Are your kids good sleepers or bad sleepers? For those of you that answer bad sleepers, have you considered a Sleep Consultant? You should! Nikki Smith, the mom being highlighted in our Meet A Mom series today is a Sleep Consultant for Sleep Wise Consultant. She is fantastic and digs deep into learning more about you and your children’s habits, all with the intention of helping to support a healthy sleep…for everyone! Yourself included. When I had my initial call with Nikki, she was so warm and listened to everything I had to say (including a lot of frustration we were having at the time).
Instagram Handle / Facebook Page
IG – sleepwise_nikki and FB – Nikki Smith
Briefly introduce yourself!
Hello! My name is Nikki Smith and I am a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant with Sleep Wise Consulting. I am a Colorado native, and after several years living away from “home” for my husband’s military service, we are thrilled to be back in our home state. I love connecting with other women and moms in my area!
How many children do you have and what are their age(s)?
I have two boys ages 3.5 and almost 2 (cue the tears).
Where do you live in South Denver exactly? If not South Denver, where?
I live in the Southlands/East Aurora area.
What’s your favorite family friendly activity in South Denver?
We enjoy anything that takes us outside! We are always trying to find new local parks or trails to walk because my boys love to be out and in the dirt (don’t they all).
What’s your favorite kid friendly restaurant in South Denver?
If I’m being honest, we aren’t huge restaurant goers, but my boys and I are big (maybe too big) fans of Chick-Fil-A.
What’s your favorite date night restaurant in Denver (not just South Denver)?
My husband and I enjoy places with a relaxed feel and an opportunity to just hang out. I think a couple of our favorites would be Breckenridge Brewery or The Viewhouse.
What’s the best mom and/or parenting advice you’ve received?
I think my favorite advice was to do what suits me and my family best. There are so many options and opinions out there and I love taking it all in, but I often find my solution is a mix of a lot of other options. Babies, children, and families are so vastly different that we cannot expect what works for one to work for another.
What inspires you?
I find inspiration in so many things and so many people. My children truly do inspire me because their sweet innocence and thirst for new knowledge and challenges is amazing. I am blessed to have a really amazing village of family and friends who push me each and every day. In addition to the people close to me, other strong women light my fire all the time. Hard-working women who stay at home with their children, those who work in corporate America, the entrepreneurs who are paving the way for their dreams, or the women slaying the side hustles are so amazing! Women are warriors and it is amazing to see what we can accomplish when we build each other up and support one another’s dreams and goals.
You started with Sleepwise Consulting. Tell us more!
I became a mom in June 2016, and my first son was a pretty good sleeper right from the start; then fast forward to early 2018 and my second son was very different. I was struggling from the get-go, feeling like he would never sleep without being held, and feeling like I was failing him despite my best efforts. I was exhausted; I felt like I was doing a great disservice to my newborn and to my toddler, and I was at the end of my rope… I then had the pleasure of working through a newborn plan with Sleep Wise. After my younger son, Jameson, learned to sleep independently, he began flourishing and became a happy energetic baby. I became so passionate about sleep for my children, my family, and ultimately other families that I decided I wanted to help families experience the same blissful and predictable sleep my family gets to experience every day.
What inspired you to work as a Sleepwise Consultant?
At my core I really believe sleep is a necessity, not a luxury, and impacts every part of our daily lives. Sleep training in general is not for everyone, and that is completely ok. However, I want moms to know that if what is happening with her child’s sleep is no longer working for her, her child, and her family, there is an amazing option out there that includes support second to none. I do not take lightly being let in to some of the most vulnerable parts of a family’s life, and my passion for guiding a child to sleep fills my cup each and every day!
What is the best career/business advice you’ve ever received?
Be genuine – simple as that. I am always honest and genuine with anyone I have the privilege to work with.
What is your favorite part about being an entrepreneur?
I love being able to pursue something I am truly devoted to that helps other people. I am not someone who loves “selling” but rather helping. I have found something that has such a profound impact on people’s lives that it can alter the course of parenthood, and I know it first-hand because I have been through it! Being a mom is hard enough without adding sleep deprivation on top of it, so if I can help in even just that small way I know it will have a butterfly effect for years to come.
What has been your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur?
Something I am always focusing on is balancing work-life and home-life. I love being a mom, but I do sometimes get consumed by wanting to do everything all at once. I have had to make a concerted effort to keep boundaries for my work so that I am also giving the attention needed to my children and family. Some days I am better at this than others, but I am always learning and always growing.
What do you do for self-care?
I am part of an awesome fitness community called Street Parking and that helps me take care of myself. I can take some time for myself, workout at home, and keep up with something I love: CrossFit. I, of course, am a work in progress but I love having time to myself to crank the music, get a little sweat on, and recharge my batteries.
What is your best mom hack?
I don’t know if it is the most clever mom hack, but I like to have totes to keep toys organized. Our playroom is also our living room so I try and rotate the toys out to keep my boys entertained but also to reduce the amount of clutter we have upstairs.
Is there anything else about you and/or your business you want to highlight?1 response
If you are on the fence about if this is right for you, I offer a free 15-minute evaluation call to talk all about what it looks like to work together. The easiest way to decide if this is right for your family is to jump on a call with me and we can chat about it! You can email me at [email protected] to set up a time that is convenient for you.
