What hopes and dreams do you have for your daughters?  

Being both a business owner and a mother of three girls, it’s easy to get caught up in life. Whether it’s making major business decisions or simply breaking up a fight when my daughters were teenagers (laughs), I learned that time flies by—so quickly—and I wish for my daughters to live life to its fullest no matter what stage they are at and to be the best they can be.

What do you love and admire about your children? 

My daughters are all so different, with so much to offer and I admire each one of their strengths.

Katherine is positive and headstrong. She’s a natural born leader, with an ability to always find positivity in a bad situation. If there’s a problem, she will find a solution and if she can’t find one, she will find a way to make it work.

Nicole is passionate and driven. When anything of her interest comes up in a conversation, you can see and hear the passion practically bursting out of her. I admire how she can have a clear vision and stays focused until it becomes reality. No matter what obstacle comes up, she keeps going until she achieves her goal.

Angela is compassionate and selfless. She’s always radiating with love and positive energy. Her ability to care and have concern for others is so innate and sincere that it amazes me. She’s a speaker of the truth, and I can always trust her for her honest opinion. 

What were some moments you felt most proud of your daughters? 

I don’t know where to start there are so many moments. And to be honest, everyday, they still continue to surprise me – which is incredible, considering how much I already admire them.  

What about just one moment? The proudest moment? 

Reflecting on the past five years, I think I felt proudest of each of my daughters when they gave birth to their own babies. Watching my daughters go through the challenges and joys of motherhood first-hand, reminds me why I love being a mom.

I had the most blessed gift of seeing my children shape themselves into the amazing women that they are today and also, have them teach me things that I would have never known without having children.

Now being a grandparent, I get to experience the most exciting feelings of motherhood all over again, but this time through the eyes of my daughters.

Some say that the ability to balance motherhood and a successful career is a myth. As a successful entrepreneur and a mother, that has broken the stereotype, what do you owe to your success? 

It’s the hardest thing in the world to be a hands-on mother and sustain a career, but it’s not impossible.

I can’t give a step-by-step to how I got to where I am today, but I can tell you that one of the driving forces that helped me and pushed me to where I am today, was the love and trust of my family. It’s an incredible and empowering feeling to have the people you love, believe in your dreams and goals and support you–it’s a feeling that I’m blessed to have. 

This will be your middle daughter’s, Angela, first Mother’s Day, do you have any advice for her as a first time mom?

 Angela’s already has had experience helping her sisters raise their five nephews. Her love and dedication to her family is overwhelming and she’s being a great mommy to Baby Sianna.

I have no doubt that she will continue to be a wonderful mother, and if there’s anything I’d have to say, is that I’m always here for her, to support her and encourage her. My advice would be to stay strong and be the best mom you can be.

Being a grandmother, mother and wife, what advice do you have for your daughters for balancing family life and work life?

Family life comes first. Your children need you more than anything and when times are hard, their support and love is what you’ll need to persevere. So be there for them, be it a soccer game, a dance recital or parent teacher interview. You won’t be able to protect them from all the bad things in the world, but you can support them in accomplishing their dreams and assist in shaping them to become strong independent individuals.

Now, just as a mother, are there any last words you’d like to share?

Despite reading several parenting books and receiving advice from several family and friends, nothing could have really prepared me for motherhood. It’s unrealistic to think that your child could come with a cookie-cutter set of instructions, because they’re so unique.

I love my daughters, long before I even met them and even more so now. They’ve introduced me to a love that I never knew existed and they’ve taught me how to be stern and when to give grace. I did the best I could with what I knew, and everything I did, I did out of my love for them. I thank them for challenging and encouraging me to be a better person everyday.