Tag: Evolved Mommy

Miss January 2013: Stephanie McCratic (The Girl Who Found the End of the Internet)

We are so delighted to introduce Miss January 2013 to you: Stephanie McCratic of Evolved Mommy.

Here’s the funny thing: this journalist-at-heart, social media maven for Acumen Brands (aka the baby-daddy of Country Outfitter) and blogger extraordinaire has had her bio hijacked.  Gasp!  It’s a marketer’s worst nightmare!  Without further ado, let us tell you a little bit about Stephanie, not in her own words and with complete disregard for her wishes:

Stephanie McCratic is the founder and editor of Evolved Mommy, which makes you think she is completely legit and very, very knowledgeable about technology and parenting.  While this may be true, a far more appropriate definition is that she is just like the rest of us: winging it, figuring it out as she goes, coveting the coolest new technology (and then losing the darn contraption within a week of owning it), fighting too many things on her to-do list and trying to make time for her adorable husband Steve (aka Evolved Daddy) and lethally-cute and fiesty daughter Charlie.

Although she wouldn’t tell you this, she is gut-wrenchingly funny and self-deprecating, never hesitating to laugh at herself, laugh at life and yell at others.  In her day to day gig at Acumen where it’s all about the clicks, she works diligently every day to stare into the screen in front of her.  Once, late at night, she is certain she found the end of the internet.  When viewed in her native environment surrounded by other boots-wearing marketers and graphic designers predictably hanging out in the dark, she looks just the same as she does in every other situation: at ease, comfortable in her own skin, happy to be here and with that bemused/astonished expression that tells you she just might bust into a guffaw at any moment.  Because life is funny.

Evolved Mommy is chock full of a wide array of topics.  Evolved Daddy calls it “a mommy blog that’s kinda techie.”  Stephanie points out that a) some of the content is useful, some is not and b) Evolved Mommy is not for those who are done evolving, growing or learning: by “evolved” we simply mean “no longer Neanderthals” and entirely capable of standing upright when absolutely necessary.  Expect tech finds one week, a well-curated giveaway from time to time, and plenty of doses of life and reality in the mix. No need to be a mommy or a techie to fall in love with this site.

We’ll tell you this: Evolved Mommy just reaches out and pulls you in as though you’re chatting with a close (albeit très chic and witty) friend.  Expect a fantastic breadth of topics with astonishing depth.  This isn’t mommy blogging: it’s as though someone much smarter, more pulled-together and well-dressed took all of the random thoughts in your brain and organized them into a helpful guidebook for your own life.

Stephanie is co-producer of the Listen To Your Mother Northwest Arkansas show and can often be found spouting thoughts at conferences like TechFest, WordCamp and Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged.  She sometimes appears moderately shocked when people show up to hear her tirades.

As we plunge into the new year, we wanted someone fearless to lead the plunge. Stephanie makes life look easy, but she’s just as quick to confess she doesn’t have it all figured out.  She is good at drawing limits to her day, stepping away from technology to love on her family, trouncing to do lists and focusing on what really matters.  As we all navigate a new year, new life challenges, resolutions we want to stick with that already intimidate us and all the good, bad and ugly that comes with a life worth living, we think you’ll enjoy having Evolved Mommy as your guide.  Check out her fab site and get to know her before her first post, when she’ll have the chance to salvage her reputation!

We think you’ll really like her.

New Year, New Phase of Life: The Return to Work {New Year, New You}

New Year, New Phase of Life: The Return to Work {New Year, New You}
Written by Stephanie McCratic of Evolved Mommy. 

At the beginning of 2011 I started to feel like I needed to be doing something professionally. My year-and-a-half old daughter had a calendar packed with play dates; I had started a new mommy group with scheduled speakers, childcare, crafts and bonding activities; but I needed something more.

Freelance writing seemed like a natural transition. My blog had been gaining readership steadily over the past couple years, and I had done some freelance magazine writing and public relations work years ago.

A friend had also talked me into starting a jewelry home show business. The money was good and it forced me to get out of the house and socialize with people whom I’d never met. It’s not anything that I’m terribly proud of, but it taught me some good lessons.

After a whirlwind and dizzying year I now find myself gainfully employed as a social media strategist for a local marketing firm. And, no kidding, some of the biggest national clients I’ve landed have come to me directly because of my home show business.

The beauty of the situation is that my schedule is a flexible 30 hours per week. I started at 20 hours per week, which was a nice way to transition back to an office /day job setting. Now at the current 30 hour schedule I still get one weekday off with my toddler-turning-preschooler. If I were working 40 hours per week I would only see her for the 2-3 hours between when she gets home and when she goes to bed each night.

This arrangement is fantastic for our family, and it isn’t an option with every job. Although, I think it should be more common than it is.

How is my day different today than it was last year at this time:

Then                                                Now

stretchy clothes                            Heels
10 am play dates                           7 am professional development groups
Nap strikes                                       anxious clients and lost emails
Quality time with baby               Stimulating adult conversation

 

Returning to work isn’t for everyone at this stage, in just the same way that staying home isn’t for everyone.

Life has changed drastically in the last two month:

–          My body weight has increase, I’m assuming from stress eating or maybe business lunches or possibly even just winter.
–          My schedule is still a little wonky.
–          My husband and I haven’t yet figured out who takes our daughter to childcare and picks her up on what days.
–          The people I see regularly are changing (and this is the hardest part). I rarely see my mommy friends these days.

Hopefully, the dust will settle soon and the mental, emotional and financial rewards will be more obviously apparent.

No matter what, though, I still want a nap at 2:00 p.m.

 

Stephanie McCratic is the author of EvolvedMommy.com, where she writes about technology, trends and (mostly) non-sense for the modern mom. She has recently returned to work after two years as a stay-at-home mom. Her official title is Community Shepherd, but that’s just fancy, marketing speak for social media strategist at The Belford Group in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she tweets and blogs professionally.