for whipping me into shape when I’m able to go!

Do you have a business bestie? Tree of Life Behavioral Health is the group practice where I do therapy and they have been a great work family to me.

Anything else you would like for us to highlight? We are hosting (along with Dad to Dudla) a Parents Day Celebration on July 26th at Huntsville Independent Cinema at Lowe Mill. It will be a great conversation with perinatal experts, a ton of giveaways, and will load new and expectant parents up with lots of incredible resources! Go to the link for more information: https://www.growourvillage.com/event-details-registration/parents-day-celebration-1

Where can people find you? Our office is located at 190 Lime Quarry Rd Suite 113 Madison AL 35758

Thanks for reading! If Audrey’s experience as a mom and business owner resonates with you, we want to hear from you in the comments! And if you are a mom and business owner in Madison, Alabama email us at madisonmompreneur@gmail.com. to be featured in a future Member Highlight post!

Member Highlight

June 24, 2026

Member Highlight: Audrey Smith of Grow Our Village

Welcome to another edition of our Member Spotlight Series on the Madison Mompreneur blog! This series will help you get to know the members of Madison Mompreneur as we ask them questions about their personal and professional life as moms who own businesses in the Madison, Alabama area.

We are continuing this series with the spotlight on Lyndsi Alexander, Owner of AlexandHR LLC!

About Lyndsi Alexander and AlexandHR LLC

Tell us about yourself and your business! I’m Lyndsi Alexander, and I’m the owner of AlexandHR LLC.

How AlexandHR Helps Small Businesses Stay Compliant

How does your business help people? We help small businesses by providing affordable and accessible HR Services and HR Strategy.

How long have you lived in the Madison area? 22 years

What inspired you to start your business? I worked for various small businesses that did not have HR before me and I saw how employees and businesses were both unprotected and/or not following labor laws and/or manually doing so much admin!

What sets your business apart from others in the industry? We are niche in our HR tech strategy. It’s our mission to make HR affordable and one of the ways we do this is to automate admin (compliantly) so that businesses budget can be used for compliance and strategy rather than paying senior-level HR to push paperwork.

What do you consider to be your biggest success so far? I think our biggest success is bringing platinum level support to the Huntsville area and beyond in 2025 – we were voted Platinum in HR Services by the Huntsville Community!

Community Impact: Free Employee Handbooks for Madison Area Businesses

How does your business contribute to the local community? We offer free employee handbooks to small businesses in the area! You just have to fill out a form to get a handbook with all of the required policies.

How do you see your business evolving in the next 5-10 years? We want to make sure that we always maintain true to our mission of providing accessible and affordable HR to small businesses. In order to do this, we also want to be the “go-to” for HR Tech and HR Tech Strategy and Optimization. It is our goal to be one of the top HR Service Consultancies in the area.

Who are your typical customers and how do they find you? Our typical customers are clients that are open to using technology or having their technology implemented for them, but want to make sure they are remaining compliant. They are clients that trust us to set their admin up the right way and that feel comfortable giving us a call to discuss ideas or ask questions!

What Sets AlexandHR Apart: HR Tech Strategy

What do you enjoy most about running your business? We found our niche that we love to do and have a passion for, and we get to do that every single day. Working with various clients also keeps things interesting and new every day!

How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes? We are a part of SHRM, we have a Mineral membership, and other various compliance dashboard memberships. We also work weekly on our continued education and consult with each other on areas where we need assistance instead of leaving it to guess-work.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a business in your industry? Learn the business side too! If you go into consulting or services of any kind, you also need to know how to manage cash-flow, how to network, and how to plan your business operations. If you haven’t done this previously, get a friend or a mentor – or join Mompreneurs and become friends with like-minded moms!

What product/service would you like for us to highlight at this time? Take advantage of our free handbooks! If you have a handbook, talk with us about your HR Tech Strategy. We partner with leading HRIS providers like Gusto and APS and we can save you time and money and keep you compliant in as quick as 1-3 weeks.

Balancing Motherhood and Business Ownership

Do you involve your kids in your business? If yes, how so? We talk about our kids! But our kids have a lot of learning in HR and compliance before they can take on their first client 😉

What do you find is the most difficult part of balancing motherhood and business life? I want to be there for my children all of the time, but I also need to spend a lot of time on my business. It has taken me awhile to find a balance, and it still probably isn’t a balance that would work for everyone, but it works for my family.

What business in the Madison Area is your favorite? I love so many. To feed my reading hobby – Blue Apple Books, for a coworking space that feels like home – Offices at Spenryn, and for a business owner that really cares and has talked to me about some great business ops tips – Red Hawk Pest Control.

Do you have a business bestie? My business bestie is Jackie Citron-Rollings! Make sure you look her up because she has a myriad of services. She does almost everything!

Where can people find you? Email or call is best! 

Connect with Lyndsi Alexander

Thanks for reading! If Lyndsi’s experience as a mom and business owner resonates with you, we want to hear from you in the comments! And if you are a mom and business owner in Madison, Alabama email us at madisonmompreneur@gmail.com. to be featured in a future Member Highlight post!

Member Highlight

June 10, 2026

Member Spotlight: Lyndsi Alexander, Affordable HR Services for Small Businesses in Madison, Alabama

Owner: Cindy Garrett

About: Mobile drink cart specializing in craft specialty sodas & lemonades for a phenomenal customer experience. Dirty sodas, dirty energy drinks, fun lemonades. More than a drink— a moment!

Phone Number: (256) 957-8731

Food

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Sweet Home Sodas

Owner: Catherine Goodell

About: Homegrown Studio is a Creative Studio focused on creativity, connection & community and offering workshops, birthday parties, and bimonthly open studio access.

Address: 525 Hughes Road Suite F, Madison AL 35758

Arts/Crafts

May 19, 2026

Homegrown Studio

Owner: Kayla Green

About: KaylaGrace Photography captures natural, lifestyle moments with a focus on genuine connection and real emotion. Specializing in portraits, families, and everyday milestones, each session is relaxed and organic, allowing your story to unfold authentically. Owner and principal photographer Kayla Green’s goal is to create timeless images that feel true to you—warm, effortless, and meaningful.

Events

April 27, 2026

KaylaGrace Photography 

Owner: Shaylene Hawley

About: This veteran-owned business provides catering and chef services for private businesses and families, bringing beautiful, fun, and delicious grazing tables, hors d’oeuvres and desserts directly to you!

Phone Number: (805) 906-9112

Events

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Shay la Vie

Owner: Kari Brown

About: Key and Brick Mortgage Studio is a local mortgage brokerage ready to help you with your home financing needs, empowering you to make the best decision for you and your family.

Address: 1300 Meridian St N, Ste 200a, Huntsville, AL 35801

Phone Number: 256-651-2407

Home Services

April 23, 2026

Key and Brick Mortgage Studio

Owner: LaToya Hope

About: The Blue Melody Mystery Dinner Theater is an interactive dinner experience where guests become part of a live murder mystery. Enjoy a meal while uncovering clues, questioning suspects, and working to solve the crime before the night ends. It’s a unique blend of theater, entertainment, and social experience—perfect for date nights, group outings, and private events.

Events

April 22, 2026

The Blue Melody Mystery Dinner Theater

Owner: Ashley Hunt-Poole

About: Mocktails For Mommy and Hello MAMÁ together create a purpose-driven, elevated brand experience that offers alcohol-free beverages designed for women—especially mothers—to celebrate life without compromise.

Phone Number: (256) 513-9436

Food

April 7, 2026

Hello MAMÁ

Owner: Nicole Beckstead

About: Via Star Speech Therapy, Owner Nicole Beckstead provides speech therapy with in-home and telehealth appointments.

Phone Number: (256) 361-9250

Women Health

March 29, 2026

Star Speech Therapy