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 Brandy Booth & Shannon Fisher, Owners of Lemon & Lavender!

Introduce yourself!

We are Brandy Booth and Shannon Fisher, Owners of Lemon & Lavender, a brick & mortar store located in the Shoppes of Historical Downtown Madison (Alabama).

How does your business help people? 

We are two moms on a mission to give shoppers the opportunity to shop eco-friendly and confident that all products have clean ingredients with sustainable packaging. We help people move from being convenience consumers to conscious consumers.

How long have you lived in Madison? 

Both of us have lived here for over 20 years!

What inspired you to start your business? 

There were no options in the area at the time to shop, knowing that everything in the store was eco-friendly and sustainable. 

What sets your business apart from others in the industry? 

We focus not only on our products but sustainable practices in manufacturing and dealing with packaging and waste.

What do you consider to be your biggest success so far? 

Opening the first Refillery in North Alabama where customers can bring their own containers to refill cleaning and bath supplies by the ounce. Just like a bulk bin at a natural grocery store where you might bring a reusable bag to purchase rice, beans, or coffee, you can do the same with cleaning solutions like laundry detergent and personal care products like shampoo or bath salts.

How does your business contribute to the local community? 

We give the residents in our local community the opportunity to shop in a more eco-friendly manner. We are also conscientious in our manufacturing and waste from the store to repurpose it rather than recycle or trash it. 

How do you see your business evolving in the next 5-10 years? 

We are in the process of expanding our Refillery to include more cleaning and bath products. We also hope to lead inspiration to other businesses to adopt more eco-conscious practices. 

Who are your typical customers and how do they find you? 

Our customers are a wide variety of ages, but mostly those who already live an eco-friendly lifestyle or desire to make those changes. Many find us online as they search out for eco-conscious businesses. 

What do you enjoy most about running your business? 

We most enjoy educating those who visit about both our products as well as how to incorporate them into a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes? 

We stay up to date by constantly researching more products and lifestyle practices.

Anything else you would like for us to highlight? 

We partner with other local businesses for sustainable purposes. Phoenix Glass Recycling gives us glass containers each month to give away to customers for Refillery. We also give some other local businesses our packing material we receive in shipments to reuse for their shipping of products to help eliminate waste.

Where can people find you? 

108 Main Street in Madison, Alabama and online at lemonandlavendermadison.com. On Facebook and Instagram we are @lemonandlavendermadison.

If Brandy and Shannon’s experiences as moms and business owners 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!

As a mompreneur in Madison, Alabama, building a thriving business requires clarity and purpose. Whether you’re just starting out or have been in business for years, taking time to align your vision and goals with your values ensures your business reflects what truly matters to you.

Start with Your Values

Begin by figuring out or revisiting your core values. What drives you as a business owner and as a mom? Maybe you value community, sustainability, financial independence, or work-life balance. These values should guide not only how you run your business but also how it fits into your life.

Write Your Life Vision

Based on your values, create a vision for your life. Picture what you want your life to look like in 5 or 10 years. Does it include financial freedom, flexible hours, or a business that supports other moms in Madison? Writing this vision helps clarify what success means to you.

Set Meaningful Goals

Now, translate your vision into business goals that reflect your values. For example, if community involvement is a priority, a goal could be to host quarterly networking events for Madison moms in business.

Create SMART Action Steps

To achieve your goals, break them into action steps using the SMART framework:

• Specific: Define the task clearly, e.g., “Plan a networking event for 20 local moms.”
• Measurable: Track your progress, like securing a venue or sending invitations.
• Attainable: Keep goals realistic, given your resources and schedule.
• Relevant: Ensure the action aligns with your values and vision.
• Time-Bound: Set a deadline, like completing the event plan by the end of the month.

With clear values, a strong vision, and actionable goals, you can build a business that supports your dreams and serves the Madison community effectively.

Want to read more mompreneur-focused content? Check out these previous blog posts and workshops:

Blog Post: The Value of Co-Working

Blog Post: Task Batching: What It Is and How To Incorporate It Into Your Mom-Owned Business

Video Workshop: Stress Reset for Mompreneurs

The latest work trend on social media, Bare Minimum Mondays, has sparked a conversation about reclaiming work-life balance. Many employees, especially those working from home, are embracing this trend to ease into the week. On Bare Minimum Mondays, they focus only on essential tasks—skipping optional meetings and avoiding new projects. The goal is to reduce stress and allow time for personal or household tasks that often fall to the wayside.

As a mompreneur, this trend might resonate with you. One of the main reasons many moms choose entrepreneurship is the flexibility it offers. While owning a business can lead to long hours, answering emails late at night, and feeling constantly “on call,” it doesn’t have to be that way. Bare Minimum Mondays can serve as a reminder that you have control over your schedule.

Instead of diving headfirst into a packed Monday, consider adopting the idea of a slower start to your week. Use this time to prioritize essential business tasks while also tackling personal or household responsibilities. It could mean answering only urgent client emails, skipping non-essential meetings, or avoiding starting any new projects until midweek when you’re in full swing.

As your own boss, you get to decide when you’re working and when you’re not. Embracing a Bare Minimum Monday can help you prevent burnout, find a better balance between your business and family life, and create the space for a more productive and focused rest of the week. After all, your success as a mompreneur isn’t just measured by how much you do, but by how effectively you manage both your business and your personal well-being.

Want to read more mompreneur-focused content? Check out these previous blog posts and workshops:

Blog Post: WAHMing (Work at Home Mom-ing) this Summer? Tips From Our Mom + Biz Owners!

Blog Post: The Value of Co-Working

Video Workshop: Creative Mindfulness for Mom Entrepreneurs

Running a business as a mom can feel like juggling endless to-do lists for both work and home. Between managing the household, caring for your children, and growing your business, the pressure to handle everything at once can be overwhelming. One productivity technique that can help you balance these competing demands is task batching.

What is Task Batching?

Task batching is a productivity method that involves grouping similar tasks together and completing them during a dedicated block of time. Instead of bouncing from one type of task to another, you focus on one category of tasks at a time. For instance, you could group all your administrative tasks—such as answering emails, writing blog posts, and scheduling social media—into one session. By focusing on similar tasks, you reduce the mental strain caused by switching between different types of work.

Why is Task Batching Beneficial?

1. Task Batching vs. Multitasking:
Unlike multitasking, which splits your attention between multiple tasks simultaneously, task batching allows you to focus on one type of task at a time. Multitasking often feels like you’re being productive, but studies show it can reduce your efficiency and performance. Constantly switching between tasks drains your energy and can lead to more mistakes. Task batching, on the other hand, encourages sustained focus, leading to higher-quality work.

2. Creates Momentum:
When you batch similar tasks together, you get into a rhythm that helps you work faster and more effectively. For example, writing several blog posts in one sitting builds momentum because you stay in the same creative mindset. This is often more efficient than spreading out similar tasks over multiple days.

3. Requires Less Mental Switching:
Every time you switch between tasks—say from creating social media posts to answering emails—your brain needs time to adjust. This mental switching can slow down your productivity. By batching tasks that require similar cognitive effort, you reduce this mental load and free up energy to work more efficiently.

4. Allows for Deeper Thinking:
When you dedicate a block of time to one type of task, you can focus deeply and think critically. This is especially helpful for complex tasks like creating content, recording videos, or writing long-term business plans. You have the mental space to think strategically and come up with more creative solutions, which can help grow your business.

How to Incorporate Task Batching into Your Mom-Owned Business

Task batching can be a game-changer, especially when you’re managing both a business and a household. Here’s how you can start incorporating it into your routine:

1. Group Admin Tasks Together:
Administrative tasks like responding to emails, reconciling finances, and scheduling social media posts can take up a lot of mental energy. Block off a specific time during the week to tackle these tasks all at once. For example, reserve Mondays and Fridays as admin days, where you complete all of these tasks without interruption.

2. Create Content in Batches:
If your business relies on content creation, whether it’s blog posts, social media, or video recordings, batch similar tasks together. Set aside a day or a few hours each week to write multiple blog posts or record several videos at once. You’ll stay in a creative flow, produce more content in less time, and avoid scrambling for last-minute posts.

3. Separate Personal and Business Tasks:
One of the biggest challenges for mompreneurs is balancing personal and business tasks. Consider designating different days for each. For example, reserve weekends or evenings for household chores, grocery shopping, and family time. Use your weekdays for focused business activities. This separation can help you stay present with your family while also ensuring your business gets the attention it needs.

4. Block Household Tasks Together:
Just as you batch business tasks, you can also batch personal and household tasks. Dedicate certain times to laundry, cleaning, meal prep, and other chores. When you group these together, you avoid feeling like you’re constantly switching between managing your household and running your business.

The TL/DR:

For moms who own businesses, time and energy are precious resources. Task batching helps you stay focused, reduces the mental burden of constant task-switching, and gives you the space to think more strategically. By batching tasks together, you can manage your business more efficiently and still have the time to care for your family and yourself. Whether it’s blocking off time for admin work, content creation, or household chores, task batching can help you regain control of your schedule and increase your productivity.

Want to read more mompreneur-focused content? Check out these previous blog posts and workshops:

Blog Post: WAHMing (Work at Home Mom-ing) this Summer? Tips From Our Mom + Biz Owners!

Blog Post: The Value of Co-Working

Video Workshop: Creative Mindfulness for Mom Entrepreneurs

As a mompreneur, it often feels like you’re expected to do everything at once. Between running a business, managing a household, and caring for your family, the temptation to multitask is strong. You might try to respond to emails while cooking dinner or schedule social media posts while helping your kids with homework. But as efficient as multitasking may seem, it’s likely undermining your productivity and focus. Cal Newport’s book Deep Work sheds light on why multitasking isn’t helping you and how focusing on one task at a time can transform your business.

The Multitasking Myth

Many of us believe that multitasking helps us get more done. We’ve been led to think that handling multiple tasks simultaneously will save time and boost productivity. In reality, research shows that multitasking actually reduces efficiency and increases the likelihood of mistakes. The reason? Our brains aren’t wired to handle multiple high-level tasks at once.

When you try to multitask, your brain has to switch between different activities. This constant mental shifting leads to what’s called “attention residue,” where part of your mind remains focused on the previous task. This split focus means it takes longer to complete tasks, and the quality of your work suffers.

Insights from Deep Work

In Deep Work, Cal Newport argues that true productivity comes from focused, undistracted work. According to Newport, multitasking prevents us from engaging in deep work, which is the ability to focus without distraction on cognitively demanding tasks. This type of work is essential for producing high-quality results and making meaningful progress in your business.

For mom entrepreneurs, the concept of deep work is especially relevant. You often have limited time, so it’s critical to make the most of the hours you do have. Multitasking leads to fragmented attention, preventing you from achieving the kind of deep focus that drives real business growth. On the other hand, dedicating uninterrupted blocks of time to a single task allows you to enter a state of deep concentration, where you can think more creatively, solve problems, and complete tasks faster.

Why Multitasking Hurts Your Business

1. Reduces Efficiency:
   Every time you switch tasks—whether from answering a client’s email to checking your social media feed—it takes your brain time to readjust. This constant switching not only wastes time but also reduces the quality of your work. For a mom entrepreneur juggling business and family, this time loss adds up quickly.
2. Increases Stress:
   Multitasking often creates the illusion of being busy, but in reality, it contributes to burnout. The constant mental switching leaves you feeling drained without making significant progress. By focusing on one task at a time, you reduce the mental load and experience less stress.
3. Prevents Deep Thinking:
   Many business tasks require deep thinking—whether it’s planning your marketing strategy, writing content, or analyzing financials. Multitasking keeps you at the surface level of your work, never giving you the opportunity to dive deep and think strategically. In contrast, focusing on one task at a time enables you to engage with the work on a deeper level and produce higher-quality results.

How to Break Free from Multitasking

For many moms, multitasking is a habit born out of necessity. However, breaking this habit can lead to significant improvements in your productivity and well-being. Here are a few strategies inspired by Deep Work to help you shift away from multitasking:

1. Time Blocking:
   One way to combat multitasking is by using time blocks. Dedicate specific blocks of time to focus on a single type of task, such as content creation, client communication, or financial management. During these blocks, eliminate distractions and focus solely on the task at hand. This helps you achieve the deep focus Newport advocates for, allowing you to complete tasks more efficiently.
2. Set Boundaries:
   As a mompreneur, setting boundaries is essential. Let your family know when you need uninterrupted time to work, and schedule personal and household tasks outside of these work blocks. This helps create a clear separation between work and home life, reducing the temptation to multitask.
3. Prioritize Your Tasks:
   Not all tasks require deep focus. Identify which tasks in your business need your full attention and prioritize those during your most productive hours. Save less demanding tasks for times when you have lower energy, like responding to emails or organizing files.

The TL/DR:

Multitasking might feel like a necessity when you’re balancing business and family life, but it’s doing more harm than good. As Cal Newport explains in Deep Work, real productivity comes from focused, uninterrupted work. By breaking free from the multitasking trap and embracing deep work, you can manage your business more effectively, reduce stress, and create the mental space needed to truly thrive as a mompreneur.

Want to read more mompreneur-focused content? Check out these previous blog posts and workshops:

Blog Post: WAHMing (Work at Home Mom-ing) this Summer? Tips From Our Mom + Biz Owners!

Blog Post: The Value of Co-Working

Video Workshop: Creative Mindfulness for Mom Entrepreneurs

Madison Mompreneur Member: Carolyn Kimbro

About Peachtree Interior Design: At Peachtree Interior Design, we believe that every space has the potential to be beautiful and functional, no matter the size or location. With projects spanning across multiple US cities, we take pride in our ability to deliver innovative and stylish solutions. Our team aims to exceed expectations with every project, utilizing creative design techniques to transform spaces into something truly special.

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Looking for our latest Shopping Guide? You can download it here.

Ready to list your business in our directory? See if you meet the requirements and join us here.

Madison Mompreneur Member: Carla Taggart

About Bizzy Mom Podcast: Join Carla & Kristin each week as they laugh (or cry!) about mommin’, marriage, owning a business and all things in between!

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Looking for our latest Shopping Guide? You can download it here.

Ready to list your business in our directory? See if you meet the requirements and join us here.

Member Highlight: The Flour Elise by Krista McDowell

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 Krista McDowell, Owner of The Flour Elise!

Introduce yourself!

I’m Krista McDowell, and I’m the owner of The Flour Elise, a baked goods and cake company in Madison, Alabama.

How does your business help people?

The Flour Elise helps people by offering baked goods & cakes for their special occasions/events.

How long have you lived in Madison County?

I have lived in Madison for 13 years.

What inspired you to start your business?

I have always loved baking & wanted to open a bakery since I was a little girl.

What sets your business apart from others in the industry?

I specialize in custom buttercream cakes & turning those fondant cakes into buttercream cakes.

What do you consider to be your biggest success so far?

I consider my buttercream hot dog cake to be my biggest business success so far!

How does your business contribute to the local community?

I offer beautiful buttercream cakes that look like the beautiful fondant cakes.

How do you see your business evolving in the next 5-10 years?

I see myself having a storefront location & offering many more offerings that the Madison town is missing out on.

Who are your typical customers, and how do they find you?

My typical clients are looking for baked goods. They find me through Facebook, Instagram, word of mouth & vending events.

What do you enjoy most about running your business?

Baking & customer service

How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes?

I’m constantly learning and getting inspiration from Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a business in your industry?

Make sure you do all your research. Also be ready for lots of work & sleepless nights!

Any product/service you would like to highlight at this time?

I offer birthday cakes, and I am looking to booking some more in the coming months.

Do you involve your kids in your business? If yes, how so?

Yes my 17 year old is my biggest helper! He goes with me to all of my events as well as washes my dishes. He is amazing!

What do you find is the most difficult part of balancing motherhood and business life?

Making sure he feels appreciated for everything he does for me!

What business in the Madison area is your favorite?

Taqueria Luna! They’re such an amazing business & are always sharing my posts.

Who is your business bestie?

Yesss Morgan Anderson with Rainbow Realm Hair Co! We support one another, share each other’s posts, reccomend one another & chat alot. She’s truly amazing at what she does & I believe in her so VERY much!

Anything else you want us to highlight?

My sugar cookies!

Where can people find you?

Facebook

Don’t forget to read about other Mompreneurs, our latest member highlight was Michelle Thao of Momtastic Fitness

If Krista’s experience as 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!

PiperMâché Website Studio

Industry: Technology, Business Services

Madison Mompreneur Member: Juliana Piper

About PiperMache: PiperMâché is a custom website design and SEO studio specializing in Showit website designs. Located in Madison, AL.

Whether you need a website redesign or a new website design, I can help you craft a website that is uniquely yours, user-friendly, and conversion-driven. I’ve put together an easy plan that makes this process as easy as drawing a stick figure.

Your website needs to be alive, and it requires constant updates. Outsourcing Website maintenance service is a smart investment. I also offer blogging strategy services to help you drive traffic, and hourly services for website updates.

SEO optimization service enhances your website’s visibility on search engines like Google. Additionally, I offer website audits to evaluate your website’s performance and provide add-on pages to facilitate ongoing business growth online.

When I am not helping at Madison Mompreneur, I love working with local business and have a few added to my portfolio if you would like to take a peek.

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• Facebook
• Instagram
• Etsy
• YouTube

Visit PiperMache at: they are just a click away.

You can read more about PiperMache at our Member Spotlight special blog post series

Madison Mompreneur Member Highlight Series: Featuring Michelle Thao of Momtastic Fitness

Today we are excited to share a Member Spotlight on another Madison Mompreneur! The Member Highlight Series is designed to 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 by shinning a spotlight on Michelle Thao, owner of Momtastic Fitness.

Introduce yourself!

I’m Michelle and I am the owner of Momtastic Fitness where I specifically work with pre/postnatal moms.

How does your business help people?

I help my clients by providing and executing safe and effective workouts for pregnant and postpartum moms. Making sure they are comfortable and knowledgeable about exercising also.

How long have you lived in Madison County?

I lived in Madison about a year but city hopped over Huntsville/ Madison area. Currently live in Meridianville.

What inspired you to start your business?

What inspired to start my business all started when I was pregnant with my daughter 6 years ago. Being in the fitness industry and lacking resources for the pre/postnatal demographic was discouraging. Moms should be able to feel seen and heard not just athletes.

What sets your business apart from others in the industry?

I’m a mom who loves fitness! Not only that but I actually work with pre/postnatal moms specifically. I mean, that’s pretty niched down! Not a lot of people actually heard of pre/postnatal trainers when they schedule a consultation with me.

What do you consider to be your biggest success so far?

My biggest success is having the desire to see change in people whether small or big, I celebrate them all. Seeing people getting results is already the big success.

How does your business contribute to the local community?

My business can contribute to local communities by providing resources about safe and effective exercising to the hospitals, pelvic floor therapists, doulas/midwives, etc. I think exercising during pregnancy especially can be really beneficial to these communities and physicians because not a lot of people know fitness trainers that works with moms.

How do you see your business evolving in the next 5-10 years?

I see it evolving into great, bigger things than what I expect! In the next 5 years or less I hope to have my own fitness studio instead of renting one.

Who are your typical customers, and how do they find you?

Typical customers are mainly moms. They find me honestly through word of mouth

What do you enjoy most about running your business?

The part I enjoy the most is putting my expertise and knowledge into action.

How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and changes?

Continuing education! In addition to continually learning from physicians and physical therapists.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting a business in your industry?

I would say, things take time and consistency. Don’t rush into anything that doesn’t make you feel at peace when making decisions.

Any product/service you would like to highlight at this time?

I offer FREE consultations. In late Spring, I will be starting small group training sessions.

Michelle offers training year round, so make sure to check out her website for the latest programs.

Do you involve your kids in your business? If yes, how so?

No, I don’t. Not really but whenever I have clients, and they bring their kids with them, I help assist the mom with their kids.

What do you find is the most difficult part of balancing motherhood and business life?

Oh my goodness, scheduling and keeping up with things will probably be the most challenging thing!

What business in the Madison area is your favorite?

Mine is The Exercise Coach and YMCA!

Who is your business bestie?

Yes, Shelby Simon and Kaelie Harris.

Anything else you want us to highlight?

I also offer in home training in addition to my small group classes. I would love for all pre/postnatal moms to join me.

Where can people find you?

Send me a message on my website or text me.

We love that Michelle offers specialized support for pre/postnatal moms, as moms often give so much of themselves during that season of life. If Michelle’s experience as 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!

Don’t forget to read about other Mompreneurs, our latest member highlight was Heather White of Heather Leigh Art