To do the work you love, you’ve got to unlock a few doors. UNLOCKED Stories are honest conversations with 20 and 30-somethings who chose a path + made it happen.

A note from Ellen: I’m thrilled to spotlight Marea in this week’s installment of UNLOCKED Stories. She’s a woman who never intended to become a childbirth specialist — but after an unexpected request from a friend, she found herself deep in the world of birthing and wellness education.

Marea is an example of someone who didn’t really “choose” her career — it chose her. She trusted her heart every step of the way, and it never led her astray.

Even if your career has nothing to do with birthing babies, I know you’re going to be inspired by Marea’s story. I know I am. Read on, and don’t miss the powerful questions at the very end…

: What do you do?

I am training to be a licensed midwife at the National Midwifery Institute.

Right now, I’m working as an apprentice under the guidance of two fully-licensed midwives.

We are on call for births, 24/7. Some weeks we get called for three or four births. Other weeks, none at all. When it rains, it pours!

I just attended my 55th birth and I have delivered 10 babies all on my own.

 

 

: Where did the original idea for your work come from?

Several years ago, a friend of mine got pregnant and asked me to be her doula.

A “doula” is someone who supports you before, during and after the birthing experience. It’s not a medical position, like a nurse. It’s more like a “birth coach.” I enrolled in a six-week training course to become a doula — with no intention of making it my profession. Initially, I was just doing it to support my friend.

My friend’s birth was an amazing experience, and I was surprised at how comfortable I felt in my role as a doula. After coaching my friend, I began working with other clients as well.

And then, there was a beautiful moment of synchronicity.

About one and a half years later, the midwife who oversaw my friend’s birth called me out of the blue and told me her apprentice had quit. She asked if I was interested in becoming her new apprentice.

I knew right then and there that I wanted to do it — so I said YES!

Her invitation came at the perfect time. I applied to Midwifery school, got in, and began my formal training right away!

 

 

: What were you doing before you did Midwifery?

I studied Spanish and Portuguese in college. I love languages and I love exploring how people communicate, across cultures — the fact that I am tri-lingual has definitely come in handy in my work as a midwife!

After graduating from college, I co-wrote a vegan cookbook with my mom called Straight From The Earth. My parents started Earthbound Farm, the largest organic produce company in the world, and working on the book was a beautiful way to honor my upbringing and my parents’ legacy in the world. Nourishing and caring for people definitely runs in my blood.

A week before we sent the book to the publisher, I got that fateful phone call, asking if I’d like to become a midwife’s apprentice. And that was that!

 

What was you biggest “LOCKED DOOR” moment? Did you almost give up on your dream?

When you’re a midwife, going to work can feel like running a marathon.

You’re on call 24/7. You never know exactly when the baby is going to arrive. And when your client goes into labor, you might be by her side for up to 25 hours, straight.

It’s a very intense profession, and there have been many, many moments where I’ve thought to myself: Why am I doing this? There has got to be a better career choice!

But then, finally … the baby arrives. It’s a magical experience, every single time. And afterwards, I’ll get some sleep. Eat a good meal. Take a long bath. Hang out with friends. Have a good cry. Go on a long walk and just forget about midwifery for a while.

After I’ve taken some time to tend to my own wellbeing, I always feel better. And then I remember why I do this work: to bring new life into the world, and to give mothers the best possible birthing experience they can have — at home, in a space they love, surrounded by people they know + trust.

 

 

: What is the BEST thing that has happened since you UNLOCKED that door?

At a recent birth, the dad came over to me and said, “You did a really great job.” Compliments like that always feel good.

But the best part about this profession is the way that it pushes my boundaries — no two days at work are alike, and I’m constantly being challenged to grow, both as a midwife, and as a woman.

I don’t want my life to be easy. I didn’t sign up for that. I’m here to guide women through the most intense process of their lives, and watch people become families.

 

: What’s the next door you need to unlock? (And what’s the plan?)

After I graduate + pass my final licensing exams, I want to deliver as many babies as I possibly can!

I also want to become a speaker + educator. There are so many misconceptions about what midwifery is (and isn’t) and I’d love to help women make informed choices about where + how they choose to give birth.

Eventually, I’d love to have a thriving practice as an independent midwife, specializing in home births. Maybe even starting a Midwifery School — which is greatly needed in the Bay area. And later, starting a family of my own.

I love what I do, and I want to do it for as long as I can.

 

: Last but not least:

What’s your biggest piece of advice for anyone who wants to stay motivated, do amazing work and unlock major doors?

Say YES to opportunities that excite you, even if they’re completely unexpected.

Don’t be depressed if your original plans don’t pan out.

Remember that you can always change your mind.

But once you do choose a path, be devoted. Put both feet in.

 

UNLOCK yourself

Three questions to think about, write about — or talk about with a friend.

1. Marea’s career began when a friend made an surprising request: “Will you be my birth coach?” Marea was surprised to discover how much she enjoyed birth coaching, which ultimately led to her decision to choose midwifery as a career.

: Has someone ever asked you to do them a favor, that left you thinking, “Hey! That was a lot more fun than I thought!”

2. A turning point in Marea’s career was when she received an unexpected phone call inviting her to become a midwife’s apprentice.

: When unexpected opportunities come your way, do you tend to say “yes” or “no?” Have you ever said “no” and then regretted it, later?

3. Marea’s work as a midwife is physically + emotionally draining — with long births that sometimes last up to 25 hours. She’s learned that by taking care of herself, first, she has more love + energy to give to others.

: How do you care for your mind, body and spirit, right now? Is there a part of your life that could use a little more nourishment?

 

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For more UNLOCKED interviews, click over here.

Know somebody that ought to be spotlighted? Write to me here.

See you next time for another inspiring conversation!

To do the work you love, you’ve got to unlock a few doors. UNLOCKED Stories are honest conversations with 20 and 30-somethings who chose a path + made it happen.

A note from Ellen: I’m thrilled to spotlight Morgan in this week’s installment of UNLOCKED STORIES, because he is a perfect example of somebody who saw a problem — college students trying to find affordable places to live — and created a start-up to provide the solution. Even if your career has nothing to do with real estate or start-ups, I know you’re going to be inspired by Morgan’s story. Read on, and don’t miss the powerful questions at the very end…

: What do you do?

I started a company called ON MY BLOCK that helps college students find affordable places to live, off-campus.

As CEO, my job is to guide the company in the right direction. I work with our advisors and investors — making sure we don’t run out of money, recruiting new team members, and basically, making sure things get done!

 

: Where did the original idea for your work come from?

The idea for ON MY BLOCK came to me during my freshman year of college.

Like many students, I didn’t really like living in the dorms on-campus. I wanted more peace and quiet — a place of my own! So I started looking for other options on big websites like Craigslist.

It was a frustrating experience. I encountered a lot of landlords who were flaky, unreliable, wanted to charge astronomical rental rates, or simply didn’t want to rent their apartments to students, for whatever reason. I wasted a lot of time trying to “follow up” with landlords who weren’t an ideal match.

And finally, I thought, “There’s got to be an easier way to find a place to live!”

ON MY BLOCK actually started as a simple Google spreadsheet – my personal record of which landlords + properties were worth checking out, the amenities they included, monthly rent, and so forth.

Pretty soon, friends at school starting asking, “Hey, can I see that spreadsheet? I’m having trouble finding a place to live, too.”

After the third or fourth person asked to peek at my spreadsheet, I realized that there was a business opportunity, here.

So, I started a company called Student Realty-San Diego. I was, in essence, a matchmaker between students and landlords. In about 2 ½ months, I helped about 80 students secure leases. I charged students $50 to help them find a great place to live, and I charged landlords $200 – $300 a pop.

The more I got into it, the more I realized that a LOT of students struggle to find affordable off-campus housing. In order to help thousands of students — not just a couple hundred — I needed to expand my vision.

With that realization, ON MY BLOCK was born.

Eventually, we built our housing-match website and developed a smartphone app. We are now in two locations — San Diego and San Luis Obispo — with plans to expand across California, and eventually, the world!

 

: What were you doing before On My Block?

I graduated from the University of San Diego, where I majored in Interdisciplinary Humanities.

After I returned from my junior year abroad in Madrid, I ran for a new role in student government and became the President of Associated Students. That was a very exciting time — it was empowering to have a big impact on campus policy. To have an idea, and see it come to life.

Most people are surprised to learn that I was always very shy. One of the goals I had in college was to move past that. I took a public speaking class during my sophomore year, which helped me to come out of my shell. A few years later, I was speaking in front of the entire student body at graduation — and I realized that I loved it!

 

: What was you biggest “LOCKED DOOR” moment? Did you almost give up on your dream? How did you feel in that moment?

I almost didn’t get into the University of San Diego.

I applied, and they put me on a waitlist.

At the urging of a family friend, I walked onto the campus, marched into the Admissions Department, spoke to one of the staff members there…and got in!

A few years later, I had another “locked door” moment. I was running out of money, and was thinking about transferring to a less expensive college, just to finish up my degree. I applied to couple of other schools, and they offered me scholarships.

I really wanted to stay at USD, so I met with the administrators to see if they could match the scholarships I’d been offered at other schools — which they did.

Because of that, I wanted to give back to my school and fellow students. That’s what inspired me to run for student government, and also to develop ON MY BLOCK.

When I encounter a “locked door,” my initial reaction is to be anxious. But once I take a step back and break the problem down into smaller steps, it becomes less scary.

I also say to myself, “The worst thing they can say is NO.” It never hurts to ask for what you want, even if it’s a little unorthodox. If you make a strong case, you’ll be surprised at how often people say “Yes!”

: What is the BEST thing that has happened since you UNLOCKED that door?

There was a moment where ON MY BLOCK was running low on funds, and we thought it was all over.

But then we won a couple of business plan competitions — $10,000 from the University of San Diego, then $25,000 from a San Diego Venture group competition, where we were selected out of 90 companies. Those awards helped us to stay afloat.

And then, we had another BIG win.

I pitched ON MY BLOCK to several investors in Silicon Valley. One of them got excited about our vision, and helped us raise $800,000 in seed money. He even found a house for me + my team to live in for a year, for free.

When that investor said “YES” to our vision, it took everything to the next level. We’re so grateful for his guidance + support!

 

: What’s the next door you need to unlock? (And what’s the plan?)

Our expansion model is similar to that of Uber and Lyft.

We want to make sure we provide great value at each school, in each region, before we move on to a new one.

The next door we want to unlock is all about customer service and sales. Basically: we want the ON MY BLOCK experience to be top-notch and totally consistent, on every site, in every city.

Our plan is to stay as small as we can, for as long as we can. Working lean + efficiently, before we seek out more money from investors.

 

: Last but not least: What’s your biggest piece of advice for anyone who wants to stay motivated, do amazing work and unlock major doors?

Always find something that makes you hungry and that makes you curious to learn more.

Remember that business is definitely about money, but it’s not just about the money.

Do things for the right reason.

Believe in what you are doing.

UNLOCK yourself

Three questions to think about, write about — or talk about with a friend.

1. While in college, Morgan had an experience that was frustrating and annoying – trying to find affordable off-campus housing.

: What’s one experience you’ve had that made you say, “There’s got to be a better way to do this!”

2. A turning point in Morgan’s career was when he overcame his fear of public speaking. Eventually, he addressed the entire student body at graduation!

: What’s one of your biggest fears, right now? What’s one thing you could do to move through it?

3. Another turning point in Morgan’s career was when he pitched investors in Silicon Valley, inspiring one amazing investor to back his project.

: If you were asking for $800,000 to fund a project that you’re passionate about, what would that project be? How will it help people around you?

 

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For more UNLOCKED interviews, click over here.

Know somebody that ought to be spotlighted? Write to me here.

See you next time for another inspiring conversation!