Name: Ashley Zuppas
City: Miami Beach, Florida
Business: The House of Gather
Website: thehouseofgather.com

First, tell us about yourself!  Where are you from, what do you do, how many kiddos do you have, etc.

I was born in Boulder, Colorado and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I am the owner and creative director for The House of Gather, an event planning and design company based in South Florida. I have a son by the name of River. 

You are a true boss mom - in your own words, tell us what boss mom means to you.

Being a boss mom to me is being passionate in all areas of your life, continually growing and learning how to be better, and doing whatever it takes to set goals and achieve them. The goals can be anything- it doesn't always have to do with business. A boss mom is well rounded and dedicated to being the best women she can be for her family. 

What are three things you do to balance working mom life?

Yoga, running, meditating, reading journaling and beauty appointments. Sorry, that's more than three but all are huge in balancing a crazy work schedule and being a mom. Basically prioritizing "me" time and things that make me feel my best most sane self. So when I am in mom mode I filled with love and patience and to give to my little guy.  

What did you give up to get where you are today? What did you have to sacrifice?

Sleep, I don't really get much sleep in this season. I think people that are going after their goals forget that something always has to give. It's a balancing act in my home, sometimes my house is messy so I can sleep that extra hour after working my night jobs. Sometimes I have to order dinner in so I have time to send those extra emails. It's about prioritizing and changing things up so it all balances out eventually. 

If you had any advice for first time working moms, what would it be?

Turn it off when you get home if you can. Be as present as you can with your kiddo for the few hours you have at night with them. It's not easy and sometimes I struggle with it but we only have a limited time so let's use those hours the best we can.

Okay tell us...one mom you follow, one podcast you listen to, one blog you read...what boss mom out there is inspiring you right now?

Alexis Andra from @theshiftcreative she is such and inspiration and is killing the design game!  I am obsessed with the podcast Jen Gotch Is OK Sometimes. @jengotch (she's not a mom- don't put that in but just wanted to say that) She is hilarious and discusses issues that a lot of people don't cover. She runs a successful company called @shopbando and talks a lot about her personal journey with anxiety and depression. I personally have anxiety sometimes and it's nice to be reminded that a successful business woman like her goes through the same things I do. 

Who is one woman in your life that has helped you?  What did she do?

I really can't choose just one, I have had a tribe of many different women impacting my life in every season. The girls at We Are Boss Mom have changed my life. WABM has a group of women from all walks of life in all different areas of business. It has been the best resource and my business wouldn't be where it is today without it. 

What is something you have failed at in this journey of motherhood and working?

Prioritizing my time. I started working from home about a year ago and I would say I didn't truly start working daily until about 3 months ago. It's so easy to get distracted and drop everything to spend time with your kids, clean the house, make dinner, etc. Working for yourself and from home is not easy, it takes a lot of self discipline and maintaining it. I am really good at finding everything else that needs to be done instead of actual work. I discovered SELF journal- which has changed my daily work life and schedule. I finally set goals, time blocked my day out and have seen the best results! 

At We Are Boss Mom, we know we can't do this without support, community and cheerleaders.  Who is your #1 fan and what do you want to say to him/her?

I have a few, for different areas of my life but I would say my #1 is Channell Oliver. It's not easy doing this on my own, as a single mom, and she has been my number one support system and gal pal in that since the beginning. We both are working single mom's and lean on each other through the craziness. And our kiddos are the exact same age so we share the fun stories and not so fun stories. Which is great because it reminds me I am not alone. 

Finally, what is the one quote you live by?

I love the word persevere: to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. 

Do you have a BOSS MOM in your life that you'd like to nominate to be featured on our blog? Comment below!!