You have an incredibly impressive resume and have enjoyed a bicoastal career. You launched your own company before having a child, tell us a little about what lead you to that decision, the timing and what you learned about being an entrepreneur and a mother.

I knew I wanted to start my own business and be a mom, but I decided to start my business first because I knew it would require a lot of my time and attention to get it up and running. Not to mention, I had a better grasp of what I was doing with my business, so I felt more confident going that direction. Being a first time mom is hard, mostly because you don’t know what to expect! Even four years into my business, I found it very challenging to start a family. I didn’t get a proper maternity leave because we had to launch a client’s Youtube channel three days after I got home from the hospital and I couldn’t just call in sick on days I didn’t have someone to help me. I also had to learn how to be even more efficient because late night work sessions became non-existent and I wanted to spend quality time with my baby too. That said, I learned a lot from the experience and feel much more prepared if I have another baby in the future (which I hope to do!).

How do you juggle motherhood, your life, your clients and your content business? What advice can you share?

First of all, thank you for saying “juggling” because I can’t stand when I’m asked about “balance.” It’s just not a thing! I’m able to juggle because I have a wonderful husband and an equally wonderful nanny. My husband knew the importance of my career before we had kids and we had lots of conversations about how that would look when kids came into the picture. He contributes to the care of our child and I’m very grateful for that, but I’ll say, it’s because I made sure to include him. I realized early into motherhood (like the first week), that I needed to ask him for help and let him do things his way without criticism. That was very hard for me! In fact, it’s still kind of hard for me. I have to make an effort to let him do it. That gets easier with time and comfort. Also, I learned that you have to really like your nanny. If you have any issues, even if they’re slight, then you’re never going to feel the comfort to focus on your work.

Your team is all women. How does that shape the working environment and what do you see as the biggest benefit?

My in-house team is all women, but our extended team is a combination of talented men and women. It wasn’t done on purpose! That said, our content focuses on women’s topics like beauty and motherhood, so it naturally happened that way. To answer the question–I love working with women. The females on my team are driven and very smart. We’re able to get a lot of work done as a small but mighty team, and we’re able to have discussions that actually move us forward because our decisions aren’t driven by our egos. Sorry guys! And while the stereotype is that women are driven by their emotions (like it’s a bad thing), I find that that we have a much higher emotional intelligence that becomes a huge benefit in the long run. Women can do it all and that’s a fact.

Your media business, Mixed Makeup, answers women’s questions honestly and directly. What are a few of the topics you found most inspiring to cover?

It’s not necessarily inspiring, but I would say one of my main goals with Mixed Makeup is to show everyone what is available to them. Celebrities and influencers have access to doctors, estheticians, top makeup artists and hairdressers, and anyone else that can help them look and feel their best. Unfortunately, they don’t always talk about what they do. It leads the rest of us to think we can’t live up to a certain standard that we see in the media. On Mixed Makeup, we show what happens when you get Botox, get your lips filled, or have plastic surgery. We even go into the operating room to get a behind-the-scenes look from a doctor and patient’s perspective. When viewers watch our videos, I want them to walk about feeling educated so they can choose the right experts to see for their treatments or decide whether they truly want to get a procedure done. There’s a lot that goes on in the beauty industry and the best way to approach it is with knowledge.

What is a great at-home beauty pampering treatment a new mom can do when she has 10 minutes to herself?

Every mom should have a good skincare routine that includes a gentle cleanser, a chemical exfoliant (with lactic or glycolic acid for example), a good treatment serum, and an over the counter retinol at night. I tell every mom to make time for their skin. Kids sleep at some point (even babies) and that little bit of care will make a big difference in the long run–both mentally and physically.

How has your beauty routine changed since having your son? What are some time-saving tricks you swear by?

I wear less makeup! Obviously, there are days when I’m on camera and wear a ton of makeup, but most days I do my skincare routine then throw on a cc cream with some brow gel, mascara, blush, and lip gloss. Pick the qualities you like about yourself and make sure to accentuate them each day. If you love your hair, make sure it’s combed each day or if you love your lips, throw on a beautiful lip color to show them off. It makes a big difference!

Can you recommend any great treatments or products for stretch marks, thinning hair and hormonal skin that new mothers often grapple with?

I get asked this on a weekly basis and the problem is, most of these issues are inevitable. Moisturizers with shea butter are your best bet for stretch marks, but if most of the women in your family has them, there’s a solid chance you will to (it’s genetics!). When it comes to thinning hair and hormonal skin, you have to wait until your hormones even out after pregnancy. No one likes to hear this, but it’s the truth.

What has surprised you most about motherhood, thus far? Any advice for first time moms?

I was surprised by the anxiety I felt as a first-time mom (and still feel at times). It doesn’t matter how prepared you are, motherhood really is a big test of your emotions.