Randi Zinn | The Author of Beyond Mom On Community Building
by Neha Ruch
Randi Zinn's reputation precedes her as the energetic and animated personality behind the online and offline network, Beyond Mom. After three years of bringing communities of mothers together to inspire self-care and entrepreneurial energy, she wrote her book, Going Beyond Mom: How to Activate Your Mind, Body & Business After Baby. I love her embrace of the non-linear path that got her here. Before having her kids, Micah and Zarah, she was an NYC Yogi with experience in the arts and business. Instead of returning to her prior work, she found an organic desire among the mothers she met to have space to care for themselves and build ideas. She chats candidly below about how she could turn that idea into something special by opening up her motherhood experience to her village.
How did you change after becoming a mother?
Motherhood made me more creative, more imaginative, and more confident. Somehow, I never imagined that evolution so it caught me by surprise. Who would think that just when your whole life changes, when sleep is yanked away, and so many of your intimate relationships take a shift that you might have an amazing idea that you want to run with. Motherhood opened this door for me and I discovered also for many other women…not to mention, I have a very spirited first child and he has taught me how to get stronger and more clear! Good life lessons!
What choices did you make to accommodate motherhood? Would you make them again?
In order to embrace my ideas and turn them into a reality, I’ve had to have help with my kids. This has been a wonderful choice and yes, I would do it again. Our nanny is a beautiful person who is giving so much to my kids. And I love that they trust and embrace other people in their lives. I’ve also let my husband in. I didn’t want to dominate the caregiving or micro-manage all the details. We shoot ourselves in the foot with this attitude because we’re unable to leave the house feeling grounded and we disempower our partner completely. By allowing others in, I’ve been able to be the ME within the mom experience and that’s a choice I’d make over and over again.
Describe yourself as a mother in 3 words. What kind of mother would you like to be?
Compassionate. Inspiring. Honest.
I hope to bring compassion to my children, so that they feel I love them no matter what. I want to inspire them by living my dreams, showing them that anything is possible. I hope to always be honest with them so that they know how to communicate effectively and feel connected to their own humanity.
How do you take care of yourself outside of motherhood?
I make time to move! Movement has always been my medicine. I make time for friends. Stepping out on Saturday nights makes me feel young, fun, and silly (another great reason to let your husband have his hands on the kids!). And interestingly, work on Beyond Mom feels like self-care. It keeps my passions alive and my mind going at high speed. In that flow, I really do feel like me.
Every mother needs help to find balance. what does your village look like?
As referenced above, we have a wonderful nanny. And we have other wonderful caregivers to help bare some of the weight when times are busy or we want a date night. Personally, my village consists of my therapist, my pilates instructor, my massage therapist, and Aileen, who works closely with me at Beyond Mom. Everyone keeps me real, healthy, and focused.
What are you working on improving about yourself as a woman & a mother?
I'm continually working on owning my voice. It’s a challenge at times. Sometimes I worry about disappointing people and about failure. But with each conversation, whether it's with a colleague or my child, I work to speak from my heart, from my gut, and to have the best possible outcome in my mind’s eye. With each conversation and each challenging moment, I feel my voice strengthening.
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