We recently had the chance to connect with Eryn Vargo and have shared our conversation below.
Eryn, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Here are the key misunderstandings about Mom Commerce Media:
“We’re just another mom blog or parenting website”
Reality: We are an omnichannel media company with 6+ million annual web impressions and 2+ million social reach.
We combine digital content and a publication, print magazine, in-person events, and strategic partnerships to create comprehensive marketing solutions.
“We only work with small mom-owned businesses”
Reality: While we champion women entrepreneurs, we connect ALL types of businesses with the influential mom community – from local startups to major brands like AdventHealth and Marriott.
“We’re just event planners who do some marketing”
Reality: We’re a strategic marketing partner offering data-driven insights, targeted advertising, influencer partnerships, and comprehensive campaign analytics.
Events are one touchpoint in our omnichannel approach.
“The mom market is too niche”
Reality: Moms influence 85% of household purchase decisions,making them one of the most powerful consumer groups. Our platform helps brands reach this decision-making demographic authentically.
“We’re expensive compared to traditional advertising”
Reality: We help businesses streamline their marketing efforts and optimize budgets by providing targeted access to engaged local families,often delivering better ROI than broad-spectrum advertising.
“We only do ‘mommy content'”
Reality: We create strategic content across multiple verticals – healthcare, education, entertainment, community services – tailored to how moms research and make decisions for their families.
“We’re just another marketing agency”
Reality: We’re community builders who happen to be marketing experts. Our 30+ years of combined experience, plus authentic understanding of motherhood, creates trust and engagement that traditional agencies can’t replicate.
The fact is, we’re a strategic commerce media platform that happens to specialize in the mom demographic, not just a “mom business” trying to do marketing.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Eryn Vargo, founder of Mom Commerce Media, and I’m passionate about empowering moms while helping brands create meaningful connections with families.
What started as Orlando Mom Collective over 11 years ago has evolved into something much bigger – a comprehensive media platform that bridges the gap between businesses and one of the most influential consumer groups: moms. We influence 85% of household purchasing decisions, yet so many brands struggle to reach us authentically.
What makes Mom Commerce Media unique? We’re founded, operated, and powered by moms who truly understand this community because we ARE this community.
Our team brings over 30 years of combined marketing experience, but more importantly, we bring the lived reality of motherhood to every campaign and strategy. We’re not just another marketing agency – we’re community builders. Through our omnichannel approach, we combine high-quality digital content (6+ million annual web impressions), hyper-local print publication, vibrant in-person events, and strategic partnerships to create authentic touchpoints both online and offline.
But here’s what I’m most proud of: we actively champion women’s entrepreneurship. Through our Prosper & Flourish program, media grants, and business directory, we’ve helped support over 100 women-owned businesses.
We’re not just connecting brands with moms – we’re empowering moms to become the brands.
What we’re working on now: Expanding our reach beyond Central Florida while maintaining that hyper-local, community-first approach that makes us special. We’re proving that when you authentically understand and serve your audience, everyone wins – brands get better ROI, moms get valuable resources, and communities get stronger.
It’s more than business for me – it’s about building a movement that uplifts moms, powers brands, and strengthens communities nationwide.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Dorothy McKinney saw me clearly before I could see myself.
Early in my career, I met Dorothy – a trailblazing entrepreneur in Miami who had built her company from absolutely nothing, literally starting in her garage. At the time, I was still figuring out my path, uncertain about my capabilities and potential.
But Dorothy? She saw something in me that I couldn’t see in myself yet. She didn’t just offer me a job – she offered me a chance to discover who I could become. While I was focused on my limitations and self-doubt, she saw my creativity, my strategic thinking, and the powerful leader I had the potential to be.
Dorothy believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. She gave me opportunities to learn, to fail, to grow, and to stretch beyond what I thought was possible. She saw past my inexperience and recognized the innovative, driven person I was meant to become.
What Dorothy taught me was invaluable: Sometimes we need someone else’s vision to help us see our own potential clearly. She showed me that powerful women lift other women up – not just with encouragement, but with real opportunities and unwavering belief.
That experience with Dorothy fundamentally shaped how I approach business today. Just as she saw potential in me, I now make it my mission to see and nurture potential in other women entrepreneurs. Through Mom Commerce Media and our Prosper & Flourish program, I try to be that person for other women – the one who sees their power and creativity before they can see it themselves.
Dorothy didn’t just change my career trajectory; she showed me the profound impact of believing in someone’s potential. That’s the legacy I want to continue.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
“Your messy, unconventional path is exactly where it’s supposed to lead you.”
I would tell my younger self to stop worrying about not having it all figured out, stop comparing my behind-the-scenes to everyone else’s highlight reel, and stop thinking I needed to fit into someone else’s definition of success.
You’re going to build something beautiful and meaningful, even when it doesn’t look like what you originally planned. That community you’ll create? It’s going to matter to thousands of women. Those “failures” and pivots you’re so afraid of? They’re actually teaching you exactly what your audience needs.
Your ability to see potential in others, to build authentic relationships, and to create spaces where women feel seen and supported – that’s not just a nice bonus, that’s your superpower. Don’t underestimate it.
And here’s the thing that would have saved me so much anxiety: you don’t have to choose between being a successful businesswoman and being present for your family. You’re going to figure out how to do both, and you’re going to help other women do the same.
That imposter syndrome you’re carrying? It’s going to transform into your greatest strength because it keeps you humble, relatable, and real. The women you serve don’t need you to be perfect – they need you to be authentic.
Trust the process. Trust your instincts. And most importantly, trust that the community you’re meant to serve is out there waiting for exactly what you have to offer.
You’re not behind – you’re right on time.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Smart people are getting community building totally wrong by prioritizing scale over authenticity.
I see this everywhere in business right now – incredibly intelligent leaders who think that reaching more people automatically means more impact. They’re obsessed with vanity metrics, viral content, and massive audiences, but they’re completely missing what actually drives loyalty, trust, and real business results.
Here’s what they’re missing: One deeply engaged mom who trusts your brand will influence dozens of other families. But smart marketers keep chasing the algorithm instead of chasing genuine relationships.
I watch brilliant entrepreneurs burn out trying to be everywhere at once – every social platform, every trend, every shiny new marketing tactic – when what actually works is showing up consistently for the right people in the right places. They’re so focused on casting the widest net that they forget to actually catch any fish.
The other big miss? Smart business leaders keep underestimating the mom market because they see us as “just moms” instead of recognizing we’re the CEOs of our households making 85% of purchasing decisions. They’ll spend millions trying to reach male executives while overlooking the women who actually control family budgets.
And here’s the kicker – these same smart people preach about “authentic marketing” while their content feels like it was written by AI and approved by twelve committees. Real authenticity is messy, imperfect, and human. But they’re too afraid to be vulnerable because it doesn’t fit their polished personal brand.
The truth? Community beats audience every single time. Relationships beat reach. And real, flawed humans beat perfect corporate messaging. Smart people know this intellectually, but they’re still chasing the wrong metrics.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What will you regret not doing?
I will never regret choosing presence over productivity metrics.
While other entrepreneurs are grinding 80-hour weeks and missing school plays for “networking opportunities,” I’m dropping my kids off every morning and picking them up every afternoon. I volunteer in their classrooms, I know their teachers’ names, and I’m there for the little moments that you can’t get back.
And you know what? This isn’t slowing down my business – it’s fueling it.
When I’m volunteering at school, I’m not just being a mom – I’m understanding my audience on the deepest level. When I’m running our media grants program or serving on community boards, I’m not just “giving back” – I’m building the authentic relationships that make everything else possible.
These aren’t distractions from my work; they ARE my work. They fill my cup in ways that another client meeting or revenue goal never could.
I’ve learned that you can’t authentically serve a community you’re not actually part of. How can I help brands connect with moms if I’m too busy building my empire to actually be present for my own family? How can I champion work-life integration if I’m not living it myself?
The irony? Being deeply rooted in my community – showing up for school events, supporting local nonprofits, being present for my kids – has made me a better businesswoman, not a worse one. It’s given me credibility, perspective, and energy that I could never get from another conference or mastermind.
Success isn’t just about what you build – it’s about who you become while building it. And I’m becoming exactly who I want to be: a mom who’s present, a businesswoman who cares, and a community member who shows up.
That’s a legacy I can be proud of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://orlandomom.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orlandomomcollective/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erynvargo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OrlandoMomCollective/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/orlandomoms/
Image Credits
Tamara Knight Photographer
Kossina Creative
