This month’s Meet a Mom is my friend, Anna Leder, who never ceases to amaze me. She is the woman who does it all — she is first and foremost the Mommy of two adorable boys and an entrepreneur who keeps adding more to her plate! Read below to learn a bit more!!
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in town? Well originally I was born in London and my Dad’s job transferred my family to the US in 1985. We moved to Larchmont where I lived until college. I have lived in Rye Brook for 14 years now and love to call it home!
Child(ren) and Age(s)? I have two boys ages 9 and 11. They’re in 4th and 6th grades and keep me busy with sports and activities!
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…I guess that I was born in England would surprise people and also that my legal name is Julie. Anna is my middle name. Shortly after I was born my parents decided to call me by my middle name but never changed it legally so all legal documents and licenses say Julie.
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood? OMG so many people. Mostly my mommy friends. I joined a group at Greenwich Hospital shortly after my first son was born. I had bad post partum depression and some c-section complications so I was a mess. Having other moms to commiserate with, get advice from and honestly just have as company was hugely helpful. It was a hard transition from working full time to being home alone with a colicky baby and they saved my sanity. As I get older and the kids get older I still feel like I rely on my friends as a sounding board and of course my husband and family.
Favorite things to do with your kids? I love watching them play sports and see the passion they have for what they do. I love reading with my younger son and watching them both learn and grow as people. My younger son loves to go to movies and broadway shows so we try to do that as much as possible. My older son is getting into the years where he seems to want nothing to do with me! Sadly.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in the corporate world? Please share! People joke that I’m like mommy rabbit from Peppa Pig because I have so many jobs! Prior to having kids I was a Guidance Counselor in the Bronx but did not go back to that field after kids because my husband travels so much that it seemed too hard. I took on the role of Rye Brook HamletHub (HH) Editor about 6 years ago. For those who don’t know, HH is a place to get local, positive news. I mostly share what’s going on in our schools, our town, recreational events, people doing amazing things and new businesses that are opening. Seeing a need for people to have a place to ask questions and get advice led me to create the Facebook page Rye Brook Residents. Initially I called it Rye Book Moms and then had Dads who wanted to join so I renamed it Rye Brook parents and then found that teens and HS kids wanted to join so hence the name, Rye Brook Residents. It’s a place to ask questions, seek advice and there’s no solicitation so it has a great feel I think. Seeing a need for a place for people seeking to sell goods I created Rye Brook Sales. So I am the administrator for those two pages and try to keep it a safe place for Rye Brook residents to communicate. A few years ago I became a Beautycounter Consultant. I was looking for the “best” tinted moisturizer and Beautycounter popped up in my search results. Having never heard of it I did some research and fell in love with the brand, so much so that I started selling it. The company is amazing and focuses on education first, solutions second. So much of what we put on our skin and in our bodies has hormone disrupters and carcinogenic ingredients. Beautycounter is safer skincare, makeup, bath and body products and there’s a great mens line and sunscreen line too! And lastly, and perhaps the most exciting job/career I have in being a Realtor with Houlihan Lawrence in Rye. Helping people find or sell their home is an amazing feeling. I sort of feel like a matchmaker! I have so many contacts throughout Westchester, I have the platform of HH to help promote it, and most importantly I love Westchester and Rye Brook in particular. It felt like the perfect career move for me. I also began working at KTI nursery school this Fall as an Assistant Teacher and LOVE the kids I work with and teachers. So I am definitely busy, but loving every minute of it!
