This story was adapted from a piece that originally ran on Greenwich Moms.
When Layla Lisiewski became a mom eleven years ago, she had recently moved back to her hometown to raise her family. After leaving a career in finance and a second career as an artist, she combined her research and creative skills to gather resources she was looking for as a new mom. As she collated everything from the best playgrounds in town to the top toddler activities, she launched a website, Greenwich Moms, that quickly took off. Soon after, Darien Moms followed; today, there are over 100 websites nationwide, from CT to CA, that make up The Local Moms Network.
We asked Layla, now a mom of four, a few questions about building this business, her mom life, and more.
Back to basics – please tell us a little about yourself!
I was raised in Greenwich, Connecticut and loved growing up here. For college, I attended Brown University where I was a double major in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies and played Division I lacrosse. I worked in private wealth management at Merrill Lynch & Co. in Manhattan for seven years before moving back to Greenwich, becoming a mother and creating the Local Moms Network. I love living back in town where I live with my husband Gary and four children (Ella 11, Michael 9, Alexandra 6, Luke 3).
What do you do for fun and to relax these days? We know that’s hard while running the Local Moms Network and having 4 children!
I enjoy horseback riding, playing tennis, going out with friends, and traveling with my family (not relaxing but fun).
Can you share a bit more about why you started Greenwich Moms that later grew into The Local Moms Network?
I created a network to help moms and parents navigate all of the choices they face and feel comfortable in their towns by providing valuable, trustworthy resources and opportunities for connection. I do this with our network of 100+ local parents curating content and events for communities across 30 states. I have experienced first hand the frustration of not being able to efficiently manage a household and navigate the isolating world of parenthood due to a mangled web of information. This frustration gave birth to the idea of what has become the Local Moms Network. We are giving moms the gift of time by sifting through all of the information out there and presenting the resources, services, and products on a hyper-local level the same as a true mom-friend would do.
What was the “aha” moment when you knew this idea had legs?
The feedback and enthusiasm from highly motivated, intelligent women asking to spearhead a Local Moms Network platform in their area was a true aha moment. WE identified a large unmet need in a target market.
The Local Moms Network has grown tremendously and become a staple in so many households across the country. What are some of your favorite moments through the years?
Traveling to visit our moms has to be the most rewarding experience. We set out to give moms a flexible opportunity to blend satisfying work and family life in a more healthy way and to see it first hand makes me very happy. I am proud to help lead our team of extraordinarily talented women.
THE BEST RUN, MOST SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES IN THE COMING DECADE WILL BE THOSE THAT DEMONSTRATE THE MOST FORESIGHT ON PEOPLE MATTERS. COMPANIES, AS A PART OF THEIR PURPOSE, MUST PURSUE THE SMARTEST COMBINATION OF POLICIES TO LET EMPLOYEES FLOURISH AT WORK AND AT HOME. – Indra Nooyi
Your team at The Local Moms Network would call you a humble leader. But if you could brag for a moment, what are you most proud of in regards to growing this company?
I am proud of LMN’s accomplishments, and how we’ve expanded, embraced a true learning culture and evolving creatively, without ever losing sight of our core mission. We have assembled a stellar team and bootstrapped this company to what it is today.
We hear you have a big birthday coming up, what are you most excited about for this next decade?
I’m told this is the decade when you start to feel a little more steady.
What is your Mom uniform these days?
Nili Lotan blazer and AG jeans are my go to. In a perfect world, I’m just a girl in her jogger sets and a great jacket;
What’s your skincare routine?
Yse Beauty by Molly Sims and anything Asya tells me to buy. I need all the help I can get at this point and I rely on those who are aging beautifully—ha!
What female founders have inspired you and why?
Sara Blakely and Indra Nooyi. Teamwork and Community building is, and always will be, the foundation of our venture. The feedback and enthusiasm is amazing. It makes us happy that we have found a purpose where we feel like we can give back. We have found success in writing frequently, sharing helpful information, and building partnerships with those who share our vision and appreciate our audience. The moms running this fleet of successful platforms agree on maintaining a symbiotic relationship with their readers and we hope local families grow with us as much as we grow with them.
Favorite snack after the kids go to bed?
Baked Potato and Sour Cream
Favorite mom hack?
Skylight Calendar
Best parenting advice you ever received?
If you have but one Mom friend, make sure you choose her well.
