Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Cowan.
Hi Jen, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
While I grew up in Kirkwood and now live in O’Fallon, Missouri, my journey has been a wonderfully winding one. After graduating from St. Louis University in 2004 with a degree in Marketing, I spent years in corporate recruitment for Fortune 500 companies, eventually landing my dream job in 2012 managing MasterCard’s flagship internship program. It was easily the most challenging and fulfilling role of my corporate career.
When I decided to step away from corporate life, I needed a creative outlet to connect with moms in the same season of life. What started in 2015 as a passion project quickly blossomed into a beloved business and my absolute dream job. Today, alongside my husband Jeff, our daughter Hattie, and our rescue pup Rosie, we are a joyful party of three (plus one furry friend!) documenting our daily adventures.
Now, more than a decade later, my daily routine has pivoted, but my mission has never changed. While I still love sharing my life online, I’ve also stepped back into the local professional world as the Marketing & Social Media Manager for a local plastic surgery and medical spa practice. When I’m not working, you can usually find me acting as a personal chauffeur to middle school and cheer practice!
As Hattie has grown, my online space has evolved right along with her. I’m still incredibly active online, but my tips, tricks, and size-inclusive style finds are now geared toward navigating the older-kid and teen years. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly St. Louis guides, delicious recipes, or middle-school survival hacks, you’ve come to the right place. I’m here to make mom life a little easier – and a lot more fun – one memory at a time!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
If you ask any entrepreneur – or any mom- if the road has been smooth, they’ll probably laugh! It definitely hasn’t been a straight line, but the ‘bumps’ have been exactly where I’ve done the most growing.
When I first left my corporate life at MasterCard to be a SAHM, I had to face a massive identity shift. I went from being a corporate professional managing internship programs to being someone who had to figure out how to write, shoot, and market content from my kitchen table. There were definitely days of self-doubt. My biggest personal hurdle was navigating those challenges while losing my dad, who fought ALS for 18 years. He was my biggest inspiration, and it felt surreal to build a career in writing when he had jokingly told me for years that I was a ‘terrible writer.’ Turning that constructive criticism into my business has been one of my proudest achievements, but it was an emotional journey to get there.
The pandemic was another massive pivot. Raising an only child in isolation during those years was incredibly hard; we were both craving connection, and it pushed me to be even more intentional about creating memories and community.
Today, the struggle is the classic ‘juggling act.’ Balancing a marketing career at a med-spa, navigating the middle-school and cheer-practice taxi service, and keeping my creative outlet thriving online is a lot. But I’ve learned that ‘smooth’ isn’t the goal – real is the goal. My readers know that I’m not just sharing the highlight reel; I’m sharing the messy, chaotic, beautiful reality of life, whether that’s a new sourdough recipe or just venting about the morning rush. I wouldn’t trade the winding road for anything, because it’s exactly what brought me to where I am now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At my core, I am a memory-maker and a storyteller. Through my blog and social channels at And Hattie Makes Three, I specialize in lifestyle and motherhood content geared toward parents navigating the middle school, cheer, and teen years, alongside size-inclusive style, food, and St. Louis-area family travel.
What I’m really known for, though, is practical relatability. I’m not here to present a picture-perfect, unachievable lifestyle. My absolute passion is sharing the real, actionable tips, tricks, and mom hacks that make daily life just a little bit easier. I want to handle the trial-and-error of planning, styling, and organizing so my readers don’t have to. By simplifying those everyday logistics, moms can get back to the business of actually being present – making those priceless family memories they don’t want to miss out on.
What sets me apart is that my content has grown up alongside my daughter and my readers. Many motherhood blogs stay frozen in the toddler and preschool phase because that’s where the high-volume traffic is. But I chose to let my space evolve. There is a huge community of moms out there who are navigating the transition to middle school, sports schedules, and pre-teen life, and they still need a place to find relatable advice, size-inclusive fashion, and community. My professional background also sets me apart; I bring over a decade of corporate marketing and recruitment experience to my brand, allowing me to approach partnerships and content creation with a highly strategic, professional lens.
As for what I’m most proud of, it’s the community. It’s the message from a mom saying a St. Louis weekend guide I wrote helped her family have the best Saturday they’ve had in months, or a reader feeling confident in an outfit because of a size-inclusive review I shared. Building a space where women feel seen, supported, and inspired to make memories – while successfully balancing a marketing career and being a cheerleader for my own daughter – is my greatest achievement.
Any big plans?
My plans for the future are actually quite simple: I’m looking forward to being present.
Honestly, we’re in such a good place right now, and I’m fully embracing the ‘middle school train.’ These years go by so fast – between cheer practices, school events, and just the day-to-day rhythm of raising a pre-teen – and my priority is soaking it all in rather than rushing to the next big change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.andhattiemakesthree.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/andhattiemakesthree
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/andhattiemakesthree
