Jade Potter is #MadeForKnoxville.
Birthing a small human is a life-altering event; for Jade, it was the catalyst to launching her business. As a new mom, she struggled to breastfeed, but found support and community at the center where she birthed her son. This momentous experience lit a fire in her to create a business that would serve the postpartum community in the same way she had been served.
Within a ten year span, Jade became a mom, graduated from nursing school, and earned the credentials necessary to launch her thriving private practice. She started Milk+Honey Lactation Services to provide education and support to growing families, while also creating opportunities for new parents to come together in support of one another. Entrepreneurial communities in Knoxville have been crucial to Jade’s growth as a business owner, and she is eager to give back and continue impacting the greater Knoxville community in a positive way.
“I knew that after the birth center closed, we needed a more sustainable option–one that could provide the same support structures but also continue to serve the community, even during times of economic instability. That is why I began my business.”
In Their Own Words…
My oldest child was born in 2012, and all I wanted to do was breastfeed. Not only was it hard, but there was no way I could have done it without the support of my lactation consultant and the community atmosphere built by the birth center where he was born. From that point, I knew that my purpose was to provide feeding support to other families and help them find community with other parents navigating the postpartum period.
I graduated from nursing school in 2018 and gained experience as an OB and NICU nurse while obtaining an International Board Certification in Lactation Consulting. I started small–doing home visits during early 2021–and by January 2022, I had a thriving private practice. I have also begun offering community classes on breastfeeding, pumping, going back to work, and postpartum support groups to bring growing families together. I carry a variety of infant feeding tools and pump accessories that are necessary for a positive feeding experience and hope to open a feeding boutique, offering Knoxville families an affordable and accessible way to get everything they need in one place!
My mother is an entrepreneur with several companies in the Sevier County area, so I’m no stranger to business. I knew that after the birth center closed, we needed a more sustainable option–one that could provide the same support structures but also continue to serve the community, even during times of economic instability. That is why I began my business.
Running a business is HARD, especially when you want to provide service to the community and also make a living. I have a clinical background so incorporating a business mindset to my private practice has definitely been an adjustment!
I have also learned that Knoxville has amazing resources in the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center and the Knoxville chapter of Women in Entrepreneurship. Without finding the Aught Coworking office and taking advantage of KEC and WiE, I would not be where I am today!
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