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{Mamas that Rock - 2014 Recap}



I had been toying with the idea of highlighting fabulous women since I started the blog, and although life is quite different than it was when I first started blogging (hello different city, having a baby and taking on my newest job as SAHM), but the desire to share the story of fabulous women doing it all was still burning pretty strongly. And this summer I took the leap and started the series showcasing some incredible ladies.

I am happy and very excited that the series will be back with another set of inspiring 'Mamas that Rock" starting next month! And what better way to start 2015 series than to recap the incredible mamas that took their time to chat and share their story?!

First up Morgam of Buru, a shop tailored to help every mother, in the breast-feeding phase and beyond, look and feel her best. I absolutely love when she does the before, during and after pregnancy looks and will be adding a few investment pieces that I can keep in my closet!



Next the incredible story of Rachel Katz-Galatt mama to a micro preemie, with a mission to eliminate preterm labor. Also the founder of Healthy Mama, a line of the Safest Remedies to Address Your Common Pregnancy and Nursing Concerns and Ailments. This is a line every expecting and nursing mama should check out, I still use the pain reliever for my bad back.



Mia Eliza's (Mother of two beautiful boys and founder of JoyBound Apparel) Instagram feed was truly an inspiration for me to look a little deeper into the better part of every day. Motherhood is a beautiful thing but it also hard, her words of finding joy and story behind why she started JoyBound Apparel was so touching.



Elizoebeth Jensen is a stunning, talented and business savvy, hands-on mama who also manages to find the time to blog!



And the final 2014 Mama that Rocks but not least in any way is Susan Petersen, mama of two and founder of Freshly Picked (our favorite moccs). She set out to design a soft soled stylish shoe for her babe and along the way changed many folks (including me), standards to little ones footwear.



I can't thank you ladies enough for giving me the time (even though you didn't have it!) and sharing your stories with my readers, you have sparked a fire in my heart and many others, to keep after our goals.

I can't wait to share the inspiring stories of the 2015 'Mamas that Rock", so stay tuned!

Hope you all have some fabulous things planned for Superbowl weekend and I hope it involves lots of yummy food, good company and wine, lots of wine.

xo

Natalie

{Mamas that Rocks: Susan Petersen of Freshly Picked & a Giveaway}


We are back!

Zoe is still waking at least once around 1am (teething is the enemy), the bags under my eyes require heavy makeup, we are in full on sell this house mode and I am tired. Exhausted actually, but can we talk about how we have an almost 1 year old?? Goodness, cue the waterworks, I am a hot mess 90% of the time, and the rest I am very excited about. If asked, I would call it a roller coaster ride of emotions, on steroids. HA!

This ‘Mama that Rocks’ has work ethic and drive that is utterly inspiring. Meet Susan Petersen founder of Freshly Picked and November’s ‘Mama that Rocks”, a regular series that will give you the low down on some pretty amazing women that are doing it all on top of being mothers. They inspire me and I hope that by sharing their stories, they inspire you to follow that dream and have it all.

You know that saying "necessity is the mother of invention"? Well that is exactly Susan’s story. She found herself looking for a good looking soft soled shoe for her little man Gus and took some yard-sale leather scraps to make (after a few failed attempts) a pair of cute moccasins that stayed on his feet.

What makes me adore Susan (other than her passion and creativity) is her hustle. She built this company with $200 that she made by recycling the aluminum from old window frames, that she convinced her brother to let her keep from his window installation company, at a scrap yard.

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After buying a few too many pairs for miss Z and not only loving how cute they are but how they stay on her wiggly feet, I knew I had to reach out to Susan and learn more.

So here is our quick-fire interview:

(Me) Kids names and ages?

(SP) Hattie 8, Gus 5

(Me) Best part about being a mom?

(SP) Being surprised by how much I love my children.

(Me) Best advice you could give a new mom?

(SP) Enjoy your time and take a nap.

(Me) HUGE fans of your story in our house but for those that may not know it, how was Freshly Picked born?

(SP) I started making moccasins when I could not find any soft-soled leather shoes for my son when he was born. With a bag of scrap leather I was able to start making moccasins and selling them.

(Me) Two words. Shark Tank. Tell us the best part of the experience

(SP) The best part was meeting the sharks and closing a deal, but I was so nervous!

(Me) What made you take the leap and get on the show?

(SP) I wanted to take the next step for Freshly Picked and I knew Shark tank would be great for the company.

(Me) How has life changed after Shark Tank?

(SP) Freshly Picked has kept me even busier after Shark Tank, we continue to grow! I love that I able to provide for my family and my employees families.

(Me) Do you have any advice for a new or future mama-entrepreneur?

(SP) Figure out what you want to do, how it will benefit the audience you are trying to sell and work hard!

(Me) I stalk/follow on Instagram and saw that you guys are moving into new space, how does that feel?

(SP) It's very exciting! We are so cramped in our current office, and I am excited to be in a new fresh space!

(Me) Favorite family activity?

(SP)We love going on hikes and indoor rock climbing.

(Me) What is your favorite thing to do in scarce kid-less solo moments?

(SP) Watch a good TV show.

(Me) What is your go-to outfit/piece of clothing that makes you feel great?

(SP) A great genuine leather jacket!

(Me) What kiddie brand out there do you feel is killing it right now (other than FP of-course!)?

(SP) Little Hip Squeaks

Susan!!!! Thanks so much for your time, because we know saying you are busy is an understatement but man am I glad we got to know you a little better. I think the mister may just approve a few more colors to add to our collection!!

The red ones are our current favorites!!

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But wait, lovelies, there is more!!!

As a kick off to Zoe’s last weeks as an 11month old we are teaming up with Freshly Picked and giving away a pair of Picked Moccasins!

To enter:

1. Subscribe to the blog and then comment with what moccs are your favorite for one entry

2. Then head over to Instagram and follow Freshly Picked and Chic Boston Mama for an extra entry!

3. And for a third entry, follow Chic Boston Mama & Freshly Picked on Facebook.

(*you cannot have won a FP moccasin giveaway in the past 60 days. Winner will be chosen on Friday November 28th).

Happy Monday!

xo

Natalie

{Mamas that Rock: Elizoebeth Jensen of Elizoebeth Jensen Jewelry}


Elizoebeth Jensen is this months "Mamas that Rocks", a regular series that will give you the low down on some pretty amazing women that are doing it all on top of being mamas. They inspire me and I hope that by sharing their stories, they inspire you to follow that dream and have it all. She is a stunning, talented and business savvy, hands-on mama who also manages to find the time to blog!

The Elizoebeth Jensen Jewelry line is everything I look for in jewelry-classic, beautiful and can easily be worn every day. She also designs custom pieces that she has shown on Instagram and all I can say is WOW (and putting that on my X-Mas list!).

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Her humble and honest interview made me admire her even more! Lucky to have her in my circle of IG mamas and can’t wait to one day (soon I hope) share a bottle of wine.

What is your daughter’s name? How old is she?

My daughter’s name is Isabel and she just turned two.

Tell me how was Elizoebeth Jensen Jewelry born?

Following the birth of my daughter in 2012, I decided to resign from my career in Management Consulting, to raise my daughter at home (a huge priority for our family) and focus on my two great passions: design and entrepreneurship. This was the formal beginning of Elizoebeth Jensen Jewelry. I had always designed jewelry on the side as a creative outlet for an otherwise very taxing career. The thought of taking jewelry design from a hobby to business was simultaneously thrilling and extremely scary. I had spent years working for Fortune 500 companies, but for some reason, the thought of starting my own business seemed insurmountable. I put together a business plan, start-up funds, hired a graphic designer for my branding, built a website all while developing the first Collection. And I have never looked back! Entrepreneurship has been so incredibly fulfilling. I am thankful every day for the people I have met along the way and the incredible women / mom entrepreneurs who have blazed the path before me!

Where are you located?

Denver, Colorado

Where can we find you (social media pages, website, store)?

www.elizoebethjensen.com and @elizoebethjensen on Instagram and Twitter

I know you must have a full plate but what do you like to do in your free time?

Since my business is also my passion and hobby in life, it’s definitely difficult to pull myself away when I have a few free moments. Though it is necessary to keep a fresh perspective. I love to read, particularly about entrepreneurship and design. In the summer months I keep a pretty big, unruly garden. Which means I spend weekends thinking up new recipes for all the produce. I also love the outdoors and living in Colorado we take full advantage of the gorgeous hikes all over the country and in the winter months, head up to the mountains for a little skiing.

Tell me about your experience on being a mama? Everything you imagined?

Being a mama has changed my life in pretty much every aspect imaginable. Motherhood has made me a more grounded person and connected me with the aspects of life that are truly important. It has also deepened my friendships, particularly those who are mothers themselves.

Best & Worse advice you got as a new mama?

Best – Soak up every moment with your newborn, those early days are so fleeting!

Worst – Make a lot of noise when your child is sleeping so they’ll become accustomed to a noisy household. I don’t and have never had a noisy household. When Isabel goes down to nap, I go to my office to work. Which isn’t a noisy task. I say, live life as you are used to living it, make adjustments here and there. And enjoy having a little new person in your life! Each mama does it differently, find your way and stick to it.

What do you wish someone had told you about being a mom?

I wish I had known how much it would affect me emotionally. I was so busy preparing the nursery for the baby, that I didn’t take any time to prepare myself mentally and emotionally. When my daughter was first born, I spent the first few months getting used to her and not sleeping at night but also working through a lot of emotions that are indicative of the body’s hormones balancing out post-natal.

How would you describe your style?

Classic and contemporary with a bit of California chic thrown in on occasion, just to keep it interesting!

Go-to outfit for an important meeting? How about every day?

As a busy mom and entrepreneur, I keep it as streamlined as possible: AG Jeans, a jersey Tee, Randall Loeffler flats, and a J Crew sweater for Autumn. To this, I layer on my favorite pieces from my collection. The personalized Crest Necklace with my daughter’ monogram, studs, and the florette ring. If I’m headed to a client meeting, I switch out my daily uniform with a nice silk shirt, blazer, and suede wedges.

Favorite date night?

My husband laughs at this, but it’s dinner at a neighborhood eatery with some excellent wine, then back home to watch a movie!

Advice for the mama that has an idea and wants to go for it?

Absolutely go for it! Starting a business is an unbelievable amount of work. It can feel completely overwhelming. But there are so many wonderful women out there who have likely started a venture similar to what you are considering – reach out and talk to anyone who returns your calls! Educate yourself on the market, your particular niche, put together the broad strokes of your business model, make sure you have enough capital to get through the first year. And make it happen!

Tell me the big secret, how do you balance it all?

All mothers struggle for this elusive thing called “balance.” Though I’ve recently come to think that it’s less about balance and more about happiness. Happiness is the indicator by which I measure my work and family life.

If my daughter is doing well and thriving, my marriage is strong and healthy, and my business is heading in the general trajectory I had planned – then I am happy. This may mean that things get out of balance, but I am okay with that. Life is imperfect.

Life is messy. I’d rather get in there and try to do something amazing (and sometimes amazingly hard) at the cost of a little balance, rather than wait on the sidelines for fear of upsetting the status quo.

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You are so right E, if you are happy you are doing something right, and the moment the happiness fades in any part of your life is when it’s time to change things. LOVE this reflection on balance.

Make sure and check out her line and let me know what your favorite is. I can happily share with your hubby! Hehehe.

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