We were lucky to catch up with Taylor Heaton recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I was diagnosed as autistic at 31 years of age in 2020. This was after decades of wondering why I felt so different and trying to figure out how to manage my constantly overworked brain. I spent a lot of time in therapy as a young adult and was met with suggestions for managing anxiety and lessening stress. I did my best to follow these instructions but it just wasn’t enough, no matter what I tried. In 2019, one of my colleagues mentioned that she knew someone my age who was recently diagnosed with autism. I had gone to college with this person and saw them as someone who, from the outside, appeared pretty “normal.” If she was really autistic, I realized maybe I didn’t fully understand the true meaning of the term and needed to learn more. On my quest to better understand the world of autism, I found myself relating more and more to the characteristics of someone on the spectrum. It was one of those “AHA!” experiences where once you know, you know. After about 6 months of intense research, I followed through with a psychological evaluation and received an official autism diagnosis. One of the major frustrations during the research and evaluation process was the shocking lack of resources for autistic adults, particularly autistic females and autistic parents. It was an isolating experience that left me feeling frustrated, misunderstood and alone. I vowed that I would use my new knowledge and personal experiences to help others by sharing my story publicly and creating helpful resources that would assist with everyday autistic challenges. As someone on the spectrum, I know that talking in social settings can bring about unnecessary anxiety, so I wanted to connect to others through a medium where interaction could be pre-planned and people could communicate with me in writing to cut down on social pressures. I wanted to help other autistic adults while requiring as little from them as possible. And so, I decided to start a YouTube channel. And that’s how Mom on the Spectrum was born!

Taylor, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am 31 years old and have two kids who are ages 5 and 8. I’m a serial entrepreneur and have owned a flute studio, home bakery, and fitness business. I feel each step in my self-employed journey has brought me closer to creating Mom on the Spectrum, where I feel deeply connected to my purpose and enjoy showing up creatively every day. Through my channel, I not only create weekly videos pertaining to autistic challenges like executive function, meltdowns, and managing relationships, but also downloadable resources people on the spectrum can use in everyday situations. My favorite downloadable resource at the moment is my 11-page, custom made Meltdown Survival Guide. Topics include: The Autonomic Nervous System in People on the Spectrum, Potential Meltdown Triggers, Sensory Regulation and Recovery Techniques and more. Other downloadable resources include an Emergency Card that people on the spectrum can print out and laminate to keep with them for help communicating in stressful situations AND my grandmother’s famous cookie recipe! I am most proud of my ability to offer insight into a demographic that is profoundly underrepresented: autistic females and parents! More people on the spectrum are starting to speak out and share their own experiences, and with each new testimony comes improved information about what autism actually is and how we can better serve the autistic community.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
YES! Pivoting is the story of my life. As I said, I’m a serial entrepreneur and have enjoyed exploring different avenues of creativity for as long as I can remember. My most recent, and SCARIEST pivot, was at the start of the pandemic. I had been teaching private flute lessons for a decade while starting our family because of the flexibility it allowed, but never felt like it quite checked all of the boxes for me. When flute lessons had to go virtual in March of 2020, hearing a piccolo through Zoom was the last straw! This timeline coincided with my autism diagnosis and when all of the pieces came together, I realized that being a private flute teacher just wasn’t bringing me to life. I decided to close my studio at the end of May 2020 after two tumultuous months of navigating COVID and a rude end to school year that deserved so much better. Transitioning away from my flute studio felt really scary and was a huge risk. I am grateful to my husband, Scott, for working hard to accommodate this transition and encouraging me along the way. It has been a slow process, but one I feel has paved the way for a strong company foundation rooted in personal truth and vulnerability. The people I get to connect to everyday through my channel fill me with hope and gratitude in a time when I feel I have never needed it more.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Slow and steady! I think the key is remaining true to yourself (cheesy I know!) and remembering that each new subscriber/follower is a human being, not a number. Once I gained familiarity with some of my early subscribers, I started visualizing them as I recorded each video, speaking directly to them and the needs they had expressed through my channel. In order to get through burnout, which is inevitable with anything on social media, it is imperative to continually come back to your WHY and focus on the small breakthroughs and celebrations along the way. I am convinced that a slow and thoughtful startup leads to a meaningful and lasting legacy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.momonthespectrum.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_momonthespectrum/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-heaton-14070969/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/itstaylorheaton
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/momonthespectrum
• Other: Downloadable resources: https://taylorheaton.gumroad.com/