Amy Bernhardt started Mimi’s Little Loveys after disability and chronic illness forced her to stop teaching and working with young children. In this episode, I’m delighted to have Amy joining me to share about her journey, how she created her heart-centered business, and how she’s found intentional comfort in her life and business recently.
Through Mimi’s Little Loveys, Amy and her husband Dan aim to provide pretty and practical gifts for home and baby. Thinking back to the time on her grandmother’s farm and being taught not only how to sew but also the joy of presenting every new baby with something skillfully, lovingly handmade, Amy wanted to recreate that experience. They are proud to carry on the tradition of creating unique boutique-quality gifts for you and your family to cherish. Their goal is to take the time-tested methods and skills passed down and update them with a modern twist.
The (Pint-Sized) Inspiration Behind the Brand
When Amy left her old life behind and was lost as to what to do next, her family reminded her that she could do anything she set her mind to — she just needed to take the first step.
Prompted by her sister Amy went back to childhood passions to create her future. In solving her baby nephew’s mealtime problem, Amy hit upon the idea of creating a boutique line of bibs, blankets, and teethers. The handmade products created by Mimi’s Little Loveys are designed by Amy to be functional and practical as well as beautiful.
Amy shares why her health challenges meant that she had to give up her previous much-loved job as a nanny and why she loves that she has kept the connection with all ‘her’ children alive.
“The kiddos that I worked with, I always said, they’re my kiddos, they’re my loveys, you’re all my loveys. And so that also was a nod to the work that I left that I knew, after a period of time, like, I can’t go back there. It’s just not something that’s a physical reality for me. And so I think in putting that in the business name, it was honoring that piece of me and the things that I make are also kind of loveys in and of themselves. They’re all kind of a piece of me going out to your loveys — and so it’s a piece of my heart.”
A Heart-Centered Project
Sometimes you have to take a step back and realize that something you love, in Amy’s case, her role as a nanny, is no longer right for you. Understanding that you have to prioritize self-care to really be there for others in your life can be a challenge. But when Amy reevaluated her life, she found a new way to connect and share her heart with children.
I was so excited to speak to Amy about the journey towards finding your authentic comfort and joy, even though the path may not always be the one you expected. She and her little loveys are such an inspiration for people reflecting on what brought them joy in the past and how they can welcome it into their present.
In this episode, Amy and I talk about:
- The single thing that Amy brought with her after her marriage broke down and how it became the key to her new life
- What brought Amy sparks of joy growing up in a large family
- Amy shares how she came up with the business name and who her little loveys are
- We reflect on why it’s often a more extended and quieter journey to finding our own comfort and joy and why it’s vital to understand the importance of taking care of ourselves
- How getting involved with the community during in-person events made Amy feel like part of another type of supportive family
- The shifts Amy and Dan have had to make in their business since the COVID-19 pandemic hit
- Amy’s advice for artisan business owners on how to get their products into the hands of potential customers
- The range of products that Mimi’s Little Loveys offers — including sweet winter themes, holiday bibs, and napkins — and how to find them online
- Three ways that Amy jumpstarts the joy in her life, in the world, and other people’s lives
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