Meet Erica Desper

We recently connected with Erica Desper and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Erica, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

My purpose was born out of my own personal challenges with parenting. From chronic and severe sleep deprivation to challenges with potty-training to the journey of navigating having our son assessed for neurodivergence and advocating for an appropriate school fit. When our family struggles with something, that lights a fire in me to try to help others families navigate more easily.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I help families navigate and improve common family stressors like sleep deprivation, toileting challenges, & behavioral issues and connect families with providers who can become part of their “village”. The most exciting aspect of my business is the feedback I receive from families. For example, when a mom finally starts sleeping through the night again she will often say, “I feel like a human again.” Or, “This was lifesaving and priceless!” That is healing for me and keeps me going.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I am empathetic, sometimes to a fault. While that can be challenging in terms of lack of boundaries and risk of burnout, it also means that families don’t feel judged when we are working together and do feel seen, heard and supported. It is a very vulnerable thing to let someone into your home/family scenario and ask for help so it helps to come from a place of being able to relate and meet families where they are.

I have discovered over the years that I am really good at spotting areas that are lacking in support and then creating a framework to offer support in that area. When I started sleep consulting there were only a handful of us in the Tri-State area. Even now with the potty-training support we offer, there is really no one else doing that, especially for the tougher cases of older kiddos who have stalled for months or years along the way. I would tell others to look for the needs and the pain points and then think about how they can address those. Necessity is the Mother of Invention!

One skill I wish I had developed earlier in my business journey is being comfortable with delegating. I have control issues that make delegating challenging for me. Plus my business is my “baby” and my reputation. It is scary to hand pieces of that over to others but you can only wear so many hats and do so many things as one person. Become comfortable with delegating so you can grow without burning out and/or dropping all the hats.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

My biggest area of growth in the past 12 months surrounds connecting with other parents and professionals who support children with special needs. I did not identify as a “special needs parent” until recently and, once I did, I realized how many parents are on that journey and in need of support, resources, and an easy way to learn about them. I am incredibly proud of the resource I have created for local families and of the connections I have made with the professionals who serve them. As someone without letters after my name, imposter syndrome can snag me often and easily. This grassroots mission I have added in the past year has helped to allow me to feel more like an equal amongst colleagues who are highly credentialed with loads of letters after their name. That is both humbling and rewarding.

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