Posts tagged mompreneur
Back To School: Prep For The Entire Family
Back To School: Prep For The Entire Family

Back to school is always centered around the children - understandably - however this is the first time that I am truly understanding how the transition impacts us as parents just as much as it does out mini. This transition from summer to school has been a reminder of how much we never learned as parents - how to parent - and so we've also found ourselves turning these milestones in her life as a salve for our inner child, unlearning certain norms, and establishing our own ways around parenting.

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowsmotherhood, mompreneur, back to school
Balancing Motherhood & Entrepreneurship
Balancing Motherhood & Entrepreneurship

Some women know they want to work full time & will hire a nanny or get some other kind of outside help. Some women know they want to be a stay at home mom & housewife & will homeschool until their babies are off to college. But then there are those of us who are somewhere in between — we want to work & have a thriving career, but we also want to be around for every single waking moment of our baby’s life; and we don’t want to have to choose.

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowsmompreneur, work life balance, motherhoodComment
2021 Year In Review: Grief, Gratitude, and Grace
2021 Year In Review: Grief, Gratitude, and Grace

Before I get into what we're all here for, thank you for being part of my 2021 story...

whether you were here for the whole wild ride or just caught the tail end of the adventure. Or maybe you're just now getting to know me in 2022, in which case, buckle up for a rollercoaster of cliff notes. Okay, now let's do this...

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowsnew year, year in review, mental health, work life balance, mompreneur
Productivity Hacks: How To Get (And Stay) Focused When Working From Home
Productivity Hacks: How To Get (And Stay) Focused When Working From Home

This time of year is when everyone is hitting reset for the new year ahead -- making resolutions, setting goals, choosing words to serve as their "North Star", etc  -- all in order to really set the tone for the next 12 months. This doesn't necessarily mean drastic changes of any kind, but there is something about a new year that really makes you go, "I need to get my ish together!" 

As someone who's made a life out of always being home, I decided to share with you some of my productivity hacks and ways that I stay focused & keep myself accountable day to day.

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowsbehind the scenes, mompreneur, sponsored post, new year
A Letter to Thirty Five Year Old Me
A Letter to Thirty Five Year Old Me

If nothing else, Albie, you can say you made it. But now what? If I know you — and I'd like to think I do — then you're probably thinking turning 35 is no big deal, but you're wrong. Did you know that in numerology the number 35 is a sign of "business, building, efficiency, realism, and balance"? I know this because I looked it up and now you know too — you're welcome very much. But here's something we both know... 35 broken down to 3 + 5... equals 8. There's a reason we gravitate towards the number 8. There's a reason we consider 20 to be our favorite number, but 8 to be our "lucky" number... a number of abundance.

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowsmompreneur, mental health
Stay At Home Order: Comfort Essentials
Stay At Home Order: Comfort Essentials

For the past month (maybe longer?), I have been blessed and fortunate enough to have been working from home as we try to protect ourselves and prevent the ongoing spread of COVID-19...aka flattening the curve. Yes, “working from home” sounds fun & easy, but being at home for both work and home life isn’t exactly a pleasure picnic. I also know, firsthand, that working from home as an employee versus working from home as an entrepreneur are two similar, but different experiences; and I had to make adjustments to my mindset and home accordingly.

I had to invest in making sure I was both comfortable and productive.

Read More
ShoppingAlbie Knowscovid19, work life balance, workspace, mompreneur
How My Anxiety May Have Prepared Me For COVID-19
How My Anxiety May Have Prepared Me For COVID-19

It’s not easy for me to admit that my character isn’t naturally a “calm” one and I don’t know anyone that would use the word calm to describe me either. I have always danced on the edge of worry and even occasionally tangoed with straight-up paranoia, and yet in the midst of a pandemic, I find myself probably the calmest person in my circle. Why is that?

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowscovid19, mental health, mompreneur
5 Year Old Girl Birthday Wishlist
5 Year Old Girl Birthday Wishlist

If you’re a parent, then you’re likely used to your kid telling you they want something new & shiny...

24/7/365

While my baby girl doesn’t ask for things often, when she fixates on a new activity or toy, you better believe she wants everything that’s in its orbit.

So what does my soon to be five year old have her eyes on these days? American Girl (Wellie Wishers) | Lego | Melissa & Doug | Disney

Read More
ShoppingAlbie Knowsmompreneur, toddler bedroom, shopping
Building A Capsule Wardrobe When You Stop Working From Home
Building A Capsule Wardrobe When You Stop Working From Home

After my daughter was born, it wasn’t long before I became an accidental stay at home mom. I eventually transitioned into a work from home mom, juggling growing an interior design business with raising a whole new human.

While I’d heard the term tossed around a few times, and was intrigued, I’d never really put any thought into creating one for myself...till now. I didn’t want to fund a brand new wardrobe that I’d toss and replace again. I didn’t want to buy things on a whim. I didn’t want to replace the things that I clearly kept for a reason. I just wanted a complete assortment. Also mindful of changes my body would be going through, I knew I had to be intentional and creating a capsule would be the best way to go about that.

Read More
ShoppingAlbie Knowsmompreneur, work life balance, amazon, organization, h&m home, shopping
Working Out At Home With Fabletics
Working Out At Home With Fabletics

Now that we’re all home for the foreseeable future, it’s so easy to not put in the same amount of effort when it comes to our wellness -- there are NetFlix shows to binge, piles of snacks to eat, and lots and lots of naps to be had -- but truth is, it’s probably more important now more than ever to stay on top of it. For me, working out is a welcome mental distraction from everything going on but also a way to ensure I’m not physically susceptible to any nasty viruses out there. Right now, health = wealth and I plan to look good for all of it.

Read More
Lifestyle, Video, ShoppingAlbie Knowsfabletics, work life balance, mompreneur, mental health, favorites, covid19, fitness
How To Plan A (Last Minute) Brand Shoot
How To Plan A (Last Minute) Brand Shoot

For two years in my business, I tried to plan a brand shoot for Albie Knows…with no success. Whether it was finding the right photographer or having it in the budget or just liking the way I looked in the mirror, there was always something in my way.

Last year, one of my designer besties introduced me to Mariah Texidor. I was blessed enough to book her to shoot my One Room Challenge transformation. The photos were amazing, but more than that, the shoot was amazing. I knew that if there was ever an opportunity to work with her again — aka I’m back in NYC — that I’d jump at the chance. 

Here’s what planning a last-minute brand shoot covers, from my perspective:

  • getting organized

  • having an awesome tribe

  • trusting life’s pivots

Read More
Business, LifestyleAlbie Knowsdesignpreneur, behind the scenes, mompreneurComment
How To Treat Your Body Better & Stay Physically Productive
How To Treat Your Body Better & Stay Physically Productive

This time of year is when everyone is hitting reset for the new year ahead -- making resolutions, setting goals, choosing words to serve as their "North Star", etc  -- all in order to really set the tone for the next 12 months. This doesn't necessarily mean drastic changes of any kind, but there is something about a new year that really makes you go, "I need to get my ish together!" 

As someone who's made a life out of always being home, I decided to share with you some of my productivity hacks and ways that I stay focused & keep myself accountable day to day.

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowsbehind the scenes, mompreneur, sponsored post, fabletics, favorites, covid19, fitness
What I Am Unlearning About Entrepreneurship
What I Am Unlearning About Entrepreneurship

Not too many people know this about me, but from 2008 to about 2011, I tried my hand at entrepreneurship for the first time. 

That was over 7 years ago! 

I thought this iteration of entrepreneurship — with interior design — would be different. I figured I was older, wiser, I’d learned all the hard lessons, and so I was ready to do bigger and better than last time. I had a lifetime of experience behind me so what could possibly go wrong, right?

Answer: everything. 

Read More
Business, LifestyleAlbie Knowsself care, mental health, creative entrepreneurs, mompreneur
What Visual Merchandising Has Taught Me About Interior Design
What Visual Merchandising Has Taught Me About Interior Design

Current Title: Visual Merchandising Manager for Williams-Sonoma

Wait… what?

If you’re new to my blog and somehow stumbled upon this blog post first, welcome, but you should probably read a few posts back where I share my wicked journey of creating a life I hated and needed to recover from.

The summer months was basically a season of reflection and self-discovery and hard truths for my family and I, but especially for me. One of those hard truths —

Being an entrepreneur was not enough for me.

I’d always known that should I ever need to go get a job outside of the home, it would likely be in visual merchandising, not interior design. I can’t quite explain it, but I knew that as a designer, I wouldn’t want to do that in the traditional sense of working at a firm, even though I am perfectly fine working within the confines of an organization as a merchandiser — weird, I know, don’t judge me. 

Read More
Business, LifestyleAlbie Knowsvisual merchandising, mompreneur, self care, vignette styling, creative entrepreneurs
From Entrepreneur to Employee... 90 Days Later
From Entrepreneur to Employee... 90 Days Later

Today — well today that I’m writing this, because who knows when I’ll publish it — marks exactly 90 days since the day I started my new job as a visual merchandising manager. Now in case you missed it, here’s the short version of how/why I went from being an entrepreneur to being an employee…

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowsvisual merchandising, mompreneur, work life balance
She Designed A Life She Hated...I Am She
She Designed A Life She Hated...I Am She

For the past three years, I thought I was designing a life I loved… through my home, my business, my family, and just everything. I had moved across the country with my family, my husband had a great job, I was able to launch a subscription box, I was pursuing my masters, I had shed my “baby weight” by the power of nursing…I mean, life was great…right? The hard truth that I only recently had to come face-to-face with was that I had designed a life I HATED, not loved. I was only “pretending” to be this strong and happy and put-together person. This post is an introduction to, not just new content, but a new me…a real me, not by design, but by transformation. By the grace of God, I have survived a serious case of “growing pains” and while I do not know what lies ahead or what comes next — like at all — I do know that I want to share the entire wild ride with you, unapologetically, and truly loving the space I’m in. 

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowsmompreneur, mental health, year in review, self care
How to Stay Comfortable (and Sexy) Working From Home

Last year I did a whole series on my YouTube channel sharing some of my productivity hacks & habits, from an A to Z of my go to resources to staying physically & mentally productive as a work from home mom. One of my simple yet super effective “hacks” has always been to get dressed — I learned the hard way that while it sounds nice to say you’re working from home in your pajamas, it doesn’t make for a very productive day. After having my daughter, I decided I deserved better, and now working at home full time, I made a commitment to myself to not just find bras that fit or “good” bras, but bras that I could look good and feel good in all day at home and outside. Enter ThirdLove. 

Read More
LifestyleAlbie Knowsthirdlove, mompreneur, bra shopping
What I Really Learned By Going Back To Design School

Pursuing my masters degree what something that I’d always wanted to do when “the time was right” but after almost a decade of being out of school, in 2016, I made the choice to go for it, studying interior architecture & design. While this wasn’t exactly the same type of architecture program I was studying back in 2003, talk about full circle! Have I completed the degree yet? Nope! Yet in the 2 and a half years since I started the program I’ve learned more about myself (and the industry) than I bargained for — and spoiler alert: none of it is actual lessons in design (but don’t tell my professors that). 

Read More
Business, LifestyleAlbie Knowsbehind the scenes, mompreneur, grad schoolComment