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

Hi Katy, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
They say necessity is the mother of invention. Turns out, I had to become a mother to bring this truth to life. After falling in love and being plucked from life in the city, I began to plant roots in the sticks aka the suburbs. What I call, the WAY outer limits, or what my Southern California friends have coined Northern California. After moving to a small town where I knew no one but my partner, I found myself never really leaving my LA/OC life. I was driving down there at least twice a week and trying to maintain via the commute. Once I became pregnant, it was my OBGYN who said, “Katy, I think its time you found a doctor a little closer to you. Unless you’d like to entertain the idea of delivering your baby freeway-side.” Now, to be fair, there are worse places to deliver a child than the 405 freeway. The odds are definitely in your favor that some of the best doctors are likely on the road in traffic with you, so I wasn’t all that concerned. Long story short, or as my friends tell me ‘short story long,’ I needed to find a new doctor in my new town. And now that baby was coming, there were a few more things I needed to find locally. I turned to what every elder millennial used as the quickest way for information, social media. To be more specific, the facebook. After researching “local” mom groups, I found all recommendations to be in Los Angeles. Remember, I am no longer in the city, but far outside, some may consider almost Northern California. Suffice it to say, all recommendations were so far, and in LA traffic may as well have been all of my resources in Los Angeles or even Orange County. One day, this lonely mama met her first “mom friend” at a local park. We began to chat about how hard it is to be the new kid in town and a new mom at the same time. And, if ‘Mohammed wont come to the mountain…’ the mountain will create its own social media network to be able to access a more local Mohammed,

When I say, the group grew faster than my pregnant belly … I am saying that we went from two, yes TWO, local moms to over 1,000 within weeks. True friendships have been founded within our group, and real relationships and life changing connections continue to happen daily. Here we are almost ten years later, having united nearly 10,000 local mothers. Expanding across social media, our group has become well known in the community which has allowed us to partner with local businesses, schools, law enforcement, families, mental health providers and more to be a source of support, strength, encouragement, education, and connection.

Today you can find hundreds if not thousands of local mom groups online, but for whatever reason, our group continues to thrive, get stronger and just more and more incredible over the years. The platform has opened so many doors to help our community, and given so much opportunity to those who are involved. From feeding healthcare workers at our local hospital during the height of Covid, to raising funds to help the children of a local mom lost to domestic violence… we really are changing the world. Together we have proven that we can make a difference, and I am just SO proud that this all has stemmed from my little idea to start a social media group so that I wouldn’t have to give birth on the 405. Who knew.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It has been a long, windy road. I do pull over when I get carsick, but I often return to the windy road with curves and u-turns. Many careers, career changes, back to school to try a different career, and a few more monkey wrenches along the way … and here we are with the knowledge that the only constant in my life is change. The lesson I have learned is that we get one ride. One. We do not have to stay in the same lane throughout. Heck, we don’t have to stay in one lane at all. I had the hardest time answering your question of “description” to go after my name. I have had so many titles, jobs, professions, careers, and they don’t fit neatly into a box as we were always expected to. Finding a way to prioritize what is important and how to achieve those goals without settling is the ultimate challenge. After unintentionally launching this beast of an organization I run, I wanted to find a way to channel it for more good. The pandemic changed everything for everyone. For me, I fell into a real existential crisis real quick. The isolation was too much for me, but the risk for us in the beginning was even more. My friends started dropping off gifts, treats, wine, dessert on my porch to remind me that I am not alone. That became more contagious than the virus itself. I started sending gifts to friends across the country in hopes that they would feel like the love and connection I felt from these porch deliveries. As we progressed through the year, I began to get frustrated that while big box companies were thriving off of what was happening, small businesses had no chance of survival. I began to research how I could source from independent makers and individuals and support them. Through this research, I found so many minority owned small businesses and makers whose stories were so inspiring, I knew what I had to do. I got my resellers license and all of the boring business owner things one does to make this happen, and started buying from small makers all over the world. Now, when someone wanted to send something special and unique to bring joy, they could simultaneously support an actual cause and actual humans who are working hard and deserve to be paid for it. It started off with funny mom themed gifts and then grew into all kinds of beautiful goods, body products, bags and jewelry. All the things I wanted to send to my mom friends who needed a little joy but more importantly a reminder that they are not alone and that they are loved. I am the most excited about this. Promoting sustainable fashion is another passion that has grown with this spinoff. I have recently started “rescuing” clothing and accessories from landfills and listing on various site to extend the life and work to stabilize the repercussions of over manufacturing with fast fashion.

Overall, I am excited that I am finding a way to build my own “career,” even if it doesn’t fit nicely in a description line of an interview. A lifestyle more-so than a career, where I can pursue my various passions while helping support my family both financially and physically. In the past it was an either or for me. My former careers rarely allowed me to financially support my family while being present in their lives. I have worked hard to find the balance that, unfortunately, often does not exist for working parents. That may look like working on web design at 2am or hosting an event on a Sunday afternoon, or joining local boards to become more rooted in this community as a whole.

I am the most proud of what started out as bringing our community together has been able to accomplish. From supporting small, local businesses with our holiday market to being able to help families in need within the county to supporting our healthcare workers. When people come together, it is pure magic to see the possibilities and capabilities. It also makes me appreciate raising my family in a place where I can see the connections build on our network make an actual difference in real life. Connecting the community and working hard to support and help others benefits the group and all who are connected because of it. To see small businesses thrive because of this platform, and see a mother struggling find the help and support they need all because of this little group I started on a whim. I am excited to see what comes next on this ever evolving, crazy, thrilling ride.

I have learned that life will not slow down, time will not wait. Also, it may sound dark and bleak, but none of us are getting out of this alive. So stop judging, caring what others think, worrying about failure, just go for it. Remember to give yourself grace along the way, nothing in my life has been linear, and probably never will be. I don’t know what I’ll be doing next week, or next year, or tomorrow even. And to that I respond with the words of the great Robin Williams, “How exciting.” Do what you can with what you have – you truly never know what that can create and how it will evolve. Put your pride aside, go out there and do some good.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would likely start in Santa Barbara for a yummy lunch at Jeanine’s on the water and then shop state street while stopping into the pubs for live music. The next day I would take them to Ojai for a hike and lunch at Ojai Pizza Co and stop by the topa mountain winery for some outdoor games and relaxation. If I managed to sell a kidney beforehand, a day at the Ojai Valley Inn Spa would definitely be on the agenda. Another day would be spent at the Camarillo outlets, because my bestie and I get our best cardio via shopping. I would then hop over the hill for some snacks at The Stonehaus in Westlake Village. I’m really excited I get all this time with my best friend! I am loving this journey, even if it’s only on my computer for now. A trip to the Pantages would HAVE to happen as we both love broadway. I would take her up into the mountains in Ventura for a morning hike and then pop into all the unique shops on main street, mostly the vintage/thrift shops. Another day would be spent at my favorite beach just north of Ventura that I actually prefer to the beach I grew up on in Laguna. It is simply paradise. I would grab some nachos from Sharkys and just enjoy the day. One evening would be spent p[aying basketball and sampling beers at Institution Ale in Camarillo. (And of course sharing a pizza and pretzels. Yum.) A night out dancing may be in order and for that I would bring her to good ole Bogies in Westlake. There’s nothing quite like that place, haha. Have I run out of time? Does she need to get to the airport yet? Because I would also take her to the little fish shack, HC Seafood, over in Oxnard Shores where they serve lobster on a paper plate. It reminds me of this place I went to in Maine and I just love it the casual atmosphere right on the water. And I would be lying to you if I said we could go that many days without going to Target. It’s kind of our special place, so I would take her to Target and then to Lure for my favorite ahi ceviche with taro chips and a spicy margarita. She almost flew out to visit me when Taylor Tomlinson was coming to Levity Live Oxnard, a local comedy spot, so that would be rad to add to this fantasy agenda! If not, we would settle for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler again.

I imagine we are officially out of time and I know she’d want to see my kiddos so we’d head back up to Santa Barbara, ideally by Amtrak since it sounds like we will driving a lot this week, to hit up the MOXI museum with the kids. Time permitting, I would have also taken her to the Ojai Farmers Market, SLATE in Camarillo for sushi and cocktails, and to Music Freqs in Camarillo to listen to my kids rock out at a jam night.

And then a nap for everyone.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
In the words of Snoop, “First of all, I want to thank me,” Kidding. This journey has been extremely challenging, and while I would love to thank the many contributors to my successes, I have to thank my “haters.” The ones who told me I was ridiculous and incapable. The ones who ignored my words of whimsy and dream of what could be possible. Tell me not to do something? Ha! Just moved it to the top of my to do list, thanks. Having said that, I wouldn’t be where I am without the support of my dearest friends. The ones who accept my neurospicy self and have the capacity for my idiosyncrasies. These humans deserve a million dollars. Or at least a copay. There have been SO many times where I have wanted to throw in the towel over the years, and without my support team recognizing it was that time of the year where the overwhelm and ADHD combines to quitting everything I have going on… and taking over for me for a few weeks while I recalibrate. This tends to happen, on average, twice a year. So I thank my team who has stepped up and stepped in to prevent a true shutdown of what we have worked so hard to build. True empathy means that it doesn’t matter if you haven’t experienced it yourself or truly understand what someone is going through, but you are of solid support and understanding. While my partner can rarely relate to the challenges I endure, he is my source of unconditional support. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t fully understand what it is that I do, but that doesn’t matter to him. I do think he enjoys the perks of being married to not-really-an “influencer.” Nevertheless, he is the calm to my crazy, and without his ability to always be level headed and logical, and to force me to pull myself out of it from time to time, I guarantee you this entity would no longer exist.

Website: momsofcamarillo.com and justalittletoken.com

Instagram: @momsofcamarillo and @justalittletoken

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MomsofCamarillo

Other: poshmark @LAShopaholic

Image Credits
Jenny Quicksall Photography (for the pro shots)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.