Mama Shark Launchpad: Your guide to streamlining mom life

Picture this - you're racing against the clock, juggling an ambitious work project deadline with planning the perfect themed birthday party your child has been dreaming of for months. On top of that, you're on a mission to save more - time, money, sanity, all precious commodities in the world of motherhood. The day ends with a sigh, a wish for more hours in the day, less clutter on the counters, and a little more peace in your mind.

Does that sound familiar? Then this piece is for you. Inspired by the famous adage, "Necessity is the mother of invention," it is a testament to the philosophy of a mom who is "wired to create order out of chaos." She's faced these challenges, stood toe to toe with the tumult and the noise, and emerged victorious - surviving and thriving in the eye of the storm.

Workee interviewed Stephanie Iraggi, Mom-Prenuer and founder of Mama Shark Blog. It is a platform that helps moms improve the quality of their life by empowering them to live more on less, organize their chaos, and gain the time and energy to be the mom they want to be.

In this guide, Stephanie talks about Mama Shark and what it represents, how it empowers moms to become the maestros they're meant to be, key strategies for moms who want to live a more streamlined life, and more.

1. Can you briefly explain "Mama Shark" and why you created it?

Sure! The name “Mama Shark” alludes to the concept of a “shark” in business, as I often compared being a mom to being a CEO of your own small company- more on that in a minute. It’s also a nod to my previous career as the founder/owner of a swim instruction company and my passion for the sport. And I joke that the fact that the title reminds most moms of a certain earworm of a song doesn’t hurt in helping them to remember my brand! 

2. What was the inspiration behind creating a platform specifically for moms trying to live more on less?

I sold my first business before my first child was born, and once the internal hurricane of the first few months had passed and the dust started to settle, I found myself wrapped up in a world that was not actually that far off from running a small business. There were finances, people to manage, tasks to delegate, appointments to make, schedules to keep, paperwork plenty, and a constantly changing work environment to go with it. 

Naturally, I started applying a lot of the skills I had honed as a business owner and adding more along the way in an attempt to calm some of the chaos that was now in my day-to-day life as a mom. During this time, the thought occurred to me: in a “regular” business, you can hire someone to come in and tell your company how to improve processes and morale, how to cut costs and make more money, and generally manage your business better. And I thought: Where is that person for moms??? So I decided to be that person, and Mama Shark was born.

3. How does Mama Shark empower mothers to be the moms they want to be?

Primarily by providing tools oriented toward the season of motherhood. There are a lot of resources out there on running businesses, creating habits, time management, etc… but most of them assume that you can think a full sentence without being interrupted by a wailing baby or whining toddler and that you have more than 3 minutes at a time to accomplish a project. Additionally, those resources don’t tend to assume the need for flexibility that comes with being a mom- because all moms know that if you make an important plan, that’s basically a guarantee some small person will wake up with a fever and alter your entire week.

Mama Shark creates articles, courses, guides, and more that are practical, easy, and applicable- with lots and lots of grace and flexibility heaped in. It’s designed to encourage mothers that not only can they do this thing called motherhood, but they can do it even more efficiently, freeing them up to spend their time doing more of what they want to do as a mom.

4. What are the key elements or strategies you suggest for moms who want to live a more streamlined life?

Two key strategies for moms who want to streamline their life would be:

1. Prioritize- aka, know what matters to you and your family and why. Simply put: you cannot do or be everything you want to do and be, so choose wisely. Then deprioritize the rest to make room for the most important things. 

2. Strategize- organize each area of your life to conserve time, energy, and resources- so that you can spend that time, energy, and resources on what matters most. 

5. What are some of the challenges moms typically face when trying to organize their life, and how does your guide address these challenges?

Most moms face challenges centered around a lack of time, energy, skills, and/or resources (including money). There are never enough hours in the day, we’re always tired, we’re trying to save money, and sometimes we just plain don’t know how to do something that’s expected of us. Each resource from Mama Shark tackles at least one of these areas with practical how-tos and easy-to-follow steps and ideas to improve moms’ lives. 

6. What is one habit you believe every mom should adopt to improve the quality of her life?

The one that makes her happy. There are a ton of habits out there that “should” be done- moms are constantly pelted with all the things we “should” be doing. A happy mom is worth far more than a perfectly organized life. 

I’m not saying ignore the house and kids and sit in the tub for hours- that’s not realistic or practical. But drink that cup of tea each morning. Have fresh flowers in the house if that makes you happy. Prioritize going for a walk. Whatever it is that makes you feel more human again- make that a habit. 

7. What is your number one piece of advice for moms looking to streamline their life?

Start with grace. Start with allowing yourself to be a limited, temporary human who can only do so much in a day and in a lifetime. Let go of the expectations that everyone else is putting on you and find what truly matters- then do those things with lots and lots of room for forgiving, forgetting, laughing, and moving on. Streamline your life, not so you can be put together, but so that you will have more room to be who you are made to be, with the people you are made to be with, for the fullest life you can live.