On top of being our amazing Founder & CEO, Zara Terez Tisch has one of the hardest and most admirable jobs in the world—being a mom. Here, Zara opens up about her experience with the crazy balancing act that is motherhood.  

Dear Terez,

I still cannot believe I am actually a MOM! You would think after 4-1/2 months it would sink in, but every morning when I see her my heart lights up all over again. Nothing is at all like what you imagined, what you were told, or what you read about what "being a mom" was going to be like—except one thing.

To be perfectly honest, I was scared. Everybody I spoke to told me that as soon as she was born, I would just fall in love with her. But I always thought to myself, how could that be possible? The whole concept seemed bizarre to me. How could I instantly fall in love with someone that I didn't even know? I mean, I knew she was going be my daughter (that word still feels strange to me), but I still didn't quite understand the connection from this perspective. So pregnancy was fine and labor was absolutely horrible. My mind was always racing—

"Is this really happening?" "What happens if she's not healthy?" "How are the dogs going to take this?!" "How quickly can I go back to work?"

Then, Elle Jay was born. She looked at me, like really looked at me and I knew that everyone was right. She became my world. In one instant my whole life changed and she was all that mattered.  

So we've been together for a few months now and I am not only learning about her, but learning new things about myself everyday. It's not easy balancing my new life—being a mother and running a company. When I am at the office, I feel guilty not being with Elle Jay and when I am with her, I feel guilty not being at the office. I'm working through it though and figuring it out. I have made sure to carve out specific times to be with her in my calendar every single day and I am making it work.  

The best part is that I have a new best friend for life. She has opened up a whole new world of inspiration. I want to show her that she will be able to achieve anything she wants and I will be behind her 1000%. All she needs is passion, hard work and a little inner magic.  

I love you Elle Jay.