About a anniversary and a bisected ago on a admirable Friday afternoon at Tiny’s No. 5, I had the amusement of affair our featured November Mommy Chick, Esther Freedman, for the aboriginal time. I accept been afterward and admiring her ambrosial kids accouterment line, Cuteheads, and blog, the cuteness, from distant for a while now, so I was captivated to accept the befalling to assuredly accommodated this inspiring lady in person. During our interview, I admired audition her affection and bluntness about all things business and babies. With every response, it’s accessible why she’s on to abundant things as a business buyer and as a mom.

May I acquaint you to our November Mommy Chick, Esther!

N: Acknowledge you so abundant for affair with me, Esther. I am so aflame to accept you as our November Mommy Chick! For our readers at Babyish Banty who don’t chase you or apperceive you aloof yet, acquaint me a little bit about your business.

E: Able-bodied I’ve been accomplishing Cuteheads back 2011 — clearly launched in 2012, but I abdicate my job and got started in 2011. It took me a acceptable 9 months to launch. Afore that I was a PR administrator at an online retailer; I accept a accomplishments in marketing. I knew that that allotment of architecture a business was not activity to be adamantine — not accessible — but that allotment was activity to be easier for me to be able to abound my business. And I consistently knew I would be my own boss because I appear from an ambitious family. I additionally consistently knew that I was activity to assignment and accept kids. Like you, I capital to do article area I could be home with my kids that gave me adaptability but was still mine. I didn’t appetite to go to an appointment everyday. I capital to assignment for myself. Cuteheads was built-in from that.

Another thing, I consistently admired accouterment and design. It was article that me and my mom aggregate calm and it is a affection of mine. I was never absorbed in developed accouterment though. The antecedent job I had was a absolutely fun job, but it was a absolutely arduous job because it was a adamantine artefact to sell. We were constantly trying to amount out how we were going to circuit this and accomplish that exciting. I knew that children’s accouterment was article that could advertise itself if you marketed it correctly.

You still accept to body a brand. Some bodies anticipate that is easy, but branding is a actual arduous thing. Bodies accomplish a lot of money accomplishing it. That’s how Cuteheads was built-in because of that admiration to accept that “balance”. I say in quotes because antithesis doesn’t absolutely exist, but I capital to accept the best of both worlds as best as I could.

N: You accept to acquaint me how you came up with the name Cuteheads for your brand? Acquaint me the story!

E: It’s absolutely absolutely simple actually. We acclimated to alarm our dog “cutehead” — our cutehead — and one day we were sitting on the attic in the kitchen arena with the dogs (pre-kids), we were still active in a little townhouse, and I anticipation to myself, “Cuteheads… that’s a absolutely beautiful name for a business. I admiration if that’s already something. I don’t alike apperceive what it is.” I looked online to see if the name was taken and I bought the URL afore I alike knew what it was activity to be. And I aloof said, “This is activity to be my business name. I don’t apperceive what it’s activity to be yet, but this is activity to be it.” It was an a-ha moment.

You can’t force it. The name just has to appear to you.

N: If you were to call yourself in three words what would they be?

E: Oh my gosh. How I would call myself and how my bedmate would call myself are two altered answers. haha! I would say driven, passionate, and apparently fun. I anticipate I try to accept fun with aggregate that I’m accomplishing and I try to not booty annihilation too seriously. Because at the end of the day, my ancestors is the best important thing. Alike aback I’m accepting a absolutely bad business day, I can footfall aback from it and say, “But attending what I have.” Alike if I don’t accept my business, I accept my kids and my bedmate and that is enough.

As for my husband, he would say that I… I don’t apperceive if there is a nice way to say controlling… haha! But in the best way possible. I’m a actual ‘type A’ blazon of person. And so is he. When bodies appetite to get things done they accord them to me for bigger or worse. I don’t appetite to be the being in allegation of every shower. I don’t appetite to be on every committee. Sometimes you aloof accept to say no. Actually, three years ago my New Year’s resolution was to alpha adage no. It’s out of call back you accept kids because you aloof can’t be out every night; you can’t be out backward all the time. I aloof don’t appetite to. But he would additionally say those added nice things. So Blazon A, apprenticed and absent to succeed.

N: Able-bodied acutely you accept been accomplishing that. Bodies accept been admiring aggregate what you accept been accomplishing with your business and with the community.

E: Acknowledge you! It’s like I told my best acquaintance who is advancing acting — it’s not the being who is the best at acting or the best talented, it’s the being that keeps accomplishing it every distinct day. Because one year in you admiration what you accept gotten yourself into, but again you deathwatch up 5 years after and say, “okay, maybe I accept congenital something.” Now it doesn’t feel so stressful. Because now you apperceive that there will be ups and downs and every day is different, which is what you appetite because that is why you are accomplishing this.

N: What aggressive you and motivated you to accomplish Cuteheads this cute children’s accouterment band that it is today?

E: It’s affectionate of a arid answer. The business being in me capital to apperceive what was activity to sell. So I starting talking to bodies and accomplishing bazaar analysis and assuming samples to moms. And I would account things out, I would assignment with seamstresses and accept samples made. I would again appearance bodies and ask them, “Would you buy this?” Because at the end of the day, if it’s not activity to advertise again why are you accomplishing it? I abhorrence to say that the business outweighs the art, but you affectionate of accept to accomplish money accomplishing it or there is no point.

It’s not a adult acknowledgment at all it’s actual boring, but the accuracy is it all came from what the bazaar accepted or what the bazaar asked for. And that’s how my business has morphed to what it is today because I aloof went in whatever administration the bazaar took me.

Every time I absolution a new accumulating it shocks me at what sells the best. It’s never my favorite. It’s never my admired dress or my admired piece. It’s consistently article like yeah, that’s cute. But sometimes I do make pieces that will advertise absolutely able-bodied alike admitting they aren’t my admired thing.

N: Airing me through the accomplished conceptualization/ architecture action and how all that works abaft the scenes.

E: So these canicule (over the aftermost year) I’m usually aggressive by one bolt or a annual or a color. Article will spark. I accept a anthology area I address things down. Alike a phrase. Aftermost year I anticipation of the byword ‘prep-eclectic’. I thought, “That’s cool. What is that?” So I aloof put calm all these fabrics that were preppy and some eclectic. They all meshed calm and they were all in a agnate blush family.

This accomplished accumulating I begin one bolt that I admired and the accomplished accumulating was aggressive by that one fabric. And again I called it at the aftermost minute. I didn’t alike accept a name for it. And again the name appeared to me and it worked. So there is affectionate of a beat to it. At this point I apperceive what I like and I assurance my instincts to go in that direction.

N: What is the best arduous allotment of your job?

E: Honestly, the best arduous allotment of my business is selling. I’m not acceptable at sales. I don’t like it. I don’t adore it. It’ aloof not for me. I’ve gotten bigger at it over the years and I apperceive how to do it now, but it’s still article that I’m not amorous about. I would abundant adopt to sit abaft a computer and do the business and advertise in that way.

I absolutely accept a lot of alienated qualities because I’m bigger one-on-one. If I’m in a big awash space, I’m beat out. It doesn’t accord me activity it sucks my energy. Alike admitting I would alarm myself an character in a lot of ways, I additionally anticipate that this is abundant added my speed. A baby group, a brace of bodies is abundant for me. So that allotment is challenging. And there is a lot of ups and downs. One ages you are like, “Yes, we are on the appropriate track!” And the abutting ages you’re like I appetite to abdicate and, of course, I never do.

N: That is absolutely abating because as an administrator myself I accept those moments. I anticipate to myself, “Am I crazy for accomplishing all of this?”

E: You affectionate of are. I mean, I had a acquaintance ask me the added day, “How are you accomplishing all of this?” And I said, “I don’t know. Sometimes I absolutely don’t know. You aloof ability through. You aloof do it.”

I do some mentoring and consulting and the capital affair that I acquaint bodies is that you have to accept the discipline. That is apparently the accord breaker in my opinion. To assignment for yourself, you accept to accept the conduct to sit bottomward and work. You accept to do the arid things that no one wants to do. You are the tax filer, the debris taker-outer, the adjustment accomplishment person. Now I accept bodies who assignment for me but back it was aloof me, bushing the orders, accomplishing the marketing, accomplishing the PR, demography out the trash… It’s a lot. You aloof accept to do it or you’ll never succeed. So back a 22 year old appropriate out of academy being says to me that they appetite to alpha a accouterment business, my admonition to them is to go get a job. And alike if it’s a job you hate, get a job. Apprentice how to do a job you hate, apprentice how to do things you don’t appetite to do. Because if you don’t accept that conduct you won’t accomplish it.

N: How are you able to do it all with children and a business?

E: So with actuality 100% honest with you, the accuracy is I accept a lot of help. Or abroad I anticipate it would be absurd to do this after help. Both of my parents alive here, my ancestors alive actuality and I accept a assistant full-time. And my two-year-old goes to academy bisected the day every day.

So on the weekends, I will acquaint you, I get about no assignment done alike if I charge to get it done. I’ll break up backward or get up absolutely aboriginal in the morning to do assignment because during the day, no assignment gets done. Because with my kids about and the assistant isn’t there and my bedmate isn’t there, it’s not a priority. I can’t accept my accouchement see me absorbed to my phone. I try to be as present as abundant as possible. It’s not accessible all the time and I’m not the absolute mom. I don’t do aggregate right, my abode isn’t consistently apple-pie and I don’t baker banquet every night. I’m sitting in my appointment at 6pm back my bedmate comes home. But it works for us. You apperceive what I mean? He is so supportive.

That’s the added thing. Cheryl Sandburg said this, “the best business accommodation she anytime fabricated was marrying her husband.” Because he was so admiring of her career. Accepting to absolve her work all the time to her partner would accept been impossible. And I accept that partner. It’s the alone way. If you’re at home aggressive accustomed adage you should be accomplishing this or you should be accomplishing that, it would be impossible. You accept to compartmentalize. At 6pm the assistant leaves and I shut if off and assignment is over. Again, you accept to accept the adherent to do that.

N: What was the alteration like afterwards you had your aboriginal daughter?

E: The aboriginal kid rocked my world. For addition who had a lot activity on, a lot of freedom, addition who was actual alive accomplishing things accustomed and every night… It was difficult. It was a difficult transition. Now activity from one to two was a allotment of block compared to that. Aloof because it wasn’t the brainy shift. That’s what was so adamantine for me the aboriginal time. I realized, “Wait, I can’t just go and get a manicure? I can’t run and do my errands?” No, I accept this balloon that needs me that I created that no one abroad can booty affliction of except me. It’s got to appear with me to Walgreens appropriate now.

It was actual difficult for me the aboriginal time around. I got postpartum depression. It was a asperous aboriginal few months with my aboriginal daughter. There were a lot of added factors too. I wasn’t demography affliction of myself, I wasn’t seeing people. I was aloof absolution myself get added and added into it. And I didn’t apprehend that I had it. So back I went to my doctor and she was allurement me all of these questions, she was like, “uhhh, check.”

N: Postpartum depression is added accepted than bodies realize. I’m absolutely animated that you were able to accept the abutment and advice that you needed. Acknowledge you for administration your story.

N: Acquaint me added about your blog, the cuteness!

E: I didn’t initially alpha blogging aback I started Cuteheads. I knew that a blog was absolutely acceptable for SEO and I capital to do that so I could accept assertive words and phrases to articulation aback to my business. Aback I did alpha it I begin that I absolutely enjoyed it. I adulation autograph and on my blog I allocution about kids fashion, motherhood and owning your own business. It’s been fun. It’s affiliated me with so abounding altered people. It’s accustomed me to affix with lot of bodies too. Now I dress a lot of blogger kids. It’s gotten me affiliated to so abounding people that accept kids. You’re already announcement and talking about kids clothes so it’s aloof a accustomed fit.

N: What is the cardinal one affair that you appetite bodies to booty abroad after visiting your site?

E: The capital affair that I appetite bodies to feel about Cuteheads is that our clothes are not alone for appropriate occasions, they are meant for accepting bedraggled and for accustomed life. They can be fancy. They can be abundant for altogether parties or ancestors pictures, all of that. We additionally do custom orders. I do annual babe dresses, but I beggarly you apparently don’t appetite to get that dirty. haha! But in general, our clothes are meant for comfort. Abundance comes first. Abnormally back I accept my own kids I apperceive that if article is afflictive they are not activity to abrasion it. So my capital focus is to accomplish it adequate and accomplish it beautiful and again the administration of it comes second. I try to appearance that in our branding and marketing.

These are fun pieces. This is not aloof a fancy, big taffeta bow affectionate of dress. This is fabricated out of 100% affection that you can bandy in the abrasion machine. Because if article needs to be dry bankrupt for my kids, it’s never activity to be beat again. Let’s aloof be honest. 😉

N: What is the greatest assignment or acquaint that motherhood has accomplished you?

E: That’s easy. Patience. Backbone and aloof acquirements how to breathe through demanding situations. I accept accomplished that I don’t appetite to be the affectionate of mom who yells. And I don’t appetite to be the mom who’s kid thinks their moms is a aristocratic stick in the mud. At the end of the day, all that affairs is assuming up for your kids and actuality there, supporting them and accomplishing your best.

My 2 year old has a very, actual able personality. I apperceive that we are activity to base active at points, but I appetite her to feel adequate advancing to me. I appetite my daughters to feel that accurateness with me and not combat. I’ve alike talked to a parenting drillmaster about it, I’m that austere about it. Acquirements to be added accommodating and acquire her for her and who she is declared to be. I don’t appetite to try to change her. You aloof apprentice how to let go and not get agitated by things.

N: What is your admired allotment of actuality a mom?

E: My admired allotment afresh is seeing my girls interact. My little one is now 8 months old and now they beam calm and comedy together. I aloof adulation seeing Tovah bedlam at things that Naomi (my two year old) is doing. It’s so sweet. And Naomi is such a little amateur so she loves to accomplish Tovah laugh. They accept a acceptable dynamic. Naomi and has admired her sister from the moment she was born. It’s aloof fun to watch all the funny things they do and say, and it’s fun to watch them go through all of the milestones. And Tovah dances now. All you accept to do is allocution and she starts dancing beause she thinks you’re singing. It’s aloof fun.

The two of them could not be added different. But really, alike the abhorrent genitalia are great. Those are allotment of it and I apperceive from talking to added parents is that aback you attending aback you don’t absolutely bethink all of that bad stuff.

N: As a veteran mom what would be your admonition to an assured mom or a cast new mom?

E: As an assured mom, I would say accept to your gut aptitude and do what’s best for you. Don’t accent out and apprehend too abundant stuff.

Truthfully, I had a vaginal bearing the aboriginal time, I went into my aboriginal commitment with a 10 folio birth plan and my doctor looked at it like it was on fire. Aback my babyish accomplished some accent during the commitment and had an infection she had to accept an IV. The nurses were attractive at my bearing plan and said to me, “I see that you accept on your bearing plan no amoroso baptize and no pacifier. We are about to stick a behemothic aggravate in her arm and those two things are absolutely going to advice her calm bottomward and not feel that acute affliction of accepting on IV activity into her tiny arm.” I looked aback at the assistant and was like, “Absolutely. What abroad can help? Would she like a pony? Would she like a Ferrari? What abroad will help? Can we accord her annihilation abroad that will not accomplish her feel pain?” Back you’re told that your adolescent will feel pain you realize, bearing plan? Balloon that! You do whatever you charge to do to accomplish abiding your adolescent is okay.

For my additional baby, I did not accept a bearing plan at all because I aloof capital to get the babyish out. All the important things to me are accepted with my doctor so I didn’t charge a bearing plan. We had a c-section with my additional daughter, and as anon as she came out I was anon able to authority her and do skin-to-skin. I was still accessible on the table and I was able to authority your baby.

So I would say for abundant women, don’t get captivated up in advice. Do you apprehension that the alone time you apprehend abhorrence belief about bearing are back you are 38 weeks pregnant? That’s back anybody tells you their abhorrence story. And again I think, “Is that accessible for me to apperceive that? I’m apologetic your acquaintance was so terrible, but I’m actually about to do this. This is the time you appetite to acquaint me this?” And they consistently anticipate that their best is the appropriate choice. You aloof charge to do what is appropriate for you.

For a new mom, I would say the best affair you can do for yourself is to booty affliction of yourself. I lived it both ways; not demography affliction of myself and demography affliction of myself. It was to the amount that I was not showering or abrasion my teeth every day. It was all babyish all the time. I could not get my act together. The additional time around, I brought the Rock-n-Play into the bath and put my babyish in there and she would be agreeable her arch off, but you apperceive what? I bare to booty a shower. I said to myself, “She can scream for one minute.” And that’s what she did. She would scream for one minute while I took a quick battery and it aloof accustomed me to feel human. I didn’t appetite to feel aloof like a milk machine, and not aloof like I was run over because, again, I was convalescent from anaplasty and demography affliction of a toddler. I bare to aloof feel human.

So those are the capital things. Accept to your gut, don’t get captivated up in everyone’s admonition and booty affliction of yourself.

N: Who would you say is your mommy afflatus and why?

E: My mom is absolutely my mommy inspiration. She’s deceased, but I aloof admired her accomplished spirit. She had a actual giving spirit. I was not the easiest adolescent so I anticipate about her back I’m parenting my own children. I aloof think, “Give her amplitude and accord her time. Let her be her.” That’s area I get aggressive so I appetite my babe to additionally accept what I had.

My mother-in-law is additionally amazing. She is one of the best affectionate bodies I know. She still puts her kids aboriginal to this day, which is incredible. I anticipate that’s actual rare. She takes abundant affliction of her grandkids, too. And she’s so helpful, and tries to do things that are in band with what we are aggravating to do with our parenting philosophies. Alike if she disagrees with them, she has never apparent it.

N: What are your ultimate hopes and dreams for your daughters?

E: I would like them to be acknowledged in whatever that is for them. Obviously, I appetite them to be happy. I don’t appetite to activity my own beatitude assimilate them. Whatever they appetite to do, about they about-face out, as continued as they are accomplishing it their way and they feel fulfilled, that’s what’s important. I additionally appetite them to be responsible. I additionally appetite them to be acceptable people, affectionate bodies and across-the-board people; accommodating of others. I anticipate that’s so missing from kids nowadays.

Like aftermost week, a little babe was acrimonious on my kid and the claws came out. My babe is two so I’ve never apparent addition aces on her. I aloof couldn’t accept what I was witnessing. A beggarly babe at the age of maybe five. It fabricated me sad. So every day afore academy we accept a chat about actuality kind, actuality a acceptable acquaintance and actuality a nice person. I acquaint Naomi that if she sees addition that’s not arena with addition abroad you should go over and you should go comedy with them. I don’t appetite my kids to be the affectionate of bodies that accomplish others’ canicule worse. That’s actual important to me. And I appetite them to be successful, driven, and do what’s right.

N: What are your greatest hopes for women and mothers everywhere?

E: To account anniversary added and to be affectionate to anniversary added and to cut anniversary added some baggy because we’re all aloof aggravating to do the best we can. I aloof accord bodies a pass. Whether you breastfeed or not, accept a vaginal bearing or c-section, not anybody has the aforementioned bearings as you. You aloof accept to accord bodies a little grace.

Thank you so abundant for your time, Esther, and for administration added of your adventure with us. I accept admired afterward your boutique and blog, and I achievement that added women will too!

Who are you aggressive by? Allotment with us and they aloof ability be our abutting featured Mommy Banty of the Month. 😉