That's Total Mom Sense

Shayna Ferm started her acting career at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago and then spent 11 years in NYC doing film and theatre, and producing and performing music, stand-up and sketch comedy. After having a baby in the Big Apple and immediately becoming pregnant with her second child (whoops!), she and her family moved to her hometown of Denver, Colorado. Weeks after baby number two was born, and always in search of a creative project, she and her lifelong friend Tracey Tee launched The Pump and Dump Show, a much-needed "mom’s night out” event that quickly grew to a nationally touring production, written, produced and starring Shayna and Tracey. The pair toured for 5 years before replicating the show to star additional casts of new moms and co-founding their umbrella brand, Band of Mothers Media. Her current role in the company, outside of co-hosting the Band of Mothers Podcast, is as Chief Creative Officer for all the branches of the business as well as for the current touring productions. Tracey Tee double majored in Theatre and English at Hillsdale College, and quickly moved to Los Angeles where she worked as an actor, trained in improv comedy with The Groundlings and used her comedic flair as a freelance writer and purveyor of art and handmade goods in LA’s burgeoning art scene. After 7 years in LA, Tracey and her husband moved back to her native home of Denver, CO to start a family. Not long after her daughter was born, she dove back into live comedy with her lifelong friend Shayna Ferm as they developed a “parentally incorrect” night out for moms, The Pump and Dump Show. What started in a bar as a creative outlet (and much needed night out) for both quickly grew to a nationally touring production, written, produced and starring Tracey and Shayna. The pair toured for 5 years before replicating the show to star additional casts of new moms and co-founding their umbrella brand, Band of Mothers Media, where Tracey is CEO. She lives with her husband of 19 years, their 10-year-old daughter and recently made the happy mistake of adopting a third dog. Thanks, COVID!

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• PEOPLE: Samantha Busch Has 'PTSD Anxiety' About Pregnancy Tests After Past Let Downs: 'I Can't Do It'

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One of India's first supermodels. Actor. Cancer survivor. Mother of twins through surrogacy. Woman of no fixed address.

Today I am honored to interview cross cultural phenomenon Lisa Ray.

She is an internationally acclaimed performer, philanthropist and star with a reputation for taking on challenging issue-oriented films. Raised in Canada by an Indian father and Polish mother, Ray was discovered while on vacation in India and went on to become not only one of the most successful cover models and celebrities in India but also an acclaimed, award-winning actress who starred in Canada’s Oscar nominated film, Water, amongst other prestigious credits. Named one of the ‘Ten most beautiful Indian women of the millenium’ by a Times of India poll, Ray cemented her profile as an iconic figure in India before leaving for drama school in London and opportunities around the world.

Along the way, Ray found time along the way to host her own entertainment show in India, filmed a landmark music video for Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and became the enduring brand ambassador for Rado Watches.

In 2009, Ray attended the Toronto International Film Festival in support of her work in two films. The event marked an important public announcement, in which Ray chose to share her diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma with media and the public. The outpouring of support was immediate and overwhelming. She also started a blog (‘The Yellow Diaries’) to share her cancer experiences. Her forthrightness and humour in navigating a difficult illness have earned her the attention and respect of people from all corners of the world, as well as ‘The Voice Achievers Award, 2009’ and ‘The Hope Award, 2010’. Ray went on to help raise funds for the establishment of the first research chair for Multiple Myeloma at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. Ray’s philanthropic interests range from taking part in the on-air drive for SickKids Hospital to Ambassador of Plan Canada’s ‘Because I Am A Girl’ campaign, a global movement that supports the rights of girls around the world.

In 2019, Lisa released her memoirs Close to The Bone. “An unflinching, deeply moving account of her nomadic existence: her entry into the Indian entertainment industry at sixteen; her relationship with her Bengali father and Polish mother; life on the movie sets and her brush with the Oscars; her battle with eating disorders; being diagnosed with multiple myeloma at thirty-seven; her spiritual quest; lovers and traitors, mentors and dream-makers; and the heartaches and triumphs along the way. It is also about Lisa's quest for love. Funny, charming, and gut-wrenchingly honest all at once, Close to the Bone is Lisa Ray's brave and inspiring story of a life lived on her terms.”

Lisa and her husband Jason Dehni have two lovely daughters, Sufi and Soleil.

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Kanika: Parents are juggling more than ever these days. You have so much on your plate as a mom of three and the president and co-founder of HOMER, how do you avoid burnout?

Stephanie: We often put so much energy into our children that by the end of the day, we have nothing left to give ourselves. Burnout can make us feel exhausted, moody, and just not like ourselves

Stephanie Tips:

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Imagine if parents had a project management app to help run the household and village. We all know there are so many balls in the air from ordering diapers to groceries to making fresh baby food to dropping kids off to soccer practice or ballet.

This app will restore the harmony at home. It’s called Maple and today I’m joined the mastermind behind it, Michael Perry.

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Kanika: Wow, we are starting to resume normal life -- Kids will soon be out of school, long days, warm nights are here along with traveling, bike riding and reading but there are also nerves, questions and unknowns. How are you thinking about carrying forward some of the experiences and learnings from covid as we return to “normal”?

Stephanie: Yes, alongside all the excitement there are so many questions and unknowns and still so much to process from the past year.

Stephanie Tips:

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I am so thrilled to do this interview as it’s with a mother and daughter duo I am blessed to have as dear family friends and I’ve had the opportunity to witness their evolution and impact on the fashion and film industry on the global scale, first hand.

They are Neeta and Nishka Lulla.

Neeta Lulla symbolises elegance, romance and opulence. Her designs are a unique blend of feminine fragility and power. Using India’s rich cultural heritage of craftsmanship, embroidery techniques and textiles Neeta Lulla creates her representation of Indian Bridal and diffusion wear that draws style inspirations from Edwardian silhouettes and patterns yet remains deeply rooted in tradition and forms.

Neeta Lulla is one of the most celebrated and respected names in the Indian fashion industry today. Counted amongst India’s top bridal fashion designers she has created nothing short of a legacy in the fashion and film industry in a career spanning over 30 years.

Starting her journey at the young age of 16, Neeta Lulla finished her formal education in Dressmaking and Apparel construction from SNDT University after which she got her first job with the famous fashion choreographer Jeanne Naoroji. Crediting her time there having taught her about how a fashion show is designed she later returned to her alma mater SNDT as a lecturer and thoroughly enjoyed her experience teaching.

She was soon offered her first film project to style. Taking the opportunity head on Neeta Lulla impressed everyone with her creativity and skill and in no time became one of the most celebrated designers of Bollywood having worked with leading directors and actors of the industry.

In 2005 Neeta Lulla launched her flagship store in Mumbai, to cater to her growing global clientele. Bridal, trousseau consultancy and diffusion wear are the primary offerings of Neeta Lulla label.

In 2008 she became the first designer to launch her online retail platform and by 2009 she established her distribution network over 5 continents. With the growing demand for her designs she was proud to recently launch her second flagship store in DLF Emporio, Delhi in 2016. Whether it was incorporating Tanjore paintings in her designs to introducing pre stitched sarees in India in 2001 or Fibre Optics to her collection in 2017 she has always been on the forefront of curious exploration and experimentation. Hence, she also been named as the ‘Czarina of Indian Fashion’.

Neeta lives in Bombay with her husband Dr. Shyam Lulla, and they have two children, Siddharth and Nishka,.

Neeta’s daughter Nishka was born into fashion and it style and an eye for design is in her blood.

Nishka Lulla Mehra also graduated from SNDT College, Mumbai and is also a design consultant for the fashion brand ‘Provogue’ and for the shoe brand ‘Mochi’ in India. Her label ‘Nisshk’ launched in 2009 has a chic, vibrant and funky clothing line consisting of dresses, shorts, jump suits and skirts and the embellishments are catchy, innovative and versatile using unusual materials to create the perfect coordinated look. Her label also has a range of accessories like clutches, bags and watches.

A moment I had a chance to witness while working as a television anchor for CNN in India was Nishka’s debut at Lakme Fashion Week. She won a competition out of 100 GenNext designers to design an outfit and collection for Katrina Kaif, the brand ambassador for Barbie. When she sashayed down the ramp, it was a defining moment for Nishka and what was to come.

Nishka is settled in Bombay with her husband Dhruv Mehra and has a daughter, Miraya.

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Kanika: Summer is officially underway -- School is out, warm weather and longer days are here and after a year of living through a pandemic, that freedom we feel each summer feels even more special. We’ve talked about how finding a balance of play and learning is important, but can you share tips on how families embrace the freedom and flexibility of summer, without losing structure?

Stephanie: I can really relate to this. Kids more than ever need this summer to play, see friends and family and simply enjoy all the activities we weren’t able to experience during the pandemic. However we also know kids need structure. Here are a couple tips to help families strike that balance:

Stephanie Tips:

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If you’re a mom, chances are you are part of the cult following that the children’s apparel brand, Rockets of Awesome, has garnered over the years. And if you don’t know, now you know.

Today I’m joined by its Founder/CEO Rachel Blumenthal, who’s a serial entrepreneur, fervent risk taker, and mother of two alongside her husband Neil Blumenthal, CEO of transformative and socially conscious lifestyle brand of eyewear, Warby Parker.

Together, they have an equal vested partnership in raising their two wonderful children, Griffin and Gemma.

Rachel began her career at Yves Saint Laurent, before launching her first entrepreneurial venture as designer and founder of the fashion jewelry brand Rachel Leigh. The brand was licensed to GlamHouse in 2011. Rachel then lent her hand to Warby Parker, which was cofounded by her husband Neil, before founding and acting as CEO of Cricket’s Circle, the trusted resource and editorial destination for everything baby and toddler. It was the insights and learnings from the Cricket’s Circle community, in addition to her own experience as a mother that inspired the idea for Rockets of Awesome.

The company’s credo is to simplify the lives of parents and celebrate real life with kids (meltdowns included). ROA prides itself on pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a modern kids clothing brand, giving you the ability to shop whenever and however you want—whether you want to stock up when it’s convenient for you, or Subscribe + Save big. They’ll always put the win-win (a.k.a., you AND your kids loving the clothes and experience) first in everything they do. And made up of a team of moms, dadsd, aunts, and uncles, they understand the preferences and pain points to a T. Graphic T.

I’m excited to dive into this colorful conversation.

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Kanika: Math can be daunting for kids (and parents)! I know HOMER recently added new math content to your learning program, HOMER Learn & Grow. What tips can you share with our families to ensure they’re setting their children up to be confident in math.

Stephanie: Sure, math can be a real point of anxiety for both children and kids. My husband Andre is [insert Andre’s math expertise] has always loved math and I have to credit him with instilling a passion and love for math in my kids

• Make math a part of everyday life
  • Have your child count out the number of forks needed for dinner
  • Measuring - height
• Math thinking: Children are natural mathematicians as math is all about exploring and problem-solving.
  • Start early, talk about problem-solving strategies, use math language in everyday life
• Modeling math confidence
• Honor “I Did it Moments” - the little (and sometimes big) wins that happen every single day on the path to learning. Keep an eye out and celebrate the moments when something just "clicks," and kids take what they're learning and make it their own.

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Robyn Ward is a 20+ year veteran of the technology startup space. She started FounderForward, a boutique leadership development firm, to help founders and executives uplevel themselves and build high-performing teams, cultures and companies. Current and past clients include Ritual, Ordermark, Tala, STEM, and Toucan, among others. A sought after keynote and panelist, Robyn speaks at conferences, companies, and venture firms on topics relating to: Entrepreneurial Mindset, Peak Performance, and Best-Self Leadership. She also co-teaches “Performance Mindset for Business” at her Alma Mater USC.

Prior to FounderForward, Robyn launched and ran the strategic investment arm of United Talent Agency, where she drove investments in Patreon, MikMak. HouseParty, and Thrive Market, among others. Before UTA, Robyn was a business development and operations executive who served on the founding leadership teams of several venture-backed startups, including Docstoc (acquired by Intuit) and Verified Person (acquired by Sterling Talent Solutions).

Robyn is a passionate community-builder and connector, as well as a long-time champion of DEI in the tech ecosystem and beyond. She has been named a Top Woman in LA Tech by DigitalLA and a Top LA Tech Ambassador by TechWeek. Robyn is a Techstars All-Star Mentor (#givefirst), an Expert Network Advisor to Steve Case’s Rise of the Rest Fund, a Board Member of the Women Founders Network (WFN), an LP in The Fund, and a proud part-owner in Angel City Football Club.

She adopted her son Ryder who is 1.5 years old and is a beacon for women and men who knew they wanted to have children but are unaware of the adoption process.

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