Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Altman-Karr.
Hi Kim, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My background is anything but traditional and honestly that is probably the most interesting part of this story.
Growing up all I wanted was to be on Broadway. I was fully committed to that dream well into college, performing, auditioning, living for it. Eventually I found my way into casting and talent in Manhattan which was an incredible world to be part of and somewhere along the way I started managing social media for those companies on top of my actual role. Nobody asked me to, I just saw a need and filled it. That became a bit of a theme in my career, taking on roles that were really designed for multiple people and somehow making them work. I eventually transitioned into full time marketing and grew into a director level position. A true jack of all trades who somehow always figured it out.
I will be honest, I was not the girl who always dreamed of becoming a mom. I did not have baby fever and when I found out I was pregnant I was equal parts excited and terrified about what this would mean for my life, my career, my identity, all of it. And the truth is it changed everything. In some of the most beautiful unexpected ways and in some of the most humbling challenging ones too.
They say when a baby is born a mother is born too and I have never related to anything more deeply in my life. My entire perspective shifted. The way I saw the world, what I valued, what I wanted out of my days, and honestly what I was no longer willing to tolerate. It was like becoming a completely new version of myself overnight and as exciting as that was it also came with something I was not expecting at all. A kind of loneliness I had never experienced before.
I had friends, really good ones, but nobody who was in it with me in real time. My friends either had older kids or were just starting their pregnancy journeys and I needed someone who was in the trenches alongside me right now. As a full time working mama my options felt incredibly limited and that was a really hard place to sit.
I tried the classes that were out there, the music classes, the gym classes, the mommy and me programs. And while I appreciated them I quickly realized something. Every single one of those was designed with your mini in mind first. The curriculum, the activities, the whole experience was built around your little one. Which is wonderful but it left very little room for you as a mother to actually connect with the woman sitting next to you. You are both focused on your babies, trying to participate, trying to keep up, and by the time the class ends everyone goes their separate ways. Friendships can happen but it takes so long and so much effort on top of a life that is already full.
I eventually found my people but it took far longer than it should have and when I did everything just clicked. I felt understood for the first time since becoming a mom. More grounded. Like my crazy was everyone else’s crazy too and that feeling was everything.
That is when I knew this was exactly where I was meant to be. Like my entire career had been quietly leading me here all along.
I looked around at what existed for moms and while I loved the spirit of mom groups and community pages they were just too inconsistent. Different people every time, no set schedule, constantly having to reach out and make plans on top of an already full and exhausting life. I wanted something intentional. Something that put the mama first for once. Something that did the hard work for the woman who simply did not have the bandwidth to do it herself.
So I built it.
Mamas & Minis is the community I wished had existed when I became a mom and the Inner Circle is our flagship concierge matchmaking program at the heart of it. I personally match mamas into small curated friend groups based on their stage of life, their schedule, their personality, and their vibe. Your group meets once a week for 12 weeks and everything is planned for you. You just show up. Because unlike every other program out there this one was built with you in mind first. You as the mother. You as the woman who needs support and friendship and people who just get it. Your mini comes along for the ride but this one is for you.
We work with incredible local businesses, restaurants, playspaces, spas, and more, and what has been built is a real living breathing community of women who have found lifelong friendships through this program. We have helped over 100 mamas find their people since we launched and we are just getting started.
The thing I always tell our mamas is this. You have to be the friend you are looking for. Because when you truly commit, lean in, and show up for these women the way you want them to show up for you it works every single time. And watching that happen over and over again is the greatest privilege of my life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Is any new business ever truly smooth? I laugh at that question a little because I think we all know the answer.
But in all honesty it has gone better than I could have hoped in a lot of ways. One of the most incredible parts of this journey has been the people. The mamas who trusted me from the very beginning, who took a chance on something brand new and gave it everything they had. And the female business owners I have connected with along the way who have been so genuinely supportive and collaborative. That community of women around me has made all the difference.
That said there has absolutely been a learning curve and I would not be telling the truth if I said otherwise. One of the biggest personal challenges has been learning to put blinders on. When you build something from the heart and you start to notice others who may have drawn inspiration from what you created, that stings. It is something a lot of entrepreneurs quietly deal with and it took real intentional work to stay focused on my own lane. But putting those blinders on has been one of the most freeing and productive things I have done for myself and for this business.
The other thing I have had to make peace with is that you simply cannot make everyone happy. I pour everything into wanting every single mama to find her forever friends through this program and the reality is that does not always happen. Some mamas lean in fully and their lives are changed. Others do not quite get there and you have to learn to hold both of those truths at the same time.
All in all though I would say it has been a smoother road than most and I do not take that lightly. We all have our bumps. I have had mine. But the mission has always been clear and that clarity has carried me through every single one of them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Mamas & Minis is a premium mommy matchmaking community based in Palm Beach County, Florida. But what truly sets us apart and what we are most known for is something I am incredibly proud of. Our concierge matchmaking program for mamas called the Inner Circle.
The concept of mommy matchmaking actually came from one of our earliest mamas who called me her Mommy Matchmaker and it just stuck. It perfectly captured what I was doing and what made this different from anything else out there. I was not just creating a group or hosting an event. I was intentionally and thoughtfully pairing women together based on who they actually are. Their stage of life, location, schedule, personality, parenting style, vibe, and more.
The Inner Circle is a 12 week concierge matchmaking program and it is the heart of everything we do. When a mama joins she completes our proprietary Mommy Matchmaker™ Quiz which I personally review before making every single match. Her group meets once a week for 12 weeks at parks, cafes, playspaces, restaurants, and more and every calendar is curated specifically for that group. The planning is entirely handled, and she just shows up.
What makes this truly different from anything else available to moms is that this was built with her in mind first, not her baby, her. Every other program out there, the music classes, the gym classes, the mommy and me experiences, those are designed with your little one as the priority. The Inner Circle flips that entirely. Your mini comes along and will have plenty of playtime and socialization but the whole point is that you walk away with real friends who become your support system. Women who turn into family.
It is commitment based and it is an investment, in yourself, in your friendships, and in your wellbeing as a mother well beyond the 12 week mark. The value does not end when the round does. The friendships, the community, the network of women you become part of, that is lifelong.
What I am most proud of is the intention behind every single thing we do. From the way we match our mamas to the local businesses we partner with to the events we create exclusively for our Inner Circle members. Everything has a purpose and that purpose is always the same. To make sure every mama who walks through this feels seen, supported, and less alone in one of the most beautiful and overwhelming seasons of her life.
We have helped over 100 mamas find their people since we launched and I genuinely cannot wait to see what comes next.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I am a big podcast person and I am constantly consuming content whether I am driving, getting ready, or sneaking in a walk. There is no single one that stands out above the rest but collectively they have shaped the way I think about business, mindset, and showing up as a leader. I am always listening to something and always taking something away from it even if it is just one line that sticks with me for weeks.
But honestly the biggest game changers for me personally have been the people in my corner. Working with a business coach was transformative. She was an incredible sounding board at a time when I had a vision but needed someone to help me trust it. She gave me the confidence to actually get this off the ground and to believe that what I was building was worth building.
And then there is my husband. I cannot talk about how I got here without talking about him. Having a truly supportive partner when you are building something from scratch while also raising little ones is everything. He believed in this before it was anything and that kind of unwavering support is something I do not take for granted for a single second. I genuinely believe having the right person beside you is end all be all. In life and in business.
It takes a village in business just as much as it does in motherhood and I have been really intentional about surrounding myself with the right people. That has made all the difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mamasandminisflorida.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mamasandminis_southflorida/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/640502685158429
