Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elke Govertsen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Elke, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
I had kids on the younger side, everyone I knew was thinking about getting a dog, and I had a baby. I was lonely until I met a group of moms, HONEST moms, and we all started sharing. I threw them a party on the night before Mother’s Day– year one was 45 people, by year three it was pushing 500 people. I know I was on to something, so I launched a print magazine, then a website, then a national event series– Mamalode grew to 2 million moms, multiplatform and massively meaningful.
Elke, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
In all of my work, it comes down to this: Doing projects that matter with people I love.
I have been an entrepreneur and built Mamalode which I started with only $400 and grew to over 2 million moms– print, online, and events.
I recently finished my memoir of growing up in an abandoned fur farm in Alaska without electricity or plumbing but with a lot of ingenuity and art.
I currently work as a consultant and fractional leader at the overlap of culture+community+comms.
I love to build, and I love to build a team. I like to use data to inform but then push well beyond it to make something we don’t yet have the tool to measure. I love culture, traditions, celebrations, and nicknames. It better be impactful and fun. I don’t fit on an org chart, but I will make your project impactful, and the work will be fun.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I do think everyone should bootstrap something at some point in their career, ideally early on.
I have slept on floors, borrowed airline miles, carpooled, and changed my clothes in bathrooms before taking main stages.
There becomes an element of inevitability when you treat every obstacle as an opportunity. Creative constraints aren’t just for art; they are fundamental to business.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
A mentor of mine once introduced me on stage by saying “Elke does not have a normal relationship with gravity”
I think it was a compliment.
But I have never once had the qualifications for any job I have held. There is a paper trail of your life, but also there is a people trail. I have continued to get opportunities because of relationships and a lot of heart and hustle.
Incredible ideas are exciting, but only when you build them. Make it real. Make it special.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elkegovertsen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkegovertsen/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elkegovertsen/
- Other: Substack newsletter: https://elke.substack.com/
Image Credits
Holly Andres (family portraits)
Mamalode
Elke Govertsen archives