When you are thinking about having a baby and or experiencing life as a first time mom, it's so difficult to know where to even start looking for answers. Our host, Whitney Rowell, founder of Miracle Milkookies, taps into all of the resources she wishes she had access to as a first time mom, to create a safe place for you to come and listen in on conversations that are sometimes uncomfortable, or tough to bring up. This podcast, Message from Mom, is here as a resource for you!
In this episode of the Miracle Mama podcast, Whitney sits down with Elisa Marshall, co-founder of Maman, the beloved café and lifestyle brand that started as one tiny shop in SoHo and has now grown to 54 locations across North America.
Elisa shares the origin story of Maman, born out of a deeply personal desire to create a space that felt like home in the middle of New York City. Raised by a stay-at-home mom who was also a private chef and an entrepreneurial father in the suburbs of Toronto, Elisa always knew she wanted to build something of her own. After quitting her corporate jobs alongside her now-husband Ben — and spending a formative season running a restaurant in Ibiza — the two opened Maman in SoHo in 2014 with family heirlooms, free labor from loved ones, and a whole lot of heart.
The name "Maman" came naturally. In every conversation about the concept, they kept coming back to one thing: their moms. The recipes, the warmth, the feeling of being at your grandmother's kitchen table, that was the experience they wanted to recreate for New Yorkers far from home.
Elisa opens up about what it truly took to build the brand, bootstrapping through the first five locations, sleeping at the restaurant to rent out their apartment, and learning from every mistake along the way. When it was time to scale, she found a private equity partner who shared her vision and protected the soul of the brand. She also talks about how becoming a mom herself unlocked an entirely new understanding of her customer, shaping everything from the Lalo play kitchens in her cafes to top-of-the-line high chairs and changing tables.
Looking ahead, Elisa is excited about Maman's continued Dallas expansion, including a gorgeous new Lakewood/Hillside Village location, plus her growing lifestyle vision: a kids clothing line called Mon Petit Chou by Maman.
Find Maman: Visit mamannyc.com to explore locations near you, and follow along on Instagram @mamannyc for daily doses of that cozy, café magic.
12 Mar 2026
Raising the "Spicy Ones": Parenting Strong-Willed, Deeply Feeling Kids
Parenting doesn't always look the way we imagined. Some kids feel everything bigger, react louder, and require more from us as parents.
In this episode of the Miracle Mama Podcast, Whitney sits down with parenting coach Mary Van Geffen, who specializes in helping moms raise deeply feeling, strong-willed children, what she lovingly calls "the spicy ones."
Together they talk about:
Why some kids need more from us than others
How parenting a strong-willed child often requires emotional growth from us as parents
How to stay calm during big emotional moments
Setting boundaries without crushing your child's spirit
Why feeling overwhelmed doesn't mean you're failing
If you've ever wondered "Is this normal?" or felt embarrassed, exhausted, or unsure if you're doing motherhood "right," this conversation will make you feel seen.
Because sometimes the kids who challenge us the most are also the ones who will change the world.
Connect with Mary
Website: https://www.maryvangeffen.com (https://www.maryvangeffen.com/)
Book: Parenting a Spicy One: A Compassionate Guide for Raising a Deep-Feeling and Wonderfully Strong-Willed Kid
Order here: https://www.maryvangeffen.com/parentingaspicyonebook
Mary is an international parenting coach who helps families navigate life with strong-willed children using practical tools, calm leadership, and compassionate boundaries.
4 Feb 2026
Real Life Motherhood: Organization, Low-Tox Living & Letting Go of Perfection
In this episode of the Miracle Mama Podcast, Whitney sits down with Hila Bahari, founder of Mama Guide, for an honest, practical conversation about navigating early motherhood with more ease and confidence.
Hila shares her journey from organized professional to overwhelmed new mom and how those early days inspired her to create Mama Guide as a supportive resource for moms who may not have community nearby.
Together, Whitney and Hila talk about the emotional shock of becoming a mother, the power of community, and why moms don't need more information, they need real-life systems and wisdom.
Hila offers simple, game-changing routines, including her "don't put it down, put it back" philosophy, closet systems that teach kids independence, and fridge organization that helps children grab healthy snacks on their own. She also shares approachable meal strategies, themed dinner nights, and rhythms that reduce daily decision fatigue.
They dive into low-toxic living, with Hila explaining how to transition slowly by replacing products over time, following an 80/20 balance, and using ingredient-scanning apps to make informed choices. The conversation also touches on social media comparison, hormones, and the pressure moms feel online, reminding listeners that what we see on screens isn't real life.
You can find Hila on Instagram @mamaguide or discover her motherhood guides at Mamaguide.co.
Inside a recent episode
Elisa Marshall, Founder of Maman
Published 1 May 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And especially coming from, you know, events with baby showers, bridal showers. I was, you know, hosting tons of variety of events. And I just felt like people in New York didn't have... dining rooms or large homes that they could entertain in. And I just wanted to kind of create that place that felt like a home away from home. And that was cozy and was reminiscent of your mom's house or your grandmother's house. And my husband is from the south of France. So we threw in a lot of the French elements and a lot of the southern French vibes, which, you know, hopefully translates and you can see while you're there. […]
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