Welcome back to Selfmade Stories, our series with Office Depot OfficeMax showcasing the up-and-coming entrepreneurs from our virtual business course Selfmade. This week, Isobel Benesch, founder of Atlas of Motherhood — an online destination for maternal care resources from around the world — chats with us about the ironies and challenges of juggling a small business about motherhood, all while being a mother of four herself.
B + C: If you were at a dinner party describing Atlas of Motherhood to a guest, what would your elevator pitch be?
Isobel Benesch: A maternal wellness platform that teaches the best mother care and support practices from around the world to improve maternal health and wellbeing during the transition to motherhood.
B + C: As a mother of three, when did the idea for Atlas of Motherhood truly take form?
Benesch: After the birth of my third child, I was truly shocked at how different my experiences of birth were in New Zealand from my previous two in California. It wasn’t until I gave birth to my fourth that I felt that inspiration to learn more from mothers in other countries and the ways in which they were supported and cared for during the transition into motherhood. I began working on Atlas of Motherhood when my youngest was 5 months old.
B + C: What were some of the key differences you experienced in the way New Zealand handled the birthing process vs. America?
Benesch: New Zealand has a less medicalized approach than the United States. Perinatal care in New Zealand is a midwifery model so unless you have a high-risk pregnancy, you do not see an obstetrician. If you have a low-risk pregnancy, home birth, birth centers, and hospital births are all seen equally and it’s based on your personal preference of where you would like to give birth. The birth centers are free for five days for mothers to come and stay (regardless of where you birthed) to get support during those first few days. Additionally, your midwife comes to your home in the days and weeks following birth, and then you are followed by a health nurse. Not being left on your own for those first six weeks makes a huge difference to overall recovery.
B + C: How has the site evolved — from its initial launch in 2021 — into the membership-based program it is today?
Benesch: Initially, Atlas of Motherhood started as a book project (which I am still working on in the background), but as I was interviewing and began sharing maternal interviews, I knew that I wanted mothers at home to be able to incorporate these practices into their own journey, no matter where they were based in the world. By creating a clinically-designed childbirth education platform to include these global practices, I knew Atlas of Motherhood could improve overall maternal wellness by helping to educate others and to prepare them for the transition into motherhood.
B + C: Can you explain a bit more about how the membership program works?
Benesch: We are just moving out of the beta stage where we saw how members were using the platform and expanding our offerings based on some feedback. We have single classes for purchase, as well as the membership platform that gives instant access to all classes. You can purchase for a Trimester (3 months), a Pregnancy (9 months), or a Pregnancy + Postpartum (12 months). We have new classes launching every week, as well as live Q&As, and a community group.
B + C: In what ways did your background in cognitive neuroscience, clinical research, and storyteller help you develop what services you’d offer?
Benesch: My first career was running clinical trials for pharmaceutical and medical device companies before I moved into regulatory affairs where I compiled research and data to get new medical devices approved for commercial use by the FDA. Atlas of Motherhood required the same skills in researching, gathering information, and then presenting data to improve clinical outcomes, just in a different format.
B + C: What did you feel was missing from the marketplace that led you to launch Atlas of Motherhood?
Benesch: Currently, childbirth education focuses on the birth itself, including the stages of labor, what to expect during the birth process, and infant care. However, birth is only the beginning. The emphasis on prioritizing the needs of newborn babies over a mothers’ needs in our culture can be attributed to a lack of awareness about the importance of the postpartum period for mothers’ recovery and healing and the lifelong impact this period in time can have on overall health.
A recent study shows that over half of mothers admit to not feeling prepared for what to expect and how to care for their bodies in the first six postpartum weeks. In addition, two-thirds believed that the postpartum period was more difficult than they anticipated.
The study also indicated that postpartum struggles were common and included problems with breastfeeding (66%), perinatal mood disorders (48%), lack of social support/isolation (39%), newborn care (28%), and complications/concerns with postpartum healing (24%). Overall, 90% of mothers felt that the current system of educating mothers about what to expect during the postpartum period and available resources needs to be improved.
Childbirth has a major impact on women’s lives and postpartum is a time of great physical, mental, and emotional transition for new mothers. Therefore, women need to educate and prepare themselves for what to expect during this time period and, currently, the healthcare system does not adequately prepare women for the immediate maternal consequences post-delivery.
Research has indicated, particularly after the impacts of the pandemic, that to improve overall maternal health and wellness going forward, health care systems and providers should incorporate into perinatal care learning from other countries’ successful perinatal healthcare practices. This is where Atlas of Motherhood comes in as the only maternal wellness platform that shares the best practices from around the world to prepare parents for birth and beyond and improve maternal health and outcomes.
B + C: It’s hard to avoid the “doing it all” narrative when it comes to entrepreneurs who are also mothers. As a mom of four kids who lives in between two countries, how do you balance being in mom mode vs. business owner mode?
Benesch: I don’t know if there is ever a perfect balance as a mother when it comes to work/career, and I suppose that as mothers it is difficult to ever feel like there is a perfect balance. There will always be a little bit of guilt over where you are spending your time whether it’s not enough with your children or not enough with your business. What I’ve found is to really dedicate time to each separately instead of trying to do both at the same time. When I’m working, I am able to focus solely on work. When I’m with my boys, I turn my phone off or don’t take my phone out with me so that I can be fully present with them.
B + C: The Atlas of Motherhood aesthetic and brand identity is so well-defined. How long did it take you to nail what your business would look like?
Benesch: I teamed up with Trina Cary Photography who has taken all of the images for me via virtual photo sessions. I had followed her on Instagram and always loved the feeling her images evoked in me so I was thrilled when she agreed to work with me on this project.
As for my logo and design aesthetic, I had been following my designer and website developer, Fianna of Form and Flourish, for over a year and always loved her work — everything she does is beautifully designed, unique, simple, and clean while making a huge impact. When I began Atlas of Motherhood I knew that I wanted her to do the design. I came at Fi with a million different ideas and different images and she was able to bring them together into one cohesive concept. I fully trust her to bring my ideas to life and am so grateful to work with someone that understood what I wanted.
B + C: What advice do you have for business owners who aren’t sure about what their visual or aesthetic goals are?
Benesch: Find a designer that you truly click with and who understands your vision for the business. Often as creatives, we have a lot of ideas and it can be hard on your own to pull one cohesive aesthetic from that. When you find someone that understands your goals and your overall vision, it takes a lot off your plate because you can put your trust into them to bring your brand to life.
B + C: What are some wins you’ve experienced that have helped you propel forward in this venture?
Benesch: Finding a mentor, Anjelika Temple, has been a huge help in leading me in the right direction and providing inspiration for the business. I was also incredibly honored to have my journey as a mother be featured in Business Insider.
B + C: What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received that you would pass on to other business owners?
Benesch: Don’t compare yourself to others or what others are doing. If someone is doing similar work, it means there's a market for it. There’s room for all of us at the table.
B + C: Who or what keeps you inspired?
Benesch: All of the mothers in my life and knowing that we can and should be doing better for mothers. I’m really passionate about wanting the transition to motherhood to be easier for others, and for every birth parent to get the support needed to really thrive.
B + C: How has Selfmade helped you grow your business?
Benesch: Showing me that it is possible to be a woman, a mother, and a successful entrepreneur. It also allowed me to connect with like-minded people. As a creative person, I think you really need that sounding board to bounce ideas off of and to keep you inspired because launching a business can be a rollercoaster of emotions. As an entrepreneur, it can feel overwhelming and isolating at times. Having that network of other women on similar journeys that weren’t competing, but instead lifting each other up with a true desire to help one another, has made the journey so much easier.
B + C: How have Office Depot OfficeMax services/products helped you accomplish more in your business?
Benesch: Office Depot OfficeMax is my go-to for printing, promo materials, and office needs. It’s just one more thing that I take off my plate and as an entrepreneur, you need all the support and help you can get.
B + C: What's next for Atlas of Motherhood?
Benesch: We are adding the ability to book 1:1 appointments with our experts as well as virtual pods where you meet in an expert-led online group for six weeks with mothers in the same stage as you.
Thanks Isobel! Follow Atlas of Motherhood on Facebook,Instagram and Pinterest.
When it comes to launching a business — especially as a busy mom — you can rely on Office Depot OfficeMax to provide the best tools and products to get your ideas organized and off the ground. From a suite of business services to making it easy to create custom presentations, Office Depot OfficeMax has a variety of workspace options to reach your entrepreneurial goals.
