| Where did 2014 go? As 2015 is just days away, I wanted to reflect back and share some of my highlights this past year. My highlight list isn't long and extravagant but 2014 was a pretty good year - both personally and professionally. 1. I ran my first NYC Half Marathon on March 16, 2014. I never considered myself a runner but when my family and I moved to the east coast, I took up running for exercise and I have been hooked ever since. I have always admired runners and I remember going to Manhattan the day after the NYC Marathon several years ago and I was in awe by the runners proudly wearing their medals. I said to myself, "I want one of those some day..." I remember talking with my dear and closet friend Carol Kandler - who has run several marathons in the past - about this "quest" that I had about running a marathon someday and she said that it was attainable but you have to train and you need mental toughness. She suggested I try to run in a Half Marathon first so I signed up. Honestly, I was so stressed about this race. Will I finish? Will I be the last person to cross that finish line? I trained really hard especially during the cold, brutal, and bitter New England winter we had. My family thought I was crazy waking up every day at 4:30 am to go running but I had to do it. I didn't care about my time or how fast I could run. All I wanted to do was finish...and finish strong. After months of training, I did finish and when I crossed the finish line my daughter Emma said to me, "Now, go train for the full marathon..." 2. I completed my first TCS NYC Marathon on November 2, 2014...with a little drama in between! After the finishing the NYC Half Marathon, I was up for the challenge to train for the full. Training for this race was more nerve wracking for me because the thought of running for 26.2 miles seemed literally impossible. I was convinced that if I finished, I would most likely be the last runner crossing that finish line because I am a total slow poke. The commitment set in and I was determined. I crossed trained (running, biking, weight training, swimming, and yoga) throughout the heat and humidity during the summer months in southern New England. One word to describe training in this type weather: YUCK. I felt as if I was training in a 500 degree oven. Not fun. Fast forward a few days before the marathon. Luckily, I was in Manhattan for business earlier in the week so I was able to pick up my bib number and avoid the mad rush at the Expo the day before the marathon. I packed and unpacked my bags over and over again. I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed. My daughter Emma and I headed to Manhattan early morning on November 1st. We had a low key day in the city and around 5:30pm, I decided to unpack my running gear bag for the big race. Sneakers - check, running tights - check, socks - check, running top - check. Bib number...? Where was my bib number? Gulp. I was in a panic... I tore my gear bag apart looking for my bib number and my daughter Emma thought I was kidding. I immediately called my husband Marty and asked him to look for it at home...Yes, I left the bib number sitting on my dining room table earlier that morning. After this crazy and stressful set back my dear husband came up with the idea to ask a Peter Pan bus driver to deliver my bib to me at Port Authority. Marty drove to the bus terminal and arrived at 5:50pm. He spoke to a bus driver named Bill Chandler who was scheduled to drive to New York City at 6:00pm and told him about our dilemma. Mr. Chandler graciously agreed to deliver my bib as long as I was at the Port Authority gate when the bus arrived. The bus arrived at 9:45pm at Port Authority and I was there waiting practically in tears. The bib number was in my hands...Now, I was ready for the race! After months of training, the bib number drama from the night before, lingering back spasms at mile 18, the cold wind during the race, fatigue, tons of high-fives from total strangers through the 5 boroughs of New York City, cheers and hugs from my daughter Emma and my friend Carol during the race, I finally crossed the finish line at the TCS New York City Marathon! I was all smiles from ear to ear but I cried, too. It was very emotional for me. There were so many times during the race where I just wanted to quit but I persevered and I did it! Truly, running this race was one of the hardest but most memorable things I have ever done. By they way, I wasn't the last person to cross that finish line... I felt like an Olympic gold medalist wearing the beloved hardware around my neck - Personally, it was such an incredible feeling of achievement that I will always treasure. Both of my medals proudly adorned the Welch Christmas tree this year. 3. I raised funds for JDRF (The Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund). This is a biggie for me. My 12 year old daughter Emma was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes over 4 years ago. Ever since her diagnosis, I have been an advocate in raising funds to find a cure to this terrible disease. I ran for Team JDRF for both the NYC Half Marathon and the TCS New York City Marathon in honor of my daughter. One of my biggest wishes is that we find a cure to end Type 1 Diabetes...NOW! 4. I started a new business - my 2nd. As many know, starting a new business is not easy. It takes a lot guts, time, energy, and determination to make it happen. I decided to start another (my 2nd) business - {g}Collaborative - a marketing + publicity agency - after many years of helping others with their businesses. I just made it official this year! I couldn't be happier. At this point in my career, I am ready and excited for my new venture as I feel this is my true calling; Helping others, giving back, and sharing my business experiences and knowledge. So far, it has been fun working with start-ups and with a few established businesses. What will the New Year bring for me? Hopefully, it will bring just as much excitement (and drama) as it did in 2014! 2015, I'm ready for you... | |
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 I came across an interesting article the other day, Top Tips for Managing Stress by Scott Holford. After reading it, I began to think about how I personally handle stress from every day life...especially now with Christmas just a few days away! Truth be told, stress stinks and it is definitely not good for you.
Aside from Thinking Positive and Laughing as Mr. Holford states, I think eating right, exercising, and taking breaks / stepping away to re-charge / reflect are even more ways to eliminate stress. For me, running has been a big stress reliever over the past 4+ years. I never considered myself a runner but when I started, I was outside enjoying the fresh air, working up a sweat, and I started to think through things in my head - in a more positive, methodical, and productive way. I wasn't at my desk in front of my computer staring at the screen in a panic. I think you can relate, right? We all know it: Stress is not good thing and we need to find ways to manage it - to have a more productive and happier life. What do you do to manage your stress?  Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with some aspiring entrepreneurs at my alma mater New York University. It was such a thrill for me to be speak with students about their future endeavors - their ideas, their hopes and their dreams. As I listened to these energized students and as I shared my experiences with them being an entrepreneur, I began to think about the importance of having a mentor to listen, guide, and help along the way. There were many mentors in my career like Thomas B. Gerfen, FAIA from RMW Architecture + Interiors and my sister Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar and without them, I wouldn't be where I am today!
In business, I believe everyone needs a mentor. And, if you don't have one - go find one! Starting a business is not easy but having an experienced and knowledgeable mentor can walk you through the many stages it takes to get to point A to point B. The mentor is also there to share experiences of both failures and successes. At this stage in my career, I want to give back to a new generation of aspiring entrepreneurs and I am thrilled to be a mentor at my alma mater.  When I was younger, I never thought I wanted to be an entrepreneur but having entrepreneurial parents from the Philippines, I guess it was always in my blood. I started my first company back in 2004 after I invented an award-winning baby product called the patemm pad (www.patemm.com). As with any business venture, you have your ups and downs, your share of failures and successes. But, through all of this, the one perk of being a stay-at-home mom entrepreneur that stood out the most for me, was being there for my family while running my own business…and on my own terms. I loved being my own boss – calling my own shots and making final decisions on my own. I really enjoyed working from home - particularly the flexibility it allowed me to be with my family. I never felt guilty about putting my workload 'on hold' while I took my kids to the park or to an unexpected doctor's appointment. My 'business' hours were built around my family obligations. My parents (Lolo and Lola) were a big part of the family business - they were always there to help out whenever Marty and I needed an extra set of hands. Also, my brainy, older sister Hanna gave me valuable business advice early on. Having my own business made me work harder than ever because it was something that I built from the bottom up and was determined to see my business succeed, and provide financially for my family. A typical 9-5 job was never part of my program. My husband Marty, our 4 kids - Patrick, Emma, Jack, and Lucie, Lolo and Lola, and my sister Hanna made my entrepreneurial journey an exciting one. Even today, after launching my 2nd business ({g}Collaborative) they are there supporting and encouraging me to go after it! I really don’t know where I would be without all of their love, support, and guidance. And, that makes me a happy mom entrepreneur!  Wow, where did the time go...Happy December 1st! My family and I had a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving week-end at home. We also celebrated my youngest daughter Lucie's 7th birthday on the 29th of November! Now, it is officially the Countdown to Christmas... Over the long week-end, I (along with everyone else) was inundated by TV ads, emails blasts, Facebook posts, and flyers from our favorite retailers / boutiques on all of the upcoming holiday deals on the best gifts to give your loved ones, relatives, friends, teachers, etc. Of course, my gift giving list in my head was getting longer and longer...and my budget was getting bigger and bigger! Yikes. Last week, I received a wonderful letter from The Wolf School about the school starting a new holiday tradition that I wanted to share: Dear Families: Each year, parents want to thank our faculty and staff during the holidays for the work they do with their children. We have always graciously accepted these generous gifts, and we appreciate everything families do for our students and this school. This year, we are starting another new tradition! We know the holidays can be hectic and stressful for all families, and we want to take the pressure off, so you don’t have to find that “perfect gift” for your child’s team. We know your intentions are purely generous, however we are asking that parents refrain from giving gifts to staff this holiday season. For those students and families who feel compelled to do something, a heartfelt card is more than enough. As we talk about gratitude within the school, we want to stress to our students that heartfelt appreciation, well expressed, carries far more weight than any material item — whether to a teacher or anyone else in their lives. I truly appreciated receiving this letter from Head of School Anna Johnson at The Wolf School. The holidays are indeed - hectic, stressful, and...can be expensive. As a mother of 4, I am so grateful for my children's teachers and I have always felt compelled to give teachers a small gift to show our token of appreciation. Thanks to Anna's letter, I will be doing something a little different this year with teacher gifts. I will be sending teachers a hand-written note (with cards by inspiredbyit) to express how much I appreciate what they do for our kids. A handwritten note - almost a rarity these days - means so much especially in the digital age we live in with emails, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Thank you, Anna! |
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Wife, mom to 4 kids, inventor, entrepreneur, + educational advocate.
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