I came across Mommy Mailbox on Instagram while looking through my feed one morning. I noticed that many of the Mommy bloggers I follow were posting similar pictures of this monthly gift box and I had to know what the excitement was all about.

Being a new mom you can sometimes start to feel a little housebound and the idea of a monthly “pick-me-up” filled with surprise items carefully curated just for mom sounded fabulous. This is perfect, I thought to myself, I will let my husband know that he can stop worrying about what to get me for mother’s day! That is until I read the fine print and learned that Mommy Mailbox was only shipping to the US. Instead of wallowing in my own sorrow, I decided to contact the lovely ladies of Mommy Mailbox and was quickly informed that they were just about to start shipping to Canada. I received my first box in June and have been enjoying great gifts like: Love & Salt Beach Hair and Body Mist: from Olivine Atelier (a company that supports Every Mother Counts) all summer long.

I love this product, not only because it’s the perfect spray for after water waves (something that makes beach days that much easier for mom), but also because a company that is ethically aware makes it. The women behind Mommy Mailbox spend a lot of time choosing the perfect items for their monthly boxes and this was just one of my favourites from the June box.

After learning about the carefully curated monthly boxes and getting to know Jamie, one of the leading ladies behind Mommy Mailbox, I am so excited to share the story of three mompreneurs who just decided to go for it.

1. I love the idea of three mompreneurs coming together and pursuing their dreams! What brought the three of you together?

Sarah and I are sisters so we’ve been together for life! Sarah and Ainsley were neighbours for several years and became good friends. She introduced me to Ainsley and the three of us had a great dynamic from the beginning. It’s really fun to run a business with people you not only enjoy working with, but also deeply care about.

2. Mommy Mailbox is such a fantastic idea! Who doesn’t love a monthly surprise of goodies when mommy life can get so hectic? How did you come up with the concept?

Sarah is really entrepreneurial and had talked to both of us about business ideas for years. When she introduced me to Ainsley, I knew we had a fantastic team but none of the ideas felt quite right yet. We each had unique skills from our previous full-time careers that we wanted to keep using. However, we wanted to find a business we were really passionate about. Sarah actually came up with the concept behind Mommy Mailbox and the more we talked about it, the more we knew it was the right fit for us. We each have young children and so this business really spoke to the phase of life we are in. We also know first hand how much moms can use a little pick-me-up once in a while! Helping women feel special and appreciated just resonated with all three of us.

3. Do you think that motherhood/parenting was a source of inspiration for you?

It constantly is! We are always looking at the ways women nurture their families for inspiration. Each month, we work with a theme that applies to both the products in the box as well as to motherhood. For example, our July theme was Unwind, which was a great fit for some summertime favourites. It also speaks to letting go of the pace of the school year, taking time to relax with loved ones and just having some days to enjoy your children. That can get lost sometimes.

4. The monthly boxes are always full of great finds. What is your process for curating or sourcing out the different items each month?

It’s a blend of techniques. We are always on the hunt for great products and companies everywhere we go. A couple times a year, we set aside weekends as a team to shop, explore and really focus on unearthing amazing products. Vendors can also contact us through mommymailbox.com and we love hearing about new items that way. Lastly, our monthly curators send us their favourite finds, which helps us learn about new brands we wouldn’t have otherwise known about. Sorting through and trying out products is one of the best parts of the business!

5. With the three of you contributing to this budding business it must make for some creative coffee chats. Can you describe your individual roles for me a bit more and explain what it’s like working together as a team?

Yes, it does make for creative discussions for sure! Ainsley manages of all the visual aspects of our brand. She brings a strong graphic design background so she is in charge of all our photography and branding, as well as our social media platforms. I am lucky enough to work with vendors, curators and other brands we connect with. My background is in PR and marketing, so I also get to oversee our marketing and work with Ainsley on social media. Sarah’s background is in financial management so she handles the business aspect of Mommy Mailbox, including billing and balancing our books. She also oversees shipping and manages our fulfilment center relationship. We all work together on deciding the direction of the brand.

6. Like all mompreneurs there’s always the challenge of balancing work and family life, what are your methods for dealing with this?

 Whew, it’s never easy. Naptimes are precious! We also realized early on that having a team to run the business is essential. We can cover for each other and shift the workload around when needed. No one can do everything, though as mothers we try pretty hard!

7. Can you offer some advice for other mompreneurs on “finding joy, balance and inspiration in the chaos of family life”?

As a wise friend with grown children reminded me, for better or for worse, this too shall pass. I look back and the sleep-deprived nights with a newborn passed at the same rate as the thrilling moments of first steps and first words. Sometimes it was too fast; sometimes it felt like time was crawling. It has helped me so much to remember that no phase lasts forever so I need to muscle through the hard ones and really treasure the amazing ones. It reminds me to truly recognize the joy of motherhood and not get too worried when things really are crazy or messy, or both.

I would also add that finding something you are passionate about and pursuing it will always help you feel balanced. As women, we have so many facets to ourselves and so many strengths. Developing those strengths, whether they turn into a business or not, will only help you be a better mother and a more fulfilled person.

8. It’s so exciting that Mommy Mailbox now ships to Canada. What are your hopes for the future of the company?

Oh, we have so many ideas brimming! Sometimes it’s hard to pick and choose where to spend our energy. Our hope is to continue to reach more mothers in the US and Canada, and maybe even outside North America too. We also want to remain relevant in our subscribers’ lives through multiple stages of motherhood. And we have some exciting announcements coming soon so stay tuned!

Monthly boxes are really catching on these days, you can find anything from your favourite make-up to doggy treats, but what makes Mommy Mailbox so special is that it really does feel like a personalized gift. While I can still make the trip to the mall with my little one and buy the things I need or want, I don’t have as much free time as I did before to search for new or interesting items. That’s where Mommy Mailbox comes in. The items in each monthly box are themed, seasonal and chosen with mom in mind. I have to say that I love the surprise element as well, when that box arrives and you are so excited to see what’s inside; it feels like Christmas once a month!

Disclosure: Companies featured in this series often sponsor my posts and, or send products for review. If I love the company and their products, I am more than happy to share them with you!