Winners of the Winter 2019 High Five Grant for Moms

We are pleased to announce Laura Borsky, a mother of two boys and owner of SaferSit, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the $5,000 grant winner for the Winter 2019 High Five Grant for Moms competition.

A Judging Panel of seasoned executives selected Laura as one of eight finalists out of 175 applicants. In the second phase of the competition, out of more than 4,600 total, her business received 1,503 votes.

Laura not only receives the $5,000 grant, she also will be sent to Mama Spring Break, a business and adventure retreat for mom business owners to learn in workshops, valuable business coaching, a $100 gift card from the grant sponsor, Belly Bandit, and a promotional interview on Talk Radio NYC.

Safer Sit Laura Borsky High Five Grant for Moms Winner

More about SaferSit

SaferSit serves busy parents who need reliable childcare with just the push of a button. SaferSit is an on-demand service that connects highschool and college students with babysitting jobs in their area. 

More than 1,500 families have used the service, and SaferSit has over 100 5-star reviews on Facebook from moms. The company has booked over 10,000 jobs since starting in 2016. 

”We are the only child care service that background checks both the parent and the sitter making it safe for both parties,” Laura says. “We are also the only service that is started by a mom and a sitter so that our team understands both sides of our business.”

The future of SaferSit

"We are planning to expand to multiple cities in 2019,” says Laura. “We have hired "mom managers" in Louisville and Lexington and hope to add a note tracking system for parents to communicate needs and allergies with their sitter.”

In her application, Laura wrote that she plans to use the $5,000 grant to add the notes system to the SaferSit app so that the sitter can have more safety information and the parent would be able to trust the service even more. This note system will include emergency contact info, allergy info, and additional notes. 

Lion Latch Lerin Lockwood High Five Grant for Moms

First Runner Up - Lion Latch

Lerin Jane Lockwood, mama of a two-year-old daughter who lives in Burnet, Texas, owns Lion Latch. Her invention, Lion Latch is a small container that does not come unscrewed, to store wedding rings on-the-go, earrings, necklaces, pills, and hearing aids.

After knocking out the diamond in her engagement ring while playing softball, she knew she needed a solution. “I want to help more people prevent losing the jewelry they love! Jewelry is so sentimental, and can be passed down generations. You don't realize how much you love it until it's missing/damaged.”

After creating her own solution, others wanted one too. She raised $14,000 on KickStarter to have her invention manufactured. She’s shipped over 10,000 Lion Latches and recently received a call from Good Morning America. See how to protect your jewelry on the go at www.lionlatch.com.


Second Runner Up - EATABLE Inc

Charlene Li EATABLE Inc High Five Grant for Moms

Mother of one, Charlene Li, co-founded EATABLE with her husband in 2018. Based in Ontario, Canada, EATABLE creates luxurious, refined snacking experiences for millennials and the young professional demographic who values quality and unique experiences. Their 100% all-natural gourmet popcorn features alcohol-infused flavors inspired by classic cocktails, wine, and spirits.

“The mission behind EATABLE is to create products that are part of people’s everyday celebrations,” says Charlene. “Whether you’re celebrating everyday wins at the office, at a gathering with friends, or spending quality family time at home, we want our products to be a reminder to celebrate those everyday wins, big or small. We are looking to partner with local charitable organizations that promote self-love and personal achievement.”

Pop over to www.eatable.com to find creative new flavors for your #everydaywins.

High Five Grant at Mama Spring Break

The Mama Ladder, in partnership with sponsor Belly Bandit, will award a giant check to Laura at Mama Spring Break this March (and a bank-friendly-size too!) at a special awards luncheon. We welcome mom entrepreneurs to join us and climb to greater heights in your business. 

10 Reasons Why You Need a #MamaSpringBreak this year

It's your year. Your year to face your business fears, try something new, and surprise yourself with what you can accomplish. 

Why not you? And why not 2018? 

You'll find just what you need at #MamaSpringBreak Business & Adventure Retreat. Here are 10 reasons why this special event is made especially for the adventurous mamapreneur. 

When & Where: It will be March 15 - 17, 2018 in gorgeous St. George, Utah.

1. Get business training from experts.  In one weekend you'll learn how to protect your business legally, be smart with business finance, set up processes, master your leadership mindset, and take notes on marketing strategies. We've lined…

1. Get business training from experts.  In one weekend you'll learn how to protect your business legally, be smart with business finance, set up processes, master your leadership mindset, and take notes on marketing strategies. We've lined up a keynote you'll adore who is gonna let you know why being a woman and a mother are your biggest assets!

2. Adventure outside in gorgeous Zion's National Park. Forget a stuffy seminar. No, Mama! This retreat is about fresh air, happy vibes, and climbing greater heights. What better way to do that than with a hike? We'll see the sights from atop Angel's Landing, a famous hike in the southwest.

3. Forge lasting friendships with like-minded mamapreneurs. You'll meet women who love their babies AND their business at #MamaSpringBreak. They are coming in from across the U.S. We've got mamas signed up from Illinois, California, Utah, and Oklahoma ... all there to learn with you.

4. Attend a Pat Benatar rock concert at the gorgeous Tuacahn Amphitheatre. Because who doesn't want to rock out to "Love is a Battlefield" from the legend herself? THIS will be so rad.

5. Give yourself a kid-free getaway that's a business expense. Because we all need breaks from diapers, dishes, and laundry that never seems to end ... right? It's just three days, and they will sure be glad to see you when you get back.

6. Bring home more than $200 of sponsor gifts! Our sponsors are ahhh-mazing and you'll get gift cards and products from: Chatbooks, RadSwim, Baby Cubby, Modern Piggy, Mommi, Brightbox, YNAB, SmartShyp, and more! 

7. Bring home an exclusive #SeeMamaClimb t-shirt. Designed only for event attendees, you can show the world you're climbing after your business dreams. (Because you are!)

8. Enjoy having your food taken care of! No cooking or cleaning for you, Mama. We've got you covered. All meals and healthy snacks are included.

9. Shake what yo' mama gave ya. We'll have our own dance party, just for attendees. Woot.

10. Relax in a soothing yoga session. We've got an incredible instructor coming who will get you feeling serene.

Convinced you need a #MamaSpringBreak in your life this year? Sure, we'll have a really, really good time. But we'll also stretch our hearts, bodies, and minds so that we can all climb (literally and in business) in 2018. Invest in yourself, and your business. See you there, Mama.