After Jana Leeper’s two daughters were born, she became a full time mom.
"I actually went from being an active duty military person to a stay at home mom,” Leeper said.
Since she didn’t have family in the area, Leeper said she logged on to social media and looked for a local mom community for advice. Getting plugged in to online forums eventually led to her business, Natural State Parenting Supply. From teething jewelry, to wet bags, and even cloth diapers, most of the products she sells are made by other local moms.
"I’m trying all of these products out,” Leeper said. “I’m using them in my real, everyday life and then I'm selling what works for me and what I see other people asking for."
For Leeper, it’s not just about business.
"Right now it’s still about building the community and providing them with something they need, and if the community makes the retail part bigger, it'll get bigger," Leeper said.
From breastfeeding to home births, Leeper said there are several local mom groups you may not know exist. For example, Fort Smith Area Babywearing is all about baby carriers. Leeper said they have a lending library, which allows you to check out a certain carrier to see if it works best for you.
"There are a lot of really amazingly helpful moms in there that will be there to help anyone new coming in,” Leeper said.
Leeper said she just wants to help build a community with other moms to help them learn and feel more confident as a parent. The business side of it is just a bonus.