Meet Shaland (shay) Verdi

We recently connected with Shaland (shay) Verdi and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shaland (Shay), thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My grandparents taught me some amazing life lessons at an early age. My grandpa was a coal miner and a milk man for the first half of his life. He got his PhD at 50 years old, while my grandma bagged groceries to support him and their 3 kids through school. He then became the Dean of Special Education at Cal State LA where he later retired. My grandma was inspired by him, and she went on to get her masters degree in education, also at around 50 years old, and retired as an elementary school teacher. I always admired how hard they worked to reach their dreams. It taught me that it was never too late, and that if I worked hard enough, I could also reach mine. This life lesson on work ethic came in really handy when I got divorced with two little kids, and had to move from Utah where I was living, back home to California to start my life over. I followed in my grandparents footsteps and went back to school at 32 years old to become a Lactation Consultant, which was my dream career. It was a long four years of schooling and late nights studying, while trying to balance motherhood at the same time. While it was very challenging in every way, especially financially, hard work indeed payed off.

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?

When I tell people that I am a Lactation Consultant, most respond with something like, “People need help with that”?
Or “Doesn’t that just happen naturally”? While breastfeeding is of course very natural, it is a skill that both the mom and the baby need to learn together. It can actually be quite difficult for a lot of moms for a multitude of reasons. That’s where I come in. I meet the family where they are at in their journey, and in the comfort of their own home. I do a full assessment of both the mom and the baby, and get to the bottom of any issues that are making the breastfeeding journey difficult. We then formulate with a plan together that works for each individual family to reach their unique goals.

When I had my first baby, I had no idea what I was doing, and I really needed help. The sweetest woman showed up at my door, and immediately helped my baby latch properly without pain for the first time since he was born. It was like she sprinkled fairy dust on us, and we had a beautiful breastfeeding relationship for about 15 months after that one visit. I was so grateful, and thought to myself, what a cool job! Twenty three years later, I can honestly say that I absolutely LOVE what I do. I love that I get to be a part of these family’s lives and make such a big impact on motherhood.

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?

Effective communication – everyone learns differently. Being able to tailor how I navigate a conversation with each individual patient of mine is probably the most important skill that I possess. It is vitally important to ask the right questions to get the answers that I need in order to help each family I work with.

Authenticity – It is so important to be genuine and to be able to connect with people, and especially with my patients. They are putting their trust in me to help them with one of the most personal and intimate times in their lives.

Adaptability – So much of my job is to be able to adapt to my patients constantly changing needs. For example, going back to work after having a baby, or having baby number two with a toddler at home. Their care plans and strategies have to be adjusted and sustainable for their changing environment.

My advice for developing these skills would be to immerse yourself in different scenarios. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Be curious and inquisitive. Focus on the patient and their goals. Listen to podcasts or read quality self improvement books. Get some good mentors who you would like to emulate.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz was the most influential books I have ever read. It has helped navigate who I am in and how I go about things my personal life as well as my professional life. The four agreements is like a code of conduct:
Be impeccable with your word. Do not take anything personally. Do not make assumptions. Always do your best.
While these sound so simple, it takes a lot of personal work and growth to be able to master these things. But mastering these agreements leads to love, happiness and freedom.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://latchonllc.com
• Instagram: latch_on_lactation
• Other: New Mom School – Westlake Village
  newmomschool.com

  I offer a free breastfeeding support group every Wednesday at 12pm in Westlake Village. Space is limited, so registration is required.

  I offer in-home lactation consulting and virtual consultations. More information can be found at latchonllc.com