This interview is a special one for us! Laura Weatherbee and I connected years ago when we were both living in NYC. She took a chance on me when I was learning the ropes of residential interior design, allowing me to do some guest appearances on her design blog. We have since moved to entirely new places (her to Southern California and me to Atlanta) and have had career changes but have been fortunate to stay in touch.
Laura is inspiring to talk to. In the last five years she has received her Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and has given birth to her two children. While spending some time to stay home with her little one, she is making plans to reopen her practice in the near future. Her mother grew up in Hong Kong, and Laura’s middle name "Hing Chung" means celebrate China. With her unique background, Laura weaves together Eastern philosophy with Western thinking to provide holistic, embodied care.
Q: Can you share a bit about what your family looks like as well as your work as an entrepreneur? How and when did your journey as a mother and business owner start?
A: I live in San Diego, CA with my husband Adam and our two kids. Our son Hawthorn just turned four, and baby Willow is nine months old. Before kids I worked as an interior designer, and ran my own business for nearly a decade. But since then I've changed paths. I went to acupuncture school and became a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. I started practicing acupuncture in 2021, but right now I stay home full-time with baby Willow. She starts preschool next year, and I'm planning to reopen my practice at that time.
Q: Do you have any favorite childhood toys, games, activities or even spaces that stand out to you?
A: My sister and I were good at imaginative play, and one of our favorite made-up games was called "Figures". We had a couple sets of good old-fashioned wooden blocks that we would build elaborate towns with. And then we had a random collection of figurines like McDonald's toys, Smurfs, whatever. We created a whole cast of characters and we would enact elaborate storylines with them in these block towns. It was so fun. We were also big fans of Playmobil stuff. We had the large Victorian Dollhouse, and it was pretty epic. Many happy hours were spent playing with that.
Q: What is hardest for you to juggle or balance right now? Have you found any hacks that are helping?
A: I've been struggling with the push-and-pull of wanting to be home with the baby, but also wanting to work. I made the choice to stay home full-time with baby Willow until she starts preschool at 18 months, and I'm so lucky that's even an option for me. I love it so much and it's literally everything I've ever dreamed of, but also it's kind of boring! I used to think I might like to be a stay-at-home mom forever, but I don't think I would be happy with that life. I really like interacting with adults, and I have so much creative energy that I need to express. I'm doing my best to savor these sweet, slow, monotonous days, but what they say is true. You really can't have it all. Not all at once, at least.
Q: Do you have any advice for an aspiring business owner who is stuck and doesn’t know where to start?
A: I would try asking ChatGPT for help. You can set up an account for free, and it's actually pretty cool. You could ask it to generate a ton of ideas for you, and even help you set up a detailed plan. Play around with it and see what happens. I know AI can feel intimidating, but I think it's a good idea to get familiar with it and discover what it can do.
Q: I feel that being a mother often pushes you to embrace something that may not have initially come easily. For us it’s embracing the play and the mess. What might it be for you?
A: I have to agree with embracing the mess. As a former interior designer, there are so many things about my house that drive me crazy these days. It's honestly just total chaos pretty much all of the time. But I know this season won't last forever. Seeing all the toys around reminds me of how lucky I am to be raising these funny little creatures. I'm sure I'll miss it when they are grown-up.
Q: There is inspiration in so many places especially as a creative type! Who and / or what inspires you?
A: I've found a lot of joy lately discovering new places in my neighborhood. It could be a new shop or restaurant, or just a remarkable tree or garden. Part of me really wishes I could travel more, but it's not easy with two small kids. Realistically, we're not going to do much travelling in the near future, so I've been leaning into local living. I've learned that the more you look, the more gems you will find right outside your door.
Q: One thing that has helped my state of mind is focusing on gratitude daily. What are you grateful for?
A: I'm so grateful for my little family everyday. I remember being 35 and single and terrified that none of this would ever happen for me. And I struggled with infertility for years. Even though family life can be really challenging at times, it's still a dream come true.
Q: What are your favorite activities or places to enjoy with your little(s) or big(s) nowadays? (And / Or if your littles are big, do you look back fondly on any particular activities with them from when they were little?)
A: We go to the library every Saturday, and we love it. When my sister and I were little, my mom took us to the library each week, and I'm happy to keep the tradition alive. The library is amazing! Besides all the books they have games, and crafts, and story hours, and special events. And it's all free! I'm truly surprised it's not more crowded all the time. It really is the best place to hang out.
Q: If you are into quizzes and whatnot, do you care to share your Horoscope? Your Enneagram? Myers Briggs? Human Design Type? Anything else?! And if you share any of this, does it ring true?
A: Oh my goodness I love all the quizzes and horoscopes. I'm a Libra, which is represented by the scales, and I resonate strongly with that. I'm all about finding balance, and I value peace and fairness. I'm always thinking about "How do we find the middle way? How does one reside at the center of the circle?"
Q: When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Hmmm I wanted to be a lot of things, but Olympic Gymnast would be up there along with Olympic Figure Skater. I got to follow my passion of becoming an interior designer, but it actually turned out to be a lot of sitting in front of a computer. Sometimes our passions don't always translate into the best careers. Now I'm trying to get back to my roots by incorporating more movement into my work as an acupuncturist. I've been teaching qigong classes and am focused on making fitness more accessible and fun. Exercise is so important for good health, and we could all use more of it.
Learn more about Laura Weatherbee by visiting her website at https://livetosustain.com/ and her Instagram accounts at https://www.instagram.com/dr.laura.weatherbee/ and https://www.instagram.com/livetosustain/.