CANDID Interview: Sarah Paiji Yoo
Sarah Paiji Yoo is the co-founder and CEO of Blueland. A trailblazer in the non-toxic consumer cleaning product space, they launched a year ago (on Earth Day). Sarah and the Blueland team are redefining cleaning by ridding single-use plastic by way of a single bottle lasting a lifetime in your home. Simply put, one Forever Bottle, refilled with water, drop in their cleaning tablet, and go! Repeat forever. Their motto, “a cleaner planet starts at home.”
“Being a working mother with typically longer hours, it is very unusual to be able to see my husband and son this much, so I'm really trying to relish it. ” -Sarah
What are you doing to keep your kids engaged throughout the day, while you're all at home, and how are you approaching your work?
My husband and I are both working from home and don't have any childcare for our very active 3-year-old son Noah. Our jobs require us to be on calls or videos throughout the day, so we definitely need to plan our days and weeks carefully to ensure that Noah is engaged.
We set a high-level schedule each Sunday night for the following week. We have activities that we plan for Noah to do each day, and make sure we have the materials ready to go in advance. I've found it's so much easier to batch plan in advance rather than scrambling every day to find new activities, which I was doing initially.
I also have blocked out 1 hour for a morning activity, lunch, and dinner with Noah on the calendar every day. It's helpful to know that I have dedicated time blocked out for my son, versus feeling pressure to try to do work and play with him continuously.
And of course, TV and lots of snacks have also helped us get through this difficult time. It's like flying with a toddler - it's an okay time to break some rules in the name of survival!
How are you lifting your spirits and keeping sane in the midst of this new normal?
I'm trying to focus more than ever on being thankful. Despite the uncomfortable circumstances for our family, we certainly have many big things to be thankful for like our health and safety, as well as being able to have this special moment to spend so much time together as a family. Being a working mother with typically longer hours, it is very unusual to be able to see my husband and son this much, so I'm really trying to relish it.
What's your biggest challenge right now?
I'm typically a big planner, so it's challenging for me right now to make plans for both our business as well as our family and home life. It's so hard at the moment to make plans for the rest of the year, much less even next month.
What is your ultimate S@H garment that's giving you coupled confidence and comfort?
A clean black t-shirt and my navy Summersalt vegan silk pants.
How are you reinventing your Mother's Day this year?
I already have a growing list of delicious things I'd like my husband to bake for Mother's Day!
ARE YOU INSPIRED BY SARAH? KNOW SOMEONE THAT WOULD BE, TOO? SHARE HER CANDID MOMENT.
About this Interview Series
As Mother’s Day approaches I’ve thought a lot about the importance of shining a light on all moms, particularly in the midst of this unprecedented new normal. The world is changing, but honoring and celebrating mom remains intact. Mother’s come in many forms; some gave birth to us, some just became a new mom, some adopted us, some are grandmothers, some enter our lives later in life, some are a best friend, and some found us in times of need and invited us into their lives. As part of my Candid Interview series, I had the pleasure of connecting with inspiring women who are mothers, founders, and dynamic individuals who are sharing their stories of navigating the now and how they’ll reinvent Mother’s Day this year amidst this ongoing pandemic. -LKS
This article was originally published on May 1 by Town & Style St. Louis.