Interview done by Angele Sionna (email: parentingexaminer at gmail.com)
In today’s Do It All Mamas (& Papas) the spotlight is on Michelle Staley, mom to almost five year old Ty and inventor of Busy Breathers oxygen carrying backpack.
Examiner: Tell me something unique or interesting about yourself.
Michelle: I was a preemie myself and only weighed 2lbs when I was born 2 months early back in the 70’s and wasn’t expected to live and neither was my Mother. We both did survive however! This gives my son and I a very unique connection. On a lighter note, I had Platinum hair with hot pink highlights last summer! You only live once, right?!
Examiner: What is your business all about?
Michelle: I designed and now sell a backpack that carries oxygen cylinders. I designed my backpack for families that have children on oxygen. I also designed it for active adults that are required to be on assisted oxygen. My backpack allows parents that have babies or children on oxygen as well as adults on oxygen the mobility to get back to their busy lifestyle with more ease and efficiency! My company website is BusyBreathersLLC.com
Examiner: What is your favorite product that you make or sell and why do you like or recommend it?
Michelle: I guess I would say my backpack is my favorite product, since that is all I offer at this point in the game! I do however plan on adding more products as creativity, time and money allow!
I would recommend our backpack because I know the struggles firsthand as a mother myself of a baby/toddler that required oxygen 24/7. I wanted an all-in-one oxygen/diaper bag and that is exactly what I designed! Our Backpack provides an organized system for a mom and baby on oxygen to get out of the house, go to doctors appointments, sit at the park, go shopping , without all the hassle of carrying several items separately such as oxygen tank, diaper bag, purse, medical supplies, etc. Our bag is not just designed to work in a child scenario it can also work rather well for adults that are required to carry oxygen allowing them the same functionality as well as continuing on with their daily activities.
Examiner: Why did you start your business?
Michelle: When I was 27 weeks pregnant I developed preeclampsia and because of this my adorable little red headed son was born 3 months early. Because Ty was born so early his lungs were not fully developed and we didn’t know if he was going to survive or not. Ty was a fighter and would continue to get stronger and stronger every day. Ty was in the NICU for four months and then needed to be on oxygen for almost two years. I ended going on a leave of absence from work the day Ty was born and haven’t returned since then, nor have I looked back. Ty was not able to be in a daycare setting and I wanted to be home with him, partly because I was scared to death, but also didn’t want too miss out on a single thing that involved my son!
We lived on my husbands income and money was really tight, so I started to think of ideas with my cousin that was also a stay at home Mom that would allow me to bring in some extra money. We both came up with cute ideas but nothing that really stuck! I was putting Ty to bed one night and laid down his oxygen bag beside him and a sense of frustration came across me. I knew the bag that we used wasn’t very functional and it only carried the oxygen cylinder and that was it. It was also meant to be carried over your shoulder and it was very hard trying to carry everything you have to carry when you have a baby on O2 along with him. We also had an incident one time where the bag fell off my arm and smacked him in the head. I started looking on-line for a bag that would fit all of my needs and couldn’t find anything so that’s when the light bulb went on and when this very long process started! I decided too design my own bag. I knew that there had to be others out there that were having the same dilemma and frustration as me and so I was on a mission to help myself out as well as others.
Examiner: What secret do you have to share with other parents about “having it all” with your family and business?
Michelle: Let’s see, secret? I’m not sure if it would be considered a secret or not, but I feel truly blessed by being able to be at home with my kiddo as well as trying to help other families and people out there with my product! We live paycheck-to-paycheck and we don’t get or have a lot of life’s little extras, but I get something more than money back in return I get too see the little boy I didn’t think would survive grow mentally and physically every day with the hugest zest and joy for life that I have ever seen! I also get to hear from other families that are thankful too me for creating my backpack and making their lives easier.
Examiner: What is the number one piece of advice you have for other parents?
Michelle: I would say try and step back and look at life through your child’s eyes, it will make you look at life much differently and value the little things!
Examiner: What is your (and your kids) favorite family activity?
Michelle: We love to walk to the park and play! Ty would chose this over almost anything, except maybe going to the movies, which we only live three blocks from so we may go to the park first and then the movies!
Examiner: Anything else you want to add?
Michelle: [To quote] Forest F Witcraft: “One hundred years from now it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in my bank account, or what my clothes looked like. But one hundred years from now the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of a child.”
