Marika Frumes, Shares on Founding mysha and on Banding Together a Community of Mothers
A few years back- I met Community Builder Marika Frumes at a gathering where we were encouraged to visualize and share what we wanted for our future. Many women at this meet-up were at the start of their careers; most were not mothers. For me, it was a group out of my comfort zone, yet it was what I needed at the time, to recall what it felt like to be aspirational again. As many mothers can attest, dreaming can become lost in the fray of motherhood. The women were all super encouraging and now, fast forward, Marika and I are both in the parenting world and what we visualized for ourselves those years back came to fruition (really!).
And we know- with dreams, goals, and aspirations, most understand that some growing pains may be part of the process. When Marika was in the throes of postpartum, she found that “the rosy, commercial experience of motherhood” didn’t reverberate with who she was. This is where mysha comes in. Founded by Marika, it is the mom group reimagined where a new mother is connected to an intimate community of modern moms and resources that support mothers in their parenting journey.
I recently chatted with Marika on mysha and on how banding together a community of mothers came about.
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How did mysha come to fruition?
Despite being a community builder and having many amazing women in my life, I felt quite isolated in my pregnancy experience. I craved a community of other like valued moms who where also going through similar changes. Pregnancy isn’t an on-demand experience and often, we aren’t going through it at the same time as our friends… I would go to workout classes geared towards pregnant women with the sole intention of connecting with other new moms, but everyone would usually leave after the class ended.
I didn’t have “my village” and took matters into my own hands to create one. The first mysha pod was born when I connected 20 women from my extended network virtually via WhatsApp. I facilitated the experience and set some ground rules to ensure the space provided a lot of value and little “noise.” Our pod became a place to share resources, information and support. Naturally, deep friendships were formed and word got out to other moms who wanted to join. I kept creating more pods as moms kept sharing their experiences… and new moms wanted to join. We made mysha “official,” and incorporated it last March and it has grown leaps and bounds since then.
How does the community work?
After you apply, we start curating your pod by matching you with other moms who are also delivering the same month. We also consider other factors like where you live and your career when creating the pods.
While waiting on your pod, you’ll gain immediate access to mysha’s vault of high-impact resources. We’ve personally vetted it all, so no need to spend hours researching. A month before your delivery date, we virtually connect and introduce you to 19 other moms in the same situation as you… say hello to your new BFFs. Each pod is moderated and curated to ensure the mysha experience is high on engagement and value. we know each member intimately and help make strategic connections that will bring you value in your motherhood experience and beyond. the pod is your place to ask anything you need and get trusted answers to your questions from moms with similar values.
*in cities where we have most members (nyc/ bk, la, mia) we host irl gatherings to take your new connections to the next level and ensure you have the opportunity to build the deepest friendships with your new community.
*the mysha experience starts with focus on your transition to motherhood and organically becomes a strong new network for when you need it after exiting the postpartum haze.
What is the mission statement of mysha?
Connection is at the core of the mysha experience. We believe that the right connection can change your life and we see ourselves as matchmakers for new moms, connecting them to the resources and the people that they most need during this vulnerable transition. We carry this ethos to our dinners, where each member is always invited to put out an ask… ensuring we get to know what we need and can support each other.
How do you see mysha evolving?
We’ve been really happy with the outcomes of our recently launched neighborhood-specific supplement pods. Those intentions are to give our members an immediate network next door. Imagine texting “anyone out for a walk” and getting immediate location pings. It’s beautiful to see the community come alive IRL in all these neighborhood pods.
We’ll also continue launching supplement pods for unique member needs. Currently, we support solo moms and twin pods.
Without a doubt, you can expect a lot more intimate meet-ups and IRL dinners all over the country.
