She's a Divalysscious Mom!

Lyss Stern is one chic mama! Not only is the the gorgeous mother of two fabulous little boys (Oliver, 2 and Jackson, 5), she's the driving force behind the website Divalysscious Moms, the most coveted mommy database in NYC with more than 125,000 names on her mailing list. But she doesn't stop there. This past April her book, IF YOU GIVE A MOM A MARTINI…100 ways to find 10 Blissful Minutes for Yourself, co-authored with Julie Klappas, debuted and is filled with ingenious tips from high-profile mothers from around the country on how to relax in just 10 minutes. Lyss is also the proud owner of a terrific sense of style and a wicked sense of humor. We caught up with her to see how she does it all, and looks fabulous to boot!

OCM: You clearly are a creative spirit with not only a family but a very full plate. What's your secret to keeping a little balance in your life?
LS: As the owner of Divalysscious Moms and the mother of two young sons I am frequently asked how I balance motherhood with owning my own business. The key ingredient for running a business and being the mother of children under the age of 5 is organization. While every working woman has her own recipe for success, here is my "Mommy Entrepreneur Recipe For Organization.”

1. Your Children Come First. That means that any email and phone call can and will come after the children are happy and settled in. With today's technology, it seems that everything is urgent; however your children's well-being comes first. Most importantly, your children need to feel secure.

2. Prioritize. Make sure that your work can be done early in the morning before the children wake up. Yes, that means sometimes waking up at 4:30am to finish work (of course you'll need a large cup of coffee!)

3. Have a routine. Having breakfast with the children and taking my older son to school in the morning are crucial aspects of my daily life. Dinner, bath time, and bedtime are also extremely important for my children and for me. I try my best to put down the Blackberry and eat with the children, bathe them, read to them, and spend quality time with them before bed.

4. Have a “Mommy Time Out”. Moms that run their own businesses also need to take a few minutes out of their busy day for themselves. I have a strong philosophy that if mom isn't happy then the children won't be happy. Take ten minutes to meditate, look through a magazine, or even take ten minutes to phone a friend. This time will rejuvenate you and allow you a much needed break.

5. Delegate. Always remember that being a mom and a business owner gives you the right to delegate the work. This means surrounding yourself with a great support team comprised of positive people who have high energy. Make sure these are people that you can trust and people that can help you. It's always better to ask, then to be completely overwhelmed.

OCM: Your book "If You Give a Mom a Martini..." is full of clever ways for us moms to carve a few minutes out of our days just for ourselves. But how to you carve out time for beauty?
LS: I must admit I do make time for my beauty routine. Once a week I go to my hairdresser Eugene - we're so close that I call him my "brother". While I am getting my hair blown out I also get a manicure while I am in the chair. To me it's all about doing everything you can at once and maximize the time you have. If I need to get my eyebrows done then I'll also make sure that I do my errands in that part of the city that morning. Again all about saving time.

OCM: What does your morning beauty routine look like?
LS: It's fun being the only "girl" in my house. I think my boys look at me like I am an alien from outerspace in the mornings. My daily morning beauty routine is quite fun. After I take a shower, I put in my rollers and make the boys breakfast, they love waffles with oranges. Then I usually do my makeup, 123 ( a little blush, mascara and lipgloss) while the boys are watching Noggin. Then it's off to take the boys to school, and I am off to work.

OCM: As the the Lifestyle Correspondent for Cookie Magazine you have access to all the best new products, trends and styles. What are your favorite beauty products and fashion trends at the moment?
LS: A dear friend just introduced me to Dr. Brandt's products and I am addicted to them. I also love my Crème de la Mer and Rodin Olio oil for night. Fashion trend - that's a hard one - I definitely love this Bohemian Chic trend thats going on. I am loving my Prada Butterfly sunglasses and, of course, my Havianas flip flops for every day.

OCM: Can you give us your best tips to keep busy moms looking chic?
LS: Busy moms everywhere take note. Just because you're a mom does not mean that you should not be chic. In fact, now that you're a busy mom this is the time to look and feel the best that you can be from the inside out. A Divalysscious Mom is a woman who feels even sexier, stronger and more gorgeous AFTER she has a baby; a woman who understands that loving your child doesn’t mean losing yourself, and that being a mom is the most fabulous time of your life.

OCM: Anything else you'd like to share with us?
LS: I Love telling how Divalysscious Moms, the name for my company, came to be. The name started with the word delicious. A friend used it to describe something I did and it just clicked. Delicious + Lyss. Then when I was thinking about what I wanted to do for moms, I realized that planning for them was not simply about giving them something to do but is about making moms realize how amazing they are. Like they are stars, celebrities, divas, and Divalysscious Moms wants to make moms feel special.