Episode 12: From newly single mom to thriving business owner: Interview with artist Lindsey Mickelson, owner of Mothersun & the Captain
Episode Description
Lindsey Mickelson, our guest for this episode, has a story and message that resonate so deeply with my path and intention behind the show, that I already felt touched by her presence before we met. This mama to a beautiful four year old, Soleil, owns and runs her apparel and hand drawn-hand made goods company called Mother Sun and The Captain. I had the pleasure of being gifted one of her stylish nursing tops and baby onesies when I first brought home my daughter from the hospital, and remember thinking what a need there was in the marketplace for both comfortable fitting and adorable nursing tops such as these. Her products were far from generic like the all the depressing nursing tops I had seen and had a vibrant life of their own. Her brand took maternity and mama wear to the next level. The name of her company is unique and clever just like Lindsey herself, and represents her journey from mama-hood, to single mama-hood to thriving captain of her own ship/entrepreneur. Not only are her products, including her “mermaid trucker hats” and “she holds the light” nursing tops dazzling and hand crafted, the story behind all of this is nothing short of incredible. With a background in fine art from UCSB and years of experience in retail fashion, Lindsey opened her own screen printing business from 2008-2014. Then when her little ray of sunshine was born “Soleil” she had to make that tough decision mamas are faced with- whether to stay at home with her daughter or keep working at her creative passion. Lindsey ultimately decided to quit her business and became a newly single mom all within a couple of years. Realizing she had to support her and her daughter, she opened Mother Sun and the Captain on her own devices, faith and vision. It wasn’t easy, and in fact it took incredible courage and faith. Because struggle often leads to rebirth and growth, Lindsey made it through the trenches to a life beyond her wildest dreams. Now she has just created an online course, been featured in a LinkedIn video series and is getting married to her dream man this year. She has so much knowledge to impart on our mama listeners, particularly the who might be single moms, entrepreneurs, budding entrepreneurs, or those who want to start something they love but don’t know how to do it.
Episode Take-Aways:
4:05: Lindsey speaks candidly about going through an identity crisis when she was faced with giving up her first “baby” her screen printing business when her daughter was born. 5:15: Lindsey has been an entrepreneur of over ten years and she ultimately decided to do what she thought was best for her daughter and stayed home to raise her (albeit giving up her business). 6:14: How some of her darkest days (sudden single motherhood and full support system for her daughter) led to her intrinsic mission to help other women thrive and succeed. 8:59: How her business evolved from really listening to the needs of other women and mamas and how she put all her unhindered creative energy into her artwork and designs. Mothersun and the Captain essentially began from this burning desire to help others, and from her creative, artistic drawings of families, mommies and babies. 13:13: How her daughter Soleil changed her life so immensely and how she wanted to spend every moment with her for those first two years. 16:50: How becoming a mom blew her mind because she was previously only making decisions based on her own interests. She loved the rebirth she found in this experience. 19:51: Lindsey talks about that climactic point in her life where she left her unhealthy relationship and raised her daughter on her own. She also ended up shedding many of the things that were no longer serving her. 23:38: When she finally decided to quit the jobs that she wasn’t passionate about and that just represented “survival” the ball started rolling on her real passion for Mothersun and the Captain. 26:57: Lindsey talks about sharing her daughter between two households and how her perspective evolved from devastation to appreciating the time she also had to herself, for self-love. 36:18: When Lindsey finally went “all in” and rented a studio space for her business she immediately saw things start to change for the better. 39:21: How her business started out of a need for more stylish nursing tops. She also did a ton of research and development. 44:32: How our thoughts are key to our success, and how when she learned to listen to the universe, trust and let go of limiting beliefs, she felt so much more weightless and free. 50:56: Lindsey talks about how much has changed since she shed those energetic weights only two years ago. Not only is her business booming, but she is getting married to her longtime friend, and soul mate, this year!
