BCM - How did your life change when you became a mom? 

Rhonda - Becoming a mom has changed my life in too many ways to count. As cliché as it sounds, the depth of my love for my son takes me by surprise every day. I find myself saying “There is NOTHING I wouldn’t do for this boy!” And when I say it, it feels like it’s coming from my gut, from my toes. There’s a depth to it that I don’t remember experiencing before. I love my parents. I love my siblings and my friends and God knows, I love my husband, but the love for one's child is just different. I believe it’s why mothers can lift cars to save their kid -- it’s that deep.

BCM - What has been your most memorable moment (s) as a mom? Rhonda - Again, too many moments to count… I try my best to journal and preserve the moments as best I can. I take a lot of pictures and video, but (as any parent knows) the best moments pop up when you least expect them, and they can just blow you away! I wish there was a little digital camera that I could wear on my face – a contact lens with a memory card installed, like something James Bond would use — so I could capture moments all day long. Someone should invent that!

BCM - What has been the biggest challenge for you in motherhood.  Any advice for new moms? 

Rhonda - Before having my son, I have to admit I was better at taking care of myself. I took long walks and long baths. (Don’t worry, I still bathe, but now it’s for efficiency and less for luxury). I worked out, practiced yoga, and meditated on a regular basis. Since becoming a mom, keeping myself healthy, well-rested, well-fed, and calm has been my biggest challenge. There is just SO MUCH to do! My advice to new moms is: do your best to prioritize. Put yourself, your health, and your happiness toward the top of that list (allowing other things to fall by the wayside). In many very real ways, mothers hold up the entire world – we are raising the next generation. It’s a big job. If we collapse, the world collapses with us. We must take care of ourselves!

BCM - Congratulations on the success of Ross Realty.  What was the inspiration behind starting your own business?

Rhonda - My husband and I had wanted to start a family. We had wanted it for many years and were having difficulty. It became clear to me that I had to create a situation where I could do something I loved, but do it in a way that was safe for my pregnancy and that’s when Ross Realty International (www.rossrealtynyc.com) was born.   RRI is an oasis where sellers of exclusive properties connect with willing buyers, but we are a virtual business. We have no brick and mortar office. My agents and I work from our homes, from our laptops, and from our Blackberries. It allows us to stay connected with our families while still being completely available to our clients. I think it’s the most efficient way to be in business in the 21st century.   Unfortunately, these days, there’s not a lot of personal touch in brokerage. So many real estate agents behave like robots. For them, it’s all about the bottom line. I know my clients appreciate the fact that I am a real person (a mother and a wife) who understands their lives and their daily juggles and can explain the complicated sales process from their perspective.  

BCM - Can you share some real estate tips for young parents looking for new apartments?

Rhonda - The most important thing is to find a good real estate agent to walk the journey with you. She will explain the mortgage and sales process and help to put together a team to work with you on the deal: a real estate lawyer, a mortgage person, etc.   The second thing is to focus on your credit. In this climate, there is no lack of willing sellers or buyers, but there is a lack of willing lenders. It now takes a credit score in the mid-700s to obtain a mortgage! So the most important thing young parents can do to prepare to purchase Manhattan real estate is to get their credit together: know their scores, correct any mistakes on the reports, and pay off as much debt as possible. Then don’t touch the credit until the mortgage is closed.  

BCM - You are being honored at the Figure Skating in Harlem Annual Skating with the Stars, can you tell us a little bit more about the organization?

Rhonda - Figure Skating in Harlem is an amazing organization. It’s a charity that I have supported for several years. Sharon Cohen is a passionate advocate for children. Through the organic fun and discipline of figure skating, the children are learning math and science and pride in themselves. Learning through living life! I love that! I was speechless when Sharon told me that I had been chosen to receive the Star Leadership Award, and I am so very humbled to be honored by them.

BCM - You are getting ready to launch the Limitless Mind Baby Language System, a program that teaches babies and toddlers to speak and read English and other languages.  What was your inspiration behind this project?

Rhonda - We are raising our son, Raif, to be "mother-tongue" fluent in four languages. I speak to him only in French. His father speaks to him in English. Through part-time babysitters and an immersion preschool, he speaks both Spanish and Mandarin.   During my pregnancy, I was intrigued by the commercials I saw of babies reading on TV. I bought the reading program and started it when my son was only a few months old, but I felt there was a lot more that was needed. I added sign language a few other things to the mix. Within a few months, we were amazed to notice that Raif was actually recognizing words in books, on street signs --  EVERYWHERE --  and demonstrating his literacy by doing the accompanying signs with his hands. It was remarkable.   Over the months that followed, I felt strongly that if Raif could read in English, he could learn to read in the other languages as well – even in Chinese. But I was unable to find an early reading program that was multilingual, so I created it. And it worked! By the age of two, (and to all of our amazement) Raif was not only comprehending and speaking, but began READING in French, Spanish, and Mandarin, as well as English.   I have documented this incredible two-year process. The result is a program that I call Limitless Mind Early Language System. The minds of our babies and toddlers truly are limitless and I want every child to have the same opportunity for multilingualism and early literacy as my son has had.  

BCM - Living a healthy and natural lifestyle is important to you, you even launched a website, Wholesome, that promotes ways families can live a more holistic lifestyle.  What made you decide to take your career in this direction?

Rhonda - I have been exploring holistic health for the past 10 years, but became intrigued with it once my son was born. Like many moms, I was constantly looking for ways to nourish my son’s body by building his immune system with the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes available in good, nutritious food. I also wanted to know the most gently effective ways of treating his symptoms (coughs, sneezes, runny noses, etc.) when we caught colds. I found myself going from site to site because there was no central place to explore my options for him. A small group of us got together and decided to build it. The site is called Wholesome (www.wholesome.it) and it’s a place to learn ways to live a more natural, healthy life. There is detailed information on everything from nutrition and yoga to acupuncture, herbs, and meditation. We interview naturopathic pediatricians, doulas, and nutritionists and offer answers to many of the questions that moms confront every day. It’s so important that we moms be educated, informed, and empowered to make the best choices possible for our families. We created Wholesome to help.

BCM - How do you manage your work life balance? 

Rhonda - I am blessed to have wonderful help. My husband is an excellent father and support to me and we work with several loving care-givers (each speaking a different language with my son), but even so, the work/life balance is a constant juggle. The choice that is the most successful for me is to work from home. This way, I am not forced to kiss Raif goodbye at 7:30 in the morning and not see him again until 7:30 at night. My daily schedule is fluid, I sneak into the other room to do several hours of work, then I take time to play or eat lunch with him, or put him down for his nap and then I can work again. We get a chance to relate to each other throughout the day. But whether you work in or out of the home, the balance is a difficult one. Be nice to yourself. Give yourself a break when you don't get the balance right.

BCM - What types of activities do you like to do w/ your son?

Rhonda - We are really into bike riding. He has a balance bike; I think they are great for toddlers! To me they are better than tricycles and scooters and give him such self-confidence.  When the weather’s nice, we go the park a lot.  When the weather’s no good, we can spend hours just singing and dancing around the apartment. We love it!

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FUN FACTS:   

My biggest influence is… 

Rhonda - mothers!!! 1) My mother was and remains a huge influence on how I raise my son. Somehow she was able to build a legendary career while still prioritizing her children and her role as mother – I don’t know how she did it!! And 2) mothers in general are inspiring to me, especially the ones who are doing it with more than 1 child and with little to no help! I have several girlfriends in this situation, and I sing their praises!!!

My favorite drugstore buy is…

Rhonda - anything that smells good! I am a big aromatherapy person.  Body wash, bath salts, lotions, candles… if it smells delicious, it goes in my basket! Oh yeah...and lipsticks (the kind that don't wear off); they're great when going out at night -- no need to re-apply before pictures!

My guilty pleasure is... 

Rhonda - A weekend at the spa!! I don’t do it regularly, but oooooh I wish I did!!! I feel like a new person when I return – like I’m ready to take on the world!

Favorite NYC Restaurant...

Rhonda - Though we have excellent restaurants popping up all around Harlem, my new favorite place is Bottino in Chelsea.  It's casual and chic and EACH and EVERY thing on the menu is delicious!! I don't get to get there as often as I wish (it's a trek from Harlem ), but it's always worth it when I do!