Shanice Nelson - Anchored Beginnings Lactation LLC

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided by Shanice Nelson

Shanice Nelson is a mother, student, and entrepreneur who resides in her hometown of Louisville, KY. Shanice attended Central High School and Shawnee High School before enrolling at Western Kentucky University. She later transferred to Union Institute and University, acquired her Associates Degree in Health Science, and is scheduled to obtain her Bachelors Degree in Human Lactation in 2023.

Today, Shanice is the owner and founder of Anchored Beginnings Lactation, LLC. Her company was launched in 2020, and she shares it literally fell into her lap. “My own children are currently ages three, five, and six, but at one point, they were infants. I was breastfeeding for many consecutive years. While my experience was like a rollercoaster, I still loved it, and it was great. I was one of the first people in my family to breastfeed. It was a learning experience for me, and I shared my experience with my family and friends. From there, someone planted the seed in my mind to make a business out of it, and so I did,” she says.

Anchored Beginnings Lactation offers lactation consultations, group classes, breastfeeding boxes, and more. Her products are designed for breastfeeding mothers and their support persons, which Shanice says is especially important. When my clients take the course with another person, a support person, they have someone to encourage them during their most difficult moments. The support person can also remind them of the strategies and things previously discussed, helping them put them into practice and be successful with breastfeeding,” she says.

Watson Photos Provided by Shanice Nelson

Shanice doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar operation, and that structure generally works to her advantage. She finds that when she goes to her client’s location, she is to offer them a better experience, a more comfortable experience in their setting.

Shanice shares that she genuinely loves her business and is excited to educate more individuals about breastfeeding. “I really believe that breastfeeding is a public health strategy. I believe that breastfeeding can shape the narrative of parental bonding. I also love the ah-hah moments when I see my clients begin to trust their bodies to nourish their babies,” she shares. “Oftentimes, people don’t need me until there is a problem. Being able to provide strategies that will help lead to a solution and empower them. I have learned that people want to breastfeed, and they want to meet the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation of breastfeeding for 24 months. These are the things that do it for me; this is what gets me out of bed in the morning.”

Shanice draws inspiration from various sources to be able to do the things she does. One of them she acknowledges is her grandmother, whom she says was a tenacious person and made her believe she could do anything she put her mind to. “She is the person I credit for my intuitiveness and being able to recognize my natural gifts and abilities. My servitude spirit comes from her. The foundation of my business stands on serving women and infants,” she says.

Shanice says that with running her business, she is always learning something new, and with new growth comes new challenges. One of them is being able to talk about her business. “I’ve found that the more I talk about her business, someone is paying attention, even when it doesn’t seem like it. I know this because a large portion of my customers is strangers,” she shares. Shanice has also found new ways to talk about Anchored Beginnings Lactation LLC by networking with other business owners in her field.

As she moves forward, Shanice would like to train the next generation and grow her brand in other states around the country. Her advice to others who may follow in her footsteps is to believe in the craziest part of your vision and go after it. “If it’s crazy and appears bigger than you, then you are on the right track,” she says.

Please visit their website to learn more about Shanice Nelson and Anchored Beginnings Lactation, LLC.

www.myanchoredbeginnings.com