Meet Michelle Sanford of Westchester County Moms

Welcome to a Curvy Mom Blog. We are super excited to have you within our community to share your story.

Manifest your Business: Meet Michelle Sanford of Westchester County Moms

Welcome Michelle! Thank you for joining. Westchester County Mom (WCM) is an amazing parenting resource site for local moms of Westchester. What birthed this idea, and why not do a personal blog from your personal perspective?

A: Ten years ago, Fairfield County Mom launched as Fairfield County Moms Blog with the simple goal of connecting local moms. My best friend from elementary school founded the site, and I was eager to assist and take on the role of a contributor. We wanted to share products and resources that make life easier and celebrate the different parenting perspectives and experiences in our community.

My twins were born only three days before the site launched. I was a busy mom (and teacher) trying to figure out how to manage three babies (my oldest was only two!). Life was extremely chaotic, and at the time, I craved something of my own. I loved writing and documenting my journey as a new mother. I enjoyed reading my fellow contributors’ posts and thinking, “Thank God I’m not the only one.”

Fairfield County Mom pushed me out of my comfort zone. I pushed myself as a writer and allowed myself to be vulnerable. I learned coding and graphic design and how to manage social media. As time passed, I became the Editor-in-Chief and then a co-owner of the site. Then, expanding and owning Westchester County Mom in New York.

Today, I am the sole owner of both sites and am fully supported by my amazing team, family, and friends.

Before we fully dive into the interview I just must ask: you’re a mom of (3) twins included, a wife, dog mom, third grade schoolteacher, list junkie such as myself, and run two parent resource websites: how do you find the time to balance it all and still find time for Michelle?   

A: Balance is bogus. It does not exist. It cannot exist. I have a mental image of a pan balance, and I want everything in my life to be of equal weight. I want to be an amazing mother who is fully present in my children’s lives. I want to be a supportive wife and friend. I want to stay on top of all the household chores. I want to be the best teacher, encouraging all my students to learn and grow. I want to connect local moms through the blogosphere and help women feel less alone. I want to take time for myself and enjoy life. However, I have learned that balance doesn’t have to mean doing everything equally. Balance can mean giving myself a break. Balance can mean delegating tasks and setting priorities. Balance can mean being flexible and taking one day at a time.

What systems/programs do you use to help with time management and organization to better your business success? 

A: I have two incredible teams of local women. I surround myself with intelligent, successful women who inspire me daily. I have also learned to delegate tasks and ask for help when needed. I also live by my daily planner and handwritten to-do list, prioritizingmy daily tasks.

What is a typical day like for you? How many hours do you spend on your business?

A: My alarm goes off at 5:20 a.m., and I wake up before my children. First, I check my email and then jump in the shower to preparefor the day. I then wake my kids up to prepare for school (I have a 7th grader and twins in 5th grade who are all very independent). I pack lunches, feed the dogs, and, according to my children, I bark orders. I’m out of the door by 7:10 a.m. to sit in traffic on I-95. I am a third-grade teacher and spend most of my day teaching, creating lesson plans, sitting in meetings, and doing endless amounts of data collection and paperwork.

In between classes, I’m checking my emails and focusing on my priority tasks. I leave school at 3:45 p.m. and use my commute to listen to audiobooks and make phone calls (especially the call to my husband working out the logistics of the evening). Once home, I make myself a cup of coffee, throw in some laundry, and shuffle between sports fields in town as I pick up and drop off my kids at alltheir practices. I use a local meal delivery service, so I only need to heat up dinner (we usually don’t eat until 8 p.m.).

The kids are generally in bed by 9/9:30 p.m., and I sit at my computer scheduling content (and everything else!). I get in bed with my Kindle around 10:30 p.m. and instantly fall asleep, only to do it all over again the next day. I sneak in work for my websites throughout the day whenever I get a spare moment. I also schedule blocks of time on the weekends to work.

“Balance is bogus. It does not exist. It cannot exist. Balance can mean giving myself a break. Balance can mean delegating tasks and setting priorities. Balance can mean being flexible and taking one day at a time.”

– Michelle Sanford 

You have an awesome team behind both Westchester County Mom and Fairfield County Mom; how do you choose your moms to work with on an ongoing basis?

A: We have done a few open calls for contributors throughout the years, and many women have reached out about submitting guest content or joining the team. We are always looking for contributing writers who can offer diverse perspectives to our platform -fresh, local voices passionate about Westchester County and interested in sharing their experiences and knowledge.

Fairfield County Mom contributor team; photo by Three Anchors Photography

How do you feel you empower women around you?

A: Through both sites, I am giving local moms a voice. We are helping moms everywhere feel a little less alone and more empowered to tackle the challenges and triumphs of motherhood.

How did you grow your customer base and following?

A: Our readers are trying new products and services because they’ve heard them mentioned or have seen them featured on our website, a resource they can trust. Westchester County Mom and Fairfield County Mom strive to connect readers to information, products, and services that are relevant to their lives.

How do you balance social media marketing and the day-to-day administrative tasks of running a business? 

A: Delegate! I have two amazing sponsorship coordinators and one social media coordinator. We are in constant contact and work so well together.

Running WCM provides great parent resources for the community of Westchester, but it’s also a business. How do you generate income in such a competitive space consistently?

A: We offer creative promotional ideas for relevant information to our readers via sponsored blog posts, on-site ads, social media campaigns, event sponsorship, and more! We love telling our readers about upcoming family events, great local businesses to support, and anything that might make their parenting lives easier and more enjoyable. We’re committed to serving small local businesses and large national partners alike and offer custom advertising packages to meet their needs.

What is your favorite thing about running both parent resource websites?

A: My favorite thing about being a local site owner is the women I have met and the connections that I have made. I’ve become friends with women I would never have crossed paths with.

Michelle Sanford

2024 is coming in hot. Any new changes or developments you want to share?

A: Both Westchester County Mom and Fairfield County Mom are constantly evolving to meet the needs of our readers. Be on the lookout for an Open Call in January 2024 for Westchester County Mom.