JULIE RICE...SOUL SISTER

Three chicks and a lot of margaritas.

That’s how Julie Rice describes what it took to help her make the transformation from Hollywood heavyweight to her new role as co-owner of Manhattan’s latest fitness phenomenon, Soul Cycle.

In her twenties, Julie had what most would consider to be the proverbial dream job, as a high powered talent manager she worked with the biggest celebs in the business.

But as is so often the case, in her thirties, the glamorous parties and premiers Julie once viewed as perks – were eventually becoming more and more of a pain. The same industry events that once kept her career thriving were now keeping her from having dinner with her husband.

Julie wanted a change.

Enter into the picture – Julie’s beautiful baby daughter, Phoebe. Those same industry events were now not only keeping Julie from dinner, they were messing with the new mom’s baby bonding.

Like many of us, Julie didn’t want or need to be with her baby 24 hours a day – but she did want to be there, on her terms. She wanted to be a part of her daughter’s life and even know what Phoebe had for lunch. Something she just didn’t se happening on the Hollywood fast track.

What’s a girl to do? Why reinvent yourself, of course.

Always a fitness fanatic, Julie followed her passion which led her to two women who share the same fitness philosophy.

The three women joined forces and over many of those infamous margaritas, their new Upper West Side spinning studio, SOUL CYCLE was born.

It’s only fitting that the studio wall be adorned with a picture of a long road – a metaphor for the mind body journey you experience with every class – and for the even longer journey every mother faces as she tries to find her way down the long and windy parental path.

Julie credits having a child with making her brave enough to take the leap of faith and start her new life. Now, instead of long hours helping others achieve their career goals, Julie is following her own dream. It’s a dream that led her to a career she loves while also allowing for midday trips to the Park and bedtime stories with Phoebe.

There is no doubt, Julie Rice sets the gold standard for Mothers of Reinvention. She’s managed to reinvent not only her own career and lifestyle, but with her contagious smile, endless energy and life changing approach to fitness, everyone else but in her wake as well….hey, she might even help you lose a few pounds! Click Here to visit Soul Cycle.

MEET MINDY ROBERTS

POPULAR MOMMY BLOGGER BECOMES FIRST-TIME AUTHOR

Meet one of the most influential moms on the internet, Mindy Roberts, creator of THE MOMMY BLOG, an irreverant site on the worldwide web that gives visitors a birdseye view of her rollercoaster life. Mindy is a transplanted Chicagoan living in the Bay Area with her three children who are eight, six and four and a half. She rode out the rise and fall of the Silicon Valley high-tech industry, recently ended a 12 year marriage and is now on the lookout for a new job - the perfect combination for a book, TV or movie treatment! The Mommy Blog, launched in 2002, started out as an online journal that documented the near-death of Mindy's second child and evolved over the years into a hilarious diatribe centering on her chaotic life. In fact, The Mommy Blog has become so popular, attracting nearly 20,000 visitors per month, that magazines from Redbook to Parenting have picked it as one of their favorite destinations to visit on the web. Corporate America has even taken notice of The Mommy Blog. The site has become a prime destination for major corporations that have placed advertisements on The Mommy Blog to attract female consumers. Mindy has also been called upon to consult with Fortune 500 companies, offering her insights on what moms want most out of the products they buy. Mindy is currently putting the finishing touches on a can't put down memoir about her life, titled MOMMY CONFIDENTIAL - Adventures from the Wonderbelly of Motherhood. Mindy's book, along with ROAD LETTERS, a memoir written by Phil Ribaudo, a chef, writer, teacher, photographer and the man Mindy fell in love with after putting her life back together, will be available for purchase in the coming months...we'll keep you posted as soon as it's released so you can place your order! Click Here to visit the Mommy Blog or to place an ad on her site, visit Mindy's advertising representatives at Federated Media. If you'd like to order Mommy Confidential or Road Letters, just click on the book titles and enjoy the read!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, AUTHOR & MOM

MELINA BELLOWS

Meet Melina Bellows, an amazing woman who has managed to juggle a demanding day job as Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Kids Magazine along with her passion for writing. All while keeping up with her two young children. Melina, who previously was Senior Editor at Ladies' Home Journal, took over National Geographic Kids a few years ago, relaunching and redesigning the publication and increasing circulation from 700,000 to 1.3 million. Today, National Geographic Kids is the fourth fastest-growing publication in the country! If you think holding down a demanding job is enough for one person, then think again. Melina is also an accomplished author, having published The Fun Book series - The Fun Book, The Fun Book for Couples and coming soon is the perfect gift for busy mothers...The Fun Book for Moms! Melina's first novel Wish, which was released last year, is a book about a Hollywood reporter who spends 15 years interviewing A-List celebrities - posing her favorite question to everyone from Oprah to Sally Field - "Got any love advice for me?" This busy Role Mommy, who lives with her husband and children in Washington D.C., has also managed to do one of the most difficult things a new mother faces after giving birth...take off the baby weight! Having gained 80 pounds from both her pregnancies, Melina has been determined to shed all that excess weight and works out almost every day! So far, she's shed 72 pounds and only has eight more to go! This Mom of Reinvention is truly an inspiration - taking care of her family, her day job, her passion and herself all at the same time! To visit Melina's website and purchase her books, click here.

MEET THE FOUNDERS OF TODAYSMAMA

Rachael Herrscher and Stephanie Peterson are two enterprising moms who, after leaving the workforce to raise their kids, devised a concept that took off like wildfire in Salt Lake City, Utah and is now sweeping the nation. It all started back in 2004, when Rachael and Stephanie were searching for a Mom-n-Tot swim class. The pair wished they had a central resource for all the tidbits only mamas seem to know—and the idea for TodaysMama was born. First a local handbook—and now an expanding, national franchise—TodaysMama strives to simplify motherhood by making parenting resources accessible and easy to use. TodaysMama aims to empower women and mothers by: Helping women feel resourceful, excited about, and involved in educating and enriching their children, offering business opportunities to women who want to supplement their income, and supporting and motivating women who own businesses by providing marketplace opportunities at minimal cost. TodaysMama Handbooks have already expanded to Seattle, Arizona, Houston and Southern Nevada with more cities on the way. The TodaysMama website, which recently launched this spring, features "Expand Your Perspective" - a section where mom columnists offer heartfelt advice, useful tips and recount humorous stories from their busy lives (Role Mommy is a proud contributor); as well as a shopping section featuring products created by and sold by enterprising moms; favorite songs (Mama's Mix); and coming soon...TodaysMama Magazine. There's even a section called "Dream Big," where moms can share their personal stories of how they followed their passion while raising their family. On the homefront, Rachael is the proud Mama of toddlers Josh and Addie, while Stephanie stays grounded caring for Logan and Lincoln. Neither believes in the concept of "super-mom," but their shared philosophy of "It is possible!" forms the foundation of TodaysMama products and services. Between Rachael, a strategic marketing guru and Stephanie, a nine time marathon competitor, TodaysMama is already on its way to becoming a huge success with moms across the country. Click Here to check out TodaysMama.