Boss Mom Of The Week: Yvonne Marcus
Yvonne Marcus is a writer, mother, Creative Director behind The Dahlia Scene, and Co-Creator of Two Moms, One Podcast. She grew up in small town Tennessee where one of her best friends was a bull named Boss before heading off to Kentucky for college. She obtained a degree in Political Science from the prestigious Transylvania University. After college, she moved to Los Angeles where she met her husband and gave birth to Sweet Baby J. Finally they settled down together in Asheville, NC. Yvonne likes white chocolate, seasonal restaurant fare, wine, and crime dramas.
Tell us a little bit about your family and your Boss Mom journey.
I’ve been on a crazy journey. I started my blog 3 years ago to support an Etsy store. That store is now defunct. I honestly love to crochet, but it wasn’t the business I needed to be in, and I certainly didn’t have the crochet talent to support a blog about crocheting. I had just learned myself via YouTube. My blog then turned into a lifestyle blog, because I was obsessed with A Beautiful Mess. Plus, I knew once I moved in with my then boyfriend I’d need a way to get out of 2-3 hour commute each way to work. I spent every waking hour working on either the blog or in my office. It was rough. I did start to bring in enough income to at least pay for my domain name through sponsored content for local restaurants. I wasn’t trying too hard though. As our lives changed and family grew, I knew I would transition into a mommy blog, but I also knew I wasn’t doing enough. I knew that I wasn’t taking my dream far enough. I wanted to help people, and I feel like it is one of my main strengths. I love talking to other moms and trying to make their life easier. I love being the go-to person with the other parents at story time when it comes to baby led solids, cloth diapers, and so many other on point parental topics. Let’s be honest though, I also missed my old life, because I think we all do sometimes. I missed being able to review a restaurant or go to the gym. Now I’ve found a way to mess my old life with me new one, and I hope to help other moms be able to do that as well. I want to help them make it from hot mess to got it all together. I’ve been a hot mess. My entire pregnancy might have been a hot mess had I not been a stickler for organization. I want to empower women to make their own decisions and keep their stuff together while still feeling like themselves.
What are some of your favorite go to meals when time is tight and dinner MUST get on the table?
I love to cook pasta on these kinds of nights. We usually put in a few sautéed vegetables and coat it in olive oil versus using pasta sauce. I studied in Italy in college, and I believe this was one of the best lessons I took away from my time there. Dinner can be easy, fresh, and delicious. I believe Julia Child said she didn’t cook Italian cause it wasn’t cooking or something like that. I cook it for that very reason.
Where do you go for inspiration?
I go to so many beautiful blogs. A Beautiful Mess. Emily P. Freeman. Bluegrass Redhead. It all depends on what I need at that moment. Do I need some inspiration for getting my house to be beautiful? Do I need some calm in my life? Do I need a woman who I know has been in the trenches like me and will make me feel better? Also, I look to my other ladies in the Boss Mom Academy. How great is it to have such a wealth of knowledge and fun at my fingertips?
What are you currently reading or listening to (podcasts, books, blogs etc)?
Reply All and Pop Culture Happy Hour are my favorite podcasts. I love PCHH, because one of the promises I made myself was that I wouldn’t fall into a pop culture black hole as a parent. Reply All has great stories but don’t listen to The Cathedral episode if you’re new to the mom stuff. I’m a huge fan of Audible for books so I’ve been listening to the Nightingale. I also just finished The Happiest Toddler on the Block. It’s amazing.
What is one piece of business advice that you’d give to a mom just starting out?
Do NOT try to be EVERYWHERE. You have to focus on the social media that is most important to your ideal client. You should have your name on all social media so that no one can try to make you buy it later, but you don’t have to be a master of it all.
What are some of your favorite quotes or words to live by?
If you don’t know where you’re going you might wind up someplace else – Yogi Berra. I’d say I live 90% of my life feeling like Yogi was the smartest man on the planet. He makes perfect sense.
Success is a great deodorant – Elizabeth Taylor. This is so true. The stink leaves you!
My father was not a failure. After all, he was the father of a president of the United States. -Harry S. Truman. The truth is that you cannot fail in life if you’re child succeeds. You will have always done something great.
In one word, sum up your life as a Boss Mom.
Empowering.
What are three core values of your business and how do those values relate to your motherhood?
The three core values of my business are to be authentic at all times, creating meaningful work by helping other moms, and creating a wealth of information to help empower other moms on their journey. These relate to my motherhood by helping me to be my authentic self, constantly learning from others throughout life, and to be fulfilled by helping my community near and far. All of this helps me to be my best self and to be the best mom I can be to Sweet Baby J.
Yvonne has a great resource for expecting mothers available on her website. Check out her Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist.
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