Dear Friends, Family & Supporters,
As I get closer to my launch date for Mila's Keeper, I want to explicitly say how grateful I am for all of your support over the last years. Without the support of all of you, I know I could not have started this business that sets out specifically to create a positive impact on women and girls around the world.
I have been extremely passionate about the topic of maternal and child health since I was in graduate school when I first wrote my thesis on this topic. I spent three months in Vietnam touched by the healthcare workers I had the privilege of working with. I knew then that it was my destiny to work towards a path of focusing on helping improve the lives of women and children.
I was also awe-inspired by my incredible internship experience at the World Health Organization on public-private partnerships which led me to my passion to gain the skills of marrying private or for-profit resources to support public impact. It was then that I became equally passionate about how for profits can truly make a social impact in this world.
Now, 18 years later with unforgettable experiences around the world under my belt, I have been so incredibly lucky to have been able to build this company bringing together all of the things that I love and am so passionate about.
So now the real journey of Mila's Keeper begins, my company has launched, and it's time to see if we can really improve the lives of breastfeeding mamas around the world. If we can reduce stress, create peace of mind for hardworking mamas, we will have made some progress. If a mama maintains breastfeeding just an extra month when she returns to work, we will have made some progress. If a mama can reuse her products after she is done breastfeeding, then we have made some progress. If we send a mama to the mountaintop with her breast milk safely stored, we definitely have made progress!
We will never stop here though - and will always continue to improve ourselves for the benefit of our mamas. Give us feedback, good or bad, we need it to keep doing better.
So thank you to my unknown supporters who have signed up for my newsletter even though it didn't start until 3 years later! You have given me hope and inspiration to keep going.
Thank you to everyone who I have worked with that helped me physically create the Mila's Keeper products to packaging: my incredibly talented brand designer, Megan, who is now on her second baby and 3 moves since this process, my genius engineer Amanda, who has tolerated revisions after revisions, my brilliant patent lawyer, Jordan, who I know has my back always, my amazing intern Melissa, who I now enjoy having cocktails with.
Thank you to my friends who have been tortured by me getting their opinions about color swatches, who have had to hear me vent about my struggles, who have brainstormed with me on every word, who have given me hugs and congrats for every minor step towards this moment.
And a special huge thanks to my husband, Brett, who without him, I could have never achieved any of this while staying incredibly motivated. He has put up with my hundreds of late nights, lended me his muscle power, and is always there with love and moral support.
Thank you, thank you thank you all. Now let's get this party started!!
Lara
Photo Credit: Stephanie Tusler @ TSLR Lifestyle
1 comment
Allie
Glad us mommas have you in our corner! These are such useful and cool products!
Glad us mommas have you in our corner! These are such useful and cool products!