Your Names:
Vicky Thornton and Jen Rehberger
How many children do you have?
Vicky: Doug and I have one child, Aidan age 7, and two dogs (Do they count?).
Jen: Jeff and I have Jasmine, age 6, and Jade, age 4.
Your Business Name:
VickyandJen.com “What Really Matters”
Brief Description of Your Business:
The podcast What Really Matters and VickyandJen.com are brought to you by two stay-at-home moms who have taken “mom networking” beyond the next level. Co-hosts, Vicky and Jen make an impact on the way you and your family value your time, casually interviewing a wide variety of guests from professional organizers to chefs, parenting experts to doctors, and television personalities to best-selling authors. There is no lecturing or guilt, just “candid” questions, sharing advice of other parents and sometimes even confessions, all about making life simple. Visit our complete show list for a selection of over 100 shows and related companion pages then join us as we learn, laugh and grow together… and make every day matter.
When do you make time to run a business with your busy MOM schedule?
Vicky: Since I work at home, I commit to a “typical work day” schedule. I focus hard during the week when Aidan is in school, getting as much accomplished as possible, so I can enjoy time with my family in the evening and weekends. I’m a stickler about not scheduling personal appointments, shopping and doing other house “stuff” during that time – I treat it as I would any other full-time job outside the home. Sure, I have work-related tasks and deadlines to meet here and there during my “off” hours, but I really try hard to stick to my plan. I never start a new
work day without looking at my calender and to-do list the night before to prioritize what needs to be done first (including my least favorite tasks). This way, once I get them done, I don?t get too upset when a curve ball disrupts my routine – at least I can say I got the crucial stuff done that day!
Jen: My girls are not in school full-time yet, so “work” doesn’t follow a regular schedule. Jasmine and Jade always come first, so I usually only work when preschool and kindergarten overlap and after bedtime. It all comes down to this: I can’t resist a pleading “Mom, can you read this one more time? Pleeeeease.”
What is your favorite beauty tip?
Vicky: Since I’m known (and teased) in the house for counting my nighttime hours, I’d have to say SLEEP! Second to that would be lighting. I think applying make-up and doing other girly stuff in adequate lighting makes an important difference.
Jen: This definitely goes back to the basics. I feel better overall when I drink water and exercise. I know this (actually I think we ALL do) and still sometimes it is hard to make it a priority.
What did your mother teach you about beauty and fashion?
Vicky: My mom takes time to say hello to everyone she crosses paths with. I’ve learned that a simple smile and friendly greeting speaks volume. That’s when the true beauty of people comes out.
Jen: My mom is a very holistic woman, focusing on the whole body. I have learned to appreciate this more in my “old” age, understanding the reason for wheat germ in my OJ and hugging trees, literally.
What beauty/fashion tips will you be sure to share with your daughter, niece or neighbor girl as she grows?
Vicky: Stand tall, look others in the face and be proud of who you are. Like what you see when you look in the mirror.
Jen: Go with your gut and be respectful.
What is your favorite outfit in your closet and why?
Vicky: There’s nothing I like more than wearing my comfy PJ?s (any pair will do) and enjoying a snuggle fest with my family.
Jen: Jeans or khakis and a plain white shirt work every day. You can dress it up or dress it down, and it’s tried, true and comfy. Quite helpful when keeping up with two girls, a puppy and an active life.
What’s your favorite online site to shop for beauty or fashion?
Vicky: I truly count on A Mom in Red High Heels, One Chic Mama and Makeover Momma to keep me in check, give me ideas and introduce me to new sites for beauty and fashion.
Jen: I ask Vicky!
What motivates you to look your best?
Vicky: I know that if I start my day showered, dressed (in something I like) with make-up on and my hair done, I’m already off to a good start. That’s all it takes. It’s like I already feel I got something accomplished!
Jen: When I look good, I feel good. Daily life is more enjoyable when I feel rested, healthy and content. Makes my “job” a lot more fun!
As a mom, “Me Time” is limited… what are your time saving beauty tips?
Vicky: When needed, I’ll take an extra 15-30 minutes on a weekend morning and try something new I’ve been thinking about – maybe it’s applying eye make-up in a new way, styling my hair differently or pulling out clothes from my closet to create a new outfit. This saves me time during the work week when I don’t have time for mishaps, bad hair and other experimentations.
Jen: Sunday evening is Beauty Salon time. Jasmine, Jade and I do nail trimming, massages and experiment with new hair braids and ponytails. We “salon up” each other while I also use this time for my facial mask and eyebrow
plucking. Now that is major multi-tasking! Girl time galore!
Name one product you can’t live without:
Vicky: Definitely moisturizer. It’s a must for ALL of me, especially my hands in the winter, my feet in the summer and my face year round. Oh, and I’m addicted to cuticle oil. When I’m on the go, it serves as a quick “manicure”. AND I couldn’t live without my eyelash curler, AND I love painted toe nails AND …
Jen: Facial and body exfoliant! Fresh!
Heels or flats? Describe your favorite pair.
Vicky: Heels make me feel girly, taller and slimmer! Jen has a bag, watch and jacket fetish and I tend to think a girl can’t have too many shoes. So, it goes without mention that I have too many favorites to describe just one.
Jen: Flat. And comfortable. My favorite shoes are (sadly) my Birkenstocks. This is a major fashion downfall for me. I am moving too much to have sore tootsies.
What has been your worst fashion faux pas?
Vicky: Throughout high school, I wore shirts that were too large in an attempt to hide my curves and large bust rather than choosing sizes that accentuated the best parts of me!
Jen: Underdressing, no doubt.
Lip gloss or Lip Stick? Which brand/color?
Vicky: I love my Maybelline SuperStay Lipcolor in Lilac (#788 in the mauve family) because it doesn’t crack, flake or gunk up. It’s the only lipstick I’ve tried that really does last 16 hours.
Jen: Does ChapStick count?
Any additional comments on beauty and style you?d like to share:
We want to share some of the interviews we’ve done with lovely women we’ve met along our podcast journey who have inspired us and made us feel beautiful. Thank you to these beauties and many others. We wish we could name them all!
• Karly Randolph Pitman, founder of First Ourselves. Karly revolutionizes the
lives of women through self-care.
• Jessica Wiener, Global Ambassador for The Dove Self-Esteem Fund. Jess
inspires millions of women and teens to take action in their every day lives.
• Dr. Marisa Weiss, president and guiding force behind breastcancer.org. Dr.
Weiss shows us (and our daughters) how to take care of our “girls”.
• Linda Edgecombe, Life Perspective Specialist. Linda teaches us how to laugh
more, get energized and make the most out of life.
• Debba Hupert, founder of Girlfriendology. This girlfriend inspires each of us to
be the best woman, friend and mother we can be.
• Kelly Nault-Matzen, parenting expert and author. Kelly says, “When You’re
About to Go Off the Deep End, Don’t Take Your Kids with You.” She helps us to
be “ultimate parents” while putting ourselves first.
• Tina Tessina, author and psychotherapist. Dr. Romance helps us to nurture our
relationships, discover self-confidence and be happy in our lives.
• Erin Weed, founder of Girls Fight Back! Erin specializes in educating people
about their personal safety and motivating them to become their own best
protectors.
• Corrie Woods, life coach and author. Corrie helps women to design and live
lives they love – and to be exceptional women.
Editor’s Note: Wow! Vicky and Jen provided us with some fantastic resources! Please be sure to listen to their podcasts as I know you’ll love them! Vicky and Jen are like many great teams…opposite! At least in the beauty and fashion department! I’m so glad they shared their personal tips and real-life ways of looking their best to feel confident and ready for their day! I LOVE Jen’s Sunday Night Beauty Salon time with her girls! What a terrific and fun idea!
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Hooray for Vicki and Jen! I subscribe to their e-newsletter and always enjoy browsing through it when it lands in my inbox.
This whole interview was fantastic, but I particularly liked what Vicki said that her mom taught her, “My mom takes time to say hello to everyone she crosses paths with. I’ve learned that a simple smile and friendly greeting speaks volume.” That’s a beautiful lesson and a wonderful thing to keep in mind. Thank you.