Local mompreneurs talk about their passions for business and family — and how they’ve overcome challenges.
Dr. Behnaz Motlagh
Family: Husband, Omid Nazeri; daughter, Moneli Nazeri, 13, son, Keon Nazeri, 7
City: Laguna Niguel
Business: Health Solution Medical Corporation (healthsolutionsmedical.com) in Laguna Niguel
What inspired you to become a doctor?
“When I was 15 years old, I experienced a medical miracle. My father was in desperate need of a heart transplant at the age of 45. The heroes, his doctors and surgeons, were able to do the high-risk procedure and give my father a healthy heart and he’s living a healthy life to this day. I was so impressed with the work these doctors did that I decided I wanted to be able to have the same influence in other people’s lives.”
How has your career evolved throughout the years?
“After my residency, I worked for another medical group in Orange County for several years. Then in 2012, I started my own practice in Orange County and have been happily doing what I currently do for about 10 years.”
What do you love about being a doctor?
“As a family physician I love the fact that I get to know the whole family and be a part of their lives. Being a doctor is very rewarding when I see the impact I can have in someone’s life. It can be as simple as helping them achieve their healthy goal weight or as critical as saving their life.”
The past almost two years have been quite a trying time for health care professionals. What has it been like for you at your practice?
“I think it has been a very challenging time for many during the pandemic, especially health care professionals. I feel the pandemic was a real wake-up call for many doctors. It really challenged many of us, because it was such a novel virus, and we were getting updates, and changing information daily on such a new virus that not many knew anything about. It was challenging to give information to our patients who were in desperate need of information about such a new virus. I was just as scared for my health as everyone else but I had to keep my practice open so I could help as many people as I could. I did fear bringing the disease home to my loved ones on a daily basis, so I was extra cautious. Our entire office and staff is extra cautious so we feel somewhat safer returning home to our families.”
What has it been like having your medical practice and raising kids during a pandemic?
“Having the kids home for a whole year was very difficult since I had to work full time. I would come home after work and spend a couple hours doing homework with my kids. I think for most kids, especially mine, they missed learning at school, they missed their teachers and peers. I never closed my office because I needed to provide services to my patients, therefore I had to arrange for a lot of help with my kiddos. Thank goodness, my parents and family really helped us through this time.
“On the brighter side, I was able to see what my kids were learning at school on a daily basis, since they were learning virtually for a year.”
What have you learned from the experience?
“I have learned that life is too precious and too short and that we should enjoy it as much as we can with our loved ones.”
How do you juggle being a mom, doctor and business owner?
“It always remains a challenge, but very rewarding. I have learned how to have a work-life balance that works for my family. There are times when I have had a shortage of staff, especially during the pandemic, and I had to pick up their tasks as well as my own, and at other times I’ve had my kids spend their afternoon doing their homework in my office. My kids and my husband, who is also a business owner, have been so supportive and are what keep me going on days that get pretty hectic. It’s very satisfying to watch my kids grow up, as well as be able to give back to my community through my practice as a doctor.”
What advice do you have for other mompreneurs? “As long as you enjoy what you do and take one day at a time, and with proper support, you can have a great work-life balance with your family. And remember to live in the moment with your kids. They grow up too fast.”
Anything else you’d like readers to know?
“I was born in Iran, raised in Holland, studied in Holland and now live in Orange County. I am happy to say anything is possible, you just have to work hard and want it bad enough.”
Amanda Cobb
Family: Son, Wyatt, 8
City: Laguna Hills
Business: Ballet Academy and Movement (bamsocal.com) in San Clemente
When did you know you wanted to be a ballerina?
“I knew I wanted to be a ballerina when I was 12 years old and took my first ballet class in preparation for the Junior Olympics [in gymnastics]. I instantly fell in love and told my mom I wanted to be a ballerina. By 14, I was in New York at Lincoln Center training with the School of American Ballet for their summer intensive and then by 15 I moved to New York to train with Alvin Ailey.”
How did your ballet career evolve?
“I had a unique path. I went to School of American Ballet during my 14th summer and felt like I didn’t belong. I was a much stronger and more athletic dancer than the others. I went back to my director, Mary-Beth Cabana, at Ballet Tucson and explained that I thought ballet wasn’t the best fit and I should pursue modern dance. She agreed and helped me set up an audition in New York City for Alvin Ailey, which is one of the world’s best modern companies. I was accepted on a full special scholarship and moved to New York City on my own to begin my modern dance training.
“At 17, I decided to take a break from dancing and went to Arizona State University to study Sports Psychology. While I was there, I coached competitive gymnastics at Desert Lights Gymnastics in Tempe, Arizona, and my teams won many competitions and Nationals. But I missed ballet, and started performing professionally at 17 with Ballet Tucson. I changed my major and graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in dance from the University of Arizona.
“During one of the Ballet Tucson summer intensives, I attended a master class taught by Jeffrey Graham-Hughes, the director of Ohio Ballet, who had first taught me when I was 13, and he offered me a full-time position with his company.
“At 27, I had an injury that made me think I was ready to transition from doing so many performances to a smaller company where I would not be traveling and performing as much, so I accepted a position with Washington Ballet.
“I unfortunately tore my ACL while I was at Juilliard preparing for a tour. It was a difficult surgery and rehab, and I was determined to recover and not let it ruin my career. But as I recovered, I realized that something had changed for me, and I was ready to move more into teaching, where I could focus on others rather than so much on myself. Teaching is one of my greatest joys.”
What inspired you to open your own studio?
“During COVID, when I was so focused on making sure my students were OK both physically and mentally, I mentioned the need for more intensive teaching online to Luciana Paris, a soloist with ABT and one of my closest friends. We created Dance Compañia and held three week-long online summer intensives. … What an incredible experience that was, and it showed me I was ready to do more.”
How long have you been open and what services do you provide?
“We opened in April 2021, had our grand opening on June 9, and launched our fall schedule in August. We provide a variety of styles of ballet, dance and movement classes for all ages, including ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, musical theater, hip-hop, acro/gymnastics, movement, stretching, Pilates and Gyrotonic. If it includes movement, we pretty much have it.”
What challenges have you faced and overcome as a mompreneur?
“It is a lot to juggle. Coordinating and managing Wyatt’s pick-ups and drop-offs, practices, games, homework, education, play dates, PTA and everything that goes into helping him become a respectful and successful young man is enough in and of itself — not to mention running a new business and dance studio, and participating in San Clemente Chamber of Commerce events.”
What advice do you have for other mompreneurs?
“If you feel like you are drowning, you are not any good to anyone else. Sometimes it is hard to see that you need to take some quiet and quality time for yourself so that you can be the mom and businesswoman you want and need to be.”
Alana Yarbrough
Family: Evan, 17, Madeline, 15, Isabelle, 15, Adam, 14; fur children, Chuck, a black standard poodle, and two cats, Bagheera and Strider
City: San Clemente
Business: Social media, marketing strategist, content creator and lettering artist
How has your marketing business evolved?
“With the growth of social media, it can be a constant job to keep on top of emerging trends and evolving methodologies. Thank goodness for companies like Later. However, editorial calendars, batching of Reels and content, and strategic analytics testing have been constants in this line of work. I started as a graphic designer and my career has morphed over the years to include PR, social media, omnichannel marketing, photography and more.”
What does your work as a lettering artist involve and how did this start?
“When my former husband passed away many years ago, I wanted to find a way to share encouraging messages with others who were going through life challenges and difficulties. I signed up for lettering and calligraphy classes and fell in love with it as an avenue to create beautiful messages that were on trend. Starbucks reached out to work with me, then Dunkin’ Donuts on their almond milk campaign, and it continued to grow from there. As an artist, I’m honored to be a Tombow Elite Brand Ambassador and been in VersaChalk Chalk Markers commercials and on their Amazon and website. I also work locally — there have been some really fun projects with the beautiful The Ranch at Laguna Beach resort, from T-shirts to menus, logos to holiday cards and I sometimes share the chalkboards I do for Bear Coast Coffee on my Instagram. I love my community.”
You are also very involved with your daughter Isabelle’s burgeoning career?
“I am just here to help support her in her passions for acting, modeling and content creation right now while also teaching her how to effectively plan and work towards her goals. I am her biggest cheerleader and answer her questions on how to create storyboards for video, what she could test out creatively on her Instagram, or encourage her when her callback in a big audition doesn’t end in getting the project. I worry that parents who are talent managers are not able to have a healthy child-parent relationship and often those in the industry have a hard time giving feedback to a parent vs. a professional manager. Basically I am just her biggest cheerleader, sounding board and here to help keep her safe and thriving as she pursues her goals.”
What has this been like and what have you accomplished together?
“I’m not sure I can cover all Isabelle has accomplished. She has walked runway for years at OC Fashion Week, won the Rising Star award in 2020, and this year presented three awards at the OCFW Red Carpet Awards at Aston Martin Newport Beach. Isabelle has print modeled for brands (one of the photos was just in Forbes), pitched/made a documentary at Google/YouTube Spruce Goose and they took her to lunch afterwards. She’s done Nickelodeon PR, interviewed casts at press junkets and taken years of master acting classes.”
As a mompreneur, have you made it a point to teach your kids how to become entrepreneurs?
“I believe each child is their own unique being and have tried to tailor my teaching to each of them. However, there are universal principles like learning to identify opportunities/needs, finding solutions, how to pitch/approach a potential client, technology usage and goal-setting.”
You are also quite the adventurer, is that right?
“I grew up with a mother who was very adventurous. She brought me along with her when she interviewed terrorists at the Maze Prison and both sides of the conflict in Northern Ireland and instilled in me a passion to not only explore the world but to understand people … their points of origin, what factors made them think the way that they do, how communities develop and what binds people together. I graduated high school at 16 and went to Asia, volunteering in orphanages and hiking the Pokhara Annapurna circuit, which led me then on an adventure in Northern Pakistan.”
How do you juggle being a mom while being a business owner?
“We are each given one wild and precious life filled with beautiful chaos, unexpected challenges and opportunities of wonder. For me, it’s an ever-changing balance day-to-day, week-to-week, year-to-year. I think it’s important as a mother who owns a business to keep your professional, personal and family goals up where you can see them to help you determine what you will say yes to and where you will choose to use your time. Each moment is truly a gift and to not become complacent in that, but conscious and present — investing in our children, our families, ourselves and our future. I truly want my legacy to be — of those who encounter me — extravagant love, generous forgiveness, persevering patience and enthusiastic encouragement.”
Cristina Gamarnik
Family: Husband, Kevin; son, James, 3 1/2
City: Rancho Santa Margarita
Business: The Mommy Center in Ladera Ranch; also works at Rainbow Kids Achievement Center in Rancho Santa Margarita as a speech and language pathologist
When did you open The Mommy Center and what was the inspiration behind it?
“It opened in March 2021. After I had my son three years ago, I had a very difficult postpartum experience. I struggled making mom friends and getting support during the difficult first year as a new mom. My son was very spirited and my experience was far from what I had expected. I felt overwhelmed and sad that it was so much harder than I thought it would be. My friends without kids or family members with older children could not relate to my struggles so I found a local mommy-and-me class. It was great meeting other moms with babies around the same age and being able to share our feelings with each other.
“And, once COVID hit, I noticed how much isolation all moms experienced and what a terrible impact it had on everyone’s lives. Given the difficulty and isolation I had gone through, I spent a lot of time going to therapy and also reading many books on the subject. It finally clicked to me that I can try to help others that have struggled like me.
“I started hosting local playdates and moms’ night-outs, which started to gain popularity. It has become my passion to help out other moms, and I continued my growth on the subject of being a parent educator. I also focused on mindfulness and became a certified Reiki practitioner. Within the last few months, it finally dawned on me that I can make a larger impact on the community, and decided to open The Mommy Center, which is intended to give moms a second family, offer them the much-needed support they need, grow as mothers and help their children’s development, and give them the opportunity to make life-long friendships.”
What services do you offer and how has your business grown and evolved?
“The Mommy Center is your home for all things motherhood. Our center is based on the four S: support, schooling, socialization and self-development for all moms. Every mom is accepted without judgment and can feel safe to share all her feelings and experiences while making long-lasting friendships.”
When did you know you wanted to be a speech and language pathologist?
“Growing up in the poverty and corruption of a third-world country, Moldova, I always knew that education was the key to becoming a productive member of society and being able to make a difference in other people’s lives. I moved to Germany when I was 10 years old and had overcome a lot of obstacles, including succeeding in school despite not speaking the language initially, working several jobs and supporting my mother through cancer. At the age of 13, I started volunteering at a camp for children with disabilities. I felt passionate about helping other children and really enjoyed that. I always knew I wanted to work with children but I wanted to have a bigger impact than ‘just’ teaching. My mom was a doctor and wanted me to go in the medical field but I felt called to focus on improving children’s lives. Once I found the speech pathology profession, it was the perfect job for me. When I was 18, I had the opportunity to come to the US to study abroad. I started studying here, met my husband and then completed my BA and MA at CSUF to become a speech and language pathologist. I am now a certified speech and language pathologist and have been working in the school district and am currently working at a multidisciplinary private clinic providing early intervention. I have always enjoyed working with children and while this always has been my passion, I found a new love for providing parents with the skills and education on how to support their children’s development. Especially during the pandemic, I saw so many mothers struggle with the isolation and difficulty managing behaviors at home due to the lack of socialization.”
What has it been like building a business, working part-time, having a young child, being pregnant with a second child … oh and in a pandemic?
“It’s been a rollercoaster to say the least. Being a mom is hard and building a business while parenting is a lot. But it has been so much fun following my passion. Staying up late and working on my website, classes and social media has become a joy rather than ‘work.’ I was very motivated to start the classes as soon as possible to offer moms the support they needed — now. Now that I am pregnant, I am definitely noticing some changes in my energy levels and I am listening to my body and taking more breaks. I am getting more help with tasks that others can do and try to focus on my family while still doing a great job with the business.”
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Ashley Wahler
Family: Husband, Jason; daughter, Delilah, 4, son, Wyatt, 3 months
City: Laguna Hills
Business: Owner of Ashley Wahler Beauty; seen on MTV’s “The Hills: New Beginnings” seasons 1 and 2; works at Indigenous Salon in Laguna Beach
How did your participation on “The Hills: New Beginnings” happen and what has that experience been like?
“My husband is part of the original cast from MTV’s “The Hills” and you may remember him as the bad boy on MTV’s “Laguna Beach” series. We were asked to participate from our manager and we at first were hesitant, but after taking some time to think about it we decided to hop on board and are glad we did. My experience was obviously a completely new adventure. I had never been on reality TV so just figuring out the whole shoot schedule and just diving into an industry that at times can be emotionally exhausting was a lot, but also at times really fun.”
When did you know you wanted to be a hair stylist and how has your career developed?
“From as long as I can remember I always loved doing hair. My great grandfather was a hair stylist who immigrated here from Italy, so it is definitely in my blood.”
What inspired you to launch your own beauty line?
“My beauty line is a hair accessory line called The Gold Collection by Ashley Wahler, it is based in Los Angeles.
“I actually went to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and have always have a love of creating within that space. The fashion and hair space is something I have always dreamed of, so I feel so grateful for this collection.
“The line includes six different hair accessory styles, and all products are available online and currently in person at Swirl Boutique in San Clemente.”
What has that experience been like?
“Creating a brand and first accessory line during the middle of the pandemic was not the easiest. It took much longer than usual, but honestly everything worked out the way it was supposed to work out.”
What has it been like building a business, working at the salon, having a second child, parenting and being on a TV show … oh and in a pandemic?
“Honestly, at times stressful but I absolutely love my job! I feel like I do better and thrive when I’m doing more than one thing at a time. I think the hardest thing is just scheduling. Sometimes, there are never enough hours in the day. For me, making lists helps and always making sure I’m taking enough time to be present for my kids, which is always my No. 1 priority.”
What challenges have you faced and overcome as a mompreneur?
“I think I can be my own worst critic. For me, it’s just reminding myself to always take care and time for myself. If I’m not at my best, I cannot give my best.”
How do you juggle being a mom while being a business owner and TV personality?
“Being a mom is something that makes all my work worth while. I always make sure to put my family first, no matter what. I usually stick to a strict time throughout the day dedicated to work and when the time is up in the afternoon, I really make sure we all have a home-cooked meal and eat together. I think being a family, turning off the phones and TV is very important. We need to check in with one another on how all of our days went. It’s a great practice for my 4-year-old and it helps for all of us to unwind and focus on the moment together as a family.”
How involved are your kids with your business and celebrity life?
“My kids appear here and there on camera because that’s my life being a mom — I want to make sure I show that, but not exploit them at the same time.”
You are also an addiction recovery advocate. Can you talk about that a bit?
“My husband and I have been very open about his journey with addiction and my co-dependency related to that. I think it’s imperative to shed light on the disease of addiction and raise awareness on one of the biggest epidemics of our time. There is so much shame surrounding mental illness and addiction and I’m very grateful to have a platform to share hope for others.”
What advice do you have for other mompreneurs?
“Never burn bridges! Industries are small and you never know who you might work with again. Also, always stay humble. I have been working professionally for over 10 years and I still will do free work if it means I am learning and networking in one way or another. Education is key. Always ask questions, learn from other business women, men, and keep on pushing.”
Laura Petix
Family: Husband, Mark, 34; daughter, Liliana, 4
City: Irvine
Business: Pediatric occupational therapist and online sensory parent support coach in Irvine
Biggest Challenge: “Knowing how much to share about my own mental health/parenting struggles and my daughter’s sensory challenges on Instagram as someone who is a parenting coach and expert in sensory development. But I realize that sharing our story helps other moms not only relate to me, but trust the process and also feel validated and not alone.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “Try not to feel guilty when you’re skipping bedtimes or playtimes to work on your business. You’re showing your child(ren) that you are building something from the ground up. One day they’ll realize how huge that is.”
Staci Barrett
Family: Husband, Niall; daughter, Keira, 11, son, Ronan, 9
City: Newport Beach
Business: Founder/CEO of GRA3 Agency in Newport Beach
Biggest Challenge: “My biggest challenge is feeling like I am giving 100 percent to myself, my career, my family and not feeling guilty when I do less. I am a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, business owner, product developer, party planner, volunteer, mentor and I’m sure more that I am not thinking about. Most moms walk their kids to school, do the dishes, the laundry, cook meals, plus work. I have learned that it is OK to ask for help, to hire help and to allow myself to feel like giving 50 percent in some areas, some days, is OK. … GRA3, my ad agency is going to break $5 million in sales in our first three years and I am taking some of the profit and starting a clear zinc sunscreen business that will launch in spring 2022. I love my job, my family, my friends and feel totally fulfilled.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “Make sure your job feels like a hobby, that you enjoy it as much as you like going out to lunch with a best friend.”
Kim Welch
Family: Husband, Dave; daughters, Taylor, 16 and Macy, 14
City: Placentia
Business: Owner/operator of Mosquito Squad of North Orange County in Placentia
Biggest Challenge: “My biggest challenges have been learning an entirely new industry and becoming licensed by the state. The other main challenge I have faced, that I think many other entrepreneurs also face, is overcoming self-doubt and pushing hard when times are hard. It’s easy to wonder if you are really cut out to be an entrepreneur when things get tough or you take on risk, but digging deep and believing in yourself is key.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “My advice for other mompreneurs is to remind yourself that you are capable of being a great mom and a business owner at the same time! As moms, we often feel pulled in many different directions and it can be hard to feel like we are doing a good job in our running our business and also being a great mom. I try really hard to be ‘present’ when I am at work and really focus on my business, customers and employees and then also to really be ‘present’ when I am with my girls, and try to disconnect from my business-thinking, so I can really enjoy my time with them.”
Amanda Fink
Family: Husband, Jon; daughter, Penny, 7, son, Walker, 4
City: Mission Viejo
Business: Clinical director/co-owner at Infinity Kids (infinitykids.com) in Lake Forest and Anaheim Hills
Biggest Challenge: “Infinity Kids started when my children were very little, Penny 4 years old and Walker 7 months old. My biggest challenge has hands-down been balancing being an entrepreneur and a mother of young children. As much as I want to dedicate 100 percent of myself to both roles at all times, I realized that if I’m going to be good at either I have to prioritize my own mental/physical health first to empower me to tackle challenges. Instead of trying to accomplish everything perfectly I strive for work-life integration. This allows me to wear both hats, business owner and mother. My children are my No. 1 priority, but when I integrate them into my business they have fun and often come up with ideas to make Infinity Kids better.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “Prioritize yourself first. It’s the hardest thing to do as a mom, but if we take just a little time to go on a walk, talk with a friend, get our nails done, take a nap, or whatever fills our bucket, it allows us to be more present and focused on goals and ambitions. Whenever I’m feeling myself struggling to manage what is most important I try to workout, turn my phone off and prioritize family time.”
Nikki Lee
Family: Husband, Christopher; sons Pierce and Chase, 7, Reese, 4
City: Newport Coast
Business: Inventor/president of the PantryChic Smart Storage System in Newport Beach
Biggest Challenge: “I can only choose one?! I launched PantryChic last year during the pandemic, which caused significant delays in our product shipment. I never would have planned a November launch while having to oversee my two first-graders’ virtual classes and manage a toddler, but that is exactly what happened! … It may have not been ideal, but we pivoted and made it work.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “Believe in yourself and your vision. Challenges will come, but stay the course and be positive as there is always a path to success. Most importantly, share your journey with family and get them involved. There’s no better feeling than having your kids share in the joy of your hard work.”
Alma Gibbons
Family: Daughter, Bella, 2, son, Connor, 4
City: Anaheim
Business: Founder/owner of Cita Cosmetics (citamakeup.com) online store (opening a shop in Orange County in the future)
Biggest Challenge: “Balancing it all, the motherhood and my small business. Making sure I’m still the one taking the kids to school, activities, etc. It can be very stressful and exhausting at times. I have my days as a mom, when I want to take a break from it all but I quickly remind myself who I’m doing this for … which is for my children’s future.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “Don’t let mom-guilt stop you. As a mompreneur, your mind is always racing with all the things you need to do for your children, your business, and the business family that needs you. You have to give yourself permission to not be superwoman all day, to all people. You can’t do it all at once. No one can. You’re entitled to a day off, a funk, a rut — just like everyone else is. And own that inner strength and use it to your advantage, because it is your advantage.”
Jaclyn Coy
Family: Husband, Ben; daughters, Wynn, 5, Liv, 3
City: Laguna Hills
Business: Author of eight children’s books plus a minimal intervention birth book — all available on Amazon (under JK Coy) and website MyMomistheWorst.com
Biggest Challenge: “Finding time (and energy) to keep pursuing my passion. I write, format, collaborate on illustrations and work on marketing before the kids wake, or after they go to bed. Sometimes it’s hard to get started after a busy day, but once I make myself start, exciting progress follows. … I love being an entrepreneur and I want kids to learn that they can do it too. My recent release is called “How to Sell a Rock,” it’s about the very topic of teaching young kids about money and being a kidpreneur.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “Being a parent is wonderful, but it also takes a lot of time and energy. As an entrepreneur and mom, you can’t do it all. Sometimes it’s helpful to make a list of all the things you could do for your business, and then circle the two to three that will have the most impact right now.”
Diana Dizon
Family: Husband, Daniel; son, Ryan, 17, daughter, Nicole, 15
City: Rancho Santa Margarita
Business: Co-Founder/president of Bionerds, Inc — Biology Workshops for Kids in Tustin
Biggest Challenge: My biggest challenge as a mompreneur has been always about the time management between the business and my family. Having a business of my own took a lot of my time away from the family especially the first three years when the business just started in 2015. Guilt for spending more time to finish business tasks rather than spending it with my family or helping my children with school work has always been there. Over time, with the support of my family and as the company hired more staff to help, I was able to manage my time better between the business and the family.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “My advice to the other mompreneurs is to be resilient and not to give up easily when things get difficult at work or in life. As an immigrant, a woman in the minority group, and a woman in STEM, I was clouded with doubts if I was able to run a company on my own. On the other hand, I always had this passion to do something great for myself, my family and the community at the same time, hence Bionerds was founded. It was not easy to go through, that is for sure. However, you can strive to achieve your own dream and still grow together with your family with determination, hard work and time management. You owe it to yourself to try your best to achieve your dream.”
Christine Deelo
Family: Husband, Michael; daughters, Gabrielle, 13, Nicolette, 11, Jacqueline, 4
City: Los Angeles
Business: McKee Music Therapy Services LLC for children with special needs, based in Irvine
Biggest Challenge: Time management. This is an ever-changing area that I am always trying to improve in. I include my children in many areas of my business. For example, they help with marketing materials and helped during the height of the pandemic when we started creating YouTube videos for families to use at home by being in the videos and designing printables for families to use.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “Just try it. If you have an idea, try it. If it works, fantastic. if it isn’t successful at first, think about how you can change or modify it and try again.”
Carly Wick
Family: Husband, Conner; son, Quinn, 3, daughter, Arya, 2, son, Hunter, 5 months
City: San Clemente
Business: Wacky Wicks Boutique/Handmade Children’s Online Boutique in San Clemente
Biggest Challenge: “Trying to manage time between my business and my family, taking time off for them instead of working every moment I can. It took me a long time to be able to create a work schedule even while working at home, to force me to take days off and nights off to spend with my family.”
Advice for Mompreneurs: “Set those boundaries between the job and family. To never give up and just keep pushing. Even when it gets hard.”
By Jessica Peralta
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