059 | Becoming a Ski Mom with Nicole Feliciano

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Our guest today is a ski mom based in Vermont. She is the founder of Momtrends.com where she writes articles and ski guides, clearly she is a skilled skier and passionate about the sport. She has two girls 16,13 who ski race for the Green Mountain Valley School in Vermont. She is the Admin of the Ski Moms Facebook Group, the Founder of Momtrends.com and co-host of the Ski Moms Fun podcast. Being a ski mom whose kids all started skiing by age of 2 and who now can out-ski their mom it is so fun to connect with other ski moms and I am grateful for the community she has created. Nicole Feliciano, welcome to Ordinary Sherpa.

Key Takeaways

1. Experiencing the mountains and the vastness of the ski experience in Montana was like seeing the ocean for the first time. She continued to design experiences with her husband and later with her daughters to find joy and embrace skiing as a part of who they are.
2. Unlike many other sports, skiing requires embracing cold temperatures and your feet sliding beneath you instead of firmly planted.
3. A life hack for couples and parents- if you want someone to enjoy something you enjoy, invest in lessons from someone else who is skilled in the sport or activity. Getting exposure to the elements was as important as building their skills.
4. Participating in activities with a peer group helps build the skill and connection while also learning confidence and independence.
5. As Nicole confessed "ski moms love the community nature of a small hill."
6. Skiing set the tone of family time. Unlike many sports, when her daughter is competing is ski races, she also is on skis and participating not watching passively on the sidelines. She is doing her thing, which also takes the pressure off the skiers which was a healthy environment for kids sports.
7. Skiing is a lifetime sport with participants from 2-80+. It doesn't matter if there is a speed differential as you all meet up at different points along the way. Also when riding on the ski lift there is a confined time to connect with teens.
8. Mom Trends was a way to grow and learn about everything from travel to baby strollers at a time in her life when she was curious and looking for ideas. It was never about parenting advice and she never made money off her kids. The content continues to grow with her and ski articles still attract considerable traffic. Ski Moms Fun both grew from a place of Nicole not seeing herself represented in the market and wanting to offer resources to other moms who were interested in skiing and looking for support
9. An unexpected bright spot from the Ski Moms Fun was the community and peer connections that have developed to support other moms. What brings everyone together is the love for the outdoors. There are regularly examples of moms sharing ways to make skiing easier and more accessible to access.
10. Be curious about winter. Finding an outdoor activity or sport that brings an appreciation for the change of seasons so when the season changes it's not the end of something, rather embrace the change with a sense of joy.

As referenced in the conversation there are ways to make skiing accessible such as participating in various state passes, rental sharing agreements. Our family began skiing by volunteering to chaperone school ski trips and chaperones received a free lift ticket. Nicole referenced the states with ski programs to encourage and make skiing accessible.

To Connect with or Follow
Name: Nicole Feliciano
Podcast: Ski Moms Fun
Website: Momtrends.com
Website: SkiMomFun.com
Instagram: @skimomfun
Twitter: @skimomfun

A few resources:
10 States Where Kids Ski Free: https://www.momtrends.com/travel/10-states-where-kids-ski-free
10 things to get ready for Ski Season: https://www.momtrends.com/ski/ten-things-you-can-do-right-now-to-get-ready-for-ski-season