It's All About Fulfillment

Tom Wicklow has not followed a traditional path...ever. In high school, he was an extreme sports athlete, hoping to be a professional BMX rider. He tried college right out of high school and he knew quickly it wasn't for him. He returned home, and seeing opportunity, started a painting business. Later, he decided he wanted to have an office with a view, so he began driving trucks, eventually buying his own commercial tractor trailer and owning a trucking company. But at 28 years old, Wicklow wasn't fulfilled and he took another unexpected turn. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.

Being 28 in Boot Camp, he was older than all of his drill instructors, and most of his fellow recruits were up to 10 years his junior. But that only served to motivate him to work harder to keep up with his younger peers. While in the Marines, Wicklow's job was a Crew Chief on a KC-130J cargo and refueling aircraft. Becoming an aircraft systems expert and earning his Plane Captain designation, Wicklow traveled the globe carrying out various missions, two of which stand out in his mind above the others.

While stationed in Japan, Wicklow was a part of Operation Tomodachi, which was the humanitarian relief effort after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Wicklow says of his time serving the Japanese people, "This was the first time I was involved in real world missions that had a hugely positive impact on those we were helping. Seeing Japanese nationals waving an American flag as our plane taxied out to the runway full of supplies was their way of saying 'Thank you.' And it truly hit home that what I was doing mattered. That's what I had been searching for." Remembering the 18 hour days the missions required, Wicklow also remembers jumping out of bed each day, eager to get started on his meaningful work.

Shortly after Operation Tomodachi concluded, Wicklow transitioned to a new duty station in Cherry Point, NC. He was immediately slated for a combat deployment to Afghanistan. Within four months, the wheels of his plane lifted off once again, bound for the Middle East. This time, Wicklow's mission was a little different. He was on a weaponized aircraft which provided close air support for ground forces of U.S. Marines and several other nations. Once again, he found himself fulfilled by the lifesaving work he was doing: protecting his brothers in arms on the ground below. After a nearly 9 month deployment, he returned to North Carolina, but quickly noticed he had changed. "Leaving combat to return to a training and readiness role left me feeling pretty empty" Wicklow says. After 5 years of active duty, he decided to separate from the Marines with an honorable discharge and return to New Jersey to chase his degree.

After settling back into his familiar NJ lifestyle, Wicklow enrolled in college at Fairleigh Dickinson University. With transfer credits and military training counting towards electives, Wicklow finished his undergraduate courses in one calendar year and rolled right into an Executive MBA program. It was during this program that he would find his next business opportunity, which would provide him the fulfillment he had been seeking so desperately since leaving Afghanistan.

A childhood friend called Wicklow, suggesting he look into the company she worked for, since the CEO was looking to franchise. Let Mommy Sleep is an in-home, overnight, newborn care service headquartered in Northern Virginia. Wicklow's initial reply: "No thanks!" But after looking a little deeper, and understanding the impact this service has on new families, Wicklow opened up to the idea. He met with CEO Denise Stern and her executive team, and quickly realized the potential on two fronts: a great business model and the fulfillment he constantly seeks.

Let Mommy Sleep Northern NJ launched in August 2016. Quickly the families began calling. Time and again, rave reviews of the nursing staff from happy, rested moms and dads came to his email inbox, which Wicklow often shares on the business' Facebook page. "Knowing these exhausted parents are able to get some rest at night and enjoy their days with their new baby, it's just heartwarming." Being an uncle of five and taking on the role of uncle to several of his friend's kids, Wicklow definitely has experience being around little ones, although he notes, "I don't actually go to our family's homes and do the caregiving. I let the professionals do their work in that aspect of the business."

The premise is this: Let Mommy Sleep is a team of RNs, and Newborn Care Providers who provide nurturing overnight care to newborns, and evidence based education to parents. Wicklow is very selective about who he hires, seeking out those with a nursing license to ensure the highest level of care. "There is a difference between our staff of licensed professionals and others who are commonly called 'Baby Nurses.' More often than not, a “baby nurse” is not a nurse at all. They do bring a certain set of skills to the picture, but they don't have the accredited training an actual nurse has. And if you are going to allow someone into your home to care for your baby , who else can you trust as much as the nurses who help deliver your baby in the hospital, or care for your children at the doctor's office?"

Each day, Wicklow finds himself eager to answer the call from an expecting mom who is as excited as she is nervous and wants to form a plan for care after baby arrives. Or, the call comes from the parent of a few week old baby. When those calls come in, Wicklow says, "I can hear the exhaustion in their voice."

Wicklow is often asked how he ended up in the “baby business.” When recounting the story, Wicklow says with a laugh, "With all the twists and turns my life has taken, I never saw this coming. But now that I'm here, I really love it."

If you or someone you know is expecting, and they would like more information, visit NNJ.LetMommySleep.com or call 862.324.2259. Be sure to check out the Sleep Registry as a creative gift idea for an upcoming baby shower too!