Spotlight: Lindsay Jefferson - All Things Marketing and Surrogacy
My Early Surrogacy Knowledge
Three and a half years ago, I didn’t even really know what surrogacy was. If you had asked me, I probably could have given you an answer about what it was, but I didn’t exactly understand it. It wasn’t on my radar, and it wasn’t anything I had ever thought about. My only experience with surrogacy was another mom whose kid was in my kid’s preschool class. She was very pregnant, and one day at school I asked her when she was due. She told me that she was due in two weeks and then quickly added, “but it’s not my baby.” Excuse me?!
Then, like most people who are under-educated about surrogacy, I am positive I gave her a really stupid, confused look and was hoping she’d explain further so I wouldn’t have to ask any more questions (I’m not exactly the most tactful person when asking questions). Thankfully, like many kind surrogates who deal with people not understanding of the process, she patiently explained to me that she was a gestational surrogate who was carrying a baby for a couple who were unable to get pregnant. I was a little blown away by the mechanics of it all. It took me a bit to comprehend it and take it all in. I mean, I had a hard time being pregnant with my own three kids. I was not the glowing, love-to-be-pregnant type. Don’t get me wrong—I was super grateful that I was able to get pregnant, but I just sort of sucked at it. The idea of it all was awesome, just maybe not all the pregnancy stuff that goes along with it. But this person. This person was carrying a baby for someone else. She was giving the gift of a baby to a couple who desperately wanted one. Mind. Blown.
How I Got Into Surrogacy
Fast-forward about six months from that point, and I’m standing at the bus stop striking up a conversation with Jennifer White, the Director of Texas Surrogacy. She was telling me how she and her sister, Attorney, Ellen Trachman, had started a surrogacy firm in Colorado. I felt thrilled that I even sort of knew what the heck she was talking about (thank you preschool mom surrogate friend!). I had a trillion questions, which Jennifer graciously answered. I then told her if she ever needed marketing help, to let me know! To be honest, I had a marketing job at the time, and I’m not sure how serious I was when I said it. Kind of like when people say, “Well let me know if you ever need anything,” but sometimes it’s just a polite thing to say. But I had put it out into the universe (at the bus stop).
Fast-forward again another 6 months. My life basically imploded after a horrible divorce; I had 3 young kids and had recently lost that aforementioned marketing job. Jennifer and I met for coffee the day I lost the other job, and she mentioned she had a need for some marketing help for Colorado Surrogacy, but it may only be a few hours. I was so game. Whether you believe in God or a higher power or just the universe, it seemed something or someone was at work here. I was a hot mess. Like the hottest, messiest hot mess ever and I was questioning what was even important anymore. In a time in my life when everything was falling apart, Jennifer and Ellen took a chance on me (because that’s the type of women they are), and I was offered a chance at a job that was meaningful. A job where I got to use my marketing skills, my love for babies, and my desire to help people. Holy crap. Jackpot.
What I Do For Texas Surrogacy
Since beginning my work with Colorado Surrogacy, Jennifer and Ellen have skillfully and thoughtfully expanded their wonderful work by way of Montana Surrogacy, New Mexico Surrogacy, New England Surrogacy and of course, Texas Surrogacy, for which I do the marketing. Most people think of selling a product or service when they think of marketing. Rightly so. I don’t look at it like that with this job. I’m reaching out to fabulous, kind-hearted women to try to match them with people who want a baby but need some help. I’m really just trying to locate fantastic people who already have the awesomeness inside of them. Just trying to show them that they can do it. They have the ability and strength to change someone’s life forever.