Photographed by Thomas | © 2017 TK Photography | www.tkphotographychicago.com
We are so excited to introduce you all to another dynamic duo of moms who “hustle” for moms, Sara Fisher and Caitlin Giles, co-founders of 2 Moms Media! Sara and Caitlin have been sweeping the field of marketing and public relations since 2011 and they are just getting started! The two are assiduous, expert multitaskers (hey, hey – like all mamas!) and super quick thinkers. Trust us, you want them on your team! They embody the true spirit of friendship, a symbiotic business relationship and success! Welcome Sara and Caitlin!
Hi ladies! Please introduce yourselves. Where are you from originally? Where do you live now? What brought you here?
Hi, I’m Sara – I’m from the suburbs of Detroit and I now live in the city of Chicago! My husband will say I moved here for him, but I also got into grad school at Northwestern, so I’d say I had two great reasons to move to Chicago.
Hi everyone, I’m Caitlin — I am a born and bred Chicago girl. I grew up in Oak Park/River Forest. We are raising our family in the city!
How did you both meet?
We met at a blog party for a Graco car seat back in the heydays of blogs in 2007! We found out we both went to Michigan around the same time and it was kismet!
You’re a mama! How many kiddos do you have and how old are they?
Sara – my two boys are almost 14 and 10.
Caitlin — I have three kiddos ages 15, 13 and 11.
What’s your favorite thing about being a mom?
Sara – I think seeing my kids grow up and mature has really enlightened me to parenting. You can’t really measure the output of what you put in until you see your little ones start to evolve into older, more mature humans. And then hope they don’t blow off all that hard work you put in!
Caitlin — I honestly really like them all as people. Older kids are cool because you can have real conversations. Our family watched the Democratic debate last week and it was fun to hear all of their perspectives, questions, etc. When kids are little, you are really focused on the day-to-day tasks involved in keeping them alive and happy. As they get older, I see all of the potential for the future fun that we will have together — taking more family trips, visiting them at college (gulp), etc.
Please share your favorite mom tips that make your everyday life a little easier.
Sara – I’m super disorganized, but one thing I’m anal about is the family calendar. So I make sure I put every game, activity, meeting, anything into a shared calendar with my husband. That way there are no surprises!
Caitlin — Empower your little people! Put them in charge of specific jobs and tasks. I tend to want to take on everything myself and do it my way. But as parents, we are trying to help our kids work towards independence. Feed the dogs! Fold and put your own laundry away. Empty that dishwasher. Learn to do all of the things that you will one day have to do for yourself.
If you have any podcasts or apps that help inspire you, calm you, help you run your business or organize your life, what are your faves?
Sara – I like the early morning daily news digests from the New York Times, Washington Post and Vanity Fair. This way I don’t miss the major headlines and I feel caught up before the kids get up. I also wouldn’t be anywhere without the G Suite products.
Caitlin — Honestly, it is other people (and not technology) that help me run my life. There would be no 2 Moms Media without Sara and all of the processes that she manages for us. Without the help I have at home with the kids and cleaning, our family life would be a real disaster. I want to be clear that I do NOT do it all (no one does…).
Is there something about you that people would be surprised to know about you?
Sara – I am a varsity letter winner in men’s football from the University of Michigan. In fact, the first female to ever do so! (I used to want to be a sports agent…)
Caitlin — I love being mom to my three people — but my second greatest joy in life is being aunt to fifteen nieces and nephews. I am so blessed to be surrounded by little people that I absolutely adore. Watching them all grow up is truly my favorite thing about my life.
For our friends who want to explore Chicago, what are your favorite local places to spend with the family?
Sara – we love checking out the Art Institute when they have a new exhibit. We also enjoy going to rock concerts at Wrigley! It’s a great and accessible venue to see your favorite band. We spend a lot of time playing tennis, and can often be found on the courts at Midtown Athletic Club. The pool deck is not bad in the summer either! My kids love all kinds of food, but our family favorite is the Italian food at Piazza Bella in our neighborhood. On any given night you’ll find tons of families eating there!
Caitlin — The Giles crew spends a lot of time playing sports — specifically basketball, baseball and softball. So you will often find us in the stands spectating at a variety of games. I love that it is all taking place against the backdrop of this beautiful city. My daughter plays softball on the UIC fields with the cityscape in the background — and that is a pretty perfect day for me. We live in Wicker Park so we love to hop on the bus down Damen to Bulls games at the United Center. Our neighborhood is full of good spots to eat. My kids would tell you that The Bristol, Parlor and Hot Chocolate are long time family faves.
Great suggestions! And your favorite local date night ideas or restaurants?
Sara – I’m a vegan, but my favorite date night place has to be Shanghai Terrace. They have something for me AND my meat eating husband!
Caitlin — I think that our best date nights are last minute, unplanned outings where we end up squeezing in at the bar to share a few plates. Love The Publican, Aba, Little Goat Diner.
You are a mompreneur! Please introduce your business.
Yes! We (Sara and Caitlin) co-founded a boutique marketing company called 2 Moms Media, LLC. 2 Moms Media, LLC makes authentic connections with consumers, specifically women and moms, using innovative and customized marketing outreach tactics and media relations strategies. We work with our clients to create and execute integrated marketing campaigns that deliver real results in line with strategy and budget. Because we are moms and marketers ourselves, we can provide unparalleled expertise when it comes to connecting clients with their target audience of parents, women and other influencers.
2 Moms Media, LLC was created in January 2011 after we realized a need to bridge the gap between how brands communicate to and reach moms. With our combined expertise in integrated marketing communications, journalism and social media savvy, we created a full-service boutique marketing agency that could service the needs of companies wanting to access this specialized niche. In the five years since the inception of 2 Moms Media, LLC, we have worked on a variety of projects from the hyperlocal store event to the national Fortune 50 product launch.
You both have different backgrounds; how did you arrive at the idea to form a partnership together?
We were both freelancers for Chicago Parent magazine, self employed bloggers and community advocates. When we were both asked to do outreach for a children’s boutique in Wicker Park and found out we were working on the same project, we thought it would be more fun to work on it together. That was it!
Do you hang out outside of work?
Sara – Caitlin never has time for me, she’s too busy! But honestly, we find time to get a lunch or go out with our husbands — on occasion! We have an annual holiday lunch and we celebrate the good things like birthdays and other milestones.
Who are your influencers and/or mentors?
Sara – We both draw from our past experiences in our past work lives. Working for the CEO of a dot-com in the late 90s was pretty eye opening in terms of having to be nimble, flexible and quick thinking – things that help with being a working mom now!
Caitlin — We are influenced/inspired by our clients! We love working with women opening small businesses. We have a passion for helping female entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life. It is my favorite part of the job.
What advice can you give other mamas out there who are looking to re-enter the workforce?
Sara – there are so many resources out there now that are helpful to moms – The Mom Project and Bonfire. are two that come to mind. Or you can join The Wing or other coworking spaces to get out and network. In Chicagoland there are just so many opportunities to connect!
Caitlin — Moms – you have all of the skills you need to be successful in the workplace! NO ONE multitasks better or works harder than a mom. Before I had kids, I was a practicing lawyer. I have totally transitioned to a different field. But my education, work experience and my time as a mom have all given me the skills that I need to be successful in my work.
Amen to that! How important is it for you to have a career outside of being a mother?
Sara – very! I think it’s important for my kids to see that I am a multifaceted person beyond my number one job of being a mom. My work stories can help put some of their school day struggles into perspective as well. I also think it helps balance roles and responsibilities with my husband – sometimes he has to be the one to do carpool duty, too!
Caitlin — I love my work and my family knows that. My husband and I are both modeling what it looks like to balance work and family (or we are at least trying…). This is real life!
What’s on the horizon for your business? Future aspirations, plans….
I think we have come a long way and have diversified well into other industries such as food, beauty and more. I think we will aim to continue to pursue other verticals that reach moms and more!
If you would like to inquire about marketing for your business endeavors, reach out to 2 Moms Media, LLC! You may also be eligible to join their Influencer network!
