November 2026
Featured Mom in Business
The Heart Behind The Work
Ciana Simpson
The Moco List
I'm Ciana, the founder of The MoCo List, a local lifestyle and small business platform celebrating the people, places, and businesses that make Montgomery County, Texas, special. I'm also a mom to two daughters, Adelaide and Emmeline, and share this wonderfully busy life with my longtime partner, Ben. Along with The MoCo List, I'm a partner in Golden Taps, a market organizer, a content creator, and someone who genuinely loves bringing people together.
Through The MoCo List, I spend my days discovering local businesses, telling their stories, organizing curated markets, and helping small business owners grow through creative marketing and meaningful connections.
Outside of work, I love reading, exploring new places with Ben and our girls, a good matcha, and finding any excuse to turn an ordinary day into a little adventure.
After spending much of my adult life in big cities, I've come to appreciate something really special about building community in a smaller town. There's a sense of connection here that has become such a meaningful part of both my personal life and the business I've built.
How did you get started?
The MoCo List started in October 2024 with a simple idea: I wanted to make it easier for people to discover and support the incredible small businesses in our community. I'd spent years working in marketing, promotions, and events, and I've always been drawn to the creativity and passion behind independent businesses. After moving to Montgomery County, I saw so many talented business owners doing amazing things, but I also saw how difficult it could be for them to get noticed.
What started as an Instagram account sharing local discoveries quickly grew into something much bigger.
Today, The MoCo List includes curated markets, content creation, business collaborations, a newsletter, and an Insider membership where I help small business owners navigate marketing and social media.
One of the most unexpected and rewarding parts has been the relationships. I've watched vendors become friends, businesses collaborate because of connections made at my markets, and women encourage one another in ways that go far beyond making a sale.
And I've built all of this while raising two daughters and working a full-time corporate job. It's not always easy, and there are definitely days when I'm juggling more than I probably should. But I love that my girls get to see me building something of my own.
What started as a way to promote local businesses has become a way to create opportunities, build relationships, and make our community feel a little more connected. And that's what keeps me going.
“I’ve always believed that success doesn’t have to come at someone else’s expense. There’s room for all of us to build something meaningful, and sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is open a door for someone else.”
I want my daughters to grow up knowing that they can be ambitious, creative, independent, and kind. That supporting other women doesn't take anything away from their own success. At the end of the day, The MoCo List has never really been about markets or Instagram followers.
It's about people, the relationships we build, the opportunities we create, and the community we leave better than we found it.
Because local is a lifestyle.
Each of the incredible women featured in our Heart Behind The Work Series was nominated by members of The Village for Moms in Business.
These nominations come straight from the heart.
Real stories, real impact, and real recognition from women who have experienced their work firsthand.
Here’s a glimpse of what was shared:
“Ciana goes beyond simply supporting local businesses. She helps them get discovered by sharing reviews and creating a local guide that connects people with amazing small businesses and must visit spots in the community.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with her in person as a vendor, and her organization, uplifting spirit, and genuine support for small business owners truly stand out. She creates opportunities for businesses like mine to gain visibility and connect with more people.
Ciana is a beautiful example of what it looks like to uplift your community while empowering other entrepreneurs. She deserves to be recognized for the impact she makes!”