How MUMFEST is Changing the Conversation Around Motherhood and Entrepreneurship

Motherhood is powerful, but it’s also layered, demanding, and (let’s be honest) sometimes lonely for ambitious women determined to dream beyond the nursery walls. Mykel B. Davis, CEO of Muscle Up Mommy® and creator of the inaugural MUMFEST, is changing that narrative. What began as a vision in 2021 has blossomed into a full-day, festival-style experience for powerhouse moms, entrepreneurs, business professionals, and creatives.

In this candid Q&A, Mykel shares her journey from feeling isolated as a high-achieving mom to building a global stage where women can thrive in both business and motherhood... without apology.

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W4TC: What inspired you to create MUMFEST, and how did the idea evolve from vision to reality?

MBD: MUMFEST was only a figment of my imagination in 2021. I dreamt of having a safe space where women could connect beyond motherhood and receive support on wellness, financial literacy, in business, and self-care.

This year, I really felt like I had the capacity to see the vision go forth, and so we launched and kept one foot in front of the other to see it come to pass.

W4TC: As a high-achieving mom yourself, what personal experiences shaped your passion for creating a space like this?

MBD: I've had personal experiences where I felt alone in my quest of being an ambitious mom. Almost like it was taboo to want to be anything other than a nurturer at home, but I always felt called to more and led to do more. I wanted to be an attentive mom, yes.

But before I had children I had big dreams of owning my own business and being a resource for other women, and I didn't and couldn't let that dream go even after becoming a mom.

I saw my children as the reason to go harder.

Once I met other women who were unapologetically doing the same, I knew that there was a gap in what is normalized, and I knew I needed to fill it and break passed the societal norms of mom needing to be present in the home only.

W4TC: How do you define "success" in motherhood and business and has that definition changed for you over time?

MBD: Success to me looks different for everyone, but for some reason I measure success in impact. I used to thing success had a look -- poise, balancing everything with ease, remaining put together despite the load, how much money one has.

But now, success has many measurements far beyond what it LOOKS like. "How's your mental health today? Did you eat? Are the kids happy with their experiences today? Did you do anything for yourself?"

These each play a part in overall wellness. As far as business is concerned, I used to measure the success in turnout and sales (and still do to some degree, but it's not the ONLY measurement.)

I have been in spaces where I'm only speaking to one person, and if she has a breakthrough from our conversation, I know I did my part. Overtime, I've learned that having the ability to prioritize whatever demands your attention the most IS STILL success.

Some days you may have to be more attentive to the household and family needs, and other days you may have free reign to completely hammer down on business tasks. Both days, as long as the task list is being fulfilled, that's success. Forward movement.

W4TC. What's been your biggest challenge in building both a family and a brand, and how have you overcome it?

MBD: My biggest challenge has been learning to balance and defining what balance looks like. I've been building a brand for just as long as I've had a family--for a decade.

In the beginning, I struggled immensely with showing up to both fully. Some days I felt like I was crushing it and getting tasks done but then I realized those were days my children were being hyper independent.

Other days, my kids needed me so much that I felt like I wasn't being productive in business and honestly it felt like a setback for the day. Overtime I learned that I had been following an outdated model of what life as a mompreneur was supposed to look like and so I changed it.

I gave myself grace to show up as a mom and a business owner with excellence in all that I do. It's just that some days will look different from others and THAT'S OKAY.

W4TC: This is the inaugural year, what's the one thing you want every attendee to walk away feeling or knowing?

MBD: I planned MUMFEST with intentional panel topics and conversations that need to be had so women can show up FULLY.

I wanted every attendee to walk away with new gems, feeling inspired and making new connections that were aligned with their future self. From the feedback, we surpassed that goal and I'm forever grateful.

W4TC: Can you give us a peek behind the scenes of curating the lineup, experiences, and marketplace?

MBD: Behind the scenes, I worked as a one-woman show curating the lineup and experiences. I created systems that streamlined applications and ways that I could review them and follow up with applicants.

Additionally, I knew that I had peers of my own that should have their voices heard, so I reached out personally to offer them a seat to be apart of the inaugural experience. This process was probably the longest with planning, but once the line up was official set, everything else came much quicker to develop, such as the panel topics and who would bounce ideas well with who.

As far as our marketplace vendors, wellness experts and performances, they were each hand selected or referred in by trusted peers. It worked out really well!

W4TC: How did you ensure that MUMFEST speaks to both business growth and personal fulfillment?

MBD: I was intentional with curating the line up and selecting moderators who could ask thought provoking questions and keep the conversation going.

Keisha Nicole, Radio personality and Media host; and Julie O. Griffith, Founder of Champagne & Melanin™ led this year's panels and I could not have asked for better. They asked questions that prompted the responses for both personal and professional experiences.

W4TC: The event blends business, wellness, and culture... why was it important to you to bring all those elements together?

MBD: It was important to bring all these elements together because it is real life. So often we see "niche down" on social media and it only capture one element of what we go through on a day-to-day basis.

I feel like when you're authentic and want to offer a safe space for women to learn and grow, you have to also incorporate transparency and speak to REAL LIFE areas and finances, physical fitness and well-being, and lifestyle are all apart of the conversations that need to be had and that took place.

W4TC: MUMFEST is about redefining success for mothers. What does that redefinition look like in real life?

MBD: Redefinition looks like unlearning the standard way of doing things. Times have changed, the economy has changed, and technology has improved. This means women have autonomy to be various things in life and normalizing it is the first step.

W4TC: How do you hope MUMFEST changes the narrative about balancing motherhood, entrepreneurship, and self-care?

MBD: I hope MUMFEST can cultivate conversations and change going forward. Not just for moms and women in business, but for families as a whole. Which brings me to a point of what's next for MUMFEST... exclusive here, programming for dad's and husband's will be included for MUMFEST 2026.

W4TC: What advice would you give to moms who feel guilty for pursuing big professional dreams?

MBD: I would tell them that guilt is only because you're magnifying what could be other than what is. Live in the moment, plan what you want your life to look like and say no to everything that isn't that. It's far too great of an expense to not live out your dreams.

I've been there at one point and time and the grief of not going after your dreams is far more costly than the fulfillment you have when you do. And spoiler alert, when you do show up and do things that make you soul happy, your marriage thrives, your kids are happier, and home feels like peace.

W4TC: How can women continue to support each other long after the event ends?

MBD: Women can support each other by massaging the connections made at MUMFEST and continuing to show up for one another.

Although MUMFEST is an annual event, we will also facilitate and organize events in-between times to also curate spaces for those relationships to continue to thrive and expand.

W4TC: Where do you see MUMFEST in five years? Is the goal to expand, franchise, or keep it intimate?

MBD: I see MUMFEST going global. Not in a franchise aspect, but in an attendee aspect. I envision women from all around the world traveling in once a year to experience our dynamic speakers and the experiences we have to offer that they wouldn't get anywhere else. Expansion is always the goal, but only with excellence in mind.

W4TC: What legacy do you hope MUMFEST leaves for the next generation of mothers, entrepreneurs, and creatives?

MBD: When I think of legacy I think of something my children and their children and their children can have and learn from. I hope that the foundation we lay can be felt and carried on for decades to come.

W4TC: How do you want women to remember this inaugural experience?

MBD: I want women to remember how they felt in the moments they felt like they resonated with the experiences they share with the speakers and people they met in the room. I want them to hold onto hope even in hard times they may encounter after the event. I want them to feel seen, supported, and heard.

W4TC: What's your favorite "mom hack" for managing the chaos of work and family life?

MBD: My favorite hack is taking time for myself. When I pour into myself, I can in turn pour into my family and not a single moment before.

W4TC: If MUMFEST had a theme song, what would it be?

MBD: For 2025, Pastor Mike Jr's song "God Showing Out." I wasn't sure how everything would come together because I planned this festival on pure faith and with a set vision in mind. And it worked out! God came through!

W4TC: What's one thing about you people might be surprised to learn?

MBD: That I have a really inviting personality. Often times ambitious women can be viewed as unapproachable, audacious, or masculine, but I find that when people meet me, they quickly learn that although I'm about my business, I am also a lot of fun to be around and easy to talk to.

W4TC: When you're not building brands or empowering moms, where can we find you?

MBD: Home with my husband or date night. I am very intentional about prioritizing my marriage. When I'm not knee deep in task lists or working on business, I like to relax. These days that looks a lot like catching a movie or dining out with a live band.

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From balancing marriage and motherhood to redefining what success looks like for women everywhere, Mykel B. Davis is proving that you can build the life you envision while raising the next generation. MUMFEST is a movement rooted in empowerment, intentional connection, and the belief that mothers can be both present and powerful. As Mykel looks ahead to a global future for MUMFEST, one thing is certain: this isn’t just about breaking barriers, it’s about rewriting the rules for generations to come.

Head over to mumfestofficial.com and sign up for updates so you're ahead of the game before the second annual event and the pop ups expected in the interim!