February 3, 2014 5:42 pm Meet Erin Russell, Balancing a Career in Finance and Two Sets of Twins!
What do you love to do with your children? How old are they? And what is your greatest wish for them?
I have two sets of twins (girls just over 7 and boys who are 4), and I love to go on cultural adventures with them. I can escape my daily routine, whether it is at the Bronx Zoo, Peabody Museum at Yale, A New Victory Show in NYC or even just a day at the Children’s Museum in Norwalk Ct. I love watching my children, seeing the world through their eyes. My wish for them is to be kind, confident and find their passion in life whatever it may be… as only in that vein can you find success and happiness.
When and where are you the happiest?
Double edge sword – I am happy watching my children discover joy but am also happy with the big and little successes that come with the career I have chosen (which may require me to not be with my kids throughout each day). In finding great joy and confidence at work, I believe I am a better mom and truly at my happiest – and therefore the quality of my time and focus with my children is amplified.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Bhutan – a forbidden and relatively undiscovered world that I would love to explore and simply talk to those that have chosen to live in an area untouched by modern day advances.
What quality do you most admire in a mother? And what woman has had the biggest impression on you?
That is a loaded question – I love a mother who literally devotes herself to motherhood like a profession and wakes up each day deciding what it is going to be as opposed to going through the motions of checking off getting the kids on the bus, doing laundry and getting to bed. The stay at home mom who chooses each and every day to be the best she can be at her chosen profession. On the other hand, I adore the working mother who is showing her children that you can have both albeit with concessions. The mother who has so much pride in what she has accomplished that she wants to shower her kids in it and develop their sense of “self worth” and “self confidence” because she has found greatness both at home and at the office.
My mother has had the biggest impression on me – she had four children and loved all equally but pushed all differently and distinctly based on who she knew they could each be. And as mentioned above, she treated motherhood as a profession with passion and pride like you would in a job you loved. She taught me to believe in myself, find my castle in the air but build a foundation beneath it and to never short myself on an opportunity I deserved. At the same time, she was a constant example of love of family, duty of family and capacity for friendship.
What is your favorite book? Movie?
Wild Swans; It’s a Wonderful Life.
What personal achievement are you most proud of?
The partnership I have created with my husband. Together, we have built an amazing home, made smart decisions for our children’s and family’s future and are raising four wonderful, kind, confident and good children. And then I can’t deny that I have a ton of pride in that I am the first and only woman at my private equity firm, constructing a role for myself that is incredibly value added for the firm and personally super satisfying.
What do you feel is your strongest talent?
Multi-tasking without anyone knowing.
What do you like to do for fun?
Sports – run, golf, play tennis or coach soccer.
What is your favorite time of the day and why?
9pm – when the house is quiet and I can see my sleeping children’s beautiful faces and remember I have done well for myself, with a glass of wine in hand of course! The perfect time to reflect and be still in a life that is constantly in motion.
Where is your favorite place to Party with Moms and what do you like to drink?
A great restaurant or around the kitchen table of a friends home with good food, conversation and drink – red, red wine.