Story & Lesson Highlights with Lindsay deOliveira of Columbus

Lindsay deOliveira shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Lindsay, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What people don’t always see is that I’ve built more than a pacifier company, I’ve built a safety community. Pacifier safety is rarely talked about, yet it’s one of the first objects that goes directly into a baby’s mouth. I’ve created resources, checklists, and education sheets that are now being used in pediatricians’ offices and by baby professionals across the country to educate caregivers. My goal has always been bigger than selling a product—it’s about raising awareness, shifting standards, and making safety the convenient choice for parents.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
’m Lindsay deOliveira, founder of Soothe Beginnings, a mom-made brand born from my own journey of struggling to find a safe pacifier for my daughter. As a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor and pacifier safety advocate, I’ve dedicated my work to raising the bar for baby products by combining safety, sustainability, and convenience. Our 3-in-1 Pacifier Starter Kit is PFAS-tested, plastic-free, and batch-tested every run, offering parents peace of mind without the guesswork. Beyond products, I’ve built a national conversation around pacifier safety—with pediatricians and baby professionals now using my safety guides to educate caregivers. At the heart of it, my mission is simple: to make sure safety is always the convenient choice for parents.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that most shaped how I see myself is with my daughter. Becoming her mother gave me a completely new lens on life—I began to see myself through her eyes. She doesn’t care about titles or accolades; she cares that I show up, protect her, and make her world safe. That perspective pushed me to stop doubting myself and instead step into my role as a creator, an advocate, and a leader. In her eyes, I’m not just “mom,” I’m someone who can do anything.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain when I realized my postpartum depression and anxiety weren’t weaknesses; they were signals that something needed to change. Caring for a colicky baby in the middle of the night, I felt the weight of exhaustion and frustration that so many parents carry silently. Instead of burying that pain, I used it as fuel to rethink the solutions available for parents. That’s how Soothe Beginnings was born, not just as a pacifier brand, but as a mission to create safer, smarter options for families who deserve convenience without compromise

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is real, but it’s just one layer. In person, I’m actually funnier and more sentimental than people might expect. What you see publicly is the advocate and entrepreneur, the person pushing for safety standards and leading conversations, but behind that is a mom who tells jokes all the time, tears up over milestones, and finds meaning in the smallest moments. Both versions are me, but the fuller picture is softer, sillier, and even more human.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
What I think people may misunderstand about my legacy is that it was about business success or money. The truth is, I’ve turned down opportunities that could have been financially rewarding because they didn’t align with babies’ safety or wellbeing. My legacy isn’t about profit, it’s about changing the standard of what parents should expect when it comes to products for their children. If I’m remembered for anything, I hope it’s that I put babies before business, every single time.

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Image Credits
Mary Otanez Photography

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