"I Built a Breast Pump Then God Said Quit" ft. Mykel Davis

Send Me a Text Message Here!If you're a mompreneur juggling products and purpose, this one's for you. Mykel Davis was a journalism major who invented the J35 wearable breast pump from scratch, lost $100K on 1,000 activewear sets (sold 3), got hit with 125% tariffs, then heard God say "you're the horse, not the merch."In this conversation with Danielle J. Martin, she breaks down quitting the products to become the brand, getting credentialed for Essence Fest & WNBA All-Star in 6 days after shutting down her site, and the new boundary: anyone who mishandles her in this season is gone.This season wraps up with Mykel Davis, founder and CEO of Muscle Up Mommy and creator of the J35 wearable breast pump, about what it takes to scale a self-funded tech company while navigating motherhood, fitness, and media hosting. Mykel shares how she started Muscle Up Mommy in 2016 after having twins, built products like activewear and waist trainers, and later created the J35 after realizing the market lacked a mobile pump that allowed breastfeeding and pumping simultaneously. She describes risky investments (including $100,000 into activewear), rapid growth for the pump, using systems and family help, and lessons on confidence, asking for support, and knowing your numbers. She also recounts spiritual guidance that shifted her from product focus to media opportunities, leading to credentialed coverage at Essence Fest and WNBA All-Star Weekend through partnerships and community support.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Risky Investment Lessons02:05 Rapid Fire Warmup08:03 Muscle Up Mommy Origin Story11:20 Inventing The J35 Pump15:24 Betting Big On Launch19:11 Letting Go To Level Up22:24 Self-Funded And Asking For Help24:19 Daddy Shark Tank Pitch32:22 Scaling Inventory Fast33:02 Selling Out Pitfalls33:32 Family Help and Systems34:33 Automating Support with AI35:57 Bigger Asks as You Grow37:53 Be the Face of Brand41:01 Essence Fest Partnerships45:51 Value Beyond Followers47:35 Multi-Passion Brand Story52:05 Essence Turning Point54:28 Products Holding You Back59:07 Taraji Dream and Testimony01:10:02 Brother Joins The Crew01:12:34 Visibility And Connections01:13:06 WNBA Weekend Provision01:17:08 Podcast Divine Alignment01:20:24 Stripping And Obedience01:26:38 Rebuilding Heart Posture01:32:11 Masterclass To All Star01:36:35 Kissed By God MomentConnect with Mykel Davis: @mykelbdavisSupport the showCONNECT WITH DANIELLE:Instagram: @daniellejmartintvWebsite: https://stan.store/daniellejmartintvABOUT THE AUTHENTIC MEDIA PODCAST:The Authentic Media Podcast helps women entrepreneurs and business owners build a visible, profitable brand — on camera, on social media, and on YouTube. You'll learn how to show up confidently on camera, build a personal brand that attracts the right clients, create content that actually grows your business, and go from invisible to in-demand — whether you're starting from scratch or ready to scale.New episodes every Monday. Subscribe and Build your Brand with Purpose.