We recently connected with Michelle Rose and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

Busy Mom Playdates™ was inspired by the nostalgia and carefree childhood playdates we have all had at some time in our lives.

You remember those moments of scheduled or unscheduled play with other children to simply just run around and have some good ol’e unadulterated fun?

The beauty of those moments was that they were unscripted. You simply would show up and at the end of the playdate you got what your soul desired…you may have learned something new or met a new friend.

When we become adults, those memories and abilities to tap into a new skill or connect with new people are lost. Our minds become bogged down and replaced with overbooked schedules, demanding careers, relationships and for some the responsibilities of child rearing.

It can be overwhelming and exhausting.

It is during these moments that some women begin losing themselves and become unaware of the things that bring them joy.

As a mom that struggled with anxiety and a diagnosis of clinical depression, I was living proof of someone that had lost themself. I had a successful career, vacationed a few times a year, was stacking my retirement and raising a young child. I was living my life but I felt empty and unfulfilled.

I lost interest in things that actually used to bring me joy.

Through my pain and brokenness, God created vision and purpose, and Busy Mom Playdates™ was born.

It was created based on a need for myself and other moms to refocus, refuel and reconnect with ourselves while also connecting with like-minded women. To form a safe space for moms of color to simply play with purpose, unapologetically. To learn new skills, to meet new people but most importantly, to remove our capes and take a break from motherhood. To heal. To find joy. To decompress. To simply just be… without the guilt!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am Michelle Rose, a wife, mom, travel connoisseur and the Founder & CEO of Busy Mom Playdates™.

Busy Mom Playdates™, LLC is a premier lifestyle event and travel company exclusively for Moms of Color. An empowerment tribe for women in pursuit of guilt-free opportunities to prioritize self-care, mental health and wellness through mom-exclusive playdates and momcations.

Our mission is to empower a Global Movement of Women to boldly and UNAPOLOGETICALLY reclaim their power, remove their capes and prioritize purposeful play while connecting with their best selves.

Our Playdates generally fall under the categories of Social, Mental Health & Wellness, Empowerment and our highly anticipated Momcations!

Today, 19 months after our first playdate, we have hosted over 19 events and 3 International Momcations : Sint Maarten, Colombia and Morocco. Our success is attributed to our community of moms. They are showing up because they recognize they are worth the investment.

We are most proud of the positive impact we have had on the lives of hundreds of women across the globe through our intimate Facebook Community. We have intentionally curated a unique space for women to feel seen, be inspired and foster a sisterhood they didn’t know they needed. We are a village of moms, for moms yearning to find a connection with other like-minded women, while also rekindling those connections with ourselves.

At Busy Mom Playdates™ we are not PERFECT moms, we are EVOLVING moms! We are a dope tribe of women, learning how to create and set boundaries, serve from our cup of overflow and ultimately make ourselves a priority one playdate at a time!

We are not just a community, we are a Movement!

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

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. There are lots of twists, turns and pitfalls.

When God gave me the vision for Busy Mom Playdates™, I admittedly jumped into it head first. I had many years of experience building communities & strategic partnerships ; coaching women; marketing; curating & executing dynamic events. However, I didn’t have the experience executing all the aforementioned simultaneously.

I quickly realized my weaknesses and began reading books, investing in business coaches, mentors and business classes to create a strategic blueprint for success.

The success of Busy Mom Playdates™ is not only for my legacy but for the nation of women I have been assigned to empower.

I choose to show my scars so other women know they can heal. They can overcome anxiety and clinically diagnosed depression. They can start over and choose to live according to their purpose! This journey hasn’t been easy, but you can’t have a testimony without a test!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the most impactful quotes that I keep top of mind especially as an entrepreneur is:: “I never LOSE, I either WIN or LEARN.” – Nelson Mandela

This quote is my constant reminder that whenever I experience adversities or loss in business, it is an opportunity for me to reflect on what the loss is designed to teach me.

What lessons should I learn? What new policies do I need to implement?

“You don’t know what you don’t know”. Oftentimes a loss can shine a spotlight on an area of your business that you overlooked. Allowing you an opportunity to correct the situation before it becomes a major issue.

In the early stages of business if I experienced a setback or anything I would have deemed as a loss, I likely would have internalized it and struggled with finding the lesson.

I have since unlearned that way of thinking and now take solace in knowing that when God has purpose for your life, He creates opportunities and prepares you for them. Sometimes that preparation could present itself in the form of a loss. But as I stated earlier… We never Lose, We Either Win or Learn! Though there may be opportunities that may seem to be a loss , they can sometimes be blessings in disguise.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.busymomplaydates.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/busymomplaydates
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/busymomplaydates

Image Credits
@trisography_flix