Connect about both life and business.
MADE FOR MOTHERS
x CENTRAL ILLINOIS
An IRL community for ambitious and entrepreneurial moms in Central Illinois.
Most networking events weren’t made for moms.
We’re changing the status quo in Central Illinois. Because we have careers we care about and families we care for. And we don’t want to do it all alone or lose ourselves along the way.
This is not “just another mom group” or a cold, boring business meet-up. It’s also not about how many business cards you can collect (then forget about).
Instead, it’s about how deep of a conversation you can have. How many lasting relationships you can intentionally build. And how fully you can show up as yourself, for yourself.
We’re also ditching the happy hours that happen at bedtime. The events where you walk in a stranger and walk out one too. The rooms where you have to choose between the baby or the business.
Made for Mothers® is a national community for moms founded by Mariah Stockman and hosted locally by me (Ashlee Sang). We’re building differently, on purpose.
We believe real relationships are “the funnel.”
We believe community is the greatest investment a woman can make in her business and in herself.
And we believe the question worth asking is not whether a business can survive motherhood, but what motherhood can unlock inside a woman’s business.
Meet Your Central Illinois Chapter Leader
Connection was my word of the year. I wanted to connect to myself, my kids, my work, my community, and the purpose that ties it all together.
Made For Mothers checks all those boxes. And my hope is that it does for you too.
We all know how lonely it can be to have big ideas and big responsibilities with tiny amounts of time and sleep…
Resourcing ourselves with a whole group of moms who get it makes it that much easier to show up how we want to and build what we know we’re capable of.
We’re taking idea of “its takes a village” to a whole new level. You in, mama?
Monthly Gatherings for Ambitious Central Illinois Moms
Each month, we’re coming together for the real conversations you don’t have anywhere else. We’re not escaping reality, but we are disrupting the day-to-day enough to make the effort feel worth it.
It’s where big ambition and tiny hands are welcome in the same room, at the same time. It’s space to share challenges and solutions. It’s a chance to pay-it-forward when you can and ask for support when you need to.
This is a community that allows you to say the things you’ve been holding onto and dreaming of. And this is a roomful of local moms who also want your big ideas to become a reality.
(Always pay-as-you-go rather than an upfront membership…because life happens, especially when you have kids.)
SEPT 23 | 9:30-11am
@ Illinois Art Station
Chapter Launch Party
The first ever Made For Mothers event for Central Illinois! Get to know each other, get a feel for future events, and start to build the village you know you’ve been needing.
OCT 21 | 9:30-11am
@ Illinois Art Station
October Meet-Up
This month’s theme is Elevator Pitches. Whether you’re an introverted overthinker or an extroverted social butterfly, we can all fine-tune and actively practice how we introduce ourselves and the work we care so much about.
Can’t make it this month? That’s totally ok.
Jump on the email list to get all the event invites (and any bonus resources).
When ambitious moms gather, magic happens.
Yes, “come as you are” might mean you have your kiddos in tow. Or it might mean you’re a stepmom or an empty nester or you’re planning to start a family. We all have something to learn from each other about business, caregiving, and juggling it all.
The first time you walk into a Made For Mothers meet-up, you might not know anyone. The next time, you might be the one bringing a friend.
This is what happens when the same women show up to the same room, month after month.
Our personal network grows. Our collective potential grows. And we have more and more people in our corner cheering us on—in life, in business, and in all the overlapping spaces in between.
Your community is calling.
“Network” like a mother.
When your days are equal parts cuddles and CRMs, balance bikes and balance sheets, report cards and annual reports.
When you know your life is better and your business is stronger the more connected you feel.
Made For Mothers x Central Illinois is here for you.
MFM x Central Illinois FAQs
Too good to be true? Like to cross all your t’s first? Want to be extra extra sure?
I’m the same way. (Anyone else a Questioner from Gretchen Rubin’s 4 Tendencies?) Here’s some more context if you’re curious about what this is and why it matters.
(And also…you won’t really know if it’s the right fit until you give it—and all the amazing women in the room—a try.)
Same. This isn’t a “collect-3-business-cards-by-the-time-you-leave-without-actually-talking-about-anything” kind of meet-up. It’s also not a refer-5-people-by-the-next meet-up-or-else vibe.
Instead, you bring the many parts of you and you connect with women who are committed to doing the same. It’s about supporting other ambitious moms however you’re able, and receiving whatever they can give.
Real relationships take time and need space for deep conversations. These gatherings give you that time and space.
We learn from each other. We get to know each other. We grow together.
Like “networking,” but way better.
This is for you if you identify as an ambitious mom in any way, shape, or phase of life/business. Maybe you’re planning for your first baby, maybe your 3rd kid just graduated from law school. Maybe you have a side hustle you want to take full-time, maybe you’ve been around the entrepreneurial block.
Motherhood never leaves you. Your entrepreneurial spirit never leaves you. This community holds space for both those parts of you.
And we all have so much to learn from each other, and so many ways we can support each other along the way.
The vision is for our group to feel intimate and well-curated, but not overly exclusive. Different backgrounds, industries, and family dynamics make our community richer. The people in the room matter more than anything else because it’s all about deep connections and meaningful conversations.
I’m aiming for ~30 moms each event—some regulars, some newbies, always ambitious women who want to connect personally and professionally. If that’s you, you’re welcome.
***Babies and kids (aka the next generation of entrepreneurs and changemakers) are always welcome. Childcare is never provided.
Yes, each event is pay-as-you-go*. There are NO upfront membership fees because being a mom and a business owner is hectic (and expensive) enough, so you only pay for what you’re able to attend.
And I’m really protective of how each meet-up feels. No to a constant barrage of pitching and hard selling. Yes to getting to know the humans behind the labels of “business owner,” “community leader,” “mom/stepmom,” etc.
So, why charge at all when there are some many free events and groups online and in the area?
Because like the IKEA Effect, you pour more into yourself and our shared experience when you invest not just your limited time and energy, but also your money.
Tickets are a business expense (permission to channel your inner David Rose here…) and your potential for clients, collaborators, funders, tools, resources, and a community of like-minded mamas is worth a lot more than what it costs to get in the door.
Plus, this community is an extension of my business and personal brand, so I’m committed to this group and everyone in it in ways volunteer group leaders (and their non-paying members) might not be. I’m also an enthusiastic facilitator, strategic advisor, and consultant with a huge array of experiences and industries under my belt, so I bring that energy and know-how before, during, and after our gatherings.
*I’m working on a community pay-it-forward fund where attendees can access the room when cost is a barrier. More to come here—open to any ideas you have!
How many times have you found yourself feeling alone as a business owner and a mom? How many times have you felt like a burden calling up a friend or business contact in desperate need to vent or brainstorm or verbally process? How many times have you felt cooped up in the same 4 walls or at your go-to stomping grounds?
This is your outlet. Your jumping off point. Your time and space to find your people.
It means you don’t have to choose between mom friends and business savvy peers. It means you don’t have to compartmentalize a conversation when your brain is thinking about breast pumps or school spirit days at the same time as inventory or ad spend.
It’s magical when your mom friend is ALSO your business bestie. This is a roomful of women you see every month waiting to be (and have) just that.
So yes, “you’ve gotten this far without community.” But imagine how much easier it could be or how much further you could go with the right people and resources in your corner…
Values-alignment is core to how I’ve built my business and how I live my life. All walks of life and points of view are welcome, as long as you’re respectful of how others in the room live, work, and think.
Here’s the Community Creed I’d like all Made For Mothers x Central Illinois attendees to follow:
We commit to the process.
That means showing up as yourself, for yourself, and with an open mind to others. It also means being part of the community as often and as fully present as possible.
We listen to our intuition.
This space is meant to open the door to new ideas and possibilities, but ultimately, you know your capacity, your vision, and your values best. Take what you need, leave or adapt the rest.
We share generously.
By pouring into others, giving advice, and revealing resources, we’re not only elevating everyone else’s experience, we’re also synthesizing our best ideas at the same time.
We hold each other’s truths in confidence.
We’re coming to this space with our vulnerable business ideas and life situations, so anything shared here stays here. Other people’s thoughts, experiences, and big visions are not ours to spread (or judge) without their consent.
And here are my personal values (and how I define them, which is a super important step!):
◗ Conscientiousness: Bringing empathy and awareness to my life and work
◗ Contribution: Feeling connected to something bigger than myself
◗ Exploration: Creating space to experiment and staying open to different perspectives
◗ Integrity: Living out my values and practicing what I preach
◗ Intentionality: Taking and encouraging confident, meaningful action
Short answer: yes, as long as you’re local to Central Illinois.
Longer answer:
- Vendors can pay a small tabling fee to sell directly to attendees at a that specific event. This is ideal for mom-owned business that have a special product. Think: a maker, vintage seller or boutique owner, a permanent jewelry or tattoo artist, specialty food or body products.
- Sponsors can choose 1 of 3 tiers and pay a quarterly or annual rate for ongoing brand presence. It’s not about a sales table or a banner no one looks at. It’s logo placement, recognition, a seat, a shoutout. Actual partnership. Sponsors are explicitly not pitching or selling to the room from the front of it—instead, they’re part of the Made For Mothers experience.
Either way, catch me at a meet-up, email me, or book a call to chat more.
Have other questions?
I’m here to answer them all and get to know every ambitious mom who wants to find her people.
Reach out to me here.
