MBP: You wear many hats as a physical therapist, boutique owner, wife, and mom of three. How do you balance each role while still making time for your family?
Ansley: I truly feel called to each role God has entrusted me with. Since our lives go through different seasons where we need to prioritize more time and energy to some roles than others, I pray constantly for guidance to ensure I fulfill the needs in front of me appropriately.
MBP: What inspired you and your daughters to start their business three summers ago, and how has that experience shaped each of them?
Ansley: My oldest daughter has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. She wanted to make money over the summer and asked if she could have a lemonade stand. That led to a family meeting to hear all of the girls’ ideas for earning money.
Together, we created The Squad Jewelry with a dual mission: to teach entrepreneurship from a child’s perspective while also combating loneliness by encouraging others to be includers. My goal was for the girls to learn life skills through real-life experiences and to understand just how much work happens behind the scenes of a small business. I also wanted them to see that all of that effort makes the work even more rewarding.
MBP: How has working side by side strengthened your relationships, and what challenges have you had to navigate?
Ansley: We have made the best memories on this journey over the past three years. We’ve learned to work together, share ideas, and recognize that we’re most creative and successful when we combine our strengths. It has been such a bonding experience.
Many moments along the way have been stressful and even scary, but we’ve learned to be brave, try new things, develop new skills, and embrace the mindset that we’ll figure things out as we go. We don’t take any of these moments for granted and are so thankful for the love and support of our growing community of loyal customers.
MBP: How do you and Ben support one another while raising three active daughters?
Ansley: Ben and I have always given 100% to everything we do—from college to our careers to raising a family. That means we both make sacrifices at different times so we can each fulfill the roles we’ve been given. We have a tag-team approach with one main focus: showing up for our kids. Showing up demonstrates what is most important, and our family will always come before every other role.
MBP: What has surprised you the most about parenting teenagers and younger children at the same time?
Ansley: I’ve come to realize that the older my girls get, the more they need me. I always thought they would need me most when they were little. As they’ve grown, they need more guidance in learning how to navigate the world, communicate with others, and handle difficult situations—all without me simply telling them what to do.
I teach my girls that my role as their mother isn’t to fix their problems or give them all the answers. Instead, it’s to teach them to pause, take a step back, and look at the bigger picture. That helps them understand they always have choices, and those choices come with consequences. Most importantly, I want them to know that everyone makes mistakes and things won’t always go as planned. What truly matters is how we respond and make things right—that’s what builds character.
MBP: What advice would you give to parents who want to encourage creativity, confidence, and an entrepreneurial mindset in their own children?
Ansley: Don’t let the fear of failure hold you back. If your child has an interest, help them find a way to pursue it and put their gifts to use.
MBP: Looking ahead, what are your hopes for your daughters—not just for their business, but for the women they are becoming?
Ansley: I want my girls to know with complete confidence that they are capable human beings. I want them to develop skills that will serve them no matter what life brings. Most of all, I want them to be kind, genuine, and compassionate.
It’s wonderful to have a goal of doing great things. But do you know what’s even better? Helping others do great things, too. Be an includer. Support others. We’ll continue the mission we’ve had from the very beginning—we truly are better together.
Rapid Fire
Coffee or tea? 100% coffee
Beach or mountains? Beach
Early bird or night owl? Night owl
Favorite family tradition? Our annual Father’s Day weekend in Atlanta cheering on the Braves.
One word that describes motherhood: Empowering
Ansley Niland has been married to her husband, Ben, Chief of Gastroenterology at USA Health, for almost 18 years. Ansley is also in healthcare, as a doctor of physical therapy, as well as owns a local boutique, The Collective, with her daughters. Their girls—Anna (14), Livi (10), and Riley (7)—are all passionate about entrepreneurship. As a family, they enjoy spending time on Dauphin Island and feel blessed to live in such a beautiful area that allows them time to relax and reconnect.
