Nurturing Innovation: A Q&A with Sarah Hollingsworth, Founder & CEO of Poppylist

Nurturing Innovation: A Q&A with Sarah Hollingsworth, Founder & CEO of Poppylist

At Mini Bloom, we love celebrating incredible women who are reshaping the parenting journey. Sarah Hollingsworth, founder and CEO of Poppylist, has done just that with her unique platform that simplifies the baby registry process for new parents. In this Q&A, Sarah shares her inspiration behind Poppylist, her experiences as a mom and entrepreneur, and how she’s creating a space that supports and connects with the parenting community in meaningful ways. Join us as we dive into Sarah’s world of innovation, motherhood, and her best “mom hacks” for navigating busy days! 

Poppylist is such a unique concept. What inspired you to create a platform that simplifies the baby registry process?

When I was pregnant with my first daughter in 2019, I struggled to find a platform that helped me simplify parts of my parenting journey. I was the first of my friends and sisters to have a baby, so I felt terribly unprepared. I was looking for a place to help me with basic education around my pregnancy, delivery, etc., and a platform to help me identify only the essential items for my registry, which didn't exist. So, I was inspired to create something simpler for moms and dads.

How do you involve your family in your entrepreneurial journey as a founder? In what ways do they inspire or contribute to your ideas?

My husband is my sounding board. I run ideas (and frustrations!) by him, and I often seek his opinion on how I should proceed with certain things. He's data-driven and process-oriented, so I'm grateful for his perspective. And my kids always inspire ideas for Poppylist, especially webinar content. For example, I knew we needed a webinar on preparing for maternity leave when I returned to work. They are my little motivators for everything I do in this life.

What does a typical day look like for you as both a founder and a mom? Do any routines or rituals help you stay organized and motivated?

This morning was a very typical start to my day. I woke up around 6 am, got myself ready, made everyone breakfast, and, like clockwork, my oldest was coming down the stairs around 6:40 am. Once Amelia is eating, it's time to wake up Zoey. We all leave the house around 7:15 am to drop Amelia off at Kindergarten, and then we take Zoey to school right after. Then, I get to work. My days are typically filled with content writing, meetings with brands for the e-commerce store, customer support tickets, and checking in on social media. My co-founder and I also meet every day at 11 am to discuss priorities and our workload. I close my laptop around 4 pm to start dinner, and once dinner is ready, I'll leave to pick up my girls from school. Then it's pure chaos until bedtime. The house is usually quiet around 7:30 pm, then I pick up, get on my laptop if needed, shower, and get in bed. My husband is out of town this week, but if he's home, I usually wake up closer to 5 am to work out. I'm a morning person and love being up before everyone else in my house.

It's important to note that when my husband is home, we constantly rotate between who is cooking and getting the kids to and from school. We are equal parents, and none of this would be possible without his support for me, Poppylist, and his commitment to showing up for our family.

How do you stay connected with the parenting community, and in what ways does it influence how you shape Poppylist?

Social media is obviously one way we connect to our customers and the parenting community. We engage with them daily, and they DM us questions and ideas. They're incredibly kind and supportive of our mission. In addition, we are relentless in seeking customer feedback. Every week, I have 1x1 calls with current customers, and we make real-time changes to improve their experience. The time and feedback they give us are an absolute gift, and we wouldn't be here without their investment in helping us get better. So, investing in our community and customers will always remain a top priority for Poppylist.

Can you share any memorable moments or challenges you've faced as a mom that have impacted your approach to business?

Being a mom requires time management, prioritization, empathy, patience, and grit—all of which have served me immensely in my approach to running and growing Poppylist. I'm constantly challenged with "Am I doing the right thing?" or "Am I giving too much of my time to Poppylist?" and I think the answer is yes to both, and that's OK. I am choosing to build something in this life that I'm proud of, something my daughters will be proud of, and when it's all over, I don't think I'll regret the time I sacrificed to try and do something brave. I am working to buy time with my family in the future. I'm driven to do something uncommon—to be a startup founder, a wife, a mom, and so much more. I want so much from this life, and if my girls believe in themselves to do something like this in the future, whatever it may be, I'll know every second I spend building this company will be worth it. I need to know that I can do hard things, and I need my girls to know they can too—and I need to be the one that leads that charge with action.

What are your favorite "mom hacks" or tips that help you navigate the busy days?

I am still learning to manage busy days, but I "habit stack" whenever possible. For example, if I know I won't have time to eat breakfast, I add protein powder to my coffee. Some other favorite habit stacks include making lunches for the next day while I make dinner, and I do my evening skincare routine while my daughters are in the bath. What simple tasks can you stack to create efficiency and order in your life? It helps so much.

When you're not working on Poppylist, what are some of your favorite activities to do with your family? Do you have any special traditions or outings that you cherish?

I take my daughters to a coffee shop called Civil Goat every Friday morning. It's a tradition that has been going on for three years, and it's a non-negotiable for me to get that time with Amelia and Zoey. On Saturdays, as a family, we love getting tacos, going to the park and the library, and having a lot of unstructured time to just "be." We love our weekends, and we especially love them when they aren't filled with a lot of things to do. Everyone needs time to decompress, including my daughters.

Mini Bloom is all about nurturing both mom and baby. What's your favorite Mini Bloom product, and how has it become a part of your daily routine?

Hallelujah Nipple Balm! I'm not nursing anymore, but having this available during your feeding journey is a must. And if you don't finish the jar, don't toss it! I use mine for chapstick, and I'll put it on my hands and cuticles. It's the perfect companion for your purse or diaper bag—and I love a good multi-use product!