We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kelli Mumphrey. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kelli below.

Hi Kelli, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The story truly begins in 2013 when I had my first baby during my Active-Duty service time in the United States Navy. Simply put, I wanted to breastfeed my baby, but I felt I did not have support, knowledge, or access to breastfeeding resources to successfully breastfeed during maternity leave or when I returned to work. During that time, mentally and physically it was all too much to wrap my brain around. I stopped trying, and focused on recovering from my caesarian, my new family, and returning to work to support the mission.

Fast forward to 2014, I gave birth to my second daughter. However, this time I was no longer serving on Active Duty, but serving as a drilling USN reservist (weekend warrior) once a month attached to Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth. This time around, although I had the support of my OBGYN, my government employer, and the Presbyterian hospital, I quickly realized outside of those environments and the comfort of my home, trying to breastfeed and/or pump while on the go was a struggle to find access to adequate nursing facilities in public spaces.

I decided to become the solution and formed MilkSpace, LLC as an event service to provide a Pop-Up MilkSpace. The Pop-Up MilkSpace, included necessities I knew mothers would appreciate; (1) comfortable chair, table for staging, power source for pumps, and breastfeeding essentials. 2020-2021 the pandemic put a screeching halt in my ability to move forward in servicing events.

During a pandemic, MilkSpace, LLC was able to temporarily pivot and remain afloat with help of the Dallas B.U.I.L.D grant. Through participation in (2) local Dallas-based nonprofits’ programs, the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center (VWEC), and Impact Ventures, I was able to regain focus and devote my energy to developing a unique service that set me apart from my competitors. Unlike my competitors’ indoor breastfeeding solutions, I created the first of its kind Mobile MilkSpace (trademark pending) focusing on servicing outdoor events via an 18ft climate-controlled teardrop trailer equipped with seating and a lay space for mothers to breastfeed, pump, and store breastmilk during events!

Kelli, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am just the same as any mother that wants nothing but the best for my family. I am an east coast Portsmouth, Virginia (7-5-7) native, Navy Veteran, proud HBCU Alumni of Virginia State University, a loving wife, and mother of two little girls. It just so happens I was blessed in 2018 with a vision to create a business to make it easier for nursing mothers, and it has since been my passion!

At such a critical time where there is a formula shortage, this is only the beginning for MilkSpace, LLC bringing awareness to the societal issue that normalizing breastfeeding is not a one-size-fit-all solution, and requires collective solutions to truly empower women to exercise their breastfeeding rights on HER Terms “No Matter HER Location”. I am most proud of my daily resilience. Every day brings new challenges trying to balance work, family, and self.

I want readers to know as a business owner, my goal is to EMPOWER ALL BREASTFEEDING WOMEN through innovative solutions, corporate, and community collaborations.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Due to Covid-19, MilkSpace, LLC was compelled to completely halt providing a Pop-Up MilkSpace lactation service for events and other venues as a result of the downturn of Dallas Fort Worth events. Out of safety precaution to lessen Covid-19 exposure to myself, my family, and others, from 2020 – 2021 I was forced to pivot to an e-commerce business offering a product (MilkSpace Sanity Kits) opposed to an in-person service while trying to home school my children. Juggling it all with (2) children was quite challenging resulting in unsuccessful projected sales as desired for MilkSpace, LLC’s Kits.
Once my children resumed face-to-face education (early, 2021), I decided it was time to refocus the business on the original purpose of the business and resume offering outdoor events and other venues the MilkSpace Pop-Up lactation service. Upon successful completion of a 10-week business accelerator program (August, 2021), and validating the Pop-Up MilkSpace at local events, the clear vision to offer an efficient mobile climate-controlled lactation service was realized! I’ve been hard at work developing the Mobile MilkSpace ever since!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Initially, in 2018 when I started MilkSpace, LLC I was working a full-time job. However, in 2019 I experienced (2) miscarriages and decided I needed a mental and physical break and left my government career. Fast forward to 2021 after surviving through the worst of the pandemic, I knew I wanted to develop and offer the Mobile MilkSpace for events.

The costs to develop my original version of the Mobile MilkSpace was $170,000.00+! I prayed and simply let God know, as a family, we (my hubby and I) have a family goal to be debt free by 2023, and I did not want to acquire any more major debt in business/personal loans. I specifically asked God to allow me to fund my business without any debt and I would give Him all the Glory and credit for my success!

God answered my prayers! As a United States Navy (USN) Veteran I was blessed with the opportunity to pitch my Mobile MilkSpace concept…and won BIG taking home $23,500.00 in prize money to fund the development of the Mobile MilkSpace! I was able to develop a second version of the Mobile MilkSpace that was more cost effective. And use the prize money to cover the expenses.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.milkspace.co/
• Instagram: milkspace.co
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilkSpaceLLC
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-mumphrey-5bb2a381/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MilkspaceL

Image Credits
Kelli Mumphrey, MilkSpace, LLC