I love sharing profile stories of awesome Ottawa area mom and dad entrepreneurs who are out there providing much needed services and products for parents and kids. Moms – this next profile is for you. I want to introduce you to Sarah Hampel , the mama behind Maman Chic. Maman Chic Boutique is an online store selling stylish and comfortable maternity clothes, as well as nursing attire…and plenty of non-maternity clothes too!

Sarah is someone I have met through my blog and the Ottawa online community – and I’m so glad I did! She is always looking for new and quality items, and keeps bringing in a number of new and hot items into the store. After delivering my son in December, I wasn’t feeling super confident in my postpartum body and so I treated myself to a few amazing items from Maman Chic including some camo print Spanx leggings, and my beloved “Strong as A Mother” shirt. Feeling good and comfy in what you wear makes such a big difference, especially when you are postpartum and aren’t yet feeling like yourself.

I also love to support local business owners like Sarah, who was born and raised in Aylmer, where she continues to live with her husband and two young daughters. She started Maman Chic three years ago when she was on maternity leave with her eldest daughter. Sarah had a tough time finding maternity clothes that she really loved. So, after doing some research on her own, Sarah signed up for an evening course on writing a business plan. After that, Maman Chic was born, and officially opened in September 2015.

You can browse through all of the current collection Maman Chic offers online, or you can set up a time to visit the boutique for a one on one appointment with Sarah. She is super helpful and approachable and will help you find the items right for you.

I got a chance to ask Sarah to share a little more about herself:

What is the biggest challenge about running Maman Chic?

“The biggest challenge to date is the constant juggling of motherhood, the business and my full-time job. It’s pretty much impossible to focus on only ONE thing. The business, no matter what I’m doing, is playing in the background. But I’m learning to just take things day by day and do as much as I can – without the guilty feelings about all that didn’t get done!”

What is your favourite thing about living in the Ottawa/Gatineau region?

“At the top of my list is the people. Or “my people”, to be specific. My family is here, my friends are here – that’s what has kept me here too. If it weren’t for them, I would definitely be far away… living beside the ocean – somewhere where winter and snow aren’t a thing.”

Where is your favourite place/outing to do with your kids?

“I feel like this needs to be broken down by season because I’m a pretty boring mom during the winter!!  I am NOT a winter person and hate being cold. If I could, I would hibernate from November – April. Indoor activities are my jam (museums, play dates, etc.) and then whenever possible, I try to send my kids to play outside with my husband (you know, like don’t you want to help daddy shovel the driveway?).

Summer is a different story. We love to spend time outside – whether it’s on camping trips (Sandbanks and KOA campgrounds are our favourites) or spending as many weekends as we can at our family cottage in Campbell’s Bay, Quebec.”

5 things Sarah wants you to know about her:

1. I am a proud mom to three girls – two here with me and one who I carry closely in my heart. In January 2015, our second daughter died suddenly just a few days shy of her due date. It’s hard to believe, as a mother, that you can continue to live post-pregnancy loss and stillbirth. But I am proof – like so many other strong and courageous moms in this world – that you can. Focusing on the positive in life is a choice, and I choose to focus on how lucky I am to be a mom to 3 girls and all that they’ve brought to my life – each in their own unique way.
2. I have no background in running a business. None. I have been a policy analyst since I graduated university in 2006 and have no experience in marketing, social media, websites, etc. It has been a STEEP learning curve but it’s also what’s kept my interest – the constant challenge! So for those of you who think I know what I’m doing – you are very, very wrong! This is a strict “learn as you go” type operation!!
3. I love Target. My dream came true when they opened stores in Canada. I was pregnant at the time and then I basically spent a lot of my first maternity leave at Target (not even exaggerating) – just strolling through the store, drinking caramel macchiatos, admiring their home décor and trying not to spend my savings on shoes and clothes. Target closing up shop in Canada was a sad day for me.
4. I’m a planner. And I’m pretty much always planning our next family trip. My husband and I both love to travel and always said we would continue to explore the world once kids came along. Furthest trip so far was Australia in 2016 – when my oldest was 3.5 and youngest 6 months old. I have so many stories from that trip – many I would prefer to forget (ha!) – but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
5. I’m a coffee snob. My favourite coffee spots in Ottawa are Equator and Morning Owl (they both make delicious iced lattes). Also, I will ALWAYS choose an iced latte over a hot one.