The name may make you look twice, but this isn’t the MOB you are expecting. In this case, MOB stands for Mom Owned Business and if you are a mom and own a business, you’ll want to connect with this group!
Meet the MOB Nation, an alliance of mom business owners who have joined together for community, support, and networking.
Aria Leighty created the MOB in 2012 when she was looking to connect with other moms who also owned a business. As a single mom with a kid’s art studio, she wanted to learn other women managed motherhood and running a business at the same time. She found that typical mom groups didn’t cover business ownership and typical networking groups weren’t kid friendly. Realizing there wasn’t a place to be a mom and business owner at the same time, she created the MOB Nation.
In 2016, a paid level, the MOB Alliance, was added as a next step to help mom business owners grow their business through networking, pooling resources, and education – all in ways that work for busy moms.
The team behind the MOB Nation understands what it means to run a business, raise a family, and how important it is to have a rock solid community behind you:
Aria, the founder, is a mom of one and owns a mobile art business for kids.
Ashely, the VP of Membership & Controller, is a mom of four and an accountant.
Gwen, the VP of Marketing. is a single, homeschooling mom of two and a marketing strategist.
Over the past two years, the MOB Nation Alliance has grown to over 400 members across six states. Nationwide, there are more than 20 chapters, four of which are in Nevada: Reno, Elko, Henderson, and Vegas.
Each chapter meets at least once a month at a MOB Meetup - fun, casual events open to all women where they can meet and build relationships with other MOBs. Unlike typical networking, MOB Meetups focus on creating relationships that lead to referrals over handing out endless business cards.
“I know that time and energy are limited when you are a MOB. Running your own business is rarely glamorous, so I wanted to create a space where we could come as we are and not worry about getting dressed up and putting on a show for others,” says Aria.
In addition to MOB meetups, MOB Alliance members get additional chances to network together via casual coffee meetings and co-working opportunities. There is also a vibrant online community that connects women across the country, weekly educational webinars covering a range of topics MOBs care about, vendor discounts, promotional opportunities, virtual meetups, and even a MOB Nation app that will help you find the nearest mom-owned store or café.
“Once you start looking, you’ll be amazed at how many moms own businesses and how easy it is to support them. We use the phrase ‘there’s a MOB for that’ often because it is a nice reminder to try to support a fellow mom in business first,” says Gwen.
Although the meetups are the most visible aspect of being a MOB Nation member, the support are what members mention the most. Joining the MOB Alliance puts you into a community of women cheering each other on and working together to reach their goals. In the MOB, you automatically have something in common with every member and that bond helps form strong relationships.
Ashley says "It is different from any other networking group. You don't have to pretend to have it all together. You can come as you and everyone is understanding and welcoming because they get it.”
The Las Vegas and Henderson chapters of the MOB are run by Vegas photographer, Abbie Fox owner of Foxy Photography.
The growth and interest in the MOB Nation means this is a great time to join and start connecting with mom business owners all over the country. To learn more – www.themobnation.com
The next Las Vegas meetup is Wednesday, August 22 at 6 pm at Avery's Coffee (9440 W Sahara Ave Ste #145). Get all the details here.
