We recently connected with Payal Tello and have shared our conversation below.

Payal, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

A lot of times it is hard to convince people that they need the services I offer- let alone invest in them. I also noticed that a lot of people who want the type of support I am able to provide have a hard time accessing it.

Raising a baby is a HUGE responsibility. ALL of us do the best we can, but there are so many things that our society has promoted that is not evidence-based. Most new parents want the help, but often they are exhausted, physically and financially, from all the prep that it takes to welcome a new baby. Sometimes we have a hard time facing and unpacking the fact that, while our parents also did their best, there may be more effective ways to support our growing baby’s development. These are just a few barriers to people being able to find the value in what I do.

My goal is to continue to educate people about the services I offer and the importance of them. I also started a non-profit to help make the information and services more accessible for all! I am really looking forward to the future!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Im a proud ATLien and the mother of twin girls Nadia and Miraya. My background is in psychology, sociology, and education.

I have always had a passion for wanting to help support children so that they can thrive in life- especially from a social-emotional perspective. While taking a break from academia, I gave birth, and soon life combined my love for learning with raising my girls.

My trainings are all based around helping support the birthing parent in their transition into a new role as a parent- from the physical aspect of childbirth through the early toddler years. So much is on the line for babies in the first hours/days/weeks/months/years of their life, and the goal of TwinMommy101 is to educate and empower the parents to intentionally support their child’s development in a way that also allows them to meet their own needs,

All of my work is evidence-based. I am proud to be able to take lived experience, and my research, and be able to serve my community to help make it a better place. And to help parents have more enjoyable experiences along their parenting journey.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I can almost count one hand the number of times I have had to “up and leave” everything. And I am still here standing strong. Breaking cycles is not an easy thing to do, but sometimes it’s the only thing left in life to be done.

Over the years, I have been told many times by various people that I should just give up and “get a real job.” And stop living “in a dream.” I have made so many sacrifices to get here. I went from having everything to having nothing, and had to work my way back to where I am today. And in the process of building myself back up, I built my dream up as well. I went from being a blog to being an LLC and a 501(c)3!

I trust the process and have faith that the wind will continue to blow me in all of the right directions.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

YES! When my girls were really young, people were often asking how I was “managing so well with twins,” which resulted in me starting a blog 2 months after they were born. I “wore” my girls a lot and when they were 6 months old, I started making tutorials on YouTube. Eventually I got my certification in babywearing, and started my venture to help other families find the magic that I had found in (twin) motherhood.

In addition to a being a babywearing educator, I now I work with families as a Childbirth Educator, New Parent Educator, Postpartum Doula, and Parenting Educator. It is my goal to empower the parent through pregnancy in a way that allows them to feel prepared for the postpartum period and to raise a child.

My side hustle bloomed into a business because I was dedicated to my vision of helping others help their children. I never gave up, even in the face of adversity. Even when I had nothing. I always believed in myself, and now here i am!

Key milestones include the opportunity to become certified through the Center for Babywearing Studies, be a poster presenter at National Perinatal Association’s annual conference (2017 and 2019), being selected to present at the National Black Child Development Institute, and more! Most importantly is the love and grace that so many have shared with me along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.twinmommy101.com/
• Instagram: @twnmommy101
• Facebook: facebook.com/twinmommy101
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/payal-tm101/
• Youtube: youtube.com/user/twnmmy101vids
• Other: payhip.com/twinmommy101 (book purchase)