Interview with Laura Wellington
I had the opportunity to conduct a briefQ&A with the extraordinaryLaura Wellington, CEO of Thread MBand widowed mother of five. The creative force behind ablogthat combines interviews from social media mothers and celebrities, Laura is the exact definition of femaleempowerment. Read the complete interview below.
Maggie Bera: If you don't mind, I'd love to start by hearing a bitabout your husband. What brought you two together?
Laura Wellington: Dean was a very intelligent, quirky, sensitive gentleman with great pride in his ability to provide and protect for his family.
He was a true Renaissance man, inspiring growth in himself, me and others. Dean would go on to launch several technology business through his life.Dean and I met, unexpectedly, at a restaurant opening in Fort Lee, NJ. What brought us together was basic human nature, what kept us together were shared values and a deep-seeded love. The birth of our children and the happiness we shared reflected this. I never thought I'd be without him.
MB: Having lost your husband at such a young age (35), you arean inspirationto widows around the world. I'm fascinatedby your bravery in building a new life for your family despitehis passing.
LW: When you watch someone as precious to you as Dean was to me die, you realize how privileged you are to havethe opportunity to live.Because I loved Dean so much, I took the responsibility of carrying on his legacy seriously for a number of reasons, including being a role model for our children as well as other widows who may not have the same strength, understanding, courage or opportunity to go on as I have been blessed with.
MB: What is your background in media?
LW: I began in entertainment in 2006 when I created and launched a children's TVseries "The Wumblers." It quickly became award- winning while broadcasting internationally. During that period, several news organizations began asking me to appear on their shows for all sorts of opinions, including parenting and educational topics.
I then wrote a leadership book for women, "The Four-Star Diet: Based Upon The Wisdom Of General Colin Powell & Other Ridiculously Brilliant Leaders." When the Huffington Post asked to review it, I sent them a copy. They returned to me and asked if I would become a contributor,my foray into the blogging world.
THREAD MB
MB: When did you launch THREAD MB?
What prompted you to make the bloga reality?
LW: I launched THREAD MBin Sept 2015. My goal was to prove the theory that media and entertainment was failing to see the true value that mom bloggers held in opportunity and damn good content. The theory proved itself rather quickly. The magazine became a labor of love,showing itself beyond its original intention.
THREAD MB combines interviews from social media mom influencers and celebrities, bridging the gap to better the world together. Weare able to generate some unique and entertaining interviews, which always include discussions on the nonprofits/social causes these interviewees support, thus, expanding awareness around these causes and, hopefully, donations.
MB: Give me a few examples of some of the people you choose to spotlight.
LW: Andrea Bocelli, Heather Armstrong, Bill O’Reilly, Leah Segedie, Kristin Davis… etc.Our celebrity interviews include high-profile individuals in entertainment, media, publishing, business, nonprofits, legal and medical fields and more. The demand is so great that we’ve begun including requests from dad bloggers, mom vloggers, mom pinners, mom Youtube channel owners, etc.
MB: What have you discovered about yourself through this journey?
LW: Remaining true to myself is imperative to my overall happiness and success. I’ve only just begun.
