Someone recently told me that cleaning with everyone in the house is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos. The same could be said for keeping it organized.

As a professional organizer, the common misconception is that my house is perfect all the time. I have a 5 and a 7-year old...and I’m human - that’s just not possible. Nor should perfection be what we’re all striving for - that adds unnecessary stress and the whole intent of organizing is to improve efficiency and decrease stress (often stress you didn’t realize you had). But, with the right systems in place, getting everything back to an organized state at the end of a day or a week is a breeze.

I wanted to share a few projects (and product recos) that will help get you on the path to an organized, more efficient home, whether you have five minutes or five hours.

5 minutes: Dishtowel drawer

Your dishtowel drawer is a great place to start because it's a drawer that only contains one category of items. Pull everyt...

To help you support small businesses this holiday season, we’ve put together our 4th annual Holiday Gift Guide, featuring gifts for everyone on your list from some of our amazing Mamas & Co. members! 

For Mamas

With 30 different sizes of hoops in yellow gold, rose gold, and sterling silver, Citrus offers mementos for your bespoke moments.  

Solve your dry skin issues with products from Phases Beauty – A company founded and run by a Mama of two who is on a mission to solve her own dry skin problems with products made with premium plant-based ingredients. 

Capture the essence of your family with a photography mini-session by Mini & Me Photograph.  This is a great gift for families to refresh their family portraits with creative and original options without a big-time or financial commitment.  

The Sustain Company offers unique gifts that are made from upcycled material like these unique, fair trade, artisanal sari robes made from upcycled material. Each robe is stylish and comes in ...

When I think of where I was just 5 short years ago, it blows my mind. 


Hi, I am Lianne, a Business Coach and the CEO of Mamas & Co. But just 5 years ago I was neither of those things. I was a new mom of two small children. I had a day job that I liked (but didn't love). I was working 40 hours a week and had a time-sucking commute. My days were non-stop moving and doing and trying to make everyone else happy.

But the truth was, I wasn't happy. 

I was doing all the things a good mom does. I was taking my kids to activities, and keeping a clean house, and making healthy meals and trying to make time for my spouse, all while trying to be a great employee, friend, daughter and sister. 

My God, it was exhausting. 

Then somewhere around 2015, something shifted in me. I realized that I had done all the things I had hoped I would by age 40. I had a great husband, amazing kids, good job, lovely house.... but I felt like there had to be more to life than this. And the hardest part?...

When I came up with this initiative, I had no idea how it would turn out – 2 years later and 2 trainings done, I know I am on to something good.

As a past producer in the film and television industry, I first went to Uganda in 2007 to do a documentary about the exile my family and I experienced under dictator Idi Amin in 1972.  I knew I wanted to change the plight of girls in Uganda, but I just did not know what it was at the time.

Fast forward to August 2017 and I woke up in the middle of the night with inspiration or a crazy dream – you choose!  I shook my husband awake and exclaimed “I know what I want to do for the rest of my life – I want to go to Uganda and train girls in photography” he mumbled “here we go again” as admittedly I was always coming up with crazy ideas.  He turned around and went back to bed and I started writing out the plan.

Exactly one year later I had embarked on my first training and it was my friend Venex, who is a journalist by trade, who suggest...

Coming up with a product idea can be tricky.  Even trickier is knowing if your idea will be successful. When you think of the fact that approximately 80% of new products fail, you want to make sure that your product is one of the 20%! It’s important to do your homework before launching a new product to ensure that you’ll have a profitable venture.

But don’t fret because we’ve got your back!  Here are 10 tips to nailing your product idea:   

Does it solve a problem? 

This is the most important aspect of a new product idea.  Does it solve a problem that your target market is facing in their everyday life?  Is it solving a pain point that causes them frustration, costing them negative emotion, time or money?  If the answer is yes, then you’re on the right track! 

Does it fulfill an unmet need?

Does the product fulfill an unmet need in the market, otherwise known as a ‘whitespace’?  In other words, is there no other product like it that already exists?  Does it have a uniqu...

We all recognize that content development is a necessary part of running a business.  

However, in our fast-paced, digital world, we are constantly bombarded by information.  If you want to capture your audience’s attention and in turn loyalty and business, then your brand can’t afford to be a faceless entity.  Human connection is critical. This is where sharing the story of your business and brand comes in.

Storytelling is the narrative of your brand.  It conveys the purpose and the “why” behind your business.  It evokes the feelings and emotions associated with your brand.   When done effectively and consistently, it ultimately helps you stand out and connect with your audience. 

Here are some tips to keep in mind, as you get ready to share your story: 

Be authentic

You may hear this often, but it’s so important.  Being genuine will always connect more with readers than trying to write what you think people might want to read.  Even if you don’t think you have an ear...

'Tis the season for kids to be out of school, the long summer stretched out ahead. While they are filled with the joy of warm summer days, playdates, bike riding, freezies and swimming, we mompreneurs are desperately trying to manage all of the things that keep our families and our business' running smoothly. Just listing off the responsibilities you're about to try and conquer is overwhelming. So, let's all take a big, deep breath and read on for tips and strategies for surviving this balancing act!  

I want you to know that I totally get how hard juggling everything is. I walk in your shoes daily, trying to fit everything in without enough time or hands. If only I could figure out how to double or triple myself, life would be so much easier. But, let's face it; this is never going to happen. You and I are both just one mama, with one set of hands and a list that's a mile long.  

So, how in the heck do we manage all of this throughout the summer with kids at home more? 

I ...

"You'll need to bring your son to SickKids in the next hour." 

Those were the words I heard on the phone around 8:30 am on March 7, 2018, while holding my 18-day old son as he slept in my arms.  

The last thing a family rushing off to The Hospital for Sick Children is thinking about is grabbing a camera to take photos. But that's precisely what I did when I frantically packed to get to SickKids after I received that call.  

The week before this, my son had worn a heart Holter for 24 hours, a device that measures a person's heart rate. The results of that Holter are what prompted the phone call and the urgency to get to SickKids.  

Fortunately, we only live 20 minutes away.  

I think I thanked the cardiologist for validating my feelings about my son.  That morning I was about to call my midwife to finally put my foot down that there was something bigger going on with my son. The cardiologist had called and left her cell phone number to call her back. That's when I kn...

Are you like me and have always dreamed of having a job and making the world a better place for you and your kids at the same time? I mean, maybe you even started your own business for that reason?  That’s your why! In this case, we can have it all, and we can do it by finding ways to build the world we want while building our business.  

Working with charities is my passion. And I’ve had the privilege of working with dozens of them professionally and as a volunteer in the past 20 or so years.   That’s why I started BridgeRaise to help fundraisers build great partnerships between their charities and companies. Along the way, I’ve seen some incredible examples of giving back at organizations large and small.   With this in mind, I’m happy to share some ideas on how you can fuel your passion for giving back in a way that fits with your business, even if you are just starting out.  

All-in Approach 

There are fantastic Mom-lead businesses that have the “give back” fully baked int...