BCM - How and Why did you start apple seeds?

Allison & Alison We met in an elevator on our way to a mommy and me music class.  Our twins were 5 months and 6 months old, and we became instant friends. We began to commiserate over the fact that we could barely fit our twin strollers in the elevator and that once we got to class the rooms felt small and not so kid-friendly. After the class ended, there was nowhere to just hang out.  We rushed to a 45 minute class (inevitably showing up late) and before we knew it, it was over and we were rushing out again. We thought “wouldn’t it be great if there was a place with classes AND a playground AND an eating area and more”. We frequented Madison Square Park but on cold or rainy days there were not many options in our neighborhood.  So together with our husbands we created apple seeds.

BCM -Both of you have a great dynamic of work together. How did you team up? Why do you think you work so well together?

Allison & Alison - It was pretty organic.  Our friendship formed quite quickly and we felt like we were meant to be friends. Both of us having twins certainly added to our common connection and we both had the same goals.  We were leaving our jobs to stay at home with our babies, and this idea was a diversion…but in the direction of spending more time with our kids and our husbands.  It was a life we both wanted.  And we both lived in a community that we knew needed a place like apple seeds.

BCM -Most people do not know that apple seeds is also a family business.  What is it like working with your husbands?  How do you separate work and home?

Allison & Alison - It’s amazing how many people ask us about working with our husbands and assume it’s difficult.  I think we’d both agree that it’s been nothing but a luxury to share our work lives as a family. In truth, it makes the work-life balance easier.  At home, we don’t have to talk about work since we’ve been together all day.  That leaves a lot of time and space for other things.  At work, we share the same visions and long term goals so we can get right to the point. We all work quickly and we all focus on the end goal, our children. 

It also helps that the four of us do such different things at work. The guys take on the financials and the big picture.  We work on the big picture as well but spend most of our time with our managers and employees as well as on various partnerships and marketing.  There are days when we barely see each other since we work on such different projects. In the end, we always come together and make decisions as a foursome.

The work-life balance is so complicated for any working parent. But we’ve been lucky to have our kids with us at work nearly every day.  And when we run out to pick up from school or take our kids to a play date or an appointment, our husbands are there for us, holding down the fort.  Who would you trust more than that?

BCM - Tell us more about apple seeds.  Are there any perks for Big City Moms?

Allison & Alison - apple seeds is an all-in-one play space for families with children newborn to 5 years old.  We have a 2500 square foot indoor playground with both a sports room and various permanent exhibits including an NYC taxi, a Lego table, a shape sorter, a magnet wall and a deli where kids can buy their fruits and vegetables.  The playground is cleaned multiple times a day and is available to members every hour that we are open (M-F 9am-6pm, S/S 10am-4pm). 

apple seeds has 7 classrooms with about 100 classes in week in topics including art, cooking, science, construction, ballet, tap, baby gym and movement, soccer, seedlings gradual separation class and our highly popular music program songs for seeds. 

apple seeds also has a retail boutique with clothes, books and toys, great for impulse buys as well as gifts. We have a snack bar with an eating area, a kids’ hair salon and fun, themed birthday parties every weekend.

apple seeds and Big City Moms co-host a weekly class called “chat & snack”. Every Monday, new moms gather to meet with various experts about sleep (how to get more of it), infant safety, finding the right caregiver, and more.  apple seeds and Big City Moms also co-host regular evening seminars on issues affecting parents of young children.

The BCM Mommy Pass is of course very welcome at apple seeds.

BCM - What advice do you have for other moms who are thinking about starting businesses?

Allison & Alison - If it’s a good idea and you have a support system, just do it. Why not try?  If you know in your heart that as a mom you would be a consumer of your own idea, you can be sure that there are countless other moms just like you who are probably looking for what you have to offer.

Our main piece of advice is to find a trusted partner. Starting a business takes a lot of time and energy and sharing that with someone allows you to take needed time off with your children and family, as well as get the rest and breaks you need.  It’s a good idea find a balance with someone, in your workloads and in your lives.  You will share a lot together – finding answers to difficult questions but most often sharing amazing experiences.

Now for the fun stuff - A little bit about you both

BCM - What has been your most memorable moment(s) as a mom?

• Alison Berna - : What a difficult question!  There are so many moments – from the moment they were put into my arms in the hospital to the moment I hear them playing in the background as I write this.  I have to say that Bobby and I probably most enjoy watching them play with one another, the way they negotiate and decide what to play. I love seeing the way they go into “character” and stay there for hours on end, in their own little magical world, their imaginations running deeper that I can keep up with.  I love coming home from work with my husband and finding they turned our living room into a “theater” where they perform for us a ballet or tap dance (their version of the “irish jig”) or sing as loud as they possibly can.   
  A few months ago I was heading to Florida with some girlfriends for a girls’ weekend away.  The morning I left, I found them waiting at the door, their purses and backpacks packed (with pretend food and polly pockets) and they told me they we coming with me. “It’s a girls’ weekend mama and we are girls too!”
  
• Allison Schlanger:  I remember the exact dates and exactly where we were when both Sam and Ari laughed for the first time.  From when they were just a few months old until now – 4 ½ years later – their laughter and the things they do that make us laugh are still my favorite and most memorable moments.  Happily these are both regular occurrences in our house.  This morning Sam was laughing so hard he fell on his head.  Truly tipped over and fell on the floor head first.  (It didn’t hurt – it actually made him and us laugh harder.)   Then later, the four of us were in a cab.  Halfway to our stop, Ari leans forward and grabs the plastic partition between us and the driver.  He says, “Can you please pull over?  We are going to get out here.  Thanks so much.”  Craig and I look at each other, and start to laugh.  We were so taken off guard. We had never heard our kids make impromptu stop requests of a taxi driver before.  Ari was using our exact words and intonation.  He sounded so convincing that the driver was actually listening.  We say to the driver…”He’s just kidding. So sorry.  Please continue.”  Ari goes on with the absurdity, “Can you please pull over…” Sam joins, “Yeah we are getting out right on this corner.”  The driver starts to pull over again, we stop him again.  Now we are all cracking up because the kids sound like adults, the poor driver is not sure who is giving him the right directions, and because although we are trying to stop the craziness we have to admit the whole scene is really funny.  Even the driver caught on, started laughing and let us finish the ride... thankfully.
  

What types of activities do you like to do with your kids?

• Alison Berna: This of course depends on the season but we love living in NYC for all that is has to offer.  A simple trip to Central Park (to the rides in the summer or to ice skate in the winter) are only some of the favorites.  As much as we enjoy NYC, we often travel out on the weekends to visit friends or to see our families, either at the beach or on the farm in Maryland. The beach favorite? Being buried to their necks. The farm favorite? Picking strawberries or riding the ponies.
  We also truly enjoy not doing anything after a crazy week. We love our downtime together, the lazy Sunday morning in our PJs at the house.  But perhaps our most favorite activity of all together is playing with friends in the apple seeds playground and meeting up for regular play dates with Sam and Ari (who, happily for me and Allison, are their very best friends.)
  
• Allison Schlanger:   We also take advantage of the best of what NYC has to offer.  We love to watch musicians in Washington Park & Central Park.  We are big fans of the Museum of Natural History – just when you think you have done it all you realize there are 5 areas of the museum you have never even stepped foot in.  We love going to children’s theater productions and kids concerts (especially Mr Ray and songs for seeds…sorry total plug).  We do spend a lot of time out of the city with family.  We love being outdoors – on the beach, swimming, eating outside.  We have a great time just being together, but Craig and I agree that we are constantly amazed at how incredible it is to see our kids experience something for the first time.  The look that comes over their faces, the jumping, the excitement, the joy, the pride – it is so amazing to live it with them.  This weekend we were at a beach that had a boardwalk with rides.  The boys officially made the leap to faster, higher, not so kiddie rides.  Having them fall into us hysterical laughing as the roller coaster screamed down the hill, running from ride to ride, taking on tilt-a-whirl three times (and not for one second feeling the nausea their parents were dealing with).  We are not sure who had more fun – us or them.  
  

If you could give another mom or expectant mom one piece of advice, what would it be?

• Alison Berna:  Spend as much time with you can with your child since they grow so quickly it’s hard to keep up! When my girls were born, someone told me something that sounded so cliché at the time.  She said “just remember that the days are long, but the years are short”.   This couldn’t be more true.  My girls are 4 ½ years old now and every age has been incredible.  Bobby and I truly want to seize every single day (they promised us they’ll stay 4 years old).  You have to enjoy every moment, especially the littlest things.  Whenever you can, write down what they say.  Allow yourself to be a kid with them.
  Another piece of advice I still use from a friend -- Remember if they’re having a tough day or throwing a tantrum, “they are not giving you a hard time, they are having a hard time”.  Try to see the world how they see it.  You’ll probably see things in a new and even happier light.  In that moment always remember how much you love this little child, more than life itself.
  
• Allison Schlanger:   I would tell them not to make any decisions about the rest of their life until after that little baby is born.  It is so hard to know what you want out of your career, where you want to live, how much or how little you can take on or what you will decide to prioritize until that baby arrives.  Everything changes (even if you keep the same job, live in the same house, etc.) .  Your heart and your head will never be the same and that adorable little sleeping, feeding, pooping machine will make you a different person who may be capable of making very different decisions.
  I would also say that in my experience I have found that everything is a phase (except that we have been stuck in the picky eating phase for 4 ½ years…).  Just when you think they will never drop the bottle for the sippy cup…it is gone, just when you think they will never go to school without you…they do.  It all happens in time.  Don’t stress about it.  Who is rushing you anyway?  Having twins we realize that every child was born to be their own person and move at their own pace.  There are certain things you can’t (and probably shouldn’t try so hard to) control.  It all happens…so here’s to hoping the good eating phase will kick in one day.         
  Be ready to laugh.  It gets you through the tough times and makes the good times even more enjoyable.  I know for a fact that Craig and I have laughed more these past 4 ½ years than ever before in our lives.
  

Name your favorite BCM event to date?

• Alison & Allison :  chat & snack of course!   BCM’s weekly luncheons are really a fantastic opportunity to meet other new moms in your neighborhood.  And, I love the biggest baby shower. It is an incredible forum for expecting parents to meet people and gain everything under the sun.  It is amazing just how well done BCM events are – professional, timely and most importantly, fun.