Meet Nicole Connell | CEO/ Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Connell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, every day, we know how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
There are so many chapters women walk through on the path to and through motherhood: Infertility, loss, grief, trauma, role balancing and burnout, and often a complete lack of self-care while juggling a million responsibilities. Traditional healthcare doesn’t leave room, especially within the constraints of insurance reimbursement, to care for women on an in-depth level. There’s rarely time to ask the deeper questions, to listen closely, or to hold space for all the fear and uncertainty that comes with each chapter.

By four weeks postpartum with my second daughter, I knew I was sitting in postpartum depression. At my traditional six week follow up, I told my OB, “I know I need help. I want to see a therapist. Can you refer me to someone?” She looked at me and said, “I’m so sorry, but all I can offer is medication. I don’t know anyone to send you to.” That moment stuck with me because I so clearly saw the gap that exists when one provider’s scope of care ends and there’s no next step. The responsibility is left on the patient whose head is currently spinning, and the thought of finding the next provider is daunting.

When my daughter turned seventeen months, I finally felt like me again after over a year of struggling with postpartum depression. I knew there was a way to help women by filling in the gaps that I personally experienced. I imagined a collaborative, multi-disciplinary platform where the most important maternal healthcare providers, psychotherapists, functional medicine NPs, pelvic floor therapists, & pediatric NPs, could work together to care for women fully.

Mère is completely virtual, not just to strategically reduce overhead, but because moms are already spread thin. Virtual care offers them flexibility, convenience, and access to the right providers without needing to navigate a dozen separate practices. I created Mère so women wouldn’t have to do this alone.

What should our readers know about your business?
Mère is a virtual maternal healthcare company supporting women from trying to conceive through motherhood. We offer collaborative care, psychotherapy, functional medicine, pelvic floor therapy, and non-medical pediatric consultations all under one virtual “roof”. What makes us different is our compassionate, whole person care. We don’t treat symptoms in isolation. We listen to women’s full stories and create care plans that honor the physical, emotional, and mental complexity of motherhood.

The idea for Mère came from my own experience walking through miscarriage, prenatal, and postpartum depression, and feeling completely lost trying to find help. I was shocked by the lack of collaboration and accessibility in maternal care, especially during some of the most vulnerable chapters of a woman’s life. So I created what I so desperately needed. One virtual space where women can access a trusted, qualified care team who works together to support her, not just her diagnosis.

Building Mère hasn’t been easy. I’m a first time founder, a mom of two little girls, and I’ve had to learn to trust my gut while also asking for a lot of help. There have been so many moments of doubt, financial stress, and some major learning curves. But I’ve learned that having grit, an ability to pivot quickly, and full belief in your mission will get you through the hard days.

What I want the world to know is that Mère was built to hold women through the most beautiful and yet difficult seasons of life. We’re not just filling a gap in healthcare, we’re trying to change what maternal healthcare feels like. Every woman deserves to feel seen, heard, and supported. That’s what we’re here to do.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love this question! You can never go wrong with an afternoon walk on the beltline. I think it’s the best way to experience the personality of Atlanta. If you follow @famfriendlyatl you can always find great weekend plans that are family friendly here in Atlanta. I watch her weekly posts to keep up with festivals, events, etc!

For coffee I love The Daily, lunch at Le Bon Nosh, and dinner at Bar Blanc or Holeman & Finch. Our family eats Ford Fry’s Little Rey at least twice a week too.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Lindsey Williams is the co-founder of MyUTI, but eight years ago, she was my manager at a small private sales distributorship. It was there I first learned the business fundamentals of a small startup and the best approach to selling a product or service in the healthcare space.

What Lindsey probably doesn’t know is that through her example, she taught me how to show up and be a presence in a room full of men in an industry dominated by men. She showed me what it looks like to believe in yourself and what you have to offer. Her countenance, her confidence, and her way of leading is what gave me the courage to believe I could do it too. That I could show up and build something meaningful in a world that doesn’t always make space for female-founded businesses.

In early March of last year, Lindsey jumped on a call with me. She shared her wisdom, gave me honest advice about what it really looks like to found a startup, and then asked me one simple question: “What are you passionate about?” My answer was quick, “Moms and kiddos.” That same afternoon, I sat down and created the first (very rough) pitch deck for Mère.

Website: https://www.mere-foreverychapter.com/

Instagram: @mere_foreverychapter

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-connell-40231696/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1276333383422156

Image Credits
@kbzimmphotography