Feature Friday - MLM Brand
This week on our “Feature Friday” we’re highlighting fellow mom, Magda Lasota Morales, founder and CEO of MLM Brand. MLM Brand makes breastfeeding dresses made from sustainable fabrics that allow you to have fashion, functionality, and comfort all-in-one. “Our pieces are designed in Los Angeles and ethically made in Chicago by women who work in fair conditions and earn a living wage.” These dresses are a must-have for any breastfeeding mom!
Tell us a bit about yourself before you became a mom, and also how you changed when you had kids.
The most surprising thing about being a first-time mom is… how much my world and priorities changed after becoming a mother. Before I had kids, I thought I would be fine being away from my boys (I’ve seen so many moms — including my own — do it!). When I became a mother, something inside of me shifted. It was a result and a combination of growing up in Europe (where family policies are generally more supportive of working parents), living an ocean away from my family in Poland, and my husband’s demanding career (which meant long hours at a hospital). Once my boys came into the picture, I was determined to figure out a way to have more control over my schedule and be positively present for my young family. I wanted to be there in those early years of motherhood. When I made a decision to pause my career and align my work alongside motherhood, I knew this was the right choice for our family. Was it easy? Absolutely not! For a while, I’ve let the societal stigma of becoming a stay-at-home mom get to me. I’ve heard “friends” say: “What will this pause do to your career and salary?”, “Why are you working to launch your business — I thought you wanted to be with your kids?”, Why are you hiring a nanny if you’re not making any money and being a mom IS your job?” And so many other comments that were a reflection of how the society still thinks of women and working mothers, and what they should or shouldn’t do. I’ve never felt more empowered than when I decided to dedicate this chapter to my young family. I made a choice that was right for my family, and I refused to let anyone make me me feel like that was not enough. I believe women, mothers can have it all, just not at the same time, not always. Women who choose motherhood deserve to feel empowered and supported at work and in a society. We live in a hustle culture and often times we forget that raising the next generation is the most important job.
Since becoming a mother 7 years ago, my world shifted and there’s nothing that I love more than being a mom. I’ve never felt more accomplished and ambitious than during my years at home building a business on my own terms and schedule, alongside motherhood.
How would you describe what you do and what inspired you?
My name is Magda Lasota Morales and I’m the founder of MLM (the name of the label is my initials). I started my brand in 2019 with a mission to empower moms to feel their best while breastfeeding and/or pumping, to help new moms reach their nursing/pumping goals, and bring “chic” back into maternity clothing. Back in 2016, when I first began researching the maternity fashion industry, as far as I knew, there was no dress like the Little Breastfeeding Dress on the US market. Our LBD can be worn during pregnancy and comes with a discreet breastfeeding and pumping friendly access ideal for postpartum. The silhouette is simple, yet elegant and flattering. All of our products are thoughtfully designed and thoroughly tested by other moms before they are released on the market. We use organic sustainable fabrics and manufacture our dresses in Chicago as an effort to support local communities. We opt for compostable packaging and all secondary materials are 100% recyclable. Whenever you purchase a piece from our collection, it’s a purchase you can feel great about! I’m forever inspired by my children and the women in my life.
What has been a highlight of your business/project? What’s been a highlight of being a mom?
The highlight of my business is seeing moms wear MLM Brand’s designs — as a business owner there’s no better feeling than that. Seeing my children go out into the world and being kind, caring, respectful toward others is the highlight of raising little people.
How do you take time to focus on yourself while balancing parenting?
For the longest time, I didn’t take time to focus on myself outside of entrepreneurship and motherhood. About 4 years after I became a mother, I found myself exhausted, burned out and consistently overwhelmed. I knew it was time for a change. I finally 100% believed in the cute, empowering posts about “self-care” floating all over social media. I realized I couldn’t be the best version of myself if I didn’t take care of my needs. I now regularly make time for barre workouts, hikes, dinners with mom-friends, crime podcasts and long baths.
What tips would you give to other moms to feel successful or empowered?
The best piece of advice about motherhood is to go out (literally or virtually) and find your village — a group of moms for playdates, mom dates, and everything in between. I wouldn’t make it through the early months, years of motherhood without the support of my mom friends. I think it’s also safe to say that MLM Brand wouldn’t be here without my amazing, selfless, supportive mom friends who helped with the initial product testing and offered feedback on park benches and during breastfeeding meetups.
How can people learn more about you & what you do?
You can learn more about my story and the brand’s mission on our website www.mlmbrand.com. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to share my story!
