At Macaroni KID The Woodlands - Montgomery, our Mom of the Month series celebrates the women in our community who are raising families, pursuing passions, building businesses, giving back and finding their own ways to make a difference.

This month, meet Marisa Goldsmith, a Woodlands mom of two and the creative force behind Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop, a locally owned seasonal styling business transforming porches, entryways and businesses throughout The Woodlands and surrounding Montgomery County communities.

Marisa's path to entrepreneurship didn't begin with pumpkins. It started with an eye for design, a career spanning fashion, art and sales, and eventually a desire to create something that was completely her own.

Meet Marisa

Originally from New York, Marisa is a single mom to two boys, ages 7 and 4. After spending two years in Montgomery, she and her boys moved to The Woodlands, where they have now lived for the past two years.

Creativity has been a common thread throughout Marisa's life. She attended Parsons School of Design and began her career in the fashion industry before attending graduate school at St. John's University. Her career eventually led her into art sales, allowing her to combine her appreciation for art and design with the business side of the creative world.

More recently, Marisa found herself craving something hands-on, fun and creative that she could call her own.

She found it in an unexpected place: pumpkins.

Mom Mode, Work Mode, Pumpkin Mode

A typical day for Marisa is, as she puts it, "definitely a balancing act."

Mornings begin with getting her boys ready and off to school before Marisa turns her attention to her primary job. During the busy fall season, school hours also become prime pumpkin hours, with deliveries and porch installations worked into her day whenever possible.

When school lets out, she's back in mom mode for after-school activities, dinner and bedtime. Once her boys are settled for the night, the laptop often comes back out as she catches up on work and plans upcoming installations.

It's busy, but the seasonal nature of Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop gives Marisa something especially important: a creative outlet that can coexist with being present for her children.

From New York Stoops to The Woodlands Porches

The inspiration behind Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop goes all the way back to Marisa's New York roots.

Having grown up in New York and spent time living in New York City, she remembers seeing brownstone stoops transformed each fall with layers of pumpkins, seasonal flowers and festive décor.

Pumpkin patches, apple picking and that unmistakable Northeast autumn feeling are woven into some of her favorite memories.

When Marisa began thinking about a creative business of her own, those memories collided with her experience in fashion, art and sales. The idea for Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop began to take shape.

A Little Fall Magic - Without the Hauling

Today, Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop creates custom pumpkin and seasonal décor installations for homes, businesses, schools, hotels and events throughout The Woodlands and surrounding communities.

Displays can range from charming and understated to elaborate fall transformations filled with traditional, specialty and heirloom pumpkins, decorative gourds, mums, corn stalks, straw bales, wreaths and oversized statement pumpkins.

Marisa handles the process from beginning to end - sourcing, delivery, design, styling and setup - allowing families and businesses to simply enjoy the finished space.

One of her favorite moments is seeing a client's reaction to the finished porch for the first time.

"Bringing that joy to my neighbors is truly the heart of Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop," she says.

Building Something Her Boys Can Be Part Of

One of the most meaningful parts of Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop has been giving Marisa's boys a front-row seat to entrepreneurship.

She includes them in the business whenever she can, giving them the chance to watch an idea develop into something tangible.

Marisa hopes they are learning that hard work can also be creative, exciting and fun - and that pursuing something you love doesn't mean losing sight of the people who matter most.

"At the end of the day, having them be part of this journey - and hopefully making them proud - is one of the best parts of it all."

Her Advice to Other Moms: Find Your Own Rhythm

Marisa is quick to admit that balancing motherhood, a career and a growing seasonal business is still a work in progress.

She's also learned that balance doesn't necessarily mean giving everything equal attention every day.

Some days her boys need more of her. Other days, work demands a little extra time. Instead of chasing someone else's version of balance, she focuses on being intentional with the time she has.

Why The Woodlands Feels Like Home

For Marisa, The Woodlands has become much more than the place her family lives.

She loves how family-friendly the community feels, from its parks and miles of trails to local events and activities that give families countless ways to get outside and spend time together.

Just as important is the sense of connection she has found among other local families.

"It feels like a place where neighbors support one another and where my boys can grow up surrounded by families who value connection, community and time together," she says.

 

Dreaming Beyond the Pumpkins

Personally, Marisa hopes to travel as much as possible with her boys, introducing them to new places and showing them more of the world.

Professionally, she wants to continue growing Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop organically and bringing its signature fall magic to more homes, families and businesses across The Woodlands and Montgomery County.

But she's also beginning to imagine what the business could look like beyond fall.

Ideas ranging from college acceptance and graduation displays to holiday tablescapes and other seasonal celebrations are already percolating.

Whatever comes next, Marisa wants to remain true to the idea that started it all: using creativity and design to make life's special moments feel a little more magical.

Want to Support This Local Mom-Owned Business?

For a small local business like Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop, Marisa says word of mouth means everything.

Sharing a social media post, recommending the business to a friend or neighbor, or posting a photo of your finished fall stoop and tagging Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop can make a meaningful difference.

And yes, Marisa absolutely wants to see those porch photos!

A Reminder for Other Moms

Of everything Marisa shared, perhaps her most important message has nothing to do with pumpkins or business.

It's a reminder that moms are allowed to have something that belongs to them, too.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Stoop began as that something for Marisa - a fun, creative idea she decided to follow without knowing exactly where it would lead.

Now, it's something her boys can participate in, her neighbors can enjoy and Marisa can continue building one pumpkin-covered porch at a time.

Her advice? You don't always need the perfect plan.

Sometimes, you just need an idea that excites you - and the willingness to see where it takes you.