mom boss – The Whatever Mom

Jacqueline Ramirez (Jackie for short) is mom to two teenagers, ages 14 and 17, an incredible iPhone photographer and the owner of Hudson Valley Exposed blog, chronicling her travel adventures over six different counties in the Hudson Valley. On top of her busy life raising kids, she produces digital guides and lists for budget friendly places to take the kids to play, for ice cream, the movies, local events, farmers markets and even date night ideas. She makes light work for busy parents planning their family fun.

Originally from the Bronx, Jackie settled in the Hudson Valley just after college and has taken many adventures with her family. Alongside her recommendations for family friendly trips, she gives tips for travel and snapping just the right pic with your iPhone. Even if you are not currently living in the Hudson Valley, take a look at all the exciting things Jackie shares and you may be inspired to take the trip.

Meet Jackie!

How do you help families find their weekend adventures? I offer digital Hudson Valley Guides and lists they can use to plan their next day together.

Where in the Hudson Valley are you located? I am completely digital – on the web and social media.

Who do you write your blog for? Anyone looking to see & do new things in the Hudson Valley.

Why did you begin blogging these adventures? I want to help others explore the Hudson Valley the easiest and stress free way. I encourage everyone to explore without breaking the bank.

How do you most relate to the Whatever Mom philosophy? I think women can do it all. Motherhood, business owner and more.

What do you want other moms to know about you? I love what I do and look forward to providing important information to others. I sometimes struggle with organization and feel completely overwhelmed the majority of the time.

What makes you stand out as a mom? I take my kids on all my Hudson Valley outings and make them a part of my online business journey. I have no family up here and we are doing all of this completely on our own.

Where can others find Hudson Valley Exposed? Find my website or follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

Meet my friend Kelly Fears! Not only is she a mother and business owner, but she also donates her time to supporting other moms. She runs a support group for moms surviving infant loss and a group dedicated to helping other moms run a businesses.

Kelly started her own business making customizable gifts, shirts, tumblers, totes and more, as a way to express her creativity while staying home with her two adorable children. She built her business from scratch and is dedicated to helping other small mom run businesses succeed.

How did you come up with the name for your business? Olive & Elm is a mash up of all my children’s’ names. My twin daughters Ellie & Emma past away on their due date, and I really wanted to make sure all my children were included in the name.

What types of products do you offer through Olive & Elm? Signs, Gifts, Décor, Shirts, Tumblers & more. I also co-admin a local, small business mamas group on Facebook. I put several hours in each week curating content to help small business mamas navigate being a mom & running a small businesses.

Where are you located? I have two locations, one in Dutchess County NY an one in Saratoga County, NY.

Describe your business mission: I create customized items people need with a personalized touch, and offer them the experience to talk to the creator of their products.

How do you relate to The Whatever Mom Philosophy? Honestly, since reading your blog it has helped me to let go of the imperfections that I felt were a character flaw and my failures as a mom/wife etc. So, Identify with your struggles and the reminders to sometimes just say “Whatever” and embrace the messiness.

What do you want other moms to know about you? I also run a support group for moms who have lost mono/mono twins. I started the group in early 2014 after my mono/mono twin loss. It is an extremely rare and extremely high risk pregnancy survival rate, at best it’s about 50%. It was hard to find groups that understood the rare nature, the high risk and then the loss. I created the group in hopes of connecting families who have walked the same path as we did for support and understanding.

What makes you stand out as a mom? I think I’m fairly funny and easy going despite having gone through some of the darkest pain most parents could ever imagine. And, I love owning my small business. I try to help other moms find the in’s and outs of owning a small business as well.

Where can moms find you? Olive & Elm Crafts Facebook Instagram and TikTok.