How Mac & Mia Is Making Life Easier For Parents

Mac & Mia is an online kids' shopping service where a personal stylist will handpick unique looks for your child and send a stylish box of goodies right to your doorstep. The stress-free and affordable service carries a wide variety of quality brands for girls and boys in sizes newborn to 6T. You keep what you want and send back the rest — no subscription necessary.

Marie Tillman, mother of five and founder of Mac & Mia, created the innovative box business to ensure that mothers can truly have it all from the career to the household, while still dressing their little ones in an adorable and unique wardrobe. Learn more about Tillman and the fun shopping service's expanding site in this exclusive Patch one-one-one:

Patch: How long have you been doing business in town?

Tillman: We launched in the summer of 2014.

Patch: What attracted you to the line of work you’re in, and how did you get started?

Tillman: Mac & Mia was born out of the belief that shopping for kids should be convenient but also fun and full of quality unique pieces to fit their little personalities. As a working mom, I understand the struggle of trying to do it all: Kids, a career, a household. How do you keep it all running smoothly and not drive yourself crazy?

When my son Mac was born, I struggled with doing it all and looked everywhere for a helping hand. Grocery delivery and everything else was online, but shopping for the kids (we have five) was difficult. I wanted the convenience of delivery without the sameness of mainstream retailers or hours spent searching online for unique pieces. When my daughter came along two years later, I used my maternity leave to launch Mac & Mia. We now have a team focused on finding the best emerging and established brands and delivering a personalized experience to busy families across the country.

Patch: If you had to sum up your business mission to a stranger in five words, what would those words be?

Tillman: Making life easier for parents.

Patch: What’s the biggest challenge or most difficult moment you’ve faced in your job?

Tillman: With a growing business and a young family, finding time for everything is hard. I think the key is to be present wherever you are. If I’m home with the kids, I try not to check email or take work calls until after they are in bed. At work, I try to focus on what's in front of me and not worry about what's going on at home.

Patch: What’s the most satisfying part of your job?

Tillman: We have an amazing team at Mac & Mia! I love that we’ve created an opportunity for moms wanting to stay engaged with the workforce. Our stylist team is comprised of predominantly moms who work remote and can have flexibility over their schedules. They work closely with our customers developing genuine relationships for a truly personalized customer experience.

Patch: How would you say your business or organization distinguishes itself from the others?

Tillman: As a lifestyle brand, we've focused on building strong relationships with our customers. That 1:1 connection between customer and stylist is really one of the defining characteristics that sets Mac & Mia apart from other box services. Our stylist team is comprised 99 percent of moms so they really understand our customers better than anyone!

Patch: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to success?

Tillman: Be kind.

Patch: Are there any new projects or endeavors you’re working on that you’re extra excited about?

Tillman: We just launched a new feature on our site that allows customers to schedule their shipments. There is a ton of flexibility to choose a cadence that works best for each family. You can skip or make changes as needed, it's all about making things easy and convenient for customers. We're also expanding our sizes this spring and will be carrying a variety of styles from newborn to size 10.

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your work and business?

Tillman: Visit our website or follow us Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

This Patch article is sponsored by Mac & Mia

Image Credit: Mac & Mia