Lorena Garcia is one busy mama! In addition to being a mother of a beautiful 2-year-old son, the co-founder of the Bloguettes, an online resource for entrepreneurs and bloggers, she also just launched the nutrition line Majka with fellow entrepreneur Majo Mansour.
Lorena was inspired to create Majka as a nutritional resource for new moms. The protein powder and lactation bars were created to help every mom feel less depleted so she can focus on what's important.
We sat down with Lorena to chat about what inspired her new brand, why she is so passionate about supporting new moms and how she balances work and motherhood.
What inspired you to create Majka?
Before I became a mom, I used to see new moms on social media and they made motherhood look so easy! When I had my son, Diego, I quickly realized that motherhood was not just mentally exhausting but physically challenging, as well. Being an entrepreneur and business owner, I could not—or so I thought—take a long maternity leave. So, I was back to work at Bloguettes two weeks after having my son. At three months postpartum, I was exhausted! I started losing my hair and felt drained mentally and physically. Between the demands of being a new mom and my busy lifestyle, I was making wrong food choices. I quickly realized there was a significant gap in the wellness space supporting new mothers nutrition and a brand that empowered women to practice self-care. After approaching my co-founder Majo Mansour, and after endless months of hard work, Majka was born.
What was the process like when going from the concept to launch?
Way longer than I ever expected! I naively thought we could launch in six months. But, of course, it took much longer—closer to two years. The first priority was to narrow down exactly who our market was and what problem we were solving. Once we had this nailed down, we determined what we wanted our brand to be and stand for, and started product development. As with every new product, the development stage took a long time. So much testing and research went into our products. Our goal was to formulate products with the best ingredients possible and never sacrifice quality for the price, so that took even longer. Once we were 100 percent confident about our formulas, we moved into packaging and marketing development. There were many steps before we could officially launch and be available for purchase. The entire process was a huge learning experience.
As a mother, how do you make it all work?
I work on this daily! My goal is to be better tomorrow than I was today. For me, it's all about organization, schedule and prioritizing. I know what’s important to me and I try to focus my time on that. If something does not go on the calendar, it won't happen. I schedule everything from family time to work meetings and dedicated email time.
When did you first feel successful?
Nowadays, we all think about success in terms of money, but on my entrepreneurial journey, I quickly learned that if you are in it just for the money, you can quickly get discouraged. I felt success the moment I realized how much I truly love and am passionate about what I do. I am building the life that I want, not just waiting for things to happen.
Has there been anything about starting this brand that surprised you or inspired you in a way you didn't expect?
Yes! I pay a lot of attention to what is happening in the mom community and was shocked to discover how many other women have, like me, struggled with their health and emotions after giving birth. I now realize how important it is to support other women and new mothers. I was impressed by how many women were speaking out about the difficulties of motherhood and not being embarrassed to share their journey. I feel sharing that reality of motherhood is extremely important and helpful for other moms.
What's your advice for moms who are looking to start their own business?
If you really want to start a business—do it! Don't let yourself or other people's opinions stop you! In the end, you are the only one that will live with the consequences of not pursuing your dreams and there is no worse feeling than "what if?"
What sacrifices have you made as a mom and business owner to keep everything in balance?
I think a big sacrifice that I have made is spending time with friends. I feel like since Diego was born, my priority has been spending as much time with him and my husband, while also working hard to pursue my dreams. So, sometimes, I don't have a lot of time for other things. Maintaining a social life has been hard.
If you could have lunch with any business person/mogul/entrepreneur/nonprofit founder living or dead, who would it be and why?
I would say Emily Weiss the founder of Glossier! I truly admire the company that she has built and I would love to learn more about her and journey to building such an impressive empire.
Are there any new initiatives or products on the horizon for Majka?
Yes! We are so excited to expand our line and we are working on another lactation support product, and have many more exciting plans for the brand.
What is your favorite time-saving app or service you use regularly?
As simple as it sounds, I LOVE Google Calendar. Without it, I would not be able to make the most out of my day! And my business partner and co-founder of Bloguettes, Sakura Considine, introduced me to Milanote, which helps organize and plan projects.
