Local Spotlight: Meet Rena Heegaard from Potty Pillow

We are excited to introduce you to Rena from Potty Pillow today!

Hi Rena! Tell us all about you and what inspired you to start your business.

Born and raised in Liberia, I relocated to the United States almost 11 years ago with my two boys. I fell in love with the Twin Cities, met my husband here and now live in the southwest metro with my husband, two children, and our fur baby, Chip.

There were a few moments in my life that led me to start my business. When I was a child in Liberia, I found myself escaping to the bathroom to have some time alone from my family during the civil war that was happening in my home country. I recognized that the toilet wasn’t super comfortable. Later in my life, when my boys were kids, and I needed a little ‘mommy-me-time’ to take a breather from the sometimes chaotic moments of raising children, I found myself using the bathroom again. Now I really understood how uncomfortable the bathroom was.

It was then, that I decided to start my journey of making the Potty Pillow.

I set out to make a product that could be used in many ways, but ultimately, I wanted it to be comfortable and provide proper lumbar support for new mothers, moms that also head to the bathroom for some ‘mommy-alone-time’, those with chronic illnesses and abdominal pain, and the elderly.

Tell us all about your business. What can new moms and others expect?

With Potty Pillow, parents, especially mothers, can expect to turn their bathroom into a more comfortable space to fit their needs. Whether that is extra lumbar support for parents while sitting on the toilet or using the pillow as a kneepad while giving children a bath, the Potty Pillow is versatile and can create a more comfortable environment for everyone.

The Potty Pillow is antimicrobial, water resistant, and made from a vegan leather, so not only is the pillow resistant to bacteria, it is really easy to clean.

What do you love about the Twin Cities? Why is this a great community for local small businesses?

The Twin Cities has always felt like home, even when I visited before immigrating here. It is such a vibrant city that’s rich in culture and diversity. The term “Minnesota Nice” has also been accurate for me. I have had the opportunity to live in a few neighborhoods in the Twin Cities, and the people are so welcoming, kind, and supportive.

From a business perspective, there are a lot of opportunities that I have found helpful. There are many resources available to small, local businesses in the Twin Cities metro area; for example, SCORE and Women Venture, which have been highly helpful for my business.

What is the best way for the Minnesota Parent community to support your business?

I would be grateful if the Minnesota Parent community would support my business by checking out the Potty Pillow website, engaging with my social media channels, and sharing this product.

Tell us about you! Your family, why you love being a parent. What brings you joy?

Of all the names I have been called, hearing my boys call me “mom” is my favorite. Both of my kids are in their teens, and I still get that warm, fuzzy feeling every time they call me it. There has been nothing more exciting than watching my children grow, learn, and become their own individuals. Becoming a mother has not only been one of my greatest life experiences, but it is a role that has brought me joy and countless memories.

Tell us about your favorite places to go with your kids? Restaurants, roads trips, parks etc.

As my children have grown older, our favorite places have changed over the years.

When my boys were younger, we loved going to the Minneapolis Institute of Art and various “play parks,” as my kids would call them, in the Otsego/Rogers area, like Lions Central and Prairie Park.

Since they have now grown to be teenagers, my children have become quite the foodies. We love trying out new restaurants; our current favorite is the Tavern 4&5 in Eden Prairie.

Anything else you want to share?

The Potty Pillow, while it can be enjoyed by everyone, has a special lumbar support that is really suitable to those that are experiencing chronic, abdominal, and back pain and to individuals recovering from surgery or moms that recently gave birth.

I hope Potty Pillow is the product that reduces the pain level for people across the nation while using the bathroom for whichever purpose. We all have to use the bathroom, so it is my goal to make it a more comfortable experience.