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

Georganne, appreciate you joining us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

My parents were — and are — everything to me. I was raised in a home full of love, values, and intention. My mom and dad gave me the kind of emotional foundation that stays with you forever. They were spiritual, curious, and full of heart — the kind of people who read Wayne Dyer and the Tao Te Ching, who talked about being highly sensitive before anyone knew the acronym HSP.

But they were human. And like all humans, they carried pain too.

When I was 20 weeks pregnant, I lost my father to suicide. I was the one who found him. That moment shattered me. He was my best friend, my blueprint for love, and the person who taught me what it meant to show up fully, even if life hadn’t given you the tools.

My dad was born in Brazil and only 20 years old when I came into the world — a kid himself, but somehow completely ready. He had every excuse not to rise to the occasion, but he did anyway. He didn’t have a model of healthy parenting, yet he and my mother made a decision to do better. I watched them grow as individuals and as parents, never hiding their efforts to heal and evolve.

Our house was full of self-help books, spirituality, discipline, humor, intimacy, and always, love. I was washing dishes on a step stool at six, making my own appointments by high school, and raised with the kind of closeness that made independence inevitable. They taught me to be strong, capable, and relentlessly driven.

When my father’s depression deepened, I spent the last two years of his life trying to help him heal. I believed — because he’d taught me — that we could overcome anything. But I also learned that sometimes, love isn’t enough. The world is unfair. Bad things happen to good people. And our mental health system is devastatingly broken.

When he died, I wasn’t angry at him — I was furious with the system that failed him. Mental illness is still treated like a shameful character flaw instead of the life-threatening condition it is. I saw doctors miss the mark, overprescribe, and treat him with cold detachment.

Grief hit me like a wrecking ball, and postpartum hit at the same time. I was a new mom, lost and broken. But here’s the thing about breaking — sometimes you come back stronger. Like the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where cracked pottery is repaired with gold, my pain became part of my restoration.

That loss didn’t just change me — it forged me. Alone, grieving, mothering during a pandemic, I was slowly polished by fire. And eventually, my light came back brighter, fiercer, and with a whole new frequency.

That’s when I knew I had to build what I so desperately needed: a space for moms to gather, be seen, fall apart if they need to, and find community, caffeine, and comfort — all in one place. Something beautiful. Something bold.

Because when an Aquarius with trauma enters the chat… you already know. Shit’s about to get real.

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.

Hi, I’m Georganne Youngclaus — but everyone calls me G. I’m a mom, a founder, and a woman who’s been through the fire and came out building something pretty special on the other side.

I created mamas play, a retro-inspired indoor play cafe designed specifically for mothers and their little ones. It’s 4,100 square feet of cozy chaos and calm — a space where you can proudly breastfeed under a neon sign that reads, “whip out those titties and feed your kiddies,” sip espresso from a branded green La Marzocco machine, and let your kid climb a custom three-story soft play structure while you actually sit down for a second. Imagine if your best friend’s living room, a boutique coffee shop, and a soft play gym had a baby — that’s mamas play.

But it didn’t come from nowhere.

When I was 20 weeks pregnant with my son, I lost my father to suicide. I was the one who found him. That moment broke me. And then, just months later, I gave birth during a pandemic. The mix of grief, trauma, postpartum depression, and isolation nearly took me down — and what I realized in that season was that there was no real place for moms to go and be held. Not fixed. Not advised. Just seen.

So I decided to build it myself.

mamas play is more than just an indoor playground — it’s a sanctuary for mothers. It’s clean, chic, and cool — but more importantly, it’s conscious. I offer unlimited open play, beautifully hosted birthday parties, events like Mama Meetup Mondays and baby raves, a curated Mini Mamas Market featuring local vendors, and free access to vetted postpartum mental health resources. Whether you’re showing up in full glam or full meltdown, you belong here.

What sets us apart? Everything. Most play spaces were clearly designed by people who don’t have kids — or at least don’t have anxiety. I put love into every detail: gated play so no one escapes, soft lighting, plush seating, curated music, and drinks you’ll actually crave (not just tolerate). Plus, I’m a mom — I built this place with lived experience and a little trauma glitter.

I’m proud of so much, but mostly, I’m proud that moms walk into mamas play and say: “Thank God this exists.” That’s everything.

And while we just opened our first location in New Jersey, I’m already working on expanding — because every mom, everywhere, deserves a place like this.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Manifesting is real. But manifestation isn’t magic — it’s clarity + energy + relentless action. And I brought all three.

I spent over a year and a half building mamas play on my laptop before a single wall went up. I worked tirelessly on my business plan, shaping every inch of this concept with intention and strategy. I knew exactly what I wanted to create — and more importantly, I knew it was going to be successful. That knowing was non-negotiable.

And then something incredible happened: an investor approached me, but wanted a small controlling interest in my business. I just couldn’t do that. I have worked for men my whole life. Then I found another investor. He saw the vision, felt the pull, and believed in the mission without me ever having to chase them. This investor — a true angel — stepped in and offered me a business loan. No equity. No ownership. No control. Just a powerful vote of confidence in me, my plan, and the change I was trying to create. I have 100% ownership and control of my business, and am eternally grateful for him. His belief in me was not just financial — it was spiritual. He saw the fire in my eyes, the detail in my deck, and the heart behind the whole thing. And then he backed it — quietly, generously, and with full trust.

Because of him, I got to build something radical: a fully female-founded, female-owned, and female-operated sanctuary for moms. This space is mine — and by extension, it’s ours — a reflection of every mother who’s ever felt overwhelmed, unseen, or alone.

I didn’t bootstrap this business — I soul-strapped it. And thanks to one extraordinary silent investor, mamas play exists.

And I’ll never stop being thankful.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Hands down: Instagram. Social media has been everything for mamas play — not just for visibility, but for building actual relationships and community.

From the very beginning, I treated my Instagram like a storefront before I had a physical space. I showed up consistently, shared the behind-the-scenes process, talked to my followers like friends, and wasn’t afraid to be real about the highs and lows of building a business while mothering through grief and postpartum. That vulnerability created connection, and that connection built trust.

My Instagram community has been my biggest cheerleader — they shared my posts, hyped me up in comments, told their friends, and showed up on opening day like we’d all been waiting for this together. And honestly, we had.

So yes, social media brings me new clients — but more importantly, it brings me the right clients. Moms who get it. Families who feel the vibe. Parents who come in already invested, because they’ve followed the journey and feel part of it.

I’m also active in Facebook mom groups, which have been huge for local reach. You have to be willing to go where your people are — whether that’s sharing an update in a Facebook thread, DM’ing with a follower about nap schedules, or posting a messy, unfiltered day on stories. It all matters.

Bottom line? Never underestimate the power of showing up online as your full, authentic self. That’s how you build something that lasts.

And to my IG fam — thank you. This whole thing exists because you believed in it right alongside me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mamasplay.com
• Instagram: @georganne_ @mamasplaynj
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Mamas-Play-61556703505591/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georganne-youngclaus-567017a6

Image Credits

@girlsquadmedia