For All That She Is: Mother’s Day 2024

This Mother’s Day, we’re not just thanking Mom for all that she does—we’re also celebrating her for all that she is. Because, of course, she’s a mom—but she’s also a friend, a daughter, a sister, a coach. She’s an explorer, a singer, an artist, a chef. She can indulge in a lazy afternoon one day and run a half marathon the next. She’s caring, she’s strong, she’s uniquely her.

We sat down with five moms from our Tommy Bahama corporate headquarters. We learned a little motherly wisdom and heard some great stories, but mostly, we talked with some seriously amazing women.

Jen, Restaurant Controller What's your superpower?

Connecting with others. I’m a people person. I love hearing their stories, peeling back layers, and appreciating their unique contributions to the world.

For my first job out of college, I attended a training in Madrid for two weeks. I met other employees from the UK and Germany. It was so much fun getting to explore a new country with people completely new to me. The training lasted just two weeks, and I made really strong relationships with people that I still keep in touch with today. The whole experience gave me courage and confidence to be able to embrace new environments and taught me how to communicate with people from all different backgrounds. It was a great new-job, new-country, fresh-out-of-college experience.

When she’s older, I plan to encourage my daughter to travel and meet new people too. I want her to gain that sense of independence, of being comfortable with herself. I hope she learns those problem-solving skills and the ability to be brave and speak up for what she wants.

Chantele, Corporate Recruiter How would you describe yourself in one word?

Chef! I love cooking and I can't wait until my son gets older so I can teach him how to cook. Growing up my mom always made great homecooked meals, and my dad’s whole side of the family was in the restaurant business, so it’s kind of in the bloodline on both sides.

I’d say I’m best known for my homemade crème brûlée. I use real vanilla bean pods! Any holiday or event, people always ask me to bring it. It brings everyone together! It can stop any fight. That, and my risotto.

The recipe I’m most excited to pass down, though, is one from my dad’s side of the family. It’s a Swedish pancake recipe from my grandmother that’s handwritten on a Post-it note. It was always a staple for breakfast growing up, and I still make it all the time. My son is one year old now and already loves them, so I can’t wait to tell him it’s a recipe that came from his great-grandmother.

Colleen, Omni Divisional Merchandise Manager What's one thing you wish people knew about you?

Travel fuels me—the anticipation and excitement of experiencing the sights, sounds, scents, and food of a new place. I'm always planning the next trip!

One of my most special experiences was during a trip to Austria, in Salzburg. We were on a walking tour and went to the abbey where “The Sound of Music” was filmed. The nuns there have certain hours of strict silence, but when we were there, we could hear them singing. The sounds echoed through the abbey. It was incredible. It was one of those things where it felt like we were just in the right place at the right time.

Travel opens your eyes and gives you a window into the way others live. It's so fun seeing new places through my son’s eyes and hearing him talk about places we've gone long after the trip is over. I'm a strong believer in setting the foundation for him to be curious and explore, to see the world and learn about different cultures, to not be afraid to go to different places or to try new things. You have to get out of your comfort zone a little, and there's no better way to do that than travel.

Krista, Sr. Copywriter What wisdom do you hope to pass on to your children?

Rather than a lesson for my kids, here’s something I'm learning from my kids: You don't have to be great at something to enjoy it. I can be a bit of a perfectionist, but having kids has driven home for me that if you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong.

I'm a serial creative hobbyist who goes through phases of knitting, jewelry making, painting, or gardening. My grandfather was an artist, and my dad still is, so I guess I grew up thinking about art as something you did, not just something you looked at.

As a kid, for Halloween I never wanted the same store-bought costumes as everyone else. I would come up with the weirdest ideas, like “zombie car hop,” and then my mom would help me throw something together. These days, I let my own kids run the show. Once they decide what they want to be—after changing their minds 20 times—I come up with something to support the main act. If Josephine is Wonder Woman, I’ll go as her villain. If Madeline’s going as Alice, I’ll be the caterpillar… and then transform into a butterfly. It helps to have a decent hand at face makeup and a hot glue gun!

Sasha, Financial Analyst What have you done that makes you proud?

I am proud of putting every bit of effort into making my dreams come true. Growing up I’d always played piano and danced, but I had no singing abilities—even my mom admitted it! But once I decided I wanted to do it, I was persistent enough that eventually she signed me up for voice lessons—and now I sing in a band. Me, our guitarist, and our pianist all have Ukrainian roots, so we perform Ukrainian pop songs and American hits. We actually just had a performance at the grand opening for a local business. It was a lot of fun.

I also own a floral business with a friend. After taking a floral class in Hawaii, I was so inspired and motivated. Now our business does bouquets, wreaths, and offers workshops where people can learn how to make their own and get to connect with each other. They’re always proud of what they’ve made, and it’s really fulfilling to see.

I hope my daughter learns to follow her heart too. To try different things and see what speaks to her. You can achieve so many things if you have the right mindset.

Mom, This One's for You

From all of us at Tommy Bahama, to the mothers new, long time, and anywhere in between—thank you for all that you are.

Happy Mother's Day.