Titi is a line of beautifully handcrafted clothing designed especially for motherhood. With limited edition textiles, a built-in support system, and flattering silhouettes, Titi is a nursing line that fits a woman’s style, personality and special needs. Titi will help every woman shine during this special time, so that while breastfeeding at home, in the park, or at the office, you will feel beautiful and confident, comfortable and supported. titicollection.com

In 2008 you started your business, the Titi Collection. Can you tell our readers about the Titi

The Hoodie (Bloom)

Collection and how you came up with the idea?

TITI IS A BEAUTIFUL LINE OF CONTEMPORARY NURSING WEAR. OUR COLLECTION FEATURES FASHIONABLE TOPS MADE FROM STRETCH SILK AND OUR SIGNATURE PURPLE ITALIAN LACE. THE TWO FLATTERING SILHOUETTES, “THE HOODIE” AND “THE BLOUSE” OFFER THE UTMOST COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE FOR BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS WITHOUT SACRIFICING STYLE!

AKIA AND I STARTED TITI IN 2008. I APPROACHED HER TO DO THE LINE WITH ME SHORTLY AFTER THE BIRTH OF MY SON, LEXINGTON. I REALIZED THERE WERE NO DECENT OPTIONS OUT THERE FOR SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND COMFORTABLE TO WEAR WHEN NURSING… AND TRUST ME, I DID MY RESEARCH! I WANTED SOMETHING TO ALLEVIATE THE “KUFFUFAL” ASSOCIATED WITH NURSING, SO I FIGURED OTHER WOMEN MUST TOO!

The Titi Collections has been featured in major publications such as In Touch Weekly, L.A. Splash Magazine and you’ve even presented a few items from your collection at the Golden Globes Gift Suite. How exciting, congratulations! How did this happen? Did you pursue the opportunity or did they approach you?

A BIT OF BOTH. YOU HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AND SAY HELLO TO PEOPLE AND LET THEM KNOW YOU ARE THERE. THAT SAID, IF YOU HAVE A GREAT PRODUCT SOON ENOUGH THEY START COMING TO YOU.

How do you manage your daily schedule of being a MomPrenuer and a mom?

The Blouse (Luminous)

COFFEE, TEA AND CHOCOLATE!

A LOT OF HELP! IT IS HARD, BUT WHEN YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO, YOU MAKE TIME, EVEN IF IT MEANS YOU DONT GET AS MUCH SLEEP AS YOU PROBABLY NEED. WE KNOW THAT THESE YEARS ARE PRECIOUS AS THE CHILDREN GROW UP, AND YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS A SECOND OF THEIR ADVENTURES. HOWEVER, THE REASSURING THING IS KNOWING THAT THEY LEARN SO MUCH MORE AND BROADEN THEIR HORIZONS BY INTERACTING WITH OTHER CARING AND NURTURING ADULTS OTHER THAN YOURSELF. WORKING FROM HOME IS A HUGE BLESSING, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT WHEN YOU’RE ABLE TO TAKE A BREAK YOU CAN SPEND THAT TIME WITH THE KIDS, AND GENERALLY OVERSEE THEIR CARE. IT DOES SOMETIMES MEAN THAT THINGS DON’T GET DONE IN THE TIMELY FASHION WE WOULD LIKE OF OURSELVES, AND CERTAINLY PRE-KIDS. HOWEVER, LIFE IS SHORT AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT WILL GET DONE ANY FASTER BY STRESSING ABOUT IT! THE KEY TO THE SCHEDULE ON A NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY BASIS IS TO CREATE CLEAR BOUNDARIES AND STICK TO THE ROUTINE. WHEN EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE LITTLE GUY, KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT IT MAKES FOR A SMOOTHER RIDE.

For other moms out there who are interested in starting their own business or are just getting off the ground with their new businesses, do you have any tips, tricks of the trade or advice for them?

CREATE REALISTIC GOALS AND STICK WITH IT!! NOTHING HAPPENS OVERNIGHT AND THERE IS ALWAYS A TIPPING POINT! BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE. ENLIST HELP! DO THE MATH… IF YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING GREAT, BUT MAKE SURE YOU ARE CLEAR ABOUT HOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS ACTUALLY GOING TO CREATE INCOME, OTHERWISE IT IS JUST A HOBBY, WHICH IS FINE BUT PERHAPS NOT SO NECESSARY TO SACRIFICE AS MANY HOURS AS YOU INEVITABLY WILL. IN OTHER WORDS, DON’T FAKE IT, DO YOUR HOMEWORK, MAKE A CLEAR BUSINESS PLAN AND THEN BE PREPARED FOR EVERY PLAN TO FAIL ROYALLY… KNOWING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN AND MOVE ON AND GROW MORE FRUITFUL WITH EACH NEW CHALLENGE OVERCOME. SURE, SUCCESS IS OFTEN ONLY ACHIEVED THROUGH BIG RISKS, HOWEVER, MAKE SURE YOUR RISK IS NOT SO POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING THAT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE TOUGH FIRST FEW YEARS OF A NEW BUSINESS. SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!

The Hoodie (Luminous)

CERTAINLY THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT IS SEEING A YEAR LONG DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH PHASE TURN INTO ACTUAL GARMENTS THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY PROUD OF BUT ALSO EXCITED TO WEAR OURSELVES, FEELING CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE CREATED A LINE THAT WILL GIVE WOMEN AN OPTION THAT NOT ONLY OFFERS SUPPORT DURING THE PRECIOUS MONTHS OF NURSING BUT ALSO SEE THEM BEYOND THAT, INTO THE NEW PHASE OF WOMANHOOD. THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE IS KEEPING THE BALANCE IN DAILY LIFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO TIME WITH FAMILY… NOTHING NEEDS MORE ATTENTION THAN A FLEDGLING BUSINESS, NOTHING THAT IS EXCEPT FOR A TODDLER AND A WONDERFUL HUSBAND! LUCKILY WE MANAGE TO KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE AND KEEP PRIORITIES CLEAR AS EACH DAY PRODUCES NEW CHALLENGES ON ALL FRONTS.

For moms, “Me time” is hard to come by.. what do you do during your “Me time”?

SLEEP!
PRAY. DRINK TEA!

What’s next for the Titi Collection? Any big plans for 2009? Any chance we could get some “sneak peek” info or images?

Ooooo, WELL, THERE ARE SOME GREAT NEW FABRICS THAT WE ARE INTRODUCING…YOU ARE LITERALLY NOT EVER GOING TO WANT TO TAKE THE NEW FABRICS OFF YOUR SKIN! WE ARE GOING TO BE OFFERING THE SIMILAIR SILHOUETTES IN MORE CASUAL AND WORK TYPE COMBOS!

The Blouse (Bloom)

Visit http://www.titicollection.com to see more great styles!

Related posts:

1. Book Review: Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? So when I received this book, I read the title...
2. Celebrity Interview: Alex McCord from Real Housewives of NYC Mom Fuse recently had the opportunity to interview Alex McCord...
3. Liquid Metal Collection by Sergio Gutierrez Here’s what Mom Fuse “Mommy Reviewer” Caryn, from Rockin’ Mama,...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

How did you get involved with the Real Housewives of NYC?

Through my career as an actor and Simon’s involvement with film production, we both knew quite a few people who work in film & TV production in the city, some of whom also work in reality TV. We heard that a show was being put together about parents in NYC, and knew they were looking for people with very young children. That was in 2006, and it was over a year before we began filming, and by then the show had morphed into “Manhattan Moms,” which was still not “Real Housewives.” After our first season was filmed, Bravo decided to make our show a spin-off of the successful “Real Housewives of Orange County.”

Did you enjoy being on a reality television show? Would you do it again?

Being on a reality TV show was a new experience, and Simon and I are always up for that. We had no idea what to expect as we didn’t watch any reality TV whatsoever and weren’t aware of how the process worked. We both had various levels of acting experience so initially jumped into season determined to make a good & exciting show. Once we got a better handle on the process, we realized that viewers really wanted to believe that what they saw on the show was all there was to us, when in fact selective scenes can distort and make something that is a very small part of our lives way seem more important than it is. We worked very hard in season two to make sure we were resolutely ourselves, and pushed against any attempt to direct us away from any action or words that would be inauthentic.

Did the show have any effect on your life our your family?

The show has affected our life in many ways, mostly positive. It does take up quite a bit of time, and you might not expect this but it’s a bigger time commitment when the show is airing versus when the show is filming. When we film, it’s just having a crew of 10-20 people along with you as you live your life. When the show is airing, it’s press appearances, writing blogs for Bravo, doing interviews, etc.

You seem to have a lot of critics out there, with the majority of them saying you are pretentious. What would you say to them if you could and how do you handle the negative feedback?

Most people reject what they see as different from themselves, sometimes in an effort to convince themselves that their own situation is preferable to the other person’s. What is pretentious to one will not be to another. My behavior is normal to me and my husband’s is normal to him — ultimately I can’t control what others think is pretentious and it’s a waste of energy to try.

You have a new book coming out soon.. can you tell our readers a little more about the book and why you decided to write it?

We’re very excited to be writing a book about our experiences raising two very young children in the big city. It’s a collection of stories about things that have happened along the journey of parenting young kids, the good, the bad and the ugly. After each story we talk about what was good, what was not-so-good and how we dealt with whatever happened, and it’s in a “he said, she said” back-and-forth so that you get both parents’ perspective. The parenting books that have resonated the most with me have all been “stories from the trenches” which to me are more helpful than a list of to-do’s. I hope that people will read it and be entertained, inspired, and maybe even validated in their own parenting methods.

Is there a second book in the works? Or may in sometime in the future?

We’ve had many fans & a few publishers ask us when we will write a book about finding and maintaining love, and are exploring that possibility now. Nothing to announce yet, but we’ll keep you posted!

As a new mom of twins, I’m always interested to see what other product moms can’t live without.. Do you have any?

Congratulations on your twins!! What products could I not live without as a new mom? A top-of-the-line pump if you are nursing, sleep sacks for chilly nights/naps & those little soft velcro toys you can attach to the babies’ wrists .

Any parenting tips you would like to share?

Trust yourself as a parent, and know that what works for one child will not necessarily work for the other.

Read more about Alex and Simon and their family life here.

Related posts:

1. Book Review: Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? So when I received this book, I read the title...
2. MomPrenuer Interview: Krista from the Titi Collection Recently I had the opportunity to interview Krista, one of...
3. Jewelry For The Holidays I know Mother’s Day has passed but have you thought...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.