Jessica Jackson | An Entrepreneur On The Shifts, The Financial Realities & Coming Back To Purpose
by Neha Ruch
Today’s Q&A with Jessica Jackson, creator and founder of the Mookabee Swaddle, is a connective thread between so many elements of the Untitled chapter. From her departure from the traditional career path, to finding purpose in parenthood (again and again), to navigating the exhaustion of early parenthood and reconciling the financial and time realities of choosing to shift to part-time and then again to entrepreneurship, hers’ is an experience - or rather a collection of experiences - most women in the Mother Untitled community will be able to see themselves in. As a bonus, for anyone wanting to put a meaningful product out into the world, Jessica offers a tangible guide to making it happen and sticking with it. Read about Jessica’s full journey, below.
1. You and I met because of the launch of Mookabee, but I also loved hearing about all the career pauses and shifts you made prior. Can you walk us down the choices you made to make room for motherhood in various seasons?
Before I became a mom, I had no plans to change anything about my career. I was working in advertising. On paper, I was achieving success – building stronger relationships with my clients, earning salary increases, and title promotions – but deep down, I knew it was not my true passion. I was just going through the motions of what I thought you were supposed to do.
Then I had Grace, and my entire world changed. It was as if a light switch was turned on, and for the first time, I felt a real purpose. I decided I wanted to take a step back from the grind of commuting and working long hours in the city to be able to spend more time with my baby. My husband and I were not able to completely cut my salary. We had recently bought our first home and were just starting out, but we talked it through, and he was supportive of my decision to take a part-time position that was closer to home and allowed me to be present with my daughter more. It meant cutting back in areas and financially sacrificing. Soon after, my husband’s job relocated our family, so I began working remotely from Bethesda, Maryland. Shortly before I had my second daughter, Ellie, I was laid off. At the time, it was so upsetting, but only a few months later, Ellie was born, and because of her, so was the idea for the Mookabee, so in a way, it all felt destined. Being laid off gave me more time to focus on nurturing my kids, and this idea for the Mookabee had just started to blossom.
2. The idea from Mookabee came from such a personal experience - what roadblocks did you experience, within yourself or externally - to take that instinct and decide to run with it?
The idea for the Mookabee came to me during a huge transformational period in my life. I had literally just given birth to my second daughter, and I experienced an incredibly traumatic delivery. Ellie was born via c-section that resulted in near-fatal complications leading to a second operation which ultimately saved my life. I had a long recovery where I spent a lot of time just being with my kids and my husband and thinking about what was profoundly valuable to me.
Like most moms of newborns, I was also getting little sleep, and the idea for the Mookabee was a result of that. But the baby product market is an intimidating and competitive area to enter. While I knew the Mookabee was a great idea, I also knew it would take a lot of time and money - both of which are tremendous areas of stress, not just for me but for my family. And of course, there is always a level of self-doubt - "what if I can't produce what I envision"? "What if it doesn't sell like I imagine it would?" Plus, it was essential to me to make sure the Mookabee met and exceeded all consumer product safety standards, first and foremost, which means lots of safety tests - and product revisions. This ultimately resulted in switching factories along the way to ensure the highest quality of materials possible. It also meant it would take years of refining the Mookabee to be as perfect as we could make it - which of course, led to more time and more money, all of which led to a lot of anxiety. But from the beginning, I felt very strongly that it was a product missing from the market because it enables a mom or dad to continue to bond and comfort their baby in a safe and novel way, so I tried to push past the fear and focus on why I started to begin with.
3. I so admire how people take an idea and make it a tangible product. What was the path from idea to where you are now?
I came up with the idea for the Mookabee when my younger daughter, who is now 4, was a newborn and barely slept unless she was laying on me. While I loved the snuggles, I was exhausted, and it was affecting the entire family. I would look up sleep tips and kept coming across the idea to put your scent in the crib with your baby, using a worn shirt or cloth, but I knew having a loose item in the crib went against Safe Sleep Guidelines. I started researching the science behind scent and its role in helping babies sleep. The results were overwhelming and so impressive! After talking to pediatricians, sleep specialists and collaborating with my partner, the first Mookabee sample was made. It’s taken four years, mistakes along the way, several factories, dozens of rounds of testing and feedback from moms and dads to bring the Mookabee to market finally.
4. Tactically speaking, how do you make room for the work you are doing alongside raising two kids - especially during the year we've had?
For a long time, I had a tough time saying no to time that could be spent with my kids. I felt like if I was doing work or on a call, I was neglecting them somehow. So, I was doing a lot of interrupted “me-time” – that looked like getting snacks, refereeing arguments, setting up an art project, and so on, all while trying to do work. It was ineffective and frustrating for all of us. My kids and my work were getting my half-attention. But over time, I have realized that there is nothing wrong with setting aside time where I focus solely on my work and focus solely on my kids. That means setting boundaries and saying I cannot be interrupted, and closing the door to the [home] office. It involves more planning, especially when there’s homework that needs to be done and games that want to be played. I make sure they are fed (otherwise, forget it!), and they know what the rest of the day will look like before I start on anything Mookabee related.
5. You have a full load right now, what are some habits and routines - for yourself or your family - that keep you feeling balanced?
I would say some days are more balanced than others. We still have our fair share of chaos happening! But I’ve gotten into the habit of getting up earlier than everyone else in the house, so I have time to get the morning going before I’m being pulled in different directions. I make breakfast and lunch for the kids, get myself ready, and have a cup of coffee while I’m checking my emails, which allows me to start my day off right. I’ve noticed that on the mornings I’m scrambling, the whole day tends to feel off.
I also started doing telehealth appointments with a therapist, and I love it. It’s an hour that allows me to talk about whatever I’m feeling, good or bad so that I can be a better version of myself at the end of the day. I’m a firm believer that everyone can benefit from therapy, so I really encourage it, especially after the last year we’ve all had.
I also make sure to set time aside to spend with my kids uninterrupted. That means I’m not on my phone or checking emails. We also have a family dinner most nights, giving us quality time together to talk about our day.
Quick Chit Chat:
+ Product you'd gift every mother
A new mom would get the Mookabee Swaddle of course! I also love a good face mask - glamglow is a favorite - and think all moms deserve a few minutes of “me-time” so that is always on my list.
+ Favorite family vacation spot-
Greece. The country, people, and food are incredible. And the pace of life is much slower.
+ 3 Instagram accounts that inspire you- It is so hard to pick 3!
@biglittlefeelings because they have the best tips for raising kids.
@momfully.you because it helps to have a reminder that becoming a mom doesn’t mean you lose your identity.
@mommy.realist because I love that she normalizes ALL areas of motherhood.
You can follow more on Jessica and Mookabee on Instagram.
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