Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Caroline Pavlinik. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Caroline, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

In spring of 2019 I made a very scary decision to decide to walk away from a very stable role in corporate America to start my baby and toddler sleep consulting business and be a stay-at-home mom to my then 14-month-old.

It was a huge risk financially and professionally to jump off the corporate ladder and pivot into an entirely new industry. However, I had no idea the impeccable timing I unwittingly chose that June of 2019 — nine months before most entrepreneurial dreams would be devasted by the pandemic.

I have magical memories of that summer and fall with my daughter and husband – our first trip to the island of Kauai and later escaping the stifling Houston humidity in exchange for a summer in Idaho with my parents. That fall and winter were chock full of baby music classes, play dates, children’s museum outings, and all other types of activities new parents particularly relish with their firstborns.

That time was also ripe for establishing my business, networking with other professionals, attending hospital trade shows, giving in-person seminars – essentially all the things pivotal to getting my new business off the ground — activities that would freeze over the next two years.

Looking back, I am so glad that I did not vacillate on timing and took the risk when I did. Had I pushed my decision just one year, I would have never had the immense joy of seeing my one-year-old giggle at the Hawaiian luau dancers, or marvel at the bubbles that closed out every Tuesday morning music class. On top of that, taking the risk when I did afforded me that valuable nine months to establish the foundation for my new business. If I had not started my business when I did, I often wonder if the scarcity mindset brought about by the pandemic would have hampered my decision indefinitely.

Although my timing to start my new venture prior to the pandemic was unwitting, my experience taught me a huge lesson and my new mantra – DO IT NOW. You never know what tomorrow holds, what natural disaster will strike, or what unforeseen element will pop up that will hinder an opportunity. I’ve adopted this mindset into every element of my life from opening the fancy champagne just because to cutting my hair above the shoulders because I’ve always wanted to try it.

My experience has taught me that the primary downfall to taking a risk is regretting not taking it in the first place. I love my work as a baby and toddler sleep consultant and I’m thankful for the opportunity to bring about positive change for families all over greater Houston.

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 help exhausted parents get their babies and toddlers sleeping through the night. If you have endured months of no sleep, tried everything, and are desperate for help, I can coach you through a gentle process that will have your child sleeping through the night – leaving you refreshed, recharged and loving parenthood.

My journey into this business began with my own daughter. The night before I returned to my job in corporate America, my daughter had the worst sleep of her life. She woke up four times that night, and I tried everything to console her to get her back to sleep. I became exhausted and overwhelmed as this night circus went on for weeks. Little did I know at the time, my daughter was simply experiencing the four-month sleep regression.

What I had been doing all along to “help” my daughter sleep, were actually the things that were causing her to wake throughout the night.

Through some internet searches on “baby sleep” I came across a sleep program that made perfect sense. In less than ten days my daughter was sleeping through the night and going down effortlessly for naps. I actually felt refreshed when I woke up for the first time in weeks. I could think clearly at work. I could take on new projects, and being a new mom felt fun again.
I have since trained with the creator of a nationally renowned pediatric sleep program. This program’s methods have been used worldwide by hundreds of thousands of families.

Today, I get to help moms and dads teach their little ones how to sleep through the night and take age appropriate naps. I help parents who:

· Feel hopeless about how to get their newborn adjusted to some semblance of a sleep pattern;
· Wake up exhausted wondering if they will ever feel well rested again;
· Still sleep in separate rooms because moving baby to his or her own room seems too daunting;
· Cajole, rock, and feed their baby throughout the night because there doesn’t seem to be any other solution.

If you’re struggling with your baby’s sleep challenges, please know it doesn’t have to be this way. I’d love to help you find a solution

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think my level of customer service and the fact that I genuinely care about client outcomes is what helped me build my reputation in the Houston baby sleep training community. I tell prospective clients that I will figuratively hold their hand throughout the two-week process, so they never have to second guess anything during our time together.

I also tailor my sleep plans to each family dynamic. I work with a lot of parents of firstborns who really crave structure and a 7am to 7pm schedule, while other families need slightly more relaxed guidelines because of obligations with older children, work, or travel.

Parents have also told me they appreciate my candor. I am extremely upfront before accepting a new client because I want them to be 100% on board for the entirety of the process. Sleep training is not for everyone, and I do get contacted by potential clients who I can tell are either just not ready or are seeking unrealistic results. Early on I learned the importance of full transparency about the sleep training process. The first couple nights can be emotionally charged, and I want parents to know that going in and be fully prepared.

My greatest honor is to get a referral from past clients, and I am fortunate to be growing my business primarily through referrals. I am truly humbled by the trust parents put in me to help them create positive changes for everyone in the family.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

A new business owner can have a beautiful website, superb content, and a burning desire to serve others, but if people don’t know you exist, then none of that matters. That’s why I think the most important element to any new business, aside from technical knowledge, is marketing!

This realization was somewhat of a learning curve for me as starting Bedtime Boss was my first entrepreneurial venture. My perfectionist nature wanted everything in place and flawless before I told a soul about my new business. I spent hours deciding on a name, designing a logo, and perfecting my business cards and website. I mistakenly thought once my website went live, I’d have swarms of people reaching out to me simply through web traffic – I laugh at my then naiveite.

Although I had all my marketing collateral in place, the single best move I did was start sharing my new venture with my immediate sphere of influence via email and Facebook. New clients came as direct referrals from friends, who maybe didn’t know my qualifications as a sleep consultant, but knew me personally and could vouch for my character and work ethic. I also offered a significant introductory discount which incentivized parents to try a brand new sleep consultant and helped me build experience at the same time.

The next thing I did was start putting on free seminars collaborating with other baby focused professionals around Houston. I contacted the education coordinators at hospitals, offering to conduct free baby sleep seminars. My pediatrician graciously allowed me to use space in her office to put on presentations. I attended expecting parent vendor fairs at various hospitals. I put myself out there as much as possible and did all of it for free!

About six months into my business, I realized that I was getting very little web traffic. I searched myself and my own website wouldn’t even pop up! I hired a search engine optimization (SEO) expert who was immensely helpful in catapulting Bedtime Boss to the first page of Google search results – that was worth its weight in gold!

Now I am at a point where all my clients come from referrals or internet searches. Maintaining a web presence and showing up in search results is a complicated matrix – but the key is always pushing out content, linking back clicks to your site, and telling the algorithms that you’re still relevant! Digital marketing is fascinating. If you’re in the type of industry where people search for your business category on the internet – aligning with a savvy digital marketing specialist will be key to your success.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bedtimeboss.com
• Instagram: @bedtimeboss
• Facebook: @bedtimeboss
• Yelp: Bedtime Boss