We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Bossio. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.
Sarah, appreciate you 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.
The short story? I quit my tenured, secured, full-time public school teaching job.
The long story? I had been in the special education classroom for almost 15 years and was starting to feel the burnout creep in, which only multiplied when COVID hit. The teaching environment was already dangerous from a physical standpoint but now my health and my family’s health was at-risk from this unknown virus. I was motivated to make a change but knew I needed to still be helping and serving others. My husband encouraged me to pursue a certification in sleep consulting, which had always been a hobby of mine up to that point. I jumped right in and saw quick success pretty soon after launching my business. I originally had a 5 or 10 year plan to use sleep coaching as my side hustle while still maintaining my teaching career. However, it became apparent that I could make the leap a lot sooner, if I was able to dedicate more time and energy solely to the business. Plus, the ultimate goal was to reduce the stress and give me more freedom of time to be involved in our daughters’ activities, something I was not able to do as a teacher. I made the decision in late 2023 to leave the classroom completely, risking a steady paycheck in exchange for a life-changing opportunity to do what I love on my own terms: help families get the sleep they need and deserve.
Sarah, 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?
I am a former special education teacher turned certified sleep consultant, wife to a patient and supportive husband, and mom to 2 little girls who are my best teachers in this lifetime. I started my business because I found a great need for supportive, non-judgmental, science-backed sleep education and support in the parenting space. Parents often encounter information overload that can sometime trigger feelings of shame, guilt, and loneliness when they are searching for help and support with sleep. I saw the need to not only offer supportive methods but individualized programs in a world inundated with online courses and one-size-fits-all sleep training methods. I offer sleep support programs that allow me to work one-on-one with families and create personalized sleep plans that are modified to the needs of their individual child’s needs and learning styles. My sleep programs help tired families with children ages 0-8 years old sleep through the night, bring peace back to bedtime, eliminate early morning wakings, and take predictable daytime naps. The thing that sets me apart from other sleep consultants is my extensive experience and training in the special education classroom. I believe every child learns differently and every parent teaches differently, so as a master of modification, I make sleep programs that are curated for each family (one-size-fits-all need not apply). I also bring robust behavioral modification education to my practice which is key when supporting toddlers and older kids, as much of their sleep challenges are behavior related. When a family comes to me to help them prioritize their sleep, I want them to feel empowered that they have made the best choice for their family and are supported in that decision throughout the entire process.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
Compassion and relatability are essential in the world of sleep consulting. I am supporting families who are exhausted, some who haven’t slept more than a few hour at a clip in months. Sleep training is not always an easy journey to take on, especially while they are severely sleep deprived. Incorporating compassion for their situation helps parents feel supported, heard, and understood. Presenting relatability ensures that parents know they are not alone and that thousands of other families have been in their shoes, included me!! I want them to know that I have been in that exact sleep deprived state and can help guide them to the other side.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I love showing the real side of my personal life, which is far from perfect, to enhance the relatability I infuse into my coaching. I have 2 small children who are wonderful and the light of my life, who also have meltdowns, middle of the night wakings, early mornings, and really big emotions. I love connecting with families on this level and also connecting with like-minded women-owned-businesses who are also supporting moms and parents with younger children. Making connections, both professionally and personally, helps people understand my genuine care and empathy for families and my desire to help them get better sleep.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.yourzenbabysleep.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourzenbabysleep/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourzenbabysleep
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-bossio-sleep-consultant/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmDJ4ekf3YgoJz-GHugWwLg
Image Credits
Carley Storm Branding Co.