M+A Edit

While most new moms pack their baby registry with bottles and nursing gear, fewer have time to map out the kitchen tools they’ll crave in four to six months when baby starts on solids. (Truth: your itty bitty newborn will be snacking on sweet potato faster than you think!) Registered dietitians Amanda Baker Lemein and Julie Pappas did the vetting for you—check out their favorite mom-tested, expert-approved feeding tools that make prepping nutritious meals and snacks a whole lot easier—and actually a lot of fun. Puree dispensing spoon The Boon...

Since starting Zumba in 2001, Alberto Perlman has been pushing himself and his company further and reaching for a better customer experience. Known as 'exercise in disguise', Zumba blends contagious world rhythms with easy-to-follow choreography, for an effective, total-body workout that feels more like a party than exercise. Growing from a small three person operation, Alberto has seen Zumba change into a fitness phenomenon spanning over 180 countries and serving over 15 million people. But through all of this, what has made Zumba successful are not those things that have...

From the all-important “book” adoptive parents create for birth families, to the years of paper work and waiting lists, and that final, life-changing call—elementary school teacher Christina Forzley shares what adopting a newborn looked like for her family. On deciding to adopt: My husband Matt and I always knew we wanted a family in some way, shape or form. Adoption has always been a big part of my family, because my brother is adopted, so we had the idea we might adopt at some point. We spent several years trying...

When Gretchen Hansen spotted two pink chairs in the back of a vintage shop, she immediately had that “I found it” feeling. But when she couldn't find a way to make them work in her space, she enlisted the help of her friend, an interior decorator, by sending her a few quick pictures. Her friend had the perfect solution to make them fit in the space. Gretchen immediately thought: what if I was able to bring this amazing remote decorating experience to everybody? Gretchen Hansen is the CEO and founder...

By Hadley Seward, Pediatric Sleep Consultant + Founder of Bonne Nuit Baby As new parents, we’re all fixated on our babies’ nighttime sleep. We fantasize about those 10-hour stretches and dream about the day our little ones will be on a 7-7 schedule. Finally, we’ll have our lives back! But most of us don’t focus as much on naps, since it doesn’t impact our sleep as much. Here’s what you may not know: there’s a lot of cognitive and physical development that goes on during a nap, especially after 16...

Whether she's documenting her breastfeeding journey, NICU stay, or swaddling struggles, Ro Williams Brann, founder of the jewelry line, The Mom Life Co., is the first to admit that 'learning baby' is no joke. (Cheers to her suggestion that moms deserve doctorate degrees.) With three-year-old Arya London and five-month-old Avery Jae at home, we chatted with Brann about the beauty of toddler distractions, transitioning from one to two, and the importance of giving yourself grace. Running my own business with a new baby is: like the most terrifying yet exhilarating...

After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer, Hillary Peterson found herself extremely curious about everything she had been putting in and on her body. When she started digging, she started to see all kinds of toxins in all of her skin care products, and was taken aback. Still working, and as a new mom, she started her journey towards a healthy solution to skin care.Our guest today on The Mentor Files is Hillary Peterson, founder of True Botanicals, a line of skincare products that are toxin-free. Channeling her fear and frustration...

Dan Wenhold is a Principal at Fifth Wall, where he co-heads the Retail & Consumer Investment team, leading investments in omnichannel retail brands and technologies. Prior to joining Fifth Wall, Dan was the first employee and Director of Retail at The Black Tux and a growth equity investor at Battery Ventures. Dan started his career as a financial analyst at Robert W. Baird. Dan's past experiences with startups has given him a unique outlook in the ventures space, particularly in working within retail. If you're at all interested in going...

Today on The Mentor Files we have Phil Schwarz, a Principal at Corazon Capital, a Chicago-based fund that focuses on investing in early stage technology companies. From 2014-2016, Phil served as Chief Marketing Officer of Tinder, overseeing the company’s brand, growth and retention marketing efforts worldwide. Phil’s prior roles include Vice President of Growth Initiatives at Match Group, a division of IAC, as well as Executive Director at Kaplan and Kaplan Ventures (then part of the Washington Post Company), where Phil co-founded the Kaplan/Techstars EdTech Accelerator, invested in early stage...

So the 4th might not be the most baby-friendly holiday (infants don’t really mix well with beer, sparklers, and sweltering temps) but it can still be lots of fun—so long as your bag is packed right. Check out what Payal Adhikari, MD, a pediatrician with Child & Adolescent Health Associates in Chicago, suggests for a safe and baby-happy celebration. Battle Pesky MosquitosAfter two months of age, the CDC and AAP say it’s safe to put mosquito repellant on your baby—and a really good idea if you’re in a place where...