MMIA Magazine - Million Moms In Action Magazine August/September 2014 | Page 19
20 mogul
moms
The tribeca
writer
“This is what I was born to do. I have a message and it’s always been my
passion to share it with the world. I am just grateful that I am doing this. That
I get to write about stuff I believe in, that I want to talk about and have others
read it and best of all have them share with me how it’s affected them.”
MMIA: When did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
NOTOYA: Funny, I didn’t always think of myself as an entrepreneur
but I guess I am because I’m no stranger to entrepreneurship. A few
years ago, and a few years after law school, my husband and I (my
then boyfriend) started a laundry and dry cleaning service. After
some time, we sold the business and a year later I helped him launch,
mediatakeout.com, now the largest urban celebrity news site in the
world. After media takeout took off I went back to law thinking that
needed to continue with the practice of law. Three years later I became
pregnant with triplets and decided to use that time to pursue another
dream - to do something I have always wanted to do which is to write
about parenting, education and how to help kids succeed.
MMIA: How long did it take you to go from business idea to actually
seeing income?
NOTOYA: It took me almost two years before I made any money as
a writer. It also took me that long to find my voice. So for me the two
things went hand in hand
MMIA: Do you ever regret your decision to become a full-time
entrepreneur?
NOTOYA: Not at all. This is what I was born to do. I have a message and
it’s always been my passion to share it with the world. I am just grateful
that I am doing this. That I get to write about stuff I believe in, that I
want to talk about and have others read it and best of all have them
share with me how it’s affected them. So for me those things come
first. That said, I have learned to use my time wisely like when they’re
in school to get a lot of work done. I also rely on my husband, mother,
mother-in-law and sister a lot for help. They know how hard I’ve worked
to get my voice out there and the things I still need to do so they help
me when I ask for it.
MMIA: How do you balance the roles of mommy and entrepreneur?
NOTOYA: It’s very hard for me especially as a mom of triplets. There
are times when I have to put my work to the side even to my detriment
to focus on them because I am not just their parent, but also their
teacher and I take those two jobs very seriously. I know that at the end
of the day it’s up to me to lay a foundation for learning that no one else
is gonna do.
MMIA: How do your children feel about mommy being an entrepreneur?
NOTOYA: My kids are just going on four so they don’t get it completely
but they get excited when they see me on TV and they understand
(more or less) when I say I have work to do.
MMIA: Take us through a typical day in your life.
NOTOYA:
• Wake up at 6am
• Make breakfast and prepare my kids lunch for camp
• From 7:30-8:30 give everyone a bath and get them dressed.
• Have everyone in the car at 8:30 for 9am drop off.
• Return home, check email a