Going All In With Alana Kayfetz

Episode 45 - Going All In With Alana KayfetzIn this episode, I speak with Alana Kayfetz, the founder and CEO of MomsTO. When thinking of the topic of going All In, she’s the first person that comes to mind! Alana outlines how her love of bringing people together, along with the trials and tribulations of becoming a parent inspired her to build a community of moms who would support each other, and from that MomsTO was born. The Side HustleAlana outlines how her journey into entrepreneurship was accidental. Like many new mothers, she had dreamed of what this time in her life would be like, but the reality of being a new parent was a shock. Her first child was born in the fall and found herself with a young baby at home for months during a long Canadian winter. She joined mommy/baby groups in her area and found a common theme at these events; the other moms weren’t communicating with each other. Alana, an expert at building communities and bringing people together, decided that she could change that. MomsTO, a community-based organization that focuses on the parent experience, supportive and dynamic programs about parenthood and events, both live and in person. It evolved into a dynamic relationship, where women are kinder and gentler to themselves and others.  The Ah-Ha! MomentThe AH-HA moment that brought Alana to where she is today started in a baby group meeting, where she was asked what her personal mission was. In the moment, she realized that to achieve what she wanted, she had to go ALL IN, give it her full focus instead of it being her side hustle. This decision was not made lightly; part of our discussion covers the uncertainty, risks and logistics around leaving permanent employment in pursuit of entrepreneurship. The Big LeapWhile stepping away from her regular paycheque was a considerable risk, Alana talks about how having the courage to jump in and how having someone who believes in you are essential to being successful. The secret is loving what you do 80% of the time while allowing 10% of it to suck as long as the remaining 10% makes you feel elated. She also talks about being intentional with your time, to plan when you work, spend time with family and spend time on yourself.  Getting PaidAlana found she had so many big ideas on how she could add value to her raving fans. She was always looking for ways to give these moms a great day to enhance their parenting experience, but she was burning herself out on events. She hired a business coach (me!), and together we streamlined and doubled down on her efforts. It was shocking at how fast the business has changed in a short time. She has now launched The Mom Halo - a membership-based community, adding even more value and scaling her business in a way she’d never imagined. She found that once she was able to overcome her own insecurity, she was able to give the best of herself to the paid membership community.  No Mom Left BehindAlana admits that while it’s extraordinary to become a mother, getting through the early stages is often hard – just like entrepreneurship. Associations are significant in both. Links mentioned in this episode:Moms That Say F*uck - PodcastHosted by Dr. Dina Kulik and Alana Kayfetzhttps://www.momsthatsay.comMoms Torontohttps://www.momsto.comIG @momstorontoMomfest (her signature event)https://momfest.caMomfest SpeakersEden Eatshttp://www.edeneats.com Cat & Nathttps://catandnat.caMamas & Co. https://www.mamasandco.caLianne Kim VIP Coachinghttps://www.liannekim.com/vipcoaching