Episode Details

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In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Kristin Smith about the power of hard-won resilience, career pivots, and building a family-focused business from personal struggle. Kristin, based in Western Massachusetts, shares her journey from becoming a mother at age 19 in New York City to founding a nationwide postpartum care company. Listeners will take away insights on early motherhood, overcoming isolation, and the steps to turning life’s hardest moments into entrepreneurial fuel.

About Kristin Smith:

Kristin Smith is the founder of Well Supported Family, a newborn care and postpartum support agency with a national presence that connects families with experienced caregivers during the early stages of parenthood. She began her career as a professional nanny, and in 2008, she was named Nanny of the Year by Family Helpers, and the following year she was selected as a finalist for ABC’s America’s Supernanny.

Main Topics Covered:

• The profound impact of becoming a mother at a young age, and how it changed Kristin’s life trajectory
• Experiences of postpartum isolation—even in the middle of a big city and while working in childcare
• The practical and emotional micro-decisions involved in leaving an unsupportive relationship and starting over
• Turning personal challenges in early motherhood into a meaningful, sustainable career as a doula and eventually entrepreneur
• Building and scaling a postpartum support business (now Well Supported Family) from solo practice to a national team serving diverse families
• The logistics and realities of growing a service business as a single mother, with the help of family and later, a supportive partner
• Embracing bold choices, learning from mistakes, and cultivating confidence as a self-taught business owner
• Encouragement that it’s possible to find joy and purpose in work, and that past choices don’t define one’s future potential

Quote from the Episode:

"I just always had the mentality of go big or go home... I have to have the ability to kind of sit back within my own company and hand off all the tasks that I don't want to do so I can enjoy life. Because I've worked so hard and so long and put so many blood, sweat, and tears into this that I gotta make this bigger than it is." — Kristin Smith

Timestamps:

[00:00:19] Kristin’s introduction and life in Western Massachusetts

[00:01:38] Identifying as a Millennial and early life plans

[00:02:35] Nearly joining the military and pivoting to nanny work in NYC

[00:05:27] Experience of moving alone to New York and early motherhood

[00:08:01] Raising a newborn with minimal support and returning home

[00:09:34] Mindset and decision-making when isolated postpartum

[00:12:03] Reflection on giving her partner a “fair shot” for her daughter’s sake

[00:15:12] In-depth exploration of postpartum isolation—even with a childcare background

[00:18:13] Career pivots: training as an EMT, postpartum doula, home birth midwife, and starting solo practice

[00:22:09] The realities of balancing overnight client work and single motherhood

[00:24:58] Growing a solo practice into a team and national agency (Nightingale Night Nurses/Well Supported Family)

[00:28:33] First steps in hiring, business learning curve, and problem-solving through mistakes

[00:34:21] Kristin’s motivations for building a larger business and desire to help more families

[00:36:34] Kristin’s advice—on redefining yourself after setbacks, and building a joyful career

[00:38:23] About Well Supported Family: services, who they serve, and how to co