2024 / Issue 24 - GLAM MOM Magazine

COVER MOM

Ella Rose

CREDITS

COVER MOM INTERVIEW

Ella Rose: "I want to look back on my life, knowing I stayed true to my values and lived a life filled with love."

01. Dear Ella, please introduce yourself to our “Glam Mom Magazine” readers.

Hi, I’m Ella Rose. I’ve been modeling since I was 21, and throughout my career, I’ve modeled for brands like GUESS, appeared on billboards in Los Angeles—where I’m based — and have been featured in music videos and on magazine covers. I’m also a proud mom to my 7-year-old daughter, Lily.

02. Who is your biggest inspiration?

I draw inspiration from strong women, especially fellow moms. J.K. Rowling, for instance, is one of my role models. As a single mom, she wrote one of my favorite books and showed incredible perseverance. Princess Diana is another inspiration for me, always radiating kindness and grace.

03. As a model and a mom, you travel a lot. How do you balance motherhood and your career?

I used to travel much more, but I’ve scaled it back over time. Whenever I do need to travel for work, I always make it a priority to bring Lily along with me whenever possible.

04. What’s your favorite activity to do with Lily?

We love to travel and enjoy fun activities together, like trips to Disneyland. We also host BBQs at home with friends—those are some of our favorite moments.

05. Do you see yourself having more children in the future?

I love being around kids, so I would be open to having more children. That said, I’m content with just one as well. Whatever life has in store for me, I’ll be happy with it.

06. Can you give us an exclusive sneak peek into your future plans?

I can’t share too much just yet, but I’m working on something exciting — stay tuned!

07. ⁠Share with us two fun facts about you that only your mom knows.

I’m the oldest of four kids, and the only girl, so I was quite the tomboy growing up. I spent a lot of time playing sports with my brothers and was always active and full of energy as a child.

08. What’s your biggest dream?

My biggest dream is to live a life full of purpose and fulfillment, one where I can make a positive impact on others. I also dream of being the best mom, friend, and partner I can be. I want to look back on my life knowing I stayed true to my values and lived a life filled with love.

09. Who is your favorite celebrity mom?

J.K. Rowling, without a doubt.

10. How was your photoshoot with the "Glam Mom" team in the USA?

It was fantastic! The whole team was wonderful to work with. I’ve worked with Alex, the photographer, before, and he’s always amazing. It was a great experience!

In times of hardship, reinventing yourself is a survival necessity, but in everyday life, it’s a skillset that empowers you to achieve goals beyond your imagination.

Anali Bermudez

Let me introduce myself, I’ll try to keep it short and sweet. I was born in Peru and came to Belgium when I was 5. I grew up as one of three kids of a single mother. We had the basics, like food and a roof over our heads. I fell in love, became a mother at 20, and was a single mom at two points in my life once with one child and later with two. I started a business, became the managing director of my husband’s business, reinvented my business a few times during COVID. And I’m currently working on building my own consultancy firm. My husband and I are first-generation entrepreneurs, which means I had to learn everything on the go as I managed it all.

Life, with all its ups and downs, has shaped me into the woman I am today. I’ve grown from a young girl who had nothing to a woman who is creating a life of abundance for herself and her family. A life where dreams can be both dreamed and achieved. As long as you put your mind to it and work hard, anything is possible! It’s important to have a vision and incorporate strategy, marketing, and financial wisdom. This is where I thrive, and it’s what my new firm, Anali Bermudez Consultancy, is all about. I can’t reveal too much right now, as this consultancy will be the first of its kind. But stay tuned if you’re interested in creating a financially free retirement life or being the first in your family to build generational wealth.

Being creative truly fulfills me on a whole other level too. This passion is evident in everything I’ve done throughout my life, especially more recently in my company, The Creative Hub, where I combine all of my creative skill sets. As an on-site project manager for live events, I also create a vault of behind-the-scenes videos, capturing the essence of the work we do.

I have a natural service mentality that has gotten me into trouble more than once, but it’s not something I’m willing to change. While some may see it as a weakness, I see it as a strength finding the silver lining in hardship and the good in people. I celebrate this by creating The Origin Network events, where I organize couch sessions for a small group of entrepreneurs, allowing authentic, heartfelt, judgment-free conversations to flow naturally without constraints.

For some, this may seem like a lot, but for me, it comes naturally. I can do it all because I have a clear vision of what I want to accomplish and the time I want to dedicate to each area of my life. One thing that overlaps it all is being a mother. My children have saved me in more ways than I could ever sum up. They’ve taught me so much and made me the woman I am today. Returning that favor is both as easy and as hard as it seems. Easy, because guiding, advocating for them, thinking about their safety, and meeting their needs comes as naturally as breathing. But also hard, because I constantly question myself could I have handled things differently? Am I doing it right, or am I screwing them up?

The fact that there is no guideline or manual for being a parent is both challenging and freeing. But maybe that’s the beauty of it. Raising humans with different experiences, opinions, and questions makes us all unique and makes the world interesting and worth exploring, don’t you think? I believe you can create a world that works for you and your family. You don’t need to follow in others’ footsteps, opinions, or the crowd. By changing the present, you can change the future, and in time, you create your own history. Make sure it’s one you want to tell. One that gives you goosebumps or makes your heart skip a beat every single time. But most of all, make sure it gives you a sense of peace and achievement, knowing that, yes, you did that!

Before I end my ‘little’ introduction, I want to share a conversation between my daughter and me.

A while back, I was watching the movie Young Women and the Sea. My daughter joined me for the last 30 minutes, so I had to fill her in. I explained that the story was about a girl named Trudy Ederle who wanted to swim but couldn’t because girls weren’t allowed. She asked, ‘Why?’ I told her that back then, men believed that women’s only focus should be the house and raising children, and that they weren’t physically capable of doing the same sports as men. She replied, ‘That’s not true,’ and rolled her eyes. I said, ‘I know, but those were the rules back then.’ She responded with, ‘SCREW THE RULES!’.

And I couldn’t agree with her more. (Also, proud mommy moment here!) I don’t follow the norm, and that’s exactly how I like it!

I guess what I want to say is that in an environment where we expect so much from each other and ourselves, we need to understand that no rules are written in stone. Just like there’s no manual for raising children, there’s no manual for how you should live your entrepreneurial life with kids. So dare to create one that fits perfectly for you.

So yes, I have multiple disciplines where I thrive, and that works for me. I’m not willing to change, let go, or choose between them. To quote my 9-year-old: ‘Screw the rules!’.

I’m a mom of three, building generational wealth for my family. I’m an on-site producer and event manager with TCH and love connecting entrepreneurs through TOS network events. With Anali Bermudez Consultancy, I’m ready to reshape the landscape of entrepreneurship by combining all of my years of experience in every field to empower couples to embrace their individual dreams while fostering a strong foundation of love and respect.

My purpose with this article is to hopefully inspire and empower women to live life on their own terms and bloom into their full potential. Thank you so much, Glam Mom Magazine, for giving me the opportunity to do just that and on my birthday month! Some things align just perfectly (rose emoji).

Besos from this soon-to-be 39-year-old Virgo,

Anali

Balancing Passion, Family, and Empowerment Through Fashion and Motherhood

Archana Sadanand Nair

I’m proud to be one of the pioneers in my industry, especially as one of the first South Asian influencers to focus solely on Instagram. Back in 2014, when I first started sharing my passion for beauty and fashion, this space was still evolving. It was uncharted territory for many, and there weren’t a lot of South Asian voices making waves, particularly in the UAE. I saw an opportunity to carve out a niche and connect with audiences in a way that felt genuine and engaging. That decision changed everything.

Growing up in Dubai as the youngest of three siblings, I was deeply influenced by my family’s values. My father, who moved to the UAE in the 70s, built a life for us through sheer hard work, and my mother’s dedication to raising us with love and care taught me so much about balance and perseverance. Those lessons have stayed with me as I’ve navigated my journey in the influencer space.

In high school, I chose to study Fashion Studies & Entrepreneurship, and later pursued a Bachelor’s in Business Management in India—something my father felt would prepare me for life outside the comfort of Dubai. But my heart always leaned towards creativity. When I began posting on Instagram, I did it out of pure passion. By 2015, I was catching the attention of major brands like Max Factor, Olay, and Rimmel. That’s when I realized I was onto something bigger than just a hobby.

Being one of the first in this space meant figuring things out as I went along. There wasn’t much mentorship or guidance for influencers back then, but I stayed determined. By 2016, I was earning enough to make this my full-time career, and the look of pride in my parents’ eyes became a huge motivation for me to keep pushing forward.

Today, I’m not just an influencer; I’m a mother to a two-year-old, and balancing my career with motherhood has become the most important aspect of my life. It’s not always easy, but being mentally and physically present for my child while continuing to pursue my passion is something I’ve learned to manage with intention and care. I think that’s what my audience connects with the most—seeing the real, raw, and relatable side of both my personal and professional worlds. I would love to highlight and change how mums are still judged for continuing to dress and carry themselves in a certain after having a child, I always get asked “oh so this is what motherhood looks like now”. I’m proud to be fashionable and not feel constricted by societal pressure to look a certain way just because I am a mother. I want to empower women to express themselves in their most authentic light even after entering the journey of motherhood and that’s my biggest goal through my page.

This feature is special to me because it’s a testament to the journey I’ve been on. From starting out when Instagram was still new to becoming a well-known voice in the region, it’s been an incredible ride. My hope is that my story inspires other women to chase their dreams, continue to carry yourself in the best possible light, proving that you can have a successful career while embracing the joys and challenges of family life. If you stay true to yourself, work hard, and keep your values at the core, anything is possible.

Xx
Archana

I am a Positive and Strong Person

Lisa Vandamme

Hey everyone,

My name is Lisa, 29 years of age and blessed with a sweet, beautiful daughter Ella.
She’s 18 months old and has a lot of energy.
In the meantime I’ve also been married to my husband for 2 years now.

I graduated as a psychiatric nurse in 2017. I have experienced a lot in my 7-year working career.
I work with a forensic target group, so that brings many challenges. My job is very varied with very nice and reliable colleagues, which makes it fun to work there. I have been working full-time night shifts for 2 years now. By working at night, Ella only must go to daycare 2 days a week, so this is a major financial advantage. Even though I find it difficult that I have to miss a lot of family moments because I work 65 hours a week and often also weekends and holidays, which sometimes leaves very little time for my family. To be clear, I work 7 nights and then am home with my family for 7 days.

My dream always was to have children, in 2022 I became pregnant with our daughter Ella, but this did not happen immediately as in my dreams. We were just in the process of renovating our house and I was suffering from a lot of pregnancy ailments. After giving birth, I found it difficult to properly fulfill all my duties as a wife, mother, but also to manage the house and then return to work. It was a very difficult puzzle to solve, which often left me feeling misunderstood and lonely, even though I actually had everything my heart wanted.

About a year ago I started my Instagram account lisa_vndmm about my family life. I am not a well-known influencer with an aesthetic house, nor do I wear the latest and most expensive clothes. I don’t always cook myself and I don’t travel to beautiful distant countries every year. I don’t have the perfect figure either, but I am a mom who learns every day to be the best version of myself. This doesn’t always work out perfectly and my life isn’t always Instagram-worthy. But I’m here to remind you that you don’t need all these things to have a beautiful and happy life.

Now I am a positive and strong person, but this has not always been the case and I think this is a shame. I hope that with my open and honest communication and my positivity, my daughter will become a strong woman.
But until then, I just want her to enjoy her journey of growing up.

''Flowers Belle Roses'' in LA is a True Family Endeavor

Lilit Karapetyan

Hello, I’m Lilit Karapetyan, the founder and floral designer of ”Flowers Belle Roses” store. Originally from Armenia, I pursued a degree in law during my college years, as it was my dream. However, life took an unexpected turn, leading me to relocate to Belgium. There, I discovered my true passion for floristry. I had the privilege of working at some of the finest flower shops in Belgium, where I diligently learned the art of floral design and composition.

With over a decade of experience in the floral industry, I have mastered the skills necessary to create stunning floral arrangements for weddings, birthdays, parties, and a variety of other special occasions. My extensive experience enables me to design and execute comprehensive floral plans that elevate any event with beauty and elegance. I am fluent in Armenian, Russian, French, English, and possess a working knowledge of Dutch. This linguistic diversity allows me to communicate effectively with a wide range of clients, ensuring that I fully understand and meet their floral desires and expectations.

”Flowers Belle Roses” is a true family endeavor. I am blessed to have my two wonderful daughters who assist me with various aspects of the flower shop, bringing youthful creativity and energy to our work. Additionally, my husband is a crucial part of our business, providing invaluable support and assistance in our day-to-day operations. Together, we strive to deliver exceptional floral arrangements and a memorable experience for our clients, reflecting our passion and dedication to the art of floristry.

Our journey in the world of flowers has been incredibly rewarding, and I take immense pride in our achievements. Every arrangement we create is crafted with love and attention to detail, ensuring that each client receives a unique and personalized floral experience. Whether it’s a grand wedding or an intimate birthday celebration, ”Flowers Belle Roses” is committed to making every occasion extraordinary.