ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ENVIRONMENTAL ENTREPRENEUR
Jessica Simon Baggarly served as a Conservation Corps member in the Billings, Montana crew, summer of 2006. Today, Jessica is founder and business owner of, Tinkle Belle, an affordable and eco-friendly cloth diaper laundering and delivery business.
What have you been up to since serving with Montana Conservation Corps?
I moved to Santa Barbara, CA immediately after my term with MCC was complete. Santa Barbara is one of those amazing places where the mountains meet the ocean. I spent as much time as possible on the local trails as I continued to explore my newfound passion of hiking. I also began volunteering for several environmental non-profits.
My original love is the performing arts. I had worked at a theatre in New York City prior to serving in the MCC & continued that work in non-profit arts management in California. Luckily my boss was very supportive of my environmental passions - since working there, we established a composting program and we officially became certified as the first Green Theatre in California!
In 2014, I learned about the magic of modern day cloth diapers - and how detrimental disposable diapers are both to the health of our children and the environment. I opened Tinkle Belle Diaper Service on Earth Day in 2015 - we just recently had our three year anniversary! We are full service - we train families how to use cloth diapers, carry all of the supplies they may need, and deliver fresh, clean diapers to their doorstep each week. Our mission is focused around education and service. It's fun to work with families during this special time in their lives. Our families are such rock stars - we aim to support them and make life a bit easier for them.
As you can probably tell, I am passionate about this work! I feel so lucky to be able to do work that I love, while also making a huge environmental impact! Just last week I made the leap and am now working full-time in my company. After three years with two full-time jobs, I am thrilled to be able to pursue this passion full-time!
What are the three biggest things you learned from your time with Montana Conservation Corps?
1. That I am even more stubborn than I had realized.
2. That something doesn't always have to be easy or fun for it to be one of the best things to have ever happened to you.
3. The beauty of that area of the country is unfathomable until you see it with your own eyes.
How did Montana Conservation Corps impact you?
I don't even know if I can count that ways!
My experience with MCC simultaneously gave me confidence & humbled me. I honestly believe that in order to be successful, you need a healthy dose of both those things in your life! I will always know that I can work harder and longer than I ever thought possible.
Working in the MCC crew environment also made me aware of my working style. For example, I like working as a team. I am a natural leader, but I don't always want to be the leader. What is my style as a team member and leader, and how do I prefer to be managed? Professionally, knowing these things about yourself is so helpful as you move into other working environments! This kind of environment also puts your weaknesses under a microscope! No person is without them, but I believe getting to know them is another key to success, whether that means conquering them or knowing how to best work in/around/with them.
It was risky for me to leave a successful job in order to volunteer & move to new parts of the country. The value of risk versus reward is hard to fathom until you've experienced it firsthand. Up until MCC, I had only known one path to success in my life. Being surrounded by different people from different walks of life, who were taking paths I had never dreamt of opened my eyes to so many different ways to live. I had never camped or hiked before MCC, and those two things have brought me so much joy!
In what ways did Montana Conservation Corps help shape your trajectory?
In every way! MCC was during my self-proclaimed "quarter-life crisis!" This was a mere six months of my life, it amazes me how much impact it has had. I have been forever changed. My time with MCC was the impetus for change more change than I realized I wanted or need. I always tell people that it was the best and hardest thing that I ever did, and it has undoubtedly led me to where I am today.
What advice would you offer anyone considering serving with Montana Conservation Corps?
What three words would you use to describe Montana Conservation Corps?
teamwork, growth, appreciation
