Our Story
Another milestone moment has passed and has left you wondering, where did the time go?
In the daily frenzy of life, you realize that the days may be long but the years are short. While you plan school lunches, carpools, birthday celebrations, and family trips, it’s often hard to plan those small moments that allow you and your child to show that you truly matter to each other.
I’m Jennifer Bernheim, and I launched Willo because of my mom, my grandmother, and our trip to France that I’ll never forget. A trip abroad was not the norm for my family. This was my college graduation trip that my mom had saved for, and it was also her first trip to Europe. We still talk and laugh about that trip to this day! While big trips are certainly memorable, the moments in between our travel adventures mattered too - from card games and ice cream sundaes with my grandmother to shopping trips with my mom that included Starbucks as a special treat, I loved the one-on-one time.
When I became a mom, I set the intention to do the same with my children. As the mom to two teenagers and a pre-teen, it’s now more important than ever that we intentionally schedule this one-on-one time because they are juggling their social calendars too. In intentionally planning together time with my own kids (and my husband does the same), I realized that Willo needed to exist because when we slow down long enough to truly show up for each other, something powerful happens - we feel like we really matter.
After 25 years in public relations working alongside purpose-driven companies, and a lifetime of planning events that bring people together to create community, I knew I had both the passion and the experience to build something meaningful for families. Willo is the intersection of everything I know and everything I believe in.
When launching Willo, my daughter Emmy (the one and only daughter and middle child) knew immediately that she’d be my co-founder. Over the years, we’ve learned so much about each other from our one-on-one adventures.
It's in those unhurried moments of indulging over a chocolate buffet or navigating a new city together that we learn something we never want to forget: we matter to each other.
These moments give us the chance to be present and build resiliency in our relationship, which is exactly why we named our company after the willow tree, a symbol of resilience and flexibility. And as any parent knows resiliency is needed in trying times. Emmy serves as our CAO - Chief Activities Officer, ensuring every experience exceeds expectations.
Behind the willow tree
Willo is derived from the symbolism of the willow tree, which represents flexibility, resilience, and healing often associated with deep emotions; it represents renewal and long life. We hope that Willo weekends help to build flexible and resilient family connections.
