Meet Ariana Gonzalez

We recently connected with Ariana Gonzalez and have shared our conversation below.

Ariana, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
What sets me apart without a doubt is my Mexican-American Heritage. My parents both came to the United States as teenagers, with nothing but the clothes on their back. They sacrificed so much to give my siblings and I a better life. Growing up my father only allowed us to speak Spanish at home and my mother insisted we go to Mexico as often as possible, sometimes going every moth.

As a child I grew up with very strong ties to Mexico and fully understand the first generation immigrant life. So when I became a sleep consultant, in a primarily white industry, I decided I wanted to lean into my heritage and serve my communidad. At first this was not easy! Sleep training is so new and foreign for Latinos, so the 1st year of business was all about educating and networking with my local community and with my extended network of friends/acquaintances. I kept going, because I knew I could help people like me and then little by little I started getting clients and now 3 years into my business I am so grateful that I did not give up and I stayed true to my community,

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m Ariana, but you can call me Ari. If I’m not enjoying a Sunday siesta with my family, you’ll likely find me with Street Tacos and a Mexican Lager in hand. I founded Step by Step Baby Consulting under the belief that a restful night’s sleep and lactation support is needed and deserved by ALL families. When I found out I was pregnant with my 1st child, I was an overly-confident parent-to-be. I’d had 17 years of auntie duties, had fostered my 3-year-old niece, and was going to have my mom by my side. When I was 7 months pregnant, my mother suddenly passed away & I was hit with an immense depression. I survived by concentrating on the arrival of my son. After my son was born, I realized he was a challenging little sleeper. I compulsively read & researched all things baby sleep, but nothing helped. I endured 8 months of sleepless nights & finally hit rock bottom. It was 2 am, and my son was on his 3rd wake-up of the night; I went into his room, held him, & cried along his side. The next day, my Doctor recommended I hire a Pediatric Sleep Consultant to help with my PPD & PPA. I quickly hired one, and by day 3, my son was actually napping/sleeping through the night & I was finally able to bond with him!

Becoming educated on how to best support my son’s challenging sleep needs inspired me to become a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and help other parents like me! After starting to help families with sleep, I quickly realized I needed to expand my knowledge with chest feedings and decided to become a Certified Lactation Counselor. I am currently also a Postpartum Doula in training, as I wish to give a full wrap-around approach to my newly postpartum families. What keeps me going is hearing parents say how, as a result of my support, they are now truly enjoying parenthood. Because I truly believe parenthood is something that should be enjoyed.

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?
Patience…it can take months or even years to grow your business to the point you want it to be at, be patient and learn to appreciate the slow times and then the busy times too. I know this is easier said than done, trust me becoming a parent has taught me how to be more patient.

Consistency, I preach consistency to the parents I work with, it’s so important when it comes to improving sleep and parenting, but consistency is so important in so many other areas of our life. So don’t give up when times get hard/business is slow; stay consistent and keep showing up.

Knowing the authentic you and staying true to yourself! It’s so easy to lose your true voice and go along with industry norms, but don’t be afraid to be bold and different, don’t be afraid to be your true self.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stepbystepbabyconsulting.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stepbystepbabyconsulting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stepbystepbabyconsulting