In CafeMom’s monthly series, Work It, Mama , powerful moms detail how they navigate their professions and home life.
Entrepreneurship takes some people by surprise, while for others it’s clear early on that it’s meant to be. Mom of two and owner of not one, but two, yoga gear companies, Andrea Morris knew that business was her future from a fairly young age, but it wasn’t until she was in the trenches of getting her master’s degree that she discovered the passion that would one day make her a successful entrepreneur .
Andrea, who is originally from Canada, was in Sydney, Australia, studying for her master’s degree in International Business in 2003, when she says, “yoga found me .” The yoga and wellness culture in Sydney became an essential part of Andrea’s identity as she strove to find balance during a challenging season. “It was infectious and grounded me in my time in Sydney and beyond,” she tells CafeMom. Over a dozen years later, the seed that was planted in Sydney, turned into a full-on business venture.
Entrepreneurship is in her blood.
Now a mom of two kids, ages 7 and 8, Andrea tells us that entrepreneurship is simply in her blood. Her father was an entrepreneur and she says that both her mother and grandfather were entrepreneurial as well.
“I love creativity, business, and relationship building and I think entrepreneurship is a great intersection of these interests,” she says. “I’ve had a deep-rooted desire to integrate my creative and business development passions since I was completing my BCom degree in university,” she continues, noting that unlike many of her peers, she never had the desire to work for a big firm. “I always saw myself staying small and hands-on, having the ability to make an impact, and really defining my own unique path!”
That path became clear 13 years after her time in Sydney.
“I was working with an innovative type of rubber and quickly realized that the material’s distinctive qualities — durability, sustainability, and a grippy surface — could make the perfect yoga mat,” Andrea says, explaining that at the time, she was employed at her family’s fifth-generation manufacturing and technology company. “From the moment I encountered that grippy compound, I knew I had my idea; I could not get the yoga mat concept out of my mind.” About a year later, B Yoga , which specializes in those exact mats, but also sells other high-quality yoga accessories, was born.
Just five years later, she purchased Halfmoon , an already successful yoga gear company that had been in existence for 35 years. “Today these brands live together side by side, rooted in shared values, and have grown together globally for five and a half years now,” Andrea explains.
Not only has Andrea grown businesses, she’s grown humans, too.
In the past decade, Andrea has become a successful business founder and owner by following her passion, and quite impressively, she’s also become a mom during that same time. Her first child was born just a couple of years after the initial idea for B Yoga was sparked, and her second, not long after. Yes, that means she had two under two while getting her business off the ground. That is certainly no small task.
Andrea faces the challenges of being a working mom with realistic expectations and a whole lot of grace. “I believe that balance isn’t static. There is not one moment when one is perfectly balanced. Rather, it’s an ebb and flow,” she says of managing her business with the ever-demanding life of a mom. “When one thing is up, the other is down. I think flowing with life’s changes and demands is possible. Surrendering is freeing and this brings a lot of levity.”
Strong planning skills are essential.
“I’m a strong planner and time manager and these skill sets serve me a lot,” she says. “I also have an incredible support network. My husband is a very active father and my biggest supporter. I couldn’t do any of this without him.”
But it should go without saying that there are still challenges and, just like the rest of us moms, Andrea sometimes still feels the weight of her perceived shortcomings.
“My eldest daughter, Madison, is 8 years old and was diagnosed with a rare condition called Williams syndrome when she was just 6 weeks old. As a result of this condition, Madison will encounter several challenges as she develops in this world,” Andrea tells CafeMom. “Madison is very small in stature, has trouble with spatial awareness and self-regulation and is developmentally delayed. To contextualize this, at 8 years old, Madison is the size of a 5 year old and is just able to write her first name and count to 20.”
Andrea describes her daughter as “gifted” and “magical,” but her condition is something that is always on her mind. “Despite her magic, Madison will face several untraditional hurdles due to her ‘exceptionalities’ as she grows up in today’s society. This reality is an ongoing challenge in my life but equally, it is a gift,” she says.
And sometimes, there’s just not enough time to do typical “mom things.” “I feel like I don’t read enough with my kids. I really need to find space for this. Mom Fail,” Andrea admits. “I also never cook! I’m not a bad cook but I never dedicate time towards this. Whoops!”
Don’t worry, Andrea. We’re certain the kids will be alright.
As for self-care, it’s all about mindfulness and acting intuitively for Andrea.
“My self-care routine is not overly prescriptive,” she says. “It’s about supporting myself in getting as much sleep as I need. It’s about fitting in movement at least three times a week. It’s about micro-meditations. It’s about nourishing my body with healthy foods while giving myself grace when I eat more than I should or things that I shouldn’t! And lastly, it’s about time with my family, in nature and with friends, finding moments of light in the everyday!”
Ultimately, it sounds like Andrea has exactly the right idea. Self-care certainly doesn’t have to look the same for every mom. Bubble baths and mani-pedis aren’t for everyone, but self-care is. And these simple actions done intentionally can undoubtedly benefit all of us.
Andrea’s hope is ‘giving more back to this world than we take.’
“Brands these days can do more than sell products; they can advance important worldly causes and missions. I do not take this reality lightly. In fact, we submitted our B Corp application this week which — to me — summarizes our impact goals of giving more back to this world than we take,” she tells CafeMom. “Of supporting the globe both environmentally and socially via all of our many stakeholders. Ultimately we want to support our community in connecting with their truths and finding growth, freedom and light in their days.”
Much like motherhood, for Andrea, running a business is about the greater good, the bigger picture.
Motherhood and entrepreneurship aren’t so different.
“Entrepreneurship has taught me a lot about leadership. And deep diving into my leadership approach has ultimately taught me a lot about myself. This has been an ever-evolving process of pushing myself to my edge for years now,” Andrea says.
Truthfully, isn’t that we all must do as mothers? We are pushed to our limits in so many ways, and yet somehow we almost always accomplish the goals we set forth. The kind of persistence and resilience it takes to parent effectively, can be used in business.
“I’ve been studying and practicing mindful leadership for a few years now. Mindful leadership is the concept of being fully present and able to hold space for my team’s thoughts and feelings in an inquisitive, nonjudgmental and compassionate way, allowing me to lead with a clear mind and open heart,” Andrea explains, noting that she doesn’t claim mastery, but that she’s committed to the practice.
“Interestingly, leadership and motherhood overlap tremendously, so for me, the two experiences feed each other when it comes to learning and growing, which is my overarching goal for myself, so I guess I’m on the right track and I’m grateful for it!”
In CafeMom’s monthly series, Work It, Mama, powerful moms detail how they navigate their professions and home life.
Imagine one day you’re getting ready to go back to work after an extended period of time off to care for a loved one after a major medical procedure , and suddenly, the whole world is dealing with a health emergency . Now, that medical leave you took is extended with no known end date.
For Omi Hopper, a mom of four boys, staying home didn’t start when it did for the rest of us in 2020. Omi had been looking forward to returning to her work as a professional makeup artist right when most of the world shut down. Little did she know, that return would never come.
As a creative extrovert and former workaholic, Omi didn’t know what to do with herself upon discovering that all of the events she was contracted for had been canceled. Within a few days of stay-at-home orders going into place, she was already “losing her marbles.” So, she turned to social media in an attempt to find some human interaction outside of her husband and sons.
Omi, who is originally from Puerto Rico, decided to record herself cooking for her family and talk to the camera while she was doing it. She didn’t do anything special — her face was bare, there were no props, she didn’t use fancy equipment, and she cooked what she already knew: a big pot of sancocho, a homey, humble Puerto Rican stew.
“I just wanted to find a way to connect with the outside world and find a way to keep myself sane … balance life at home with them 24 hours a day and cooking four meals a day,” Omi tells CafeMom. “And I was like, ‘I’m just gonna share what I’m cooking ‘cause it seems to be the only thing I’m doing these days, and I love it.”
Her foray into the social media food scene wasn’t about anything other than looking for connection and purpose during a challenging time. But Omi’s irresistible personality, love for her family, and passion for her culture, made her a quick success. In just three short years, she’s transitioned her career completely and now works solely as a social media chef and food influencer.
Not only that, but as a contestant on the latest season of the reality cooking competition Next Level Chef , hosted by none other than celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, Omi has established herself as a legitimate force in the kitchen on a national scale. And yup, she did all of that while raising teenagers — her boys are 24, 16, 14, and 11!
Food has always been important to Omi.
@cookingconomi Mi Sofrito Fresquecito!!! In English, this was the recipe that started it all for me. I started this platform as a way to entertain myself and keep busy during a pandemic. But the purpose of educating about my culture and cuisine is what has kept me. So I give you the base to Puerto Rican cuisine and the ingredients of our flavor profile. Without it, it just won’t taste the same. I share it with love **T-Shirt from @karla.and.coshop ♬ El Menu - El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico
As a professional makeup artist, Omi had dabbled in social media prior to creating her popular YouTube channel, Cooking Con Omi, and experienced some success posting makeup tutorials. But it wasn’t until she tapped into her passion for cooking — specifically, Puerto Rican cuisine — that things really took off for her.
“I love it. And I’ve always — even before makeup — I loved the kitchen. I’ve always loved creating food. I love the feeling that it gives for someone else to try my food,” Omi says. “It fulfills you in a very different way … that’s really what brought me to social media,” she explains. “I never intended to be Cooking Con Omi or go viral or any of that.”
But being 2020, TikTok made it possible for Omi to reach a huge audience with just one short video. Following fellow social media personality Tabitha Brown, Omi was inspired to master one-minute videos, which she had some experience doing for her makeup page.
After starting Cooking Con Omi accounts on Instagram and TikTok, she began posting more regularly and before long she had a viral hit with her recipe for sofrito frequesito, a classic Puerto Rican seasoning base consisting of a variety of peppers, garlic, onion, cilantro, and other herbs. Once that video gained attention, Omi began racking up followers by the thousands.
“Every time I would go to sleep and I’d be like, ‘Babe, I think I got 10,000. babe, I think I got 20,000 followers. Oh my God, I got 50,000 followers!” Omi says. Basically, things happened fast, and Omi let them. She didn’t hesitate, she didn’t self-sabotage, she didn’t doubt her abilities — at least not in a way that stopped her from pursuing what was already happening.
Omi just leaned into it and, in the process, discovered her life as a mom was changing for the better.
As a makeup artist, Omi was already an entrepreneur before the pandemic and the inception of Cooking Con Omi, but her life still changed dramatically after her first viral cooking video.
Some might imagine it would have led to a more overwhelming schedule and demands on her time as a work-from-home mom, but, her career transition has actually allowed Omi to prioritize her family and time with her kids more, not less.
Previously, she worked many early mornings, weekends, and holidays, since events generally required her services during those times. Now, Omi starts her days early and devotes specific blocks of time to work so she can be more present with her children and husband.
So what does a social media star mom’s day-to-day look like?
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Omi Hopper (@cooking_con_omi)
“You have to remember that I’ve been running my own business since before this. My hours there were very demanding. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I had an event or a wedding, or some sort of special makeup that I was doing for someone, and so, I didn’t have balance,” Omi explains.
“I feel for me personally, that the pandemic … for me, it was hitting the reset button in my own personal life and really understanding that I don’t get time back with my boys,” she says. “You blink and they are full-blown teenagers, and I’m going, ‘Why did you have hair on your chin? Like, stop,’ It caused me to be more present and be really intentional with the time that I spent with them.”
To make it all happen, Omi wakes up EARLY. She tells us her weekdays start at 5:20 a.m., when she wakes up her 16-year-old. “Once I notice that he’s actually physically out of bed, then I will go downstairs and I will start breakfast,” she says. “I prefer for them to go with something warm in the stomach.” Once her youngest gets on the bus at 8:15 a.m., she jumps into work mode, checking emails and social media (though she does have help with that these days). When lunchtime rolls around, Omi often opts for day dates with her husband, and they’ll go out to eat together. He was diagnosed with a degenerative bone disease several years ago that left him unable to work.
“It makes us happy to go have a date for an hour and a half, and then I’ll come back home and continue on responding back to emails, getting back to anything immediate, and then by like two-thirty, three o’clock I’m cooking dinner,” she says.
That wasn’t always the case. Omi tells that as a child, she always came home to a homecooked meal, and was never able to do that for her boys in her previous career. “It was always something that I wanted to do for my boys that I didn’t get to do while I was doing makeup,” she says. “For 10 years, it was always like, let’s warm up the food that I made yesterday. But again, just wanting to be present and wanting to have that, now they come home to a homecooked meal, and from there it’s chaos.”
The boys are athletes, so like so many of us, most of Omi’s evenings are spent doing the second shift as chauffeur and sports mom, helping them hunt for lost gear and getting them wherever they need to be. Sounds familiar!
But, what about Omi?
Even though Omi’s four boys are older now, all of them have their own demanding schedules, and with Omi’s career having turned her into a public figure, self-care is still something that needs to be intentionally prioritized.
“I love spending time with girlfriends. Usually, I try to do that once every two weeks if I can,” she tells us. “I love my skin care routine. To me, that’s like my ‘me time.’ I sometimes will also close the door in the bathroom and just take a long bath and forget about the world for a little bit,” Omi explains, noting that she also likes to read and connect with her faith through books.
Life isn’t always rubbing elbows with celebrity chefs and meeting fans from around the country.
Team Diageo
Thanks to her newfound TV celebrity status, Omi has been fortunate enough to get to travel the country to various events where she gets to meet celebrities, engage with her social media followers, and generally have a good time. But that’s not her everyday life. That said, she does pick up some cool new skills to bring back home and make a part of her wind-down time as well.
Thanks to partnerships with companies like The Singleton whisky and Bootblack Brand mixers, Omi has also been trying her hand at whipping up craft cocktails, along with the recipes she shares across social media. We had the chance to try one and it was so good we had to share the recipe. Perfect for summer, this Coquito Colada is just as good served up at a barbecue as it is on mom’s night in.
Coquito Colada
Serves 1
Ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces of Singleton 12-Year-Old
- 2 ounces of pineapple juice
- ½ ounce coconut cream or Coco Lopez
Garnish: Pineapple slice
Glassware: Rocks glass with a large clear cube or pebble ice
Method: Hand-shake very well with ice and strain over ice into rocks glass with a large clear cube or pebble ice. Garnish with the pineapple slice.
Living the glam life of a social media sensation and TV star is fun and all, but Omi knows that’s not really what this is all about.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Omi Hopper (@cooking_con_omi)
But even when things don’t look perfect and time with friends and delicious cocktails are not plentiful — because, let’s be real, as working moms, those things aren’t often a part of our day-to-day — Omi knows that there’s purpose to what she’s doing.
“My ‘why’ has always been my sons,” Omi says. “Wanting to leave a legacy to them that’s tangible. Not just something they watched mommy do,” she explains.
“I want something that in the event that something were to happen, they’d have something to fall back on. Mom has created something they can fall back on in case they want to go that route.”
To find more of Omi’s authentic Puerto Rican recipes as well as recipes for some of her favorite classic American dishes, follow her on Instagram and TikTok .
