Meet Emily Preciado | Founder, MommyAssist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Preciado and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
We live in a world that expects and asks moms to be and do a lot. Everyday, I see how moms are constantly juggling so much – from maintaining the house, school assignments, medical care, and sports to holidays, family time planning, birthdays, and the list goes on and on. More than ever, they’re inundated with societal pressures to keep everything moving along well, at home, with the children, in their personal relationships and more. They’re working hard to make it all work and often, that means they place themselves and their own care on the bottom of their lists.

MommyAssist helps to take care of moms to ease some of this mental load. We help moms with the constant stream of tasks that it takes to manage a home: laundry, dishes, errands, meal prep and specialty services like family-friendly home organization and party host helpers. The service was created by moms for moms, so we really do understand how much is on their plate, and believe that it’s an imperative to help give moms some relief. I often say that it may look like you’re bringing someone in to fold laundry, what you’re actually getting is more time in your day; that extra time might then give mom a moment to sit and have an uninterrupted cup of coffee, to get some extra snuggles with little ones, or to take care of something that’s contributing to the mental load. In that regard, we aim is to prioritize mom’s mental health and wellness by reducing her stress and also allowing her to focus on things that matter most.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
During my time in the corporate world and before I had a child, I wondered how parents did it all. And then even after I had my daughter, I still wondered how parents did it all. Many of my mom friends – whether they worked or not – understood it.

It struck me hard then (it still does now) that there aren’t really many services or companies committed to taking care of moms and her needs. I knew firsthand from how I was living, that not everyone needs a nanny or a live in person – but most moms need someone to be an extension of themselves, the proverbial extra pair of hands. After that early chat with John and Susy, I remember reading stats around mothering like 50%+ of moms say they feel overwhelmed a majority of the day, or how moms work the equivalent of 2.5 jobs per week. It affirmed that this was a real need for all the different mamas out there. I also recalled my own struggles with postpartum anxiety, and how desperately I wanted someone to help take care of all the new things I had to do as a mom, without judgement. I needed someone who understood, who was good, kind, quick – and did it at a high standard that I’d love. That’s what I set out to do, and I believe that my own experience and genuine commitment is what sets us apart from others.

We were originally supposed to launch in March of 2020 but Covid had other plans. As we now know, the pandemic changed the world for all of us. For MommyAssist, it meant that original need moms had, was even greater. People were using their homes more, in new ways, and had more needs than they did before. There were more dishes, more living happening at home, and more things that needed to be tended to. 2021 was such a wild time to launch the service, but at the same time, that challenge made us better because we began by helping families when they needed it the most.

I’m proud to have created and lead a company that was created for women, by women and offers moms a place to ask for help. I get out of bed full of purpose everyday, and am excited to now be part of a wave of new businesses that support moms. I love helping our moms gain more balance in their lives. I appreciate being able to say regularly that moms need support, and to help normalize asking for help. It’s not easy to be an entrepreneur, juggle professional / community commitments and most importantly, be there for my family, but it’s really a special feeling to know we’re making a difference and supporting maternal wellness.

Ironically, the biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way is to…ask for help. I really used to thing I was less competent if I had to ask for help, but I’ve learned that it’s actually a necessary act of self care, and one that keeps on giving.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a South Bay native so I have to start in the South Bay! I’d definitely head to Terranea for an overnight. I love the sushi and delicious Asian food at Bashi. I’d spend some time at the beach, probably Manhattan, lounging and making a pit stop at Tabula Rasa for fun jewelry, perfumes, home items that really capture the beach vibe. If I was feeling extra fancy, I might head to the California purse brand Hammit’s flagship store. Love to eat at so many yummy places, with Chef David LeFevre’s gorgeous seafood at Fishing with Dynamite at the top of the list. For more casual food – Ensenada Tacos in Hermosa is great. And a walk at the South Coast Botanical Garden is always a lovely time.

If there are kids involved, I love a trip to South Park or Wilderness park – two unique and great South Bay parks, perhaps the Mar Vista Farmers Market too. Too many places to visit in beautiful Los Angeles!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
In 2019, when the idea for MommyAssist was just a little inkling, my dear friend Susy and her husband John were both recovering from surgeries. Although Susy said they were managing just fine, I brought over food and did the dishes. We talked about how even one hour of help makes a difference some days. I told them I often thought it would be a wonderful business idea. John (who was part of that conversation) thanked me for the help that day by pairing me up with a consultant to develop the initial idea. I may not have felt ready for that, but the opportunity door had opened and I had to walk through it. I would not have ever even started without that early support I received from Susy and John.

Shawn, a coworker in a prior life and also a long time friend, was so critical in getting MommyAssist off the ground. She introduced the idea of the company to the local community and remains a treasured contributor. She, and the earliest crew of Assisters (Mary, Margherita, Marie, Patty and Deanna) brought to life the mission of making mom life easier, and they did it so well.

Through the journey, my family has been everything! My own mother, Hilda, has always shown me the value of service to others, was my first organizing teacher and is a constant source of support. My dad, Sal, passed his entrepreneurial spirit to me. My beloved daughter Vienna has to have a shout out – she’s my inspiration. Above all, my husband Miguel has helped me so much in so many ways – and a big part of it is how he consistently supports me and reminds me how important the work is. Every time I’ve wondered if I am taking too much time from my family, he encourages me to keep going and has helped me to keep things running.

Website: https://MyMommyAssist.com

Instagram: MommyAssist