Founding The Columbia Mom: A Maryland Journey

Ever wondered how a local mom brand is born? In our debut episode of Maryland Mom Talk, host Claire Duarte pulls back the curtain on her journey from psychology graduate to founder of The Columbia Mom.Claire takes us through her Maryland roots (born in DC, raised in Olney) before sharing the winding path that led to creating a community-focused platform. From her early days as a Beachbody coach to navigating motherhood during COVID, Claire reveals how personal challenges and career pivots unexpectedly prepared her for building a local mom community.The conversation delves into why Howard County needed its own spotlight. Sandwiched between Baltimore and DC, Columbia often gets overlooked despite its vibrant businesses and strong community spirit. Claire explains how she transformed her personal social media presence into The Columbia Mom in 2022, focusing on "food, family, and fun" to showcase local gems while keeping it real about motherhood struggles.TCM team member and podcast guest, Jill Burke, adds her perspective on why expanding to a podcast format makes perfect sense for their mission. The pair share hilarious behind-the-scenes stories of creating their podcast studio, including Claire's Facebook Marketplace adventures (complete with a snake encounter!) and last-minute equipment scrambles. Their chemistry and authenticity shine through as they discuss their vision for Maryland Mom Talk as a space for "community, connection, and conversation."The episode wraps with a fun Maryland-themed "This or That" game revealing Claire's preferences (Ocean City over Deep Creek, picking crabs over crab cakes) and setting the tone for future episodes that will feature interviews with local business owners, event spotlights, and real talk about motherhood.Subscribe now to join this community celebration of all things Maryland mom! Have topic suggestions? Reach out to us on Instagram @thecolumbiamom or via email – we'd love to hear what conversations you want us to bring to the show.Support the show🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to MomTalk Maryland — where community, connection, and conversation collide! 💻 Visit us at thecolumbiamdmom.com 📧 Join our newsletter for episode updates, exclusive content, and local happenings: Subscribe! 📲 Follow along on Instagram: @the.columbiamom🗣️Got a topic idea, guest nomination, or want to sponsor an episode? Let us know!🎬 Watch behind the scenes of the podcast on YouTube: Subscribe to the MomTalk Maryland Podcast Playlist 🎧 Like what you heard? Leave a review & share with a friend who needs this convo in their life!