Meet Sierra Breckenridge | Mother & small business owner

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

Hi Sierra, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I wanted to create diaper bags that didn’t look like a diaper bag because I want parents to be able to maintain their own personal style after becoming a parent.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I started this business after I had my son. When I couldn’t find the diaper bag I wanted, I decised to design one which eventually led to me creating a business. All the designs are mine and belong to my brand, so I’m very involved in the creative process of all the bags I sell.
Writing out a business plan helped keep me organized. Looking back on that business plan and seeing how far I’ve come gives me the motivation to keep going. I’ve put a lot of time, money, and effort into getting this business started. I don’t want to give up on my goal of Mama Sisi becoming a trusted, recognized diaper bag brand worldwide.
Starting this was easier in the sense that I had a business plan with a step-by-step process and goals to guide me. Without that, things would have been a little chaotic.
I’ve had a lot of challenges but that’s a part of life, so you can either sit in defeat or rise to the occasion.
Lessons I’m learning are to ask questions, don’t be afraid to reach out to other for help, be okay with being uncomfortable, keep your options open, and be receptive to negative feedback; it’s indicator that you have room for improvement, not that you’re a failure.
I’d like people to know that my brand is my pride and joy. My focus is on quality, longevity, and customer satisfaction; so don’t be afraid to reach out to me. I’m here for you.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For breakfast, we’d check out Ellen’s Bakery, a local small business cafe that has the best from scratch made meals and bakery items. Next, we’d go to Stony Creek Metro Park since it’s starting to warm up outside. They have the most beautiful beach and play area for kids. In addition to that there’s plenty of trails to go walking to get some exercise because I’m into fitness. For dinner we check out a local small business called Lucas Street Tacos; they have the best tacos.
And since this friend has kids, we check out Great Lakes Crossing mall where they have many family friendly activities such as an aquarium and gaming center, plus more.
Next, we’d work our way to downtown Royal Oak, a hotspot with lot of restaurants, bars, and small business we could check out. We’d have to stop by downtown Ferndale, another hotspot with small businesses, restaurants, and bars in which we’d check out Lush Yummies Pie Company, who has the best pie in the world.
One day we’d head over to Dearborn, home to the largest Arab population outside of the Middle East, to check out my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant Sheeba. We’d take the kids to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield village where we could ride in vintage model cars, feed the animals at the farm, and visit some historical homes.
After a long week in the suburbs, we’d adventure to downtown Detroit which has seen tremendous resurgence in the last 10 years thanks to our wonderful citizens and Mayor Mike Duggan. We’d have breakfast at the Dime store, lunch at Buddy’s pizza and dinner at Table For 2, all local small businesses.  We can take a walk down the best river walks in America while taking in the beautiful views of the Detroit River and Cannda. If there’s time, we can have a picnic at Belle Isle where the kids can swim or rent a bike to ride around the island or visit the aquarium- which is the oldest in the US.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes, the score organization was very helpful with starting my business. They’re a national agency that provides free business mentors/support to entrepreneurs.

Website: https://mamasisi.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mamasisillc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MamaSisi1

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MamaSisi