Growing up is tough – and today’s culture and social media doesn’t make it any easier. Building face-to-face friendships, recognizing self-worth, and trusting each other are just some of the challenges girls face every day.
Jeanine Seger and her husband, Jared, believe that parents can try to mold living environments, choose specific school cultures, and orchestrate other social variables in their children’s lives but without a foundation of confidence and self-worth, it may not be enough.
bFierce was born from the idea that strong, confident girls who choose to build each other up rather than putting each other down make better choices for themselves, they have an easier time standing up to peer pressure and they see their self-worth.
“bFierce is comprised of mothers and daughters who come together as a team and understand the importance of taking chances and pushing ourselves beyond what we think is possible,” said Jeanine, founder and mompreneur behind the company.
Based in the Southeast Valley of the Phoenix area, bFierce offers adventures each month ranging from rock climbing, to archery, to welding and more. In 2018, they plan to offer free seminars and speaker nights to all members and eventually open chapters in other communities. “The company is greater than just mother-daughter adventures: It’s community. It’s strength. It’s growth. It’s trust in ourselves and in each other,” added Jeanine.
The adventure team isn’t all about the actual physical activity itself, but also about creating a safe and trusting space where mothers and daughters can connect and define their own goals. “bFierce moms and girls don’t let other people’s perspectives define them. Being fierce isn’t necessarily climbing to the top of the peak or leaping from the top of the ropes course. Being fierce is stretching yourself beyond your limits, honoring yourself, and your choices and building relationships with each other. Being fierce is being you,” said Jeanine.
Jeanine and Jared live an active lifestyle with their children just outside of Phoenix. Their idea of family fun is adventuring outside, hiking and rock climbing. They have always believed that developing independence, self-worth and a sense of adventure would help their children navigate life’s paths and relationships.
Curious about what made her girls feel most confident, Jeanine sat down with her daughters, ages 7, 9 and 12, and asked them what made them feel fearless. They giggled at the thought at first: “fearless.” Then they began throwing out other words that described each other: Strong. Brave. Kind. Helpful. Friendship.
The conversation was becoming bigger than the original question. The sisters began recalling times when they went hiking even after hearing about their cousin being bitten by a rattlesnake. The words they chose to describe each other started taking expanded meanings. Bravery, like the time one of them went rock climbing and went so high on the rock, only to freeze in fear on the wall for what seemed like an hour. Strength, how with the encouragement of her family, she made it down that wall even though she was scared. Community was also a strong word they felt- how it felt to look back up that wall and know that they had done more than they thought they could that day. And finally, a feeling of pride.
The stories continued about the time they leaped with only the faith that they would be caught. The times they chose not to go further but felt confident in their decision. They all beamed with confidence and pride.
With the motto, “Sometimes good girls smell bad,” Jeanine and company are also about perspective.
The tag line came out of a funny interaction with a very cute four-year-old at the post office. After a sweaty workout Jeanine came home to share with her girls a story about perspective. When this four-year-old was offended by her post workout presence, he loudly stated, “You stink!” Her girls were instantly mortified. Jeanine just laughed and replied, “Well, yes I do. But that’s because sometimes strong girls smell bad.” The little boy’s face shifted as he reassessed Jeanine and simply nodded in agreement. Back home Jeanine and her children talked about what that meant: Strong girls smelling bad. Her daughters said that made them feel powerful but that sometimes they felt they had to be “good girls.” That conversation led to more talks about the definition of “good” versus “strong,” and in the end, they all agreed that strong girls are good girls and that sometimes good girls smell bad.
“Get out there and get dirty, because sometimes good girls smell bad,” said Jeanine.
To learn more about bFierce, visit www.bfierce.org.
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