Your Next Move Podcast Summary: “Keeping It in the Family”

Episode Release Date: April 15, 2025
Host: Diana Ransom, Inc. Executive Editor
Guest: Sheila Janikos, CEO of Healthy Horizons Breastfeeding Centers
Produced by Inc. Magazine and Capital One Business

1. Introduction to Healthy Horizons

In the episode titled "Keeping It in the Family," Diana Ransom interviews Sheila Janikos, the CEO of Healthy Horizons Breastfeeding Centers, a company ranked 1,698 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list. Healthy Horizons specializes in creating and maintaining workplace lactation programs for organizations of all sizes, aiming to support working parents, particularly mothers.

Diana Ransom [01:16]:
"So what does Healthy Horizons actually do? You help these big companies or smaller companies theoretically set up lactation centers. What does that look like?"

Sheila Janikos [01:24]:
"We go into the company and help them source, design, furnish, and then supply the room with like the breast pump and all the little necessities that a new parent would need to pump."

2. Company Services and Operations

Healthy Horizons offers comprehensive solutions for companies looking to support their employees who are new parents. This includes sourcing and designing lactation rooms, furnishing them with necessary equipment like breast pumps, and ensuring consistent service across all client locations in the United States and Canada.

Sheila Janikos [01:24]:
"Once they're set up, we will come back and we'll maintain the room and service. For example, Meda will go in and we do all their locations across the United States and Canada, so we make sure that there's consistency across the board."

Sheila emphasizes the importance of providing a consistent experience for mothers, regardless of their location, ensuring that a mother in Canada receives the same support as one in Menlo Park, California.

3. Growth and Expansion

Healthy Horizons has experienced significant growth over the years, primarily through word-of-mouth referrals. Beginning from Sheila’s living room 33 years ago, the company expanded to two breastfeeding centers in the San Francisco Bay area. The catalyst for rapid expansion was her daughter Cassandra’s involvement and participation in the StartX business accelerator program.

Sheila Janikos [02:18]:
"We had very humble beginnings. I started at 33 years ago in my living room... What really accelerated our program was my daughter Cassandra, who is the COO."

Sheila Janikos [03:23]:
"With the help of that program and all the connections, it just really was added like fuel to this wonderful fire."

Currently, Healthy Horizons operates in 125 cities across the US and Canada, servicing over 60 locations, including both large corporations like Meta and Google, and smaller organizations.

4. Navigating Challenges and Pivoting During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges as many clients closed their offices. Instead of halting services, Healthy Horizons pivoted to provide virtual education and introduced new parent gift boxes. This strategic shift not only sustained the business but led to its best year amidst the crisis.

Sheila Janikos [06:43]:
"We started providing a lot of education that people could do from home. And then we started doing new parent gift boxes... And that really grew our business also."

Diana Ransom [09:18]:
"Interesting that this kind of came out of such an arduous experience like the pandemic. And it's a wonder what people will do when forced to innovate."

Sheila highlights the necessity of adaptability in business, stating, "You'll sink if you don't. You have to decide to pivot."

5. Marketing Strategy and Word of Mouth

Healthy Horizons has relied heavily on word-of-mouth marketing, primarily through building strong relationships with HR professionals. This approach has been effective, eliminating the need for traditional marketing efforts thus far.

Sheila Janikos [10:47]:
"We develop pretty close relationships with the HR people that we work with. And when you're on that level, they want to help you. So yes, we tell them if you know anybody who would be interested."

When the company needs to introduce new services, such as the new parent gift boxes, they leverage these existing relationships to spread the word organically.

6. Future Plans and International Expansion

Looking ahead, Healthy Horizons aims to expand internationally into the UK and Latin America. However, Sheila notes that varying maternity leave laws across countries may influence the demand for their services. For instance, countries like Germany offer up to three years of maternity leave, reducing the immediate need for workplace lactation support systems.

Sheila Janikos [11:17]:
"We are in Canada and most of our clients want us to start doing like the UK and Latin America because they have offices everywhere. So they want the consistency."

She also points out the potential for future regulations in the airline industry, requiring them to provide clean, safe, and private spaces for breastfeeding.

7. Personal Insights and Family Business Dynamics

Healthy Horizons is very much a family-run business, with Sheila’s daughter Cassandra serving as the COO, and involvement from other family members. Sheila shares insights into managing family dynamics within a business, highlighting a harmonious balance between her creative approach and Cassandra’s analytical mindset.

Sheila Janikos [15:05]:
"She definitely acts like she's my boss. It's pretty funny. But I'm very easygoing and she's very analytical. She's an engineer by training, so she thinks like an engineer, which I need because I'm more of the creative and the people person."

This close-knit family structure extends beyond Sheila and Cassandra, including her daughter-in-law and cousins, who also contribute to the business operations.

8. Commitment to Diverse Work Environments

Healthy Horizons serves a wide range of industries, including fast food, agriculture, utilities, and even correctional facilities. They ensure that working parents, regardless of their job type, have access to safe and hygienic spaces to express milk.

Sheila Janikos [12:50]:
"We do it all. So a company needs to provide a space and a means, no matter where the people are."

Sheila underscores the importance of these services, especially in demanding roles where taking time to pump is challenging, such as for agricultural and utility workers.

Conclusion

Sheila Janikos’s journey with Healthy Horizons Breastfeeding Centers exemplifies resilience, innovation, and the power of word-of-mouth marketing. From humble beginnings in her living room to a multi-city operation, Sheila has demonstrated how addressing a critical need with dedication and adaptability can lead to sustained growth and impact. The company's future endeavors into international markets and diverse industries reflect a commitment to supporting working parents globally.

Notable Quotes:

• Sheila Janikos [02:18]:
  "We've never even had to market. It's all word of mouth."

• Sheila Janikos [09:28]:
  "You'll sink if you don't. Right. You have to decide to pivot."

• Sheila Janikos [12:32]:
  "I definitely have had people who literally got discharged from the hospital and then went back to work the next day and you're not physically recovered, let alone bonded with your baby."

• Sheila Janikos [15:25]:
  "It's a good combination."

This episode of "Your Next Move" offers valuable insights into building a purpose-driven business, navigating challenges, and the importance of family in entrepreneurship. Sheila’s story is inspiring for current and aspiring business leaders aiming to make a meaningful difference in their industries.