Conversations with the Inspiring Elizabeth Drumm

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Drumm.

Elizabeth, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was young, I’ve always been very driven and career-oriented, and for many years had an interest in starting my own company, but I thought it would be in natural foods since that is where my background and interest had been. Prior to having my second son, I was an MBA graduate working for a Fortune 100 foodservice company in Houston, TX. My husband ended up getting a job offer in Denver, and we decided to take a leap of faith and relocate with our then 1-year-old. I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me to work with one of the many natural food startups in the Boulder/Denver area. But the same day, we closed on our house in Houston, I found out I was expecting. Although I never had intended to be a “stay at home mom”, I ended up deciding to take some time off from working while we relocated and my second son was born. It was about three months after he was born that I had the initial idea for my business – a nursing cover made from a Turkish towel.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome? What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Even though I had an MBA and had played a consultant type role helping other people manage their businesses, starting a company from the ground is so much harder than I anticipated – especially when you have little ones at home with you. I am very much still in the “getting things off the ground” stage, so I don’t know that I’m in a place to give advice, but in general, I think the biggest lesson I’ve gained from my experience in life so far is just letting go. I know everyone always says you should have a plan, and I’m definitely a planner by nature, but now, I honestly couldn’t tell you where I will be or what I will be doing five years from now. I have learned that the best things in life are often unexpected, and while that unknown used to be a cause of anxiety for me, I’m now very much appreciative of that.

What should we know about Hamam Mama? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My original idea was to design a better nursing cover. After having my first son, I could not find a nursing cover that both worked and that I liked wearing. The nursing covers on the market are either very sterile and utilitarian looking (like the plastic apron style cover) or made of cheap synthetic materials that make it very hot and uncomfortable to use. I wanted to make something that was beautiful, functional, and versatile. Being half Turkish, I one day had the idea to make them out of a Turkish towel, which is known for their versatility, breathability, and being absorbent but quick-drying — plus they are stylish. The towels I source are handwoven by artisans using 100% organic cotton and are just beautiful. I truly feel that my covers are the only covers on the market that are suitable for the raw + beautiful [and sometimes messy] moments that they are used for. I hope that they will make women feel empowered and supported when they use them, whether they choose to breastfeed, pump or formula feed, and even long after their baby days are over.

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
I think another aspect that women, in particular, have to deal with is learning how to navigate their career when they also have non-professional goals — like having a family. In my corporate life, I used to feel like I didn’t want to draw any attention to the fact that I was a woman, with a husband, and then especially when I was pregnant – I always felt the need to separate all of that from my professional identity so others didn’t view me as “soft”. But I’m learning to be more comfortable in owning all of who I am. Yes, a big part of that is being a mom, and I think that is actually a pretty powerful thing to add to my identity. And I love being able to have a company that deals with mothers directly and getting to be a part of their journey.

Pricing:

• My covers range from $45-$75

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.hamammama.com
• Email: hello@hamammama.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hamam_mama/

Image Credit:
Sarah Gregory, Heidi McNulty, Alyssla Leffler, Sarah Whitney

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