Today we’d like to introduce you to Breanna Standifer.
Hi Breanna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, our family was rooted in serving others. What started as something that was required, slowly became something I enjoyed. I was not a child that grew up knowing what she wanted to be when she grew up, I just knew I wanted to help people. When I first heard the question “What do you want to be,” at such a young age and I did not have an answer, I thought something was wrong with me. Instead of planting a seed of curiosity, it created insecurity, some fear, and a deep desire to know my purpose. I was good at most things, I made good grades, but I also grew up in a performance based environment where we did not talk about emotion and feelings. We did well and that was the expectation and measurement for all things. When I became a mother and wife, those mindsets carried over into how I supported my husband, raised my children, and like many mothers, I believed I had to sacrifice that pursuit of dreams and purpose because of those roles. I was the first wife and mother in my friend group, and instead of inviting them into that space, I guarded it. Mom Dreams became a joke when I fell asleep from exhaustion at a friends bachelorette party and talked in my sleep about there being no animals at the zoo. My friends did not know that was a reoccurring dream that represented mom failure. Almost 10 years passed before I faced those fears, went to therapy, and started a journey to no longer find my identity in my roles and accomplishments. From that place I wrote the book Mom Dreams so that women could learn from my mistakes and avoid wasting time. The community was created to provide support not only for mental and emotional growth, but to provide resources once women discovered their dream and purpose. As I launched Mom Dreams, I experienced one of the biggest challenges as a woman, wife, and mother. It was at the point when I almost quit that I realized how much this community and book was needed.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the biggest challenges along the way was being honest with myself. What I was doing was not sustainable and I needed help. I was accustomed to having the answers, people came to me for advice, and although I shared sound wisdom, my life was falling apart. I had a beautiful family and I was unhappy, a supportive husband, but I was unfulfilled, I had some great accomplishments, but I still felt empty.
After doing the work, I finally decided to begin creating Mom Dreams to prepare to launch it. My husband and I started experiencing some parenting challenges, and I thought that was an indication that it was bad timing and I almost quit before I started. We are people of faith, and we were reminded that opposition is typically an indication that you are moving in the right direction. Developing something for mothers as I struggled with feelings of failure in the role was difficult, but I had to learn that the decisions of others is not always reflective of who you are, what you have done, and what you have sacrificed. The release of the book shortly after the launch was evidence of that.
As I committed to being transparent about my experiences and the lessons I learned along the way, readers continuously expressed gratefulness for that commitment. I told on myself alot in my book, and I know for those who have known me for a long time, they were introduced to a side of me they had never met.
We’ve been impressed with Mom Dreams, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Mom Dreams, is a book and community initiative focused on helping women — especially mothers — pursue purpose, joy, and personal growth.
Mom Dreams centers on everyday life challenges and the journey from just surviving to dreaming boldly and living intentionally.
Through this work, I share stories, encouragement, and reflective exercises designed to help women reconcile identity, purpose, and everyday life. It provides a platform for growth, and these same women have an opportunity to share their personal stories.
As we grow together, Mom Dreams provides support and resources for women to start their own businesses. We have created opportunities, provided funding for different business stages, and we are preparing to launch coaching courses that can be more catered to individuals based on their personal progress and business stage.
My human resources and community development background combined with my experience in public relations, human resource management, and plan administration gives me a unique perspective. I have worked in roles that involve developing programs, enhancing employee engagement, and supporting organizational strategy so my approach is deeply personal but also practical. I believe we are most effective when we take a holistic approach. We show up best in our purpose and in business when we are healthy, whole, self-aware, and rooted in our core values.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up I loved to read, sing, and learn. While other kids enjoyed cooking, blocks, and drawing stations, in kindergarten, I lived in the reading corner. I remember my kindergarten teacher Mrs. Callaluca brought books from home and added them to our bookshelf because of how quickly I ran through them. When I was 8 years old I read Maya Angelou’s I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings, and I knew I wanted to write a book one day. She was my inspiration because she was amazing at so many things, singer, actress, poet, activist. I remember checking out every Maya Angelou book after that, and I didn’t let my mom help me carry them at the library. I was very independent. I do not have many regrets, but I do wish in my adulthood I was more intentional about meeting her in person. She was and still is a representation of strength, resilience, and confidence, especially as a black woman.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.momdreams.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/momdreams.info?
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1HiYUkMbaz/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breanna-standifer-27855b5a
Image Credits
Shana Molina
