Moms, Meet Jessica Brown! Amazing mother of two, certified preschool yoga instructor and owner of Topsy Turvy Yogi!
Tell us a little bit about yourself ?
My name is Jessica Brown and I live in West Harrison, NY. I am originally from NJ (Jersey girls rock), but my husband was from Westchester and with an easy commute to the city it was a no brainer. We have lived here for 14 years this July and have been married for almost 15 years. We have two children, a daughter who is 8 and a son who will be 7 next month.
Before kids I worked in Public Relations in the city and then for the March of Dimes here in Westchester. Now I am a SAHM and owner of Topsy Turvy Yogi for kids. My business partner Diana Scharf and I met while our kids were in nursery school. One winter I was in a car accident and broke my knee. Diana was there for me the whole time and we became good friends while I was stuck on the couch for 8 weeks. It was then that we discovered a mutual love for yoga and a few months later Topsy Turvy Yogi was born.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I think people would be surprised to know that I have a bit of a wild side. My college and high school friends probably know this already ..ha! However I’m pretty sure my mommy friends don’t.
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood?
I have to go with the typical answer here. My husband who works really hard for us. He can get on a 5am train and still be there for us. Also, both our parents from day one have been a huge source of support. Especially when my husband and I need some time off. Although they aren’t close enough to help us with day to day, they are always there when we need them to be and of course love our kids as much as we do.
Favorite things to do with your kids?
Hang out! One of the reasons my husband and I get along so well is our ability to just chill. I’ll admit he is much better at this than me now that we are parents. However I feel the closest to my kids when they are just home being themselves. One of my most favorite times is snowed in days where there is nowhere to be.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization or a creative endeavor?
Topsy Turvy Yogi is my third baby! Imagine your yoga class was taught with cool playlists and storytelling? That’s what we do! We don’t have a studio, instead we travel to schools, homes, studios and special events in the lower Westchester area.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
Harrison is filled with so many friendly and helpful people. A lot of our business comes from word of mouth and we have gotten a lot of that from my Harrison neighbors.
Any time saving tips when it comes to parenthood?
Like most moms I’ve found myself constantly juggling mom life, work life and wife life. Having a business partner who is a friend helps with that tremendously. She is literally my “work wife”. She will bear the brunt of my bad moods and give me a shoulder to cry on if I need.
Only advice I can offer is that mommyhood is a job. So find yourself a good mommy friend to be your “work wife” in life to help you through it all. If yours is anything like mine, she will keep repeating good advice until you realize you should probably actually follow it.
Also I am a HUGE fan of making lists. In a notebook I write the date and what needs to get done. Keep transferring what didn’t get done to the next day. If a certain amount of time goes by and one of the items is still being transferred, reevaluate how important it actually is to get that thing done. Chances are it isn’t and you can get one thing off your radar.
