February 26, 2019
|Heather Plante, Canadian Regional Director
What got you started as a sleep consultant?
I got started as a Sleep Consultant after having a conversation with a friend (that I used to work with) about how I wanted to start my own business helping parents but just needed the push to do it. Then she mentioned “You should be a Sleep Consultant!!”. I had no idea what a Sleep Consultant was. After talking with her a bit further, I thought I need to become a Sleep Consultant. I ran home and started looking up “How to become a Sleep Consultant”. I was really excited to add this skill to my toolbox.
That is how my journey began!
How long have you being a sleep consultant?
I have been a Sleep Consultant for almost 6 years! It will be 6 years in May, 2019.
How do you define success? What does success look like for you as a woman, mother and mompreneur?
My definition has changed several times. When I initially began my life as a Mompreneur, I had grand plans of being able to do it all (Make a great deal of money, volunteering, baking etc). After reality has set in, success is feeling like I am adding to the family’s’ income while meeting our son’s needs without needing to work 16 hours out of the day. I make sure to add in quality family time and I am working on me time.
What is your biggest struggle as a Mompreneur?
My biggest struggle would be overcoming my self-doubt or fears. The roadblocks I often experience are put there by me.
How do you balance work, family and personal time? What methods work for you?
The balance is something you really have to work on. I have to keep reminding myself that my number one priority is our son. If things are going well for him then I work on the business. I have to carve out time every night for me. If things get dropped because I am carving out time for family or myself then so be it.
Do you find that you are specializing in any certain area? what is it? what brought you to specializing in this area?
The area I have become known for by other Sleep Consultants is my ability to work with older children. I would say my specialty would be ages 18 months and up.
I have a Bachelor of Child Studies Degree and had over 20 years of experience working with children and families before I became a Sleep Consultant. My previous working history has given me the skills and experience to be able to work with children with a variety of needs.
I had the privilege of working as a Child Care Supervisor, Child Care Support Counsellor (worked with children from 2 to 16 with extreme behaviour and emotional challenges in a specialized setting), Community Support Counsellor (helped the students from the specialized setting transition to mainstream schools while providing resources to
the schools and community), Mental Health Aide (worked with the Nursing staff in the Mental Health unit of the local children’s Hospital), and as a Case Worker for Child Protection.
What have you found to be the best marketing tool for you?
Facebook Group and Word of mouth have been my best marketing tools.
What is unique about your sleep business?
The thing that is unique about my business is that I do offer a monthly membership for families that address sleep, behaviour and parenting. Therefore, I have families that find me for sleep advice but then stay with me to get continued advice on their parenting journey.
Tell us about yourself outside of being a sleep consultant
A little about me outside of being a sleep consultant.. wait there is a life outside of this??? Some days I really wonder!
I am a fun loving girl that is a very proud mom to a 7 year old boy and a pretty awesome step mom to 2 incredible young men!! In my spare time I am a Beaver Scout Leader with my husband and I am the co-chair of the School Council that my son attends. I am a very happy Canadian girl that has had an amazing life traveling this amazing country as a child while my dad served our country.