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NorthSBCountyParent |
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Rachael Ross Steidl was raised in Santa Barbara. Her family, which includes three younger brothers, all tend to share the same entrepreneurial spirit. Her parents owned three stores that any long time resident will remember, the last being the wonderful cookware store and brasserie, D. Crosby Ross on State Street.
Rachael has held management jobs since she was in high school and has worked since she was 14. "I think I found that for me working was more gratifying and tangible than academia. I felt like I had a better sense of what I was good at and enjoyed when I was working at different jobs and in different fields."
Rachael's twin girls arrived five and a half years ago and her direction changed completely. Her new full time job was being a mom to her daughters, which included attending playgroups, kids classes and parks. In her talks with moms, she found that so many of them were overwhelmed to go out in the beginning, especially those with twins, and think it is going to be easier when their kids get older. "I have watched how isolating this can be for the moms, and the truth is, that once your child is crawling or walking, you have all new challenges when you venture out. I think it is important for moms to continue to have a life and be social. Our lives have changed, but they have not stopped."
Rachael quickly found herself in the position of President of the Santa Barbara Mothers of Multiples. She spent a lot of time trying to connect families with the resources they needed. She realized how many new moms were out there facing the same challenges. Simple things like getting information about available kids classes, finding a parenting group or even planning a birthday party were time consuming and frustrating. Many of the great programs seemed to be word of mouth and if you were not in the loop, you missed out. After having spent many hours on the phone with new parents trying to connect them with some of the wonderful family resources in Santa Barbara, and after realizing that there was not one easy central location to find all the resources available, Rachael founded SBParent.com to create a one-stop, web based research portal.
Rachael started her research for the website two and a half years ago while she was pregnant with her youngest daughter. After she got back into the groove of balancing her newborn and preschoolers, the site was built and has now been up and running for a year. She has over 8,000 families using the site and sends out a monthly email newsletter to 950 families. The site is free and in addition to the resource listings, it gives parents a place to sell their used children's items, tips for finding preschools and throwing baby showers, ideas for how to volunteer in the community with your children and a calendar of all the great family events taking place.
Although she loves being a mother, she feels she has finally found her niche by combining her personal experience with her education and work experience. More importantly, she is finding from the emails she receives on a daily basis that she is able to support families in the community.
What is a woman's greatest attribute?
I am always amazed at a woman's ability to multi-task. These days I am around so many women who juggle children, work, volunteering, their social lives and more.
What is a woman's greatest shortcoming?
I know I am probably not speaking for all women when I say this, but women tend to personalize things more. I think women tend to put their heart into whatever it is they are doing and then take it personally if it does not go well or they don't get the expected feedback.
What was your proudest moment?
I have to say that in the last 33 years, the thing I take the most pride in is being a mother. I have a lot of interests and passions but none compare to the feeling you get when your child wraps her arms around you and tells you she loves you. I know I am not the perfect mother and I make mistakes everyday, but I also reap the rewards of hearing my children say their first words, watching their independence develop as they start school and seeing the way they interact with others.
What is your greatest indulgence?
Ever since I had children my greatest indulgence seems to be coffee. Not only do I need it to keep my energy up, but also it somehow is a nurturing treat in the afternoon when I am feeling run down. A close second is pampering myself with massages and facials.
Describe a perfect day in Santa Barbara:
A perfect day in Santa Barbara starts with breakfast in bed and five minutes to read the newspaper followed by a workout at the gym or rollerblading on the beach (of course exercise seems to take a back seat to everything), swimming with the kids and a picnic dinner at the Mission Rose Gardens with friends.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Apparently I love to be busy because I never seem to slow down - much to the frustration of my family and friends. I would love to stop being such a perfectionist and take time to enjoy life and the littler things I take for granted.
What is your most marked characteristic?
I think most people who know me, and work with me, would say that I am a very passionate person and when I believe in something I put 110 percent in to it.
What is the worst thing about Santa Barbara?
The worst thing about Santa Barbara is that once you have lived here, you are spoiled for anything else. It is also frustrating to see the cost of housing continue to go up. I see a lot of families working multiple jobs and sacrificing a lot to be able to own property in Santa Barbara.
What's the secret to your success?
I set high expectations for myself and I won't settle for mediocre. I think there is always room to improve. I also spend a lot of time talking to others so that I continue to learn along the way.
What's your motto?
When I think of what I want to teach my children and what was taught to me by my own mom, I would say that giving back is important for yourself, those you help and in setting an example to others.
