Mom Crush Monday, Emma Rohmann making a positive impact on health, families, and the environment.

Taking care of little ones is intense. There is the sleep thing, and the financial aspect of course, but really the most challenging thing is making the best decisions that help our littles navigate safely through life. A lot of families (like us) make a real effort to switch to more natural products once babe is born. And doing so can be difficult. Luckily there are moms like Emma Rohmann out there to help guide us! Emma runs a fabulous site called Green at Home, where she gives tips to live a greener, cleaner life. Helping families and the environment? She is TOTALLY crush-worthy! Meet Emma!

Name: Emma Rohmann
Kids: 18 month old and a 4 year old
Company Name: Green at Home

What is Green at Home?

Like many entrepreneurs, I started my journey while on maternity leave. While I had been living green for 10 years, I wanted to know that what I was doing for my kids was right – and I wanted to figure out how I could do it on a budget! Doing the research proved difficult because I just wanted facts about things like organic food and chemicals in household products. Instead, I found a lot of bias and exaggeration. So I started blogging to find the middle ground I was searching for. The blog turned into seminars, workshops, and now I offer in-home consultations to help people simplify their lives, without sacrifice.

How did the idea for the business come about?

I spent so many hours researching and testing theories that I didn’t want my efforts just to end with me. I wanted to share what I’d learned, so that other families didn’t have to start from scratch too. People seemed to agree with me that it was tough to find balanced information, and family and friends were turning to me for input. The Green at Home blog turned into a social media campaign, and now it’s a business!

What motivates you?

This probably sounds cheesy and insincere, but I truly want to make the world a better place. I want to help educate people about how the decisions they make impact their health, their quality of life, and what the world will look like for the next generation. I show people that that they don’t have to give up their lifestyle to make a positive impact on their health, their families, and the environment. I love seeing the looks on people’s faces when they learn what’s in conventional household products, and how easy it is to make a change. I love the feedback I get when I show people how to make or buy non-toxic products that work. Most importantly, I love meeting people and taking on the challenge of helping even the skeptics see the benefits of green living.

What is the most challenging part about being an entrepreneur / working mom?

I’m relatively new to the entrepreneur world but have been a working mom for 4 years. I’m currently on leave from my day job as a green building consultant to focus on my family, as well as Green at Home and another project I co-lead called Mamas & Co. (a networking and education-focused group for moms to run their own business).

Working full-time with two little ones is a time management challenge like no other. I have a hard time turning off my entrepreneur brain sometimes, so leaving work “at the office” is easier said than done. Especially when my office is now in my home! Trying to balance my non-stop entrepreneurial brain while being present with my kids has been the biggest challenge so far.

What is your super power?

Juggling. I wish I could say I could juggle flaming torches or swords, but that’s not what I mean. I am very good at juggling lots of things on the go. I’m trying to stop muli-tasking as I’m learning it’s a terrible way to operate, but I’m very good at keeping organized, creating a plan, and executing it.

What is something that you think people should know about you?

I like to help people. Whether it’s helping someone with their career, a business idea, or greening their home, I ask questions and try to get to understand exactly what it is they’re trying to achieve. When it comes to the environmentalist in me, I never push green living on anyone or shame the choices they make (so there’s no need to apologize to me if you’re reading this while sipping coffee from a paper cup).

Who is your supporting cast of characters? (who needs a shout out)

My husband, first and foremost. He’s supported my entrepreneurial adventures (and everything else) from day1. My friend, also named Emma, started this crazy adventure the day she made me homemade laundry detergent. I never made anything at home, and now I’m making all my cleaners and currently have a body lotion cooling in the kitchen… who knew! My parents who have been my number one fans when I had nobody else reading my blog but them. And finally, all the women in Mamas & Co. who have been incredibly supportive and inspirational through this journey – I really would not be where I am today if it weren’t for them. They say it takes a village to raise a child (which is true!), but it also takes a village to raise a business and I am so incredibly thankful for mine.

If you had one tip, what can a mom like me do to help green her home?

Start reading labels. Not the front of packaging where all the marketing jargon is (and mostly words that don’t mean anything), but turn your cosmetics, cleaners, etc. around and read the ingredients. There are more and more resources to help (and lucky for you, I’ve captured them all in one place). I recommend you pick one issue (i.e. natural products, waste free, energy savings, etc.), and go from there – babysteps are so important to make sustainable change. And, of course, if you’re looking for support I would love to help!