Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in town?
I was actually born and raised in Mendham, on beautiful Washington Valley Road. After college, I was in and out of Mendham for almost a decade before setting down here with my husband (who was raised in Chester). I lived in New York City and as far away as Mongolia, but always found a reason to come back “home.” Ultimately we decided that Mendham would be a nice place to raise our family.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
I have two daughters, ages 2 and 4.
Favorite things to do with your kids?
The list is LONG! We love playing outdoors – especially going for walks in Dismal Harmony and making nature stew, inspired by Tinkergarten. We also love reading – Julia Donaldson books and other rhyming tales are our favorites. We thank the Mendham Township Library for endless books right in our backyard! I’ll often do simple art projects with them too – I love to paint their feet and turn the footprint into something (turkeys for Thanksgiving, snowmen in winter, you get the idea).
One of the things I have learned as a mom is that every moment with my kids is a chance for learning and fun. Even the simplest things can become teaching moments so I can say that among the things we love to do are even things like folding laundry and washing dishes. There is so much curiosity and wonder in our children – they help me bring fresh eyes to everything.
Are you involved in a business venture or corporate world? Please Share!
As my own mom always says, I “love a project.” So it’s no surprise to her that I’m involved in a variety of ventures. I’ve run my own management consulting business for about a decade. I fell into that role of independent consultant but I’ve loved it for the way I can create my own schedule. I’m often hired to jumpstart projects and really pride myself on diving into new sectors and fields, learning a lot and building something from scratch.
I’m an entrepreneur and founded Convers(ate) as a retail product and boutique facilitation company in 2017. Our signature box set was featured by Martha Stewart Weddings as a perfect gift.
I also lead Tinkergarten classes locally, which are outdoor nature play classes for children and their caregivers. I’ve consistently made time to lead Tinkergarten for four years now – I love the way it connects me to the community and creates a space for joy, creativity and wonder in my life. I highly recommend moms with kids check out Tinkergarten wherever you live!
If you could give one tip to fellow Mom Entrepreneurs what would it be?
It’s a journey and it’s worth appreciating all the steps and embracing all the feelings you have along that journey. I also encourage fellow Mom Entrepreneurs to involve your kids in your work – I was raised by a Mom who was a business owner, and it taught me so much. I’ve come to embrace the fact that my kids pop in on the occasional Zoom call. The more we embrace the fact that our lives are not the silos that we envision them to be and normalize the dual roles many of us play as moms and entrepreneurs, the better off we will all be!
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
My first “public speaking engagement” was at my 8th grade graduation from Mendham Twp Middle School.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
I grew up in Mendham and so my roots are here. I built friendships at Mendham Township Elementary School that have lasted 30+ years. (Hi Kris and Abbey!) It’s nice to look back on my childhood here in Mendham and remember many positive experiences that shaped my life today. It’s also worth noting that it wasn’t all perfect here (no town is, of course) but that those imperfections drove me toward entrepreneurism – to create what I thought was missing in the world.
You can pick up your own box of Convers(ate) today or follow them on social media below!
