Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Hussey.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Some people know what they want to do from a young age. I was one of them.
As a child and teenager, I was always drawn to caring for others—especially babies and young children. There was something so special about their innocence, joy, curiosity, and unconditional love. I quickly became the neighborhood babysitter, always looking for opportunities to care for children and support families. Even then, I knew my future would somehow involve helping children thrive.
At just 15 years old, I started working part-time at a local preschool. That first day changed the trajectory of my life. I knew I had found my calling, and I made the decision that working with children and families wasn’t just going to be a job—it was going to be my life’s work.
That passion led me to earn my Bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Family Studies from UNC Greensboro. While in college, I continued nannying, completed an internship with Smart Start, and was honored to receive an undergraduate research grant to work alongside one of my professors studying parental self-efficacy. I also completed my undergraduate honors thesis focused on supporting young children and families. Those experiences reinforced something I had always believed: when parents feel confident and supported, children flourish.
After graduation, I returned to the preschool where my career began, this time as an Assistant Director. Soon afterward, I pursued another passion by working in Early Intervention as both a Service Coordinator and Developmental Therapist, supporting infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities. Walking alongside families during some of their most vulnerable moments taught me that every family deserves compassionate, individualized support and that small moments of encouragement can have a lifelong impact.
Later, I earned additional administrative certifications and spent more than a decade serving as a Preschool Director and Director of Operations. I loved mentoring teachers, building strong educational programs, and creating nurturing environments where children could learn and grow. But over time, I realized I missed what had drawn me into this profession in the first place—working directly with children and families.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the childcare landscape changed dramatically. Staffing shortages, increasing administrative demands, and the realities of corporate childcare often pulled me further away from the hands-on work that gave me purpose. While I remained passionate about quality early childhood education, I knew my heart was leading me somewhere different.
Instead of continuing down a path that no longer aligned with my calling, I chose to take a leap of faith.
I became a Certified Postpartum Doula and Infant Care Specialist, and after spending two years preparing, learning, and building my vision, I launched Little Oaks Child & Family Collective, operating under the brand Little Oaks Rooted.
Today, I have the privilege of supporting families during one of the most transformative seasons of their lives. While postpartum doula care is at the heart of my work, my mission extends far beyond the newborn stage. I provide in-home postpartum doula care, overnight infant care, newborn education, parenting support, developmental guidance, and family coaching. To make support more accessible, I also offer virtual postpartum and parenting support, allowing families anywhere in the country to receive personalized guidance, education, encouragement, and ongoing check-ins from the comfort of their own homes. As my business continues to grow, I’m also expanding into childcare consulting, partnering with early childhood programs to strengthen leadership, improve quality, and create nurturing environments where both children and educators can thrive.
Whether I’m supporting a brand-new parent during an overnight shift, teaching expectant families what to expect during the fourth trimester, meeting virtually with a family who simply needs reassurance and guidance, or helping an early childhood program build stronger systems, my goal is always the same: to help children thrive by empowering the adults who care for them.
Looking back, I can see how every chapter of my career prepared me for this moment. From babysitting as a teenager to early intervention, preschool leadership, and now entrepreneurship, each experience has reinforced one simple truth: when families are supported, children have the opportunity to flourish.
Little Oaks Child & Family Collective isn’t simply the business I started—it’s the culmination of more than 25 years of experience, a lifelong passion for serving children and families, and a deep belief that every family deserves compassionate, evidence-based support. My hope is that every family I serve—whether in their home or virtually across the country—feels more confident, more connected, and more deeply rooted as they grow together.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Obstacles & Challenges Along the Way
Like many entrepreneurs, one of the biggest challenges has been taking the leap from the security of a stable career to building a business from the ground up. After spending more than 25 years in early childhood education and family services, I knew I had the experience and passion to make a difference, but starting a business requires wearing many hats that aren’t taught in college or in leadership positions. I’ve had to become not only a postpartum doula, but also a marketer, website designer, social media manager, accountant, and business owner, all while continuing my education and certifications.
Another challenge has been introducing people to the value of postpartum support. In many parts of the United States, postpartum doulas are still relatively unknown, and families often don’t realize that support after birth exists or that it’s okay to ask for help. One of my greatest goals is to help normalize the idea that parents deserve care too. When parents are supported, they are better able to care for their babies, and the entire family benefits.
Building a client base as a new business has also required patience and persistence. Trust is earned over time, especially when families are inviting someone into one of the most intimate and vulnerable seasons of their lives. I’ve learned that genuine relationships, authenticity, and consistently showing up for my community matter far more than quick success.
In addition,
Like many small business owners, I’ve also faced financial challenges. Starting a service-based business requires investing in certifications, insurance, training, marketing, and technology long before seeing a steady income. There have been moments of uncertainty, but those moments have only strengthened my commitment to building something meaningful and sustainable.
Despite every challenge, I’ve never questioned my purpose. Each obstacle has reinforced why I started Little Oaks Child & Family Collective in the first place: to ensure families have access to compassionate, evidence-based support during some of life’s most important transitions. Every family I help reminds me that taking this leap was absolutely worth it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
About Little Oaks Child & Family Collective
Little Oaks Child & Family Collective is a family-centered support and education business built around one simple belief: when we support the adults who care for children, we create stronger foundations for children to thrive.
My work is rooted in more than 25 years of experience in early childhood education, early intervention, childcare leadership, infant care, and family support. Today, I specialize primarily in postpartum and newborn support, helping families navigate the transition into parenthood with practical, compassionate, evidence-based guidance.
My services include postpartum doula support, overnight newborn and infant care, newborn education, parenting guidance, family coaching, developmental support, and virtual postpartum support. I also offer virtual services for families outside of my local area, making personalized education, guidance, and encouragement more accessible to families who may not have access to hands-on support in their communities. As the business continues to grow, I am also expanding into childcare consulting, bringing my years of leadership and early childhood experience to childcare programs that want to strengthen their operations, leadership, quality of care, and educational practices.
What sets Little Oaks apart is the breadth of experience behind the support I provide. I am not only a postpartum doula. My perspective comes from having worked with children and families in many different capacities, including as a nanny, early intervention professional, developmental therapist, preschool administrator, director of operations, educator, and now business owner. I understand that supporting a baby also means supporting the entire family and that every family has different needs, values, circumstances, and goals.
I am especially passionate about making postpartum and family support feel approachable and accessible. There is often an expectation that new parents should simply “figure it out,” even though becoming a parent is one of the biggest life transitions a person can experience. I want families to know that asking for support is not a sign that they are failing. It is a sign that they are investing in themselves and their family.
I am also incredibly proud of the heart behind my brand. The name “Little Oaks” represents my belief that children are like little roots that need nurturing, support, connection, and the right environment to grow into strong, resilient individuals. “Rooted” has become a central theme throughout my brand because I believe strong families are built on strong foundations.
What I want readers to know most is that Little Oaks Child & Family Collective is not simply about caring for babies. It is about caring for the people raising them. Whether I am sitting beside a new parent during a difficult night, teaching a family newborn basics, meeting virtually with a parent who needs guidance and reassurance, or helping an early childhood program improve the quality of care it provides, I want every person I work with to feel seen, supported, and empowered.
My ultimate goal is to help families feel more confident, connected, and rooted as they grow together, while contributing to a larger movement toward better support, education, and care for children and the people who love them.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Finding Mentors and Building a Supportive Network
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned as a new business owner is that you don’t have to build everything alone. Early on, I made it a priority to connect with local agencies, doulas, birth workers, and other professionals who were already serving families in my community. I quickly learned that networking in this industry is about much more than exchanging business cards. It is about building genuine relationships, learning from one another, sharing resources, and creating a community where everyone can grow.
One of the first people I connected with was Tracy Crockett, founder of Sweet Dreams Doula. Tracy quickly became a valuable mentor and source of encouragement. She welcomed me onto her team and has supported me in so many ways as I have navigated the early stages of building my business. Having someone who was willing to share her experience, answer questions, encourage me, and genuinely want to see me succeed has been incredibly meaningful.
I’ve also found that social media can be a powerful networking and community-building tool, particularly in an industry where connection is so important. I am very active online and have intentionally used social media to connect with other professionals, share education and resources, and reach families who may need support.
I even created a Facebook community called the Triangle Maternal Wellness Collective, bringing together trusted professionals who work with expectant parents, new parents, and families. My goal is for it to be a place where families can find community, connection, education, and trusted local resources, while also giving professionals an opportunity to collaborate and support one another.
I believe there is an incredible opportunity right now to advocate for stronger maternal wellness and postpartum support. Recent events and conversations surrounding maternal care have highlighted just how important it is to ensure parents are not left feeling isolated or unsupported during pregnancy and the postpartum period. I believe advocacy starts with creating community and making sure families know that support exists.
That belief has also inspired me to establish a community fund through Little Oaks Child & Family Collective. My goal is to help reduce financial barriers for local families who need postpartum and family support but may not otherwise be able to afford it. Through this fund, I hope to eventually provide free or reduced-cost services to families who need them most.
My biggest advice for anyone looking for a mentor or trying to build a professional network is to start by building relationships, not collecting contacts. Reach out to people whose work you genuinely admire, ask questions, offer support when you can, and be willing to learn. Some of the most meaningful opportunities I’ve received have come from simply being willing to introduce myself, make a connection, and become part of a community.
You never know which conversation might become a friendship, mentorship, collaboration, or opportunity that changes the direction of your business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Littleoaksrooted.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littleoaksdoula
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1PghdnvFv2/
